2023 Subaru WRX vs 2022 Kia Forte

The 2022 Kia Forte offered four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte FE was known for its impressive fuel economy, achieving 41 mpg on the highway. The LXS trim provided essential features without unnecessary extras, while the GT-Line added a sporty appearance without enhancing driving dynamics. The GT trim was the most fun, featuring a turbocharged engine and sportier design elements. The Forte GT we reviewed came in Steel Gray with the GT2 Package, carpeted floor mats, and an MSRP of $26,900, including a $1,055 destination charge. For those on a tighter budget, the FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims ranged from $19,090 to $21,290, plus the destination charge.

In 2022, all Forte models received updates, including a new grille, headlights, and bumpers. The LXS and GT-Line trims got fresh wheel designs, while the GT-Line and GT received new fog lights and taillights. The GT trim featured brighter LED headlights, whereas other trims had halogen headlights. The GT-Line and GT had a sportier look, with the GT boasting 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's interior had a sporty look with traditional analog gauges, round outer air vents, and a thick-rimmed steering wheel.

The 2023 Subaru WRX, no longer badged as the Impreza WRX, featured distinct styling from the Impreza, including a wide-body look and functional hood scoop. The WRX rode on the Subaru Global Platform and had a unique front and rear-end design. Base models came with 17-inch wheels, while other trims had 18-inch wheels with standard summer tires. The WRX's exterior styling conveyed its performance capabilities and Subaru heritage, with a tuner aesthetic fitting Subaru's current design theme.

The WRX GT model we tested had Recaro Performance Design front seats with eight-way power adjustment for the driver's seat, red contrast stitching, and Ultrasuede upholstery for the front seats and dashboard cover. The interior was basic but durable, with comfortable and supportive seats. The WRX's well-mannered character made it a pleasant daily driver, with good grip from its AWD system and standard summer tires. However, the driving experience felt muted, with a quiet exhaust, CVT blunting acceleration, and laid-back steering.

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 producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) driving the front wheels. The fuel economy for this engine was 35 mpg combined for the FE trim and 33 mpg for the LXS and GT-Line trims. The Forte GT offered a more exciting driving experience with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine generating 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters.

The Forte GT featured Smart, Normal, and Sport driving modes, 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 GT provided effortless acceleration and enjoyable driving dynamics, with good ride and handling characteristics. However, the brakes struggled during demanding mountain descents, and the engine noise at highway speeds was noticeable. The Forte GT's fuel economy fell short of EPA estimates, averaging 25.8 mpg on the testing loop and 32.8 mpg over a week-long loan.

The 2023 Subaru WRX had a 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine producing 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This engine offered more horsepower than a Volkswagen Golf GTI but less than a Golf R. The WRX featured AWD and a standard six-speed manual transmission, with an optional continuously variable transmission (CVT) branded as the Subaru Performance Transmission (SPT). The SPT/CVT was standard on the GT trim and provided quick throttle responses, feeling more like a conventional automatic transmission. The GT trim also had electronically controlled dampers and a drive mode select system with multiple settings for steering, engine, AWD system, driver aids, and climate control.

The WRX's well-mannered character made it a pleasant daily driver, with good grip from its AWD system and standard summer tires. However, the driving experience felt muted, with a quiet exhaust, CVT blunting acceleration, and laid-back steering. The WRX did everything competently but lacked exuberance.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT 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 seat and ventilated front seats. The dual-zone automatic climate control system and rear air conditioning vents kept passengers cool. Rear seat room was good for a compact car, with a large and supportive bottom seat cushion. The Forte's trunk offered 15.3 cubic feet of cargo space, the largest in the segment, with rear seats that folded down to expand capacity.

The 2023 Subaru WRX offered more front headroom and legroom than a Honda Civic Si but less rear-seat space. The WRX's 12.5 cubic feet of trunk space was smaller than the Civic Si, Volkswagen Jetta GLI, and Hyundai Elantra N. A 60/40 split-folding rear seat was standard, but Subaru didn't quote a cargo-space number with the seat folded. Roof-rack mounts were standard. The WRX preserved good outward visibility with low window-sill lines, thin forward roof pillars, and a low dashboard. However, there was no suitable place to put a phone, with the typical spot under the touchscreen too small for a modern smartphone.

For 2022, Kia offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT models, adding infotainment and safety systems. The GT-Line Premium Package further expanded tech options. A rear-seat USB port was newly available, and the GT-Line and GT offered remote engine starting 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 had a 10.25-inch touchscreen display with more features but required a cable for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The GT also had wireless smartphone charging and an available eight-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system.

The Forte's infotainment system was easy to use, with intuitive menus and physical knobs for volume and tuning. However, the voice recognition system had mixed results, and Kia Connect's functionality was unclear. The Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a useful feature, notifying drivers when traffic ahead started moving.

The 2023 Subaru WRX's Starlink infotainment system included standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. Base models had two 7-inch touchscreens, while higher trims had an 11.6-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen. The larger screen displayed icons and text clearly, but physical buttons and knobs would have been appreciated. The menus were mostly easy to navigate, but the SiriusXM interface required too many steps, and the system took a long time to load on startup.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered 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 Safe Exit Warning. Additional safety features 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 the NHTSA rated it four stars overall, with concerns about rear passenger injury in a side impact.

The 2023 Subaru WRX featured Subaru's EyeSight safety system, with adaptive cruise control, automated lane-centering, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and lane-departure warning. Other available safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking, and steering-responsive headlights. The WRX received top "Good" scores in IIHS crash tests and a "Superior" score for front-crash prevention. The NHTSA gave the WRX a five-star overall safety rating.