2021 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2021 Subaru Impreza adopted a more conservative design compared to its predecessors, which had featured large round headlights and box fender flares. Despite this shift, the Impreza maintained a handsome appearance. Both the sedan and hatchback versions sported sleek headlights and taillights, enhancing their width impression, and a nicely-tapered front end. The body sides featured some scalloping for visual flair, and the awkward wheel arch sheetmetal from the previous generation was toned down. The Impreza Sport models had specific styling touches, including 18-inch alloy wheels, while base models came with 16-inch steel wheels.

The Impreza was built on the Subaru Global Platform, shared with other models like the Legacy sedan, Outback wagon, and Forester and Ascent crossovers. This platform contributed to the vehicle's overall refinement. Inside, the Impreza's design was typical for compact cars, with a dashboard split by the infotainment touchscreen housing and various forms of plastic throughout. The Impreza Sport featured contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and aluminum pedals, while the top-tier Impreza Limited offered standard leather upholstery and LED headlights.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte FE was the fuel-economy leader, rated at 41 mpg on the highway. The LXS provided essential features, while the GT-Line added a sporty look without sporty driving characteristics. The GT trim was the most fun, featuring a turbocharged engine. 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.

For 2022, all Forte models received a new grille, headlights, and bumpers. The LXS and GT-Line trims got fresh wheel designs, while the GT-Line and GT trims featured new fog lights and taillights. The GT trim had brighter LED headlights, and the GT-Line and GT had sportier looks with red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels. The interior remained similar to the previous year, with a standard 4.2-inch driver information display, a revised center console, and improved infotainment systems. The GT-Line and GT trims used a different kind of simulated leather.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza was powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. This Subaru-signature boxer engine allowed for a lower center of gravity. Most Impreza models came with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), while a five-speed manual transmission was available on the base sedan and hatchback, and the Impreza Sport hatchback. The Sport trim also featured model-specific suspension tuning and a torque vectoring feature for the all-wheel-drive system.

The Impreza was a pleasant daily driver, offering a solid and refined ride. The Sport trim's suspension tuning balanced ride quality and handling, while torque vectoring provided a neutral balance. However, the steering was noncommunicative, and the engine's lack of power prevented the Impreza Sport from being a true driver’s car.

The 2022 Kia Forte carried over most of its mechanical components from the previous year. All trims except the GT had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a CVT. The fuel economy was rated at 35 mpg combined for the FE trim and 33 mpg for the LXS and GT-Line. The Forte GT featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, available with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters.

The Forte GT offered 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. However, the brakes were not up to the task of demanding mountain descents, and the engine noise at highway speeds was noticeable. The Forte GT averaged 25.8 mpg on the testing loop and 32.8 mpg over a week-long loan.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan offered 12.3 cubic feet of trunk space, the least among current compact sedans, but it had a standard 60/40 split-folding rear seat. The hatchback version provided 20.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place, more than the Mazda 3 or Toyota Corolla hatchback, but less than the 2021 Honda Civic hatchback. With the rear seats folded, the Impreza offered 55.3 cubic feet of cargo space. All hatch trim levels except the base model had standard roof rails. The Impreza Premium and higher trims featured an All-Weather Package, including heated front seats, a heated windshield, and heated exterior mirrors. The Sport trim added keyless entry with pushbutton start, while the Limited trim included a six-way power driver’s seat and automatic climate control.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, equipped with the GT2 option package, included 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’s seat and ventilated front seats. It also had a standard dual-zone automatic climate control system and rear air conditioning vents. Rear seat room was good for a compact car, with a large and angled bottom seat cushion for proper support. The Forte’s trunk offered 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, the largest in the segment, with the ability to place full-size suitcases flat or on their sides. The rear seats also folded down to expand capacity.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza featured a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Bluetooth on the base and Premium trims, while higher trims had an 8-inch touchscreen. An option package for the Limited trim added TomTom-based navigation and a Harman Kardon audio system. The Impreza also had a secondary display housed in a hood over the main touchscreen, showing information like estimated range. The infotainment system was easy to use, with large touchscreen icons and minimal menu digging for important functions.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT trims, adding infotainment and safety systems. The GT-Line Premium Package further expanded the tech available for that trim. A rear-seat USB port was newly available, and the GT-Line and GT offered remote engine starting capability using the key fob. The FE and LXS trims had an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The GT-Line and GT trims featured a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with more features, including SiriusXM satellite radio, a voice recognition system, and Kia Connect connected services. The Forte GT had standard wireless smartphone charging and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The infotainment system was easy to use, with intuitive menu structures and knobs for volume and tuning. However, the voice recognition capabilities were hit-and-miss, and the Forte’s Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a standout feature.

The 2021 Subaru Impreza sedan and hatchback received an IIHS “Top Safety Pick” award, with the highest “Good” score in all crash tests. The standard headlights received a “Marginal” rating, while the Limited trim’s headlights received a “Good” score. The NHTSA gave the Impreza sedan and hatchback a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in all crash tests. The Impreza’s EyeSight safety tech was standard on CVT-equipped models, including automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, lane-departure warning, and lead vehicle start alert. Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights were available as options.

The 2022 Kia Forte featured more Kia Drive Wise technology, with standard 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, rear automatic braking, and a Safe Exit Warning system. Safety-related upgrades included cyclist detection, navigation-linked adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The IIHS gave the Forte high marks for crashworthiness and driving assist systems, but testing for the revised LED headlights was incomplete. The NHTSA gave the 2022 Forte a four-star overall crash protection rating, with a three-star frontal impact rating for the front passenger and an issue related to rear passenger injury in a side impact.