Kia Forte Vs. Toyota Corolla: Which Is Better?
In an epic battle of compact sedans, we put the Kia Forte and Toyota Corolla to the test.
Written by Cassandra Hamilton
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Table of Contents
- Pricing
- Performance
- Fuel efficiency
- Technology
- Reliability
- Interior
- The final word
- How to find cheap car insurance for a Kia Forte
- FAQs
Load full table of contents
It wasn’t easy to compare the 2022 Toyota Corolla with the 2022 Kia Forte, but we did it. Since there’s no clear winner between the two, you’ll have to decide where your car-purchasing priorities lie to make your final decision.
What makes a Kia Forte so different from a Toyota Corolla? They’re both compact economy cars produced by Asian manufacturers, and both are immensely popular and reliable. The size and ride quality is comparable, so how can you choose between the two?
Let’s take a closer look to spot the differences between the Kia Forte vs. Toyota Corolla. Here with a comparison guide is
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or Toyota Corolla insurance costs
!Pricing
Both the Forte and the Corolla are the economy sedan option for their respective makes. The starting price for the Kia Forte is slightly less than that of the Toyota Corolla. We’ve got the details outlined in the table below on all 2022 Forte and Corolla sedans.
Model | MSRP | Model | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|
2022 Toyota Corolla L | $21,450 | 2022 Kia Forte LX | $20,585 |
2022 Toyota Corolla LE | $21,900 | 2022 Kia Forte LXS | $21,085 |
2022 Toyota Corolla SE | $23,900 | 2022 Kia Forte GT-Line | $22,785 |
2022 Toyota Corolla XLE | $25,850 | 2022 Kia Forte GT | $25,285 |
2022 Toyota Corolla XSE | $27,350 | 2022 Kia Forte GT Manual | $25,985 |
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversWhile the difference between the prices of the two sedans is negligible (a max difference of $1,365), overall, the Kia Forte is more affordable if starting MSRP is what matters most to you. Don’t forget to consider the true cost of ownership before making a final decision, though—that’s where the Corolla starts to edge out the Forte.
We’ll compare the projected five-year ownership cost for the most popular trim level of each car: the Kia Forte GT-Line and the Toyota Corolla LE. According to the Edmunds calculator, ownership costs for the Corolla LE amount to $30,769 over five years. That figure accounts for $3,340 for maintenance and $4,804 for the annual
Toyota Corolla LE insurance cost
.Compare that to the Forte GT-Line: $34,404 over five years, including $3,483 on maintenance and $4,870 on annual
Forte GT-Line insurance costs
. When you combine purchase price with the cost of ownership, the Toyota Corolla LE is about $2,000 less over five years than the Forte GT-Line.
Performance
You won’t mistake either of these cars for a sports car, but the Corolla offers better performance and a higher fun factor when it comes to driving.
The Corolla is available with either a traditional gasoline engine or a hybrid engine. For the sake of comparing apples to apples, we’ll only take the gasoline engine into account for this comparison—just another reason to consider a Corolla over a Forte, which does not have a hybrid powertrain available.
The Forte has two engine options: a 2.0 L four-cylinder engine or a 1.6 L turbocharged inline-four. As fancy as that sounds, both engines underperform on the road, leaving you with a vehicle that’s slow to accelerate and clunky to shift.
As for the Corolla, it also offers two engines: a 1.8 L four-cylinder and a peppy 2.0 L four-cylinder available on the higher trim levels. The 2.0 L engine is more fun to drive and puts a little pep in your step on the road, while the 1.8 L option merely performs at expectations.
As for similarities, both models feature a continuously variable transmission or a manual transmission option. You can only get the Corolla’s manual transmission when you upgrade your trim and opt for the 2.0 L engine, while the Forte’s manual transmission can only be had by upgrading your trim to the top level.
When you put them side by side, both models struggle to accelerate quickly, leaving you struggling to pass on the highway. Both models will get you around town, but don’t expect them to do anything more than that.
Fuel efficiency
You can’t beat the Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE’s fuel efficiency of 52 mpg combined. While this isn’t the best hybrid mileage out there, it’s still far better than the next Corolla—and any of the Kia Fortes.
If you’re not comparing a Forte to a hybrid powertrain, though, it’s pretty on-par for mileage with the Corolla. We’ve got a handy table below showing how each model and powertrain ranks for fuel efficiency.
But apart from the hybrid, the Civic and Corolla are essentially neck-and-neck in terms of efficiency. Check out the table below to see how EPA ratings for each model and powertrain configuration compare.
Model | Engine | Fuel economy (city/hwy/combined) |
|---|---|---|
2022 Toyota Corolla | 1.8L four-cylinder (base) | 30/38/33 mpg |
2022 Toyota Corolla | 2.0L four-cylinder | 31/40/34 mpg |
2022 Toyota Corolla Hybrid | 1.8L four-cylinder | 53/52/52/ mpg |
2022 Kia Forte | 1.6L four-cylinder (base) | 27/35/30 mpg |
2022 Kia Forte | 2.0L four-cylinder | 29/39/33 mpg |
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4.7/5 rating on the App Store | Trusted by 5+ million customers and 7 million cars4.7/5 app rating | Trusted by 5M+ driversAs you can see, the Toyota Corolla edges the Kia Forte out when it comes to fuel efficiency. If you opt for a manual transmission, or a hatchback if you go the Corolla route, remember that fuel efficiency dips 2-3 mpg with either of these options.
Technology
When it comes to infotainment and safety features, the Kia Forte takes the cake on technology.
Both cars offer standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay plus adaptive cruise control, lane departure warnings, and forward collision mitigation. Tech for the Corolla doesn’t upgrade as you move through the trim levels, though, other than the option of adding an extra inch to the 7.0-inch touchscreen display. The upper trim levels on the Forte, in comparison, have a 10.25-inch touchscreen display, while the lower trim levels boast an 8.0-inch touchscreen.
You can also add smartphone integration to your Kia Forte as an available option, plus advanced safety features not found in the Corolla, like highway driving assist, safe exit warning, and navigation-based smart cruise control curve. You also get a number of USB ports in the vehicle, including in the rear.
Kia focused on upgrading the technology in its 2022 lineup, and it’s hard to beat.
Reliability
Both Kia and Toyota are known for being reliable vehicles, but the Toyota Corolla has a slight edge when it comes to reliability ratings from experts like J.D. Power, RepairPal, and Consumer Reports.
The 2022 Toyota Corolla has a reliability score of 85/100 from J.D. Power, which is trailed closely by the Forte’s score of 83/100. Both cars get 4.5/5.0 ratings from RepairPal, but the Corolla is ranked as #1 out of 36 compact cars—the Forte comes in at #2. As for Consumer Reports, they recommend the Toyota Corolla but not the Kia Forte when it comes to reliability.
Interior
The Kia Forte was completely redesigned for 2022, resulting in a stylish ride focused on comfort. The Toyota Corolla is much the same as it was the year before, with a couple of refreshed touches like leatherette upholstery upgrades. Overall, the Forte offers a streamlined design that’s easy on the eyes and hard to beat, even in the nicest Corollas.
When it comes to cargo space and overall legroom, the Forte takes the win again. Check out the table below for our measurements of the cargo volume, headroom, and legroom measurements in the 2022 Corolla and Forte in the available body styles.
Measurement | Toyota Corolla Sedan | Toyota Corolla Hatchback | Kia Forte Sedan |
|---|---|---|---|
Cargo volume | 13.1 cubic feet | 17.8 cubic feet | 15.3 cubic feet |
Headroom (front seats) | 38.3 inches | 38.4 inches | 38.8 inches |
Legroom (front seats) | 42 inches | 42 inches | 42.2 inches |
Headroom (rear seats) 37.1 inches | 37.6 inches | 37.5 inches | |
Legroom (rear seats) | 34.8 inches | 29.9 inches | 35.7 inches |
Even though both cars are roughly the same size, the Forte maximizes storage and passenger space for a practical, comfy ride that can’t be beat. When you compare the sedans side-by-side, it’s clear which car you’d take on a friends’ weekend getaway.
The final word
When it comes to the overall summary, it’s hard to pick a clear winner between the Corolla and the Forte.
If cold hard cash affects your bottom line the most, you’ll want to go with a Toyota Corolla, as the overall cost of ownership is significantly lower than the Kia Forte. But if style and features matter more, the Forte is a better match.
How to find cheap car insurance for a Kia Forte
It’s fairly affordable to insure a Kia Forte compared to a luxury sedan or even a Kia SUV. Still, insurance costs can add up fast if you’re not careful—especially if you go with the first quote you get.
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FAQs
Which is better, a Corolla or a Forte?
The Toyota Corolla and the Kia Forte are pretty evenly matched when it comes to drive quality and reliability. The choice boils down to where your priorities lie: overall cost of ownership, or style and storage?
Which is better on gas, Corolla or Forte?
The Toyota Corolla gets better gas mileage than the Kia Forte. That’s just taking the gasoline engine into consideration—the Corolla also offers a hybrid powertrain which is unbeatable on gas mileage when compared to the Kia Forte.
Is the Kia Forte more expensive than the Toyota Corolla?
Yes, the Kia Forte is more expensive over the course of five years than the Toyota Corolla, though it seems like the less expensive option at first glance.
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