2022 Kia Forte vs 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, part of the W213 generation introduced in 2017, showcased a departure from the sharper, boxier angles of its predecessor to adopt the fluid, curvier forms seen in the 2014 S-Class and 2015 C-Class. This design philosophy, termed "sensual purity" by Mercedes chief designer Gorden Wagener, aimed to create a smooth and elegant appearance. The 2021 model featured a slightly edgier front with squinted headlights and an inverted trapezoid grille, while the rear design echoed the W212 with horizontal taillights cutting into the trunk lid. New bumpers with larger air intakes, new exhaust tips, and new wheels were among the major changes, maintaining the car's handsome and elegant look across its sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible variants.

Inside, the E-Class was a showcase of luxurious materials and exuberant style, even in its base trims. Rich woods, aluminum, and carbon fiber adorned the cabin, sweeping across the curved dash, around the four circular air vents, and along the intricate doors. The interior featured metal speaker grilles, elaborate stitching, and incredible ambient lighting that interacted with the car's climate and mood settings. The dashboard housed two 12-inch screens with crisp detail and brilliant color, and the instrument panel transitioned to a standard digital display for 2021. The new steering wheels, with touch-sensitive controls and additional screens, added to the lavish and modern feel of the E-Class, making its interior unmatched by any car at this price point.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte FE was the fuel-economy champion, rated at 41 mpg on the highway, while the LXS provided essential features without excess. The GT-Line added a sporty look without sporty driving characteristics, and the GT was the most fun to drive. The Forte GT, evaluated for this review, came with Steel Gray paint, the GT2 Package, and a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $26,900, including a destination charge of $1,055. This trim level included nearly all available features, making it a well-equipped option.

For those with a tighter budget, the Forte was available in FE, LXS, or GT-Line trims, with base prices ranging from $19,090 to $21,290, plus the destination charge. The 2022 model year brought updates to all Forte models, including a new grille, headlights, and bumpers. The LXS and GT-Line received fresh wheel designs, while the GT-Line and GT gained new fog lights and taillights. The Forte GT featured brighter LED headlights, red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels with a machined finish, giving it the best looks in the family. However, the intricate wheel design was challenging to clean of brake dust.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class saw a significant change with the switch from conventional V6 engines to electrified inline-six powertrains for the highest-volume models. The E450 became a hybrid, utilizing a 48-volt electrical system to supplement the common 12-volt system. This setup included a small lithium-ion battery powering an electric starter-generator between the engine and nine-speed automatic transmission, providing extra power and torque for brief periods. The 3.0-liter inline-six engine, with a single turbo, produced 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, with additional overboost from the battery. The base E350's 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, revised for 2020, offered 255 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque but lacked the performance expected of a $60,000 luxury car.

The AMG E53 model added a second turbo, technically a supercharger powered by the 48-volt battery, to the E450's engine, resulting in 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. The AMG E63 S, with a hand-built 4.0-liter V8 and two conventional turbos, delivered 603 hp and 627 lb-ft of torque, making it a high-performance variant. The E-Class offered a range of driving experiences, from the comfortable and quiet E450 to the sporty and powerful AMG models. Fuel economy varied, with the E450 4Matic and E350 4Matic sedans returning 26 mpg combined, while the AMG models had lower ratings.

The 2022 Kia Forte carried over most of its mechanical components from the previous year. The FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims featured a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The fuel economy for this engine was 35 mpg combined for the FE trim and 33 mpg for the LXS and GT-Line. The Forte GT, with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, offered 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, available from 1,500 to 4,500 rpm. This engine could be paired with a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters.

The Forte GT featured Smart, Normal, and Sport driving modes, adjusting throttle response, transmission behavior, and steering feel. It also had a sport-tuned suspension with an independent rear design, a sport-tuned exhaust, larger 18-inch alloy wheels, and available Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer performance tires. The Forte GT provided effortless acceleration and a good blend of ride and handling characteristics, making it enjoyable to drive. However, it was not an outright performance sedan, with some shortcomings in steering feel, suspension comfort on imperfect roads, and brake performance during demanding driving.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured a redesigned infotainment system with a touchscreen, making everyday tasks easier and faster. The touchpads on the steering wheel were reshaped, and shortcut buttons for navigation, stereo, and other settings remained. The cabin was spacious for four adults, with ample headroom and legroom, supportive cushions, and knee cutouts on the seatbacks. The E-Class offered various body styles, including a sedan with 13 cubic feet of trunk space, a coupe with usable rear seats, a convertible with limited rear seat space, and a wagon with a stowable rear-facing jump seat and up to 64 cubic feet of cargo space.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, equipped with the GT2 option package, offered numerous features, including a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, upgraded LED interior lighting, and full SynTex simulated leather seats. The Forte GT proved comfortable for long road trips, with a height-adjustable front passenger seat, dual-zone automatic climate control, and rear air conditioning vents. Rear seat room was good for a compact car, with a large bottom seat cushion and proper support. The Forte’s trunk, at 15.3 cubic feet, was the largest in the segment, with the rear seats folding down to expand capacity.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class featured the MBUX infotainment system with a touchscreen interface, better-organized menus, and shortcut buttons for major functions. The system included natural voice processing, online searches, and a live feed from the front camera with overlay arrows and street names. Optional features included massaging seats, seat kinetics, and various connected services. The instrument cluster offered customizable graphics, and the car had numerous driving assists, including lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT models, adding infotainment and safety systems. The FE and LXS trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, while the GT-Line and GT had a 10.25-inch touchscreen with additional features but required a cable for smartphone connectivity. The Forte GT included wireless smartphone charging and an available Harman Kardon premium sound system. The infotainment system was easy to use, with intuitive menu structures and physical knobs for volume and tuning. The voice recognition system had mixed performance, and the Forte’s Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a useful feature.

The 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class was one of the safest cars on sale, with a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a "Top Safety Pick+" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The car featured numerous safety innovations, including Pre-Safe Sound, side bolster inflation during a side collision, and crosswind assist. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, and blind-spot monitoring, with additional driver-assist features available as options.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered more Kia Drive Wise technology, with standard features including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, automatic high-beam headlights, and a driver monitoring system. The GT-Line and GT trims added active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a Safe Exit Warning system. Optional safety features included cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The Forte received high marks from the IIHS for crashworthiness and driving assist systems, but the NHTSA gave it a four-star overall rating due to issues with rear passenger injury potential in a side impact.