2022 Audi A4 vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2022 Audi A4 lineup included the A4 sedan, the A4 Allroad, and the S4 performance-tuned model. For this review, the A4 was evaluated, specifically the Prestige 45 TFSI model with Tango Red paint, the Black Optic Plus package, 19-inch wheels, and ventilated front seats. The MSRP for this configuration was $55,890, including the destination charge. The A4's simple, clean, and conservative appearance was enhanced by the Tango Red paint and Black Optic package detailing, making it look sensationally good. Inside, the A4 maintained aesthetic restraint with high-quality materials, a 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrumentation panel, and ambient interior lighting. However, the tablet-style touchscreen infotainment system seemed out of place.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte GT, evaluated for this review, came with Steel Gray paint, the GT2 Package, and a total MSRP of $26,900, including the destination charge. The GT trim featured a sportier look with red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels. The interior had a sporty look with traditional analog gauges, round outer air vents, and a thick-rimmed steering wheel with a flat-bottom design. The seat perforations, patterns, piping, and stitching had a Germanic appearance, and polished metal interior accents dressed up the otherwise simple cabin.

The 2022 Audi A4 40 TFSI featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 201 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission and Quattro Ultra all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. It earned an EPA fuel economy rating of 29 mpg in combined driving and could accelerate to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. The A4 45 TFSI, tested for this review, brought 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, with a lowered sport suspension. It could accelerate to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds and had an EPA rating of 27 mpg in combined driving. The A4's driving experience was joyful, with refined engine performance, outstanding tire grip, and a remarkably quiet cabin.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT offered a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters. The GT trim featured a sport-tuned suspension with an independent rear design, a sport-tuned exhaust, and larger 18-inch alloy wheels. 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 a concern. The Forte GT averaged 25.8 mpg in combined driving, slightly below the EPA rating.

The 2022 Audi A4 had a low seating position, making it harder to enter and exit. The front seats were exceptionally comfortable, with soft leather, power adjustment, and a thigh-support cushion. The A4 featured a three-zone automatic climate control system and a simple, intuitive layout. The rear seats were comfortable for shorter trips but lacked space for stretching out. Interior storage space was limited, with the center console bin housing the wireless charging pad and Audi Phone Box signal booster. The A4's 13 cubic-foot trunk was nicely finished and had enclosed hinges, storage nets, and grab handles for easy closure.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, equipped with the GT2 option package, featured a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, and upgraded LED interior lighting. The Forte GT proved comfortable for long road trips, with a height-adjustable front passenger’s seat and a dual-zone automatic climate control system. Rear seat room was remarkably good for a compact car, with a large bottom seat cushion and 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 2022 Audi A4 featured the MIB3 version of Audi Multi-Media Interface (MMI) with a 10.1-inch touchscreen display. The screen supported common fingertip smartphone functions and offered acoustic feedback. Features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, Audi Connect connected services, navigation, wireless smartphone charging, and a 19-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system. The MMI was simple to configure and use, with intuitive user-experience and useful voice controls. The Bang & Olufsen stereo was satisfying, but the sound quality could suffer at high volumes. The test car also had a large head-up display, which was hard to see with polarized sunglasses.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT models. The FE and LXS trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The GT-Line and GT trims had a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with more features, including SiriusXM satellite radio, voice recognition, Kia Connect connected services, wireless smartphone charging, and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system. The Forte’s infotainment system was easy to use, but the voice recognition capabilities were hit-and-miss. The Forte also featured a Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system, which notified the driver when vehicles ahead were moving again.

The 2022 Audi A4 stair-stepped the availability of its safety features. The Prestige model included front and rear collision preparation, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, adaptive cruise control with Traffic Jam Assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a safe exit warning system, a surround-view camera system, and Park Assist. The A4 received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The 2022 Kia Forte featured standard forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection, 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 with rear automatic braking, and a Safe Exit Warning system. Depending on the trim level, additional safety features included cyclist detection, navigation-linked adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The Forte received high marks from the IIHS but had a four-star overall crash protection rating from the NHTSA.