Subaru Legacy vs Kia Forte

The 2021 Subaru Legacy was a midsize sedan that often flew under the radar, competing with popular models like the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Available in six trim levels, it offered a range of premium features and equipment add-ons. The Legacy shared much of its design and mechanics with the Subaru Outback, featuring a similar fascia, headlight design, and dashboard setup. For 2021, Subaru introduced standard low-beam and high-beam steering-responsive LED headlights across all trims. While its design wasn't particularly eye-catching, it stayed true to Subaru's branding, offering a sleek yet understated look. The Legacy came with 17-inch steel wheels as standard, with options to upgrade to 17-inch alloy or 18-inch wheels, depending on the trim.

Inside, the Legacy featured a blend of high-quality materials and piano black plastic, with cloth upholstery as standard and leather available at an extra cost. The interior was functional and on-trend, though it lacked the flashy extras found in more premium vehicles. Options included Nappa leather upholstery, contrasting stitching, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. The Legacy also offered power-folding outside mirrors, a power moonroof, and an All-Weather Package. Roof mounting points for Subaru genuine-accessory crossbars were a notable feature for brand enthusiasts.

The 2022 Kia Forte was available in four trim levels: FE, LXS, GT-Line, and GT. The Forte FE was the fuel-economy leader, while the LXS offered a balanced feature set. The GT-Line added sporty looks, and the GT provided the most fun with its turbocharged engine. The Forte GT evaluated for this review came with Steel Gray paint, the GT2 Package, and a price of $26,900. For those on a tighter budget, the FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims ranged from $19,090 to $21,290.

For 2022, the Forte received updates including a new grille, headlights, and bumpers. The GT-Line and GT trims featured new fog lights and taillights, with the GT boasting brighter LED headlights. The GT also had red-accent detailing, a gloss black lip spoiler, and larger 18-inch wheels. Inside, the Forte retained its previous design but added a 4.2-inch driver information display, a revised center console, and improved infotainment systems. The GT's interior had a sporty look with seat perforations, patterns, and polished metal accents.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy offered two engine options. The Base, Premium, Sport, and Limited trims were powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. For those needing more power, the Limited XT and Touring XT trims featured a turbocharged 2.4-liter engine with 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. Both engines were paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The Legacy's standard all-wheel drive (AWD) set it apart from competitors, providing excellent stability over rough terrain. The 2.5-liter engine achieved an EPA-estimated 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway, while the turbocharged engine earned 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway.

The 2022 Kia Forte carried over most of its mechanical components from the previous year. The FE, LXS, and GT-Line trims were powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, paired with a CVT. The Forte GT, however, featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine producing 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, available with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The GT also offered Smart, Normal, and Sport driving modes, a sport-tuned suspension, and larger 18-inch alloy wheels. Despite its sporty features, the Forte GT's brakes struggled during demanding driving conditions, and its engine noise was noticeable at highway speeds. The Forte GT's fuel economy was rated at 26 mpg combined with the manual transmission and 30 mpg with the DCT, though real-world testing showed slightly lower figures.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy improved its comfort with a sound-insulation windshield and better seat positioning. The Base model had manually adjustable front seats, while higher trims offered a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat and either a four-way or eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat. The Legacy provided ample back seat room for adults, making it comfortable for extended periods. Heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a heated steering wheel were available. However, the Legacy's 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space was limited compared to its competitors.

The 2022 Kia Forte GT, especially with the GT2 option package, offered numerous comfort features. These included a 10-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a power sunroof, and upgraded LED interior lighting. The Forte's height-adjustable front passenger seat ensured proper leg support, and the dual-zone automatic climate control system with rear air conditioning vents kept passengers comfortable. The Forte's rear seat room was impressive for a compact car, and its 15.3 cubic feet of trunk space was the largest in its segment. The rear seats also folded down to expand cargo capacity.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy featured dual 7-inch infotainment and climate control displays on the base model, while higher trims had an 11.6-inch infotainment screen. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 12-volt power outlet, two USB ports, and a 4.2-inch meter display. Higher trims added more USB ports, Subaru Starlink Connected Services, navigation, a 180-degree front-view monitor, Sirius XM Traffic, keyless entry, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The 11.6-inch screen's appearance was unsophisticated, but menus were easy to navigate.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered new Technology option packages for the LXS, GT-Line, and GT trims. The FE and LXS trims featured an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The GT-Line and GT trims had a 10.25-inch touchscreen 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 sound system. The Forte's infotainment system was user-friendly, though its voice recognition capabilities were hit-and-miss. The Leading Vehicle Departure Alert system was a standout feature, alerting drivers when traffic ahead started moving.

The 2021 Subaru Legacy earned top scores from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features included Subaru EyeSight technology, adaptive cruise control, pre-collision automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and a head-up display. Additional features like reverse automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring were available. The Legacy's seat-belt monitoring system was very sensitive, and the EyeSight system could be annoying with its frequent alerts.

The 2022 Kia Forte offered more Kia Drive Wise technology, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and a driver monitoring system. Higher trims added blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and Safe Exit Warning. Depending on the trim, additional safety features included cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control, and Highway Driving Assist (HDA). The IIHS gave the Forte high marks for crashworthiness and driving assist systems, while the NHTSA awarded it a four-star overall rating.