2023 Kia Forte vs 2022 Dodge Charger

The 2022 Dodge Charger had been running on essentially the same platform since 2005, shared with the Dodge Challenger coupe and Chrysler 300 sedan, which originated from an older Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Despite its age, Dodge had made impressive updates to the platform. The Charger underwent major interior and exterior updates in 2011 and a significant facelift in 2015. Unlike its Challenger counterpart, which embraced a throwback muscle-car style, the 2015 Charger design that carried over to 2022 was more modern and menacing.

While the exterior received a facelift in 2015, the cabin felt dated by modern standards, with thick bezels and chunky buttons and dials reminiscent of a small truck. However, the Charger’s cabin was user-friendly, compensating for its lack of modernity with ease of use.

The 2022 Charger came in various trims: SXT, GT, R/T, R/T Scat Pack, Hellcat, Redeye, and Jailbreak. The SXT trim featured a V6 engine, power-adjustable front seats, rear parking sensors, cloth upholstery, a six-speaker stereo, and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The GT trim, also with a V6 engine, added a rear spoiler, sport-tuned suspension, performance tires, an Alpine premium stereo system, navigation, and an upgraded 8.4-inch touchscreen.

The R/T trim was the most affordable option with a V8 engine, featuring performance suspension and upgraded tires. The R/T Scat Pack included a larger V8, launch control, high-performance suspension, limited-slip rear differential, Brembo performance brakes, a heated steering wheel, and driver’s seat memory setting.

The SRT Hellcat Widebody, introduced in 2020, turned the high-powered supercharged full-size sedan into a well-rounded performance machine. It featured a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine, SRT-tuned Bilstein suspension, upgraded Brembo brakes, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, Laguna leather upholstery, and heated-and-ventilated front seats. The Redeye variant had an even more powerful version of the Hellcat engine, and the Jailbreak brought the supercharged V8 to an even hotter tune.

The 2023 Kia Forte, a compact sedan last redesigned in 2019, retained some of Kia's older design cues while incorporating newer styling elements. The double-tab grille, a long-standing Kia identifier, and the converging angled cutouts underneath hinted at the latest design language. The GT trims added bold red accents, though they might not appeal to everyone. The Forte's side and rear design were typical of the class, but its overall shape was more graceful than some competitors.

The interior of the Forte held onto Kia's older layout, with a touchscreen mounted atop the center dash and traditional climate knobs and dials below. While newer models adopted a more high-tech look, the Forte's layout was modern and user-friendly. The interior materials were notably nicer than contemporary rivals, with less hard plastic and more soft-touch surfaces and sturdy construction. The GT models featured convincing synthetic leather seat upholstery, thicker and more substantial than the thin vinyl-like coverings in a Toyota Corolla. The rear seats had more hard plastic surfaces to endure knocks and scrapes from child passengers. Despite its age, the Forte remained competitive against newer sedans in the class.

The 2022 Dodge Charger offered a range of engines, starting with the SXT and GT models, which used a 3.6-liter V6 engine producing 292 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque in base form. The SXT AWD and GT trims had a slightly higher output of 300 hp and 264 lb-ft of torque. The R/T trim featured a 5.7-liter Hemi V8, delivering 370 hp and 394 lb-ft of torque. The R/T Scat Pack came with a 6.4-liter Hemi V8, making 485 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque.

The Charger SRT Hellcat had a supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V8, producing 717 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque. The SRT Hellcat Redeye and SRT Jailbreak had the same engine but with higher outputs of 797 hp and 707 lb-ft of torque for the Redeye, and 807 hp for the Jailbreak. All engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with rear-wheel drive standard across the board. The V6-powered SXT and GT trims were also available with all-wheel drive.

The Hellcat drivetrain delivered incredible acceleration, with the Hellcat and Redeye sprinting from zero to 60 mph in just 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 196 mph. The Hellcat Widebody, with 11-inch-wide Pirelli P-Zero tires, allowed for better power distribution and cornering precision. The SRT Performance Pages menu on the in-dash touchscreen allowed drivers to toggle between Auto, Sport, Track, or Custom drive modes.

The 2023 Kia Forte offered two engine choices. The base engine was a 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that sent power to the front wheels. The GT trim featured a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, making 201 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, available with either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission or a six-speed manual. Front-wheel drive was the only available drivetrain.

The base engine accelerated the Forte to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds, while the GT trim achieved it in 6.5 seconds. The base powertrain was adequate for most drivers, while the GT trim offered more excitement and performance with its sport-tuned suspension. The CVT in the base model made it feel slower, but it was still sufficient for highway merging and passing. The dual-clutch automatic transmission in the GT trim kept power on tap but could be jumpy at lower speeds. The manual transmission offered maximum engagement, though it was marginally slower and less fuel-efficient.

The GT's sport-tuned suspension and improved handling provided a comfortable ride, though not as stiff as the competing Mazda 3. The Forte GT handled turns with little drama, and the light steering feel was precise and predictable. Despite the sport-tuned suspension, the GT's ride quality was comfortable, with road noise being the only noticeable intrusion.

The 2022 Dodge Charger, a large sedan, didn't always feel large due to its tall transmission tunnel and high center console. The performance bucket seats provided an intimate experience from the front seats. Both rows offered plenty of legroom, but headroom was limited, especially in the rear seats. The aging Charger was less accommodating for storing multiple water bottles, with a smaller center console bin and trays around the shifter.

The Charger provided 16.5 cubic feet of trunk space, but the small trunk lid and high rear bumper made loading large items challenging. However, the R/T and Hellcat trims offered sports-car performance with four doors and a usable trunk, making the Charger versatile.

The 2023 Kia Forte's front seats provided ample space for taller passengers, with basic adjustments that remained comfortable on long drives. The dashboard, center stack, and center console layout placed controls within easy reach, allowing for easy operation without taking eyes off the road. A rubberized phone tray below the climate controls kept devices from sliding, and higher trims offered a wireless charger and Bluetooth phone integration. The Forte had moderately sized cup holders, door pockets, and a center armrest bin.

The rear seats comfortably accommodated average-sized adults, with ample headroom, legroom, and space for feet under the front seats. Higher trims had separate air conditioning vents and a USB charge port. The trunk offered 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly more than the Honda Civic and Mazda 3 sedans. The cargo floor had a flimsy fabric covering, but the space itself was notable for its height, allowing for bulkier items. Remote seatback releases made it easier to expand the cargo space.

The 2022 Dodge Charger had come a long way from its mid-2000s beginnings, now featuring a 7-inch touchscreen running the Uconnect infotainment system. The system was user-friendly, with a dock area at the bottom for major functions like stereo, navigation, and vehicle settings. The base SXT had an optional 8.4-inch version of the Uconnect screen, standard on the rest of the lineup. Both screens included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While not the most advanced car, the Charger’s blend of technology and conventional controls was a lesson for automakers.

The 2023 Kia Forte came standard with an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, while the GT-Line and above received a 10.25-inch display. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included with all models, but a wireless charging pad was available only on the GT-Line or higher trims. The GT-Line also added a navigation system and upgraded the base four-speaker audio system to six, with an optional premium eight-speaker Harman Kardon system.

The infotainment system had sharp graphics and quick responses, with logical and intuitive menu organization. Buttons at the bottom of the frame provided helpful shortcuts to commonly used functions. The Forte met expectations in tech features, comparable to other cars in the class. While there was an issue with wireless phone integration in the test vehicle, it was likely an anomaly.

The 2022 Dodge Charger showed its age in safety features. While economical compact cars like the Toyota Corolla came with a long list of driver-assistance features, the Charger offered only a backup camera and rear parking sensors as standard. The backup camera displayed a grainy, pixelated image on the Uconnect screen. However, modern safety features like forward-collision avoidance, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, rain-sensing wipers, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert were available as options.

The 2023 Kia Forte received four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for overall, frontal, side, and rollover protection. Some base forward collision mitigation features did not meet the Administration's performance criteria, but available upgrades did. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) awarded the Forte its highest score of "Good" in all evaluations except for the updated front moderate overlap and side impact tests, which received the lowest score of "Poor."

Standard driver assistance features on all 2023 Forte models included forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and a driver attention monitor. The LXS trim offered an optional blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic warning and a safe passenger exit system. The GT-Line made adaptive cruise control and pedestrian/cyclist detection available as options. The top GT trims included these features as standard, along with rear parking proximity sensors.