BMW 5 Series vs Kia Forte

2026 BMW 5 Series
2026 BMW 5 Series
$59,900MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 Kia Forte
2023 Kia Forte
$19,690MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2026 BMW 5 Series
$59,900MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 Kia Forte
$19,690MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced

1972-Present

Years produced

2010-2024

MSRP

$59,900

MSRP

$19,690

Listings

9192

Listings

9441

Ratings & Reviews

User Reviews
User Reviews

Expert reviews

8.0 out of 10

Expert reviews

6.3 out of 10

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Comfortable

  • Impressive technology

Cons

  • Potentially polarizing design

  • Occasional digital voice assistant quirks

  • Not much cargo space

Pros

  • Excellent value for money

  • Comfortable

  • Manual transmission available

Cons

  • Lower-than-average crash test scores

  • Underwhelming base engine

Reviews Summary

The BMW 5 Series is one of three cars that prove the country known for Autobahns, the Nürburgring, and Oktoberfest builds the best luxury sedans on the planet. It competes with the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, each taking a distinct approach to design but measuring up closely in other parameters. The 2026 5 Series is virtually unchanged, entering its third year following a 2024 redesign, and this review is about the 540i xDrive model.

Verdict: Putting BMW’s love-it-or-hate-it design aside, the 2026 540i xDrive is a sensational automobile offering the right blend of luxury, technology, and performance. Choose the M Sport setup for maximum driving enjoyment, or stick with the standard specification to emphasize luxury. Either way, the styling is the most controversial thing about the 5 Series.

Reviews Summary

The 2023 Kia Forte makes its mark among rival compact sedans with value. You get more for the money than with its rivals, but at the same time, you won't feel as though you have to sacrifice quality or performance. It's an all-around solid choice in a very competitive class.
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine

2.0L 255 hp I4

Engine

2.0L 147 hp I4

Drive Train

RWD

Drive Train

FWD

Seating Capacity

5

Seating Capacity

5

Horsepower

255 hp @ 4700 rpm

Horsepower

147 hp @ 6200 rpm

MPG City

28

MPG City

28

MPG Highway

35

MPG Highway

39
2026 BMW 5 Series
2026 BMW 5 Series
$59,900MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 Kia Forte
2023 Kia Forte
$19,690MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2026 BMW 5 Series
$59,900MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now
2023 Kia Forte
$19,690MSRP
Overview
Overview
OverviewShop Now

Overview

Years produced
1972-Present
2010-2024
MSRP
$59,900
$19,690
Listings

Ratings & Reviews

User reviews

4.5

4.3

Expert reviews

8.0 out of 10

Read full review

6.3 out of 10

Read full review
Pros & cons

Pros

  • Fun to drive

  • Comfortable

  • Impressive technology

Cons

  • Potentially polarizing design

  • Occasional digital voice assistant quirks

  • Not much cargo space

Pros

  • Excellent value for money

  • Comfortable

  • Manual transmission available

Cons

  • Lower-than-average crash test scores

  • Underwhelming base engine

Summary

The BMW 5 Series is one of three cars that prove the country known for Autobahns, the Nürburgring, and Oktoberfest builds the best luxury sedans on the planet. It competes with the Audi A6 and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, each taking a distinct approach to design but measuring up closely in other parameters. The 2026 5 Series is virtually unchanged, entering its third year following a 2024 redesign, and this review is about the 540i xDrive model.

Verdict: Putting BMW’s love-it-or-hate-it design aside, the 2026 540i xDrive is a sensational automobile offering the right blend of luxury, technology, and performance. Choose the M Sport setup for maximum driving enjoyment, or stick with the standard specification to emphasize luxury. Either way, the styling is the most controversial thing about the 5 Series.

The 2023 Kia Forte makes its mark among rival compact sedans with value. You get more for the money than with its rivals, but at the same time, you won't feel as though you have to sacrifice quality or performance. It's an all-around solid choice in a very competitive class.
Video
No video found

Popular Features & Specs

Engine
2.0L 255 hp I4
2.0L 147 hp I4
Drive Train
RWD
FWD
Seating Capacity
5
5
Horsepower
255 hp @ 4700 rpm
147 hp @ 6200 rpm
MPG City
28
28
MPG Highway
35
39
CarGurus logo

By: CarGurus + AI

At CarGurus, our team of experienced automotive writers remain at the heart of our content operation, conducting hands-on car tests and writing insightful guides that are backed by years of industry experience. To complement this, we are harnessing AI to make our content offering more diverse and more helpful to shoppers than ever. To achieve this, our AI systems are based exclusively on CarGurus content, ratings and data, so that what we produce is both unique to CarGurus, and uniquely helpful to car shoppers.

Popular vehicle comparisons

2024 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2024 MINI Cooper vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2024 Acura Integra vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Hyundai Sonata2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Honda Civic2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2025 Honda Civic2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Toyota Prius2024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Kia K52024 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 Hyundai Elantra vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2023 BMW 5 Series2023 MINI Cooper vs 2023 BMW 5 Series2023 Acura Integra vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2023 Kia K5 vs 2023 Kia Forte2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 Kia K52023 Kia K5 vs 2024 Kia Forte2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Toyota Prius2023 Honda Civic vs 2024 Kia Forte2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 Kia Forte2023 Acura Integra vs 2024 Kia Forte2023 Honda Civic vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2024 MINI Cooper2023 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2024 Kia Forte2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2023 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Kia K52023 Toyota Prius vs 2024 BMW 5 Series2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2022 Honda Civic vs 2023 Kia Forte2022 Kia Forte vs 2023 Subaru Impreza2022 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2023 BMW 5 Series2022 Kia K5 vs 2022 Kia Forte2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Kia K52022 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2023 Kia Forte2022 Hyundai Sonata vs 2022 Kia Forte2022 Honda Accord vs 2023 Kia Forte2022 Kia K5 vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2022 Kia Forte vs 2023 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Hyundai Elantra2022 Kia Forte vs 2023 Audi A42022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 Subaru Impreza vs 2022 Kia Forte2022 Kia Forte vs 2023 Honda Civic Hatchback2022 MINI Cooper vs 2023 Kia Forte2022 MINI Cooper vs 2022 Kia Forte2022 BMW 5 Series vs 2023 Toyota Prius2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2022 Kia Forte2021 Honda Accord vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Honda Accord2021 Toyota Prius vs 2022 Kia Forte2021 Kia Forte vs 2022 Toyota Prius2021 Kia Forte vs 2021 Hyundai Sonata2021 Audi A4 vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 Kia K5 vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 Kia Forte vs 2022 Audi A42021 Hyundai Elantra vs 2022 Kia Forte2021 Mercedes-Benz C-Class vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Subaru Impreza2021 Kia Forte vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz C-Class2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 BMW 5 Series2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Toyota Prius2021 Kia Forte vs 2021 Honda Civic Hatchback2021 Kia Forte vs 2022 Hyundai Sonata2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2022 Mercedes-Benz S-Class2021 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2022 Kia Forte2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class vs 2022 Kia Forte2021 BMW 5 Series vs 2021 Volkswagen Golf GTI2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class vs 2022 BMW 5 Series