Kia Forte vs Toyota Corolla vs Hyundai Elantra vs Mazda3

aviboy97 · December 2009

Generally, all the Asian manufacturers use a cable-actuated clutch, whereas most European cars use a hydraulically-actuated clutch. Once you drive a car with a hydraulically-actuated clutch, the cable-actuated design simply doesn't measure up to the smooth operation of the hydraulically-actuated clutch. The comparison is night and day.

Um....my Mazda6 has a hydraulic clutch, as are all Mazda mtx's as far as I know...

conwelpic · December 2009

according to KGIS for the Forte it states: Clutch operation method - hydraulic type (its the same whether is a 2.0L or 2.4L engine

iluvmysephia1 · December 2009

if anyone needs a summing up of this-drive them all for yourself and make your own mind up on your favorite's clutch operation. I know for sure that of any of the cars I'm interested in, the 2003+ Hyundai Tiburon's have documented big-time troubles with their clutches staying together. I am not interested in the Tiburon any more, but it's not because of the clutch trouble.

And Hyundai continues to deny Long-Haul Warranty claims and to say words to the effect of "you're not driving the car's right. You don't know how to work a clutch/manual gearshift operation, and, that's why your Tibby's broken down." That is very disconcerting and is really one of the very few knocks I've ever had with HyunKia.

As for the Civic, Forte, Maz3, etc. I would really test-drive them all silly before I bought. And I have a strong feeling that a manual-trannied Forte sedan would work out just fine with me. I've driven many a stick through the years and I'll bet it's just a matter of getting used to the clutch/stick operation on them.

Sandman6472 · December 2009

Sat in a dark red one of these today at the local BJ's and I was very impressed. Comfortable sport seats, nice thick steering wheel & nice interior fit & finish really caught my eye. Very impressed indeed but since I just turned over to 25k on the way to work this morning, no new car for me for a long while.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

iluvmysephia1 · December 2009

yep, I have found my favorite rig ever in my '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. After owning the car, taking great care of it and driving it like a Grandpa for 2 3/4 years I love the car even more.

Refresh me as to what car you are currently driving that just hit 25,000 miles, man.

Our Lancer GTS has about 47,000 miles on it.

thegraduate · December 2009

Comfortable sport seats, nice thick steering wheel & nice interior fit & finish really caught my eye

I was a Lancer fan until I got inside it and actually started touching things. Turning the fan knob, etc - the car felt cheaper than the $20k+ sticker it carried. It was really a letdown after looking at it favorably before.

Then again, I may just be spoiled by my '06 Accord's interior.

steven39 · December 2009

hi folks,i purchased a kia forte EX over this past summer in august and thought i would give a 6 month update about how i feel about this car.first off,i never thought in a million years that i would purchase a kia product but i did.i test drove other cars in this class such as mazda 3,corolla,elantra,and civic just to name a few and the forte won out over these cars.the mazda 3 and civic sedan had way to much road noise for my likeing while on the otherhand the forte was very quiet with little wind or road noise.the other cars could not touch the forte's standard features.the forte's price to standard features ratio is unsurpassed in this segment and the long warranty was iceing on the cake for me.usually new model cars take a few years to work out the kinks but kia got this car right, right from the start.the dealership that i purchased my forte from keeps a 2010 toyota corolla s model on the lot so people can compare the forte with the corolla.salesmen told me that about 90 % of the people who test drove the forte then drove the corolla said they prefer the forte over the corolla i agree.forte smokes the corolla...

autonomous · December 2009

purchased a kia forte EX ... in august and thought i would give a 6 month update
How is the fuel economy? What are you averaging?

salesmen told me that about 90 % of the people who test drove the forte then drove the corolla said they prefer the forte over the corolla
Well, if a Kia salesman said it, it must be true!

steven39 · December 2009

my fuel economy isn't as good as i had hoped for although i only have 5000 miles on the car and it's still breaking in.hopefully,the fuel economy will improve as i put more miles on the car...however it is i would say below 30 mpg all around and probably closer to about 25 which is what the mpg city estimates say on the window sticker.

Sandman6472 · December 2009

Just hit 25k on Monday with 3.5 years of ownership. Obviously, I don't drive much and since my accident. I only drive to & from work. The wife's '05 M3 is close to 70k but she drives much more than I do. Just had both cars detailed at home and they look sweet and both are running well. I'll be happy to get her car up to 85k before the new search begins.
On another note, just picked up daughter #2's Hyundai Accent from their body shop...roommate sideswiped her car...and am still very impressed with it. Pretty powerful for the 1.6 engine and great brakes. Nice little 1st car for the $ and she's pleased.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

autonomous · December 2009

would say below 30 mpg all around and probably closer to about 25 which is what the mpg city estimates say on the window sticker.

Ah, those window stickers! Their numbers are either optimistic or hallucinatory ...

thegraduate · December 2009

The "New" EPA window stickers are pessimistic in my eyes. I've NEVER gotten highway mileage as bad as those stickers indicate I should be getting, and I don't drive 55 everywhere, and I also like to hear the VTEC snarl at 6000 RPM! :shades: The old EPA numbers are a pretty good indication of what mileage I can expect.

steven39 · December 2009

just a few words about my kia forte's interior road noise.before i decided on the forte EX sedan i also test drove a 2010 mazda 3 and a 2010 honda civic sedan lx among a few other cars.i actually came close to purchasing the mazda 3 but it had to much horrific road noise for my likeing as did the civic sedan.the forte's quiet interior was the deciding factor among other things over the other cars i test drove.

mnf · December 2009

Is there a differance from the Sedan or Coupe auto or manual in road noise. Reading Consumer Reports they said.

HighsFuel economy, secure handling, rear-seat space, controls. LowsRide, engine noise, fit and finish, driving position.

"The engine gets quite loud under acceleration."

From what i have seen they do look sharp KIA has came a long way in a few short years.

MNF

chrono · December 2009

I test drove an EX with fuel pkg a couple months back. I thought the engine noise was fine although I never hammered the car. Also the ride seemed smooth too. The difference in ride could be attributed to the different wheel packages you can get. The standard size are the 15's which seemed to absorb most any bump. I did not try the 16's or I think the SX can be had with 17's I believe which would make the ride more firm ..

compensate · August 2010

The Kia Forte is on my short list for my next car. I currently drive a 2001 Hyundai Elantra GT 5-speed (a REAL hatchback) with almost 225,000 miles on it. Still has all original pumps (oil, fuel and water), rear struts, alternator, clutch, transmission, etc. The air conditioning is still ice cold and has never been serviced in 9 years of ownership. This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned, even made more amazing by the fact that I am a spirited driver and tend to "push" my cars a bit.

I was going to get another Elantra, but that new hatchback model (Elantra Touring) looks like a station wagon - they should not even call it a hatchback anyomore. If it looked more like a hatchback, I would not hesitate to buy it, but the Forte looks much better.

Anyone have any input into the long-term reliability of the Kia Forte, or Kia in general these days? Can they compete with Hyundai in long-term reliability of 7+ years and high mileage?

Thanks!

jimpimms · September 2010

Kia's pretty much using the newest Hyundai drivetrains now, so the reliability should be comparable, although they're assembled in separate plants. Curiously, the Forte has a more advanced 2.0L all-aluminum engine (156 bhp / 154 bhp PZEV) than the Elantra (138 bhp / 132 bhp PZEV). I also owned a 2001 Elantra GT, and stupidly traded it in for a 2006 Sonata V-6 5AT, and I've regretted it ever since, as the GT was a blast to drive. I passed the Sonata on to my wife, and I now have a Forte EX 5MT, which is also fun to push. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised with the 2011 Forte 5-door 6MT, since it has more power, an extra cog, and better gas mileage. But you may notice a difference in handling, as the Kia's rear suspension is torsion-bar rather than fully independent. I'm planning on upgrading to an SX 5-door 6MT, but not until Kia drops the new GDI 2.4L (198 bhp / 190 bhp PZEV) in it--or better yet, the new 2.0L turbo.

joeyrab · December 2010

joeyrab · December 2010

Not for nothing but the first couple of months there shouldn't be any problems with any of the above cars, BUT I would look at the Toyota and Mazda, from the above 4 cars listed in the title. I have yet to be convinced that Hyundai and Kia are just as durable in the long run as Toyota, Honda, Subaru, Suzuki, Mazda, etc...
I really think the Kia Forte is a great looking car. I would consider it myself but I cant see it being as rock solid a a toyota or honda 5-6 years from now. I just work with too many people who drive Hyundai/Kia cars...after 2-3 years, they seem to start nickel and diming you...this is just an observation. When I start hearing people tell me thay have 175,000 miles on their elantra, and it has been great....and I see it, then I may change my tune....

netranger4 · December 2010

To those concerned with the above, bear in mind that different countries have different taxing methods for cars and fuel costs range from outrageous to outright banditry. Ergo, many differing engines, diesel or gasoline, must be offered if you plan on selling worldwide. Standard transmissions are more common in other parts of the world than automatics. Durability of Kia/Hyundai engines and vehicles in general depends on proper maintenance and pride of ownership. If you wish to see an example of this, check Whatcar.co.uk and look at the Kia/Hyundai models offered. It can be an eye-opener.

Kia Forte vs Toyota Corolla vs Hyundai Elantra vs Mazda3

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