The Kia Forte gets overlooked in the affordable compact car race, but it has a lot going for it. Based on the same platform as the more-successful Hyundai Elantra, the Kia Forte offers above-average living space, a long list of standard features for a reasonable price, and won a Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Forte struggles for name recognition within a compact sedan market historically dominated by the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla, but it’s a solid choice for a reasonable price.
After a freshening last year, Kia will let its compact car ride into 2023 with nearly no changes and only a small price increase. It remains among the dwindling class of cars with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) starting under $20,000.
Last year saw Kia add an updated suite of advanced driver assistance systems including forward collision avoidance with improved pedestrian and bicycle detection, lane-keeping assist, and lane-following assist. However, Kia still charges extra for some safety features. They include blind-spot monitoring, navigation-based smart cruise control, parking distance sensors, rear cross-traffic alerts, and safe exit warnings.
2023 Kia Forte Pricing:
Prices have increased by as little as $400. Kia also charges a $1,095 delivery fee on all Fortes.
| Trim Level | Price |
| LX | $19,490 |
| LXS | $19,990 |
| GT-Line | $21,690 |
| GT automatic transmission | $24,190 |
| GT manual transmission | $24,890 |
