2020 Honda Civic Hatchback vs 2019 Kia Forte

The 2019 Kia Forte might have appeared to be a mere facelift, but it was actually an all-new generation. It retained its familiar jellybean shape and plucky front-end design, with a subtle swoop along the side. The taillight band connecting each side above the license plate was a design element that seemed cheap and tacked-on. However, the overall design was more mature compared to previous generations. The Forte also featured additional small rear quarter windows and flatter, lower windowsills. Styling cues from the sporty Kia Stinger were evident, including the grille's powerful shape, futuristic headlights, and aggressive lower-grille design.

Inside, the Forte’s cabin was contemporary and high-tech, with a simple layout influenced by the Stinger. It featured a sport steering wheel and a floating touchscreen. The big circular HVAC vents from the Stinger’s dash were moved to the corners of the Forte’s. The instrument panel's crisp look and general layout had hints of Audi’s small car, thanks to Peter Schreyer, the head of design at Hyundai and Kia, who previously worked at Audi. The Forte came in FE, LXS, S, and EX trims, with the base FE trim offering plenty of standard features, including electric power side mirrors, remote keyless entry, forward-collision avoidance, and lane-keeping assist.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, redesigned half a decade ago, received some styling tweaks for 2020. The huge fake air intakes got body-color crossbars, the grille was new, and the headlights had a smoked appearance. New wheel designs also debuted. The top-of-the-line Sport Touring trim, dressed in Platinum White Pearl paint, contrasted well with the car’s glossy black detailing. Inside, the Sport Touring included stitched leather on the steering wheel, soft surfaces, and quality materials. The six-speed manual gearbox, previously reserved for Sport trim, was now available with Sport Touring trim for 2020.

The Sport Touring’s MSRP was $28,980, including the destination charge. The base MSRP for the Civic Hatchback was $21,650 for LX trim, with the Sport trim costing $22,750. The EX trim was priced at $24,150, followed by the leather-lined EX-L at $25,350. The Civic Hatchback Sport and Sport Touring were easier to live with on a daily basis compared to the Civic Si, offering a softer and more compliant ride, wider seats, a quieter cabin, and hushed exhaust. The Civic Hatch was fun to drive at a rapid clip, providing excitement when the mood struck for a fun run down a favorite canyon road.

The 2019 Kia Forte came with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive (FWD), producing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. The engine was paired with either a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The FE trim came standard with the manual but was available with the CVT, while all other trims came standard with the CVT. Kia’s CVT, called iVT, managed power well, providing an immediate response when stepping on the throttle. The Forte was quick off the line and had enough power for highway passing. Its handling was impressive, with minimal body roll and precise turn-in.

The Forte’s Drive Mode Selector offered Normal, Sport, and Smart modes, adjusting throttle and CVT responses accordingly. The CVT-equipped Forte returned fuel economy of 30 mpg city, 40 highway, and 34 combined. The 6-speed manual FE trim’s fuel economy was 27/37/31. The most efficient configuration was the FE with the CVT, returning 31/41/35 combined. In a week of combined city and highway driving in the EX trim, observed fuel economy was 29.7 mpg.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback, equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, produced 174 horsepower with LX, EX, and EX-L trims, and 180 horsepower with Sport and Sport Touring trims. Torque measured 162 pound-feet with the CVT and 177 lb-ft with the 6-speed manual transmission. The Civic Hatchback’s engine was quiet, refined, and well-mannered. The transmission’s clutch travel and gearbox throws were long, marking a difference from the Civic Si, which was tighter and tauter.

The Civic Hatchback Sport and Sport Touring offered a softer and more compliant ride, wider seats, a quieter cabin, and hushed exhaust, making them easier to live with on a daily basis. The Civic Hatch was fun to drive at a rapid clip, providing excitement when the mood struck. The EPA rated the test car at 32 mpg in combined driving, with observed fuel economy of 32.7 mpg on the testing loop.

The 2019 Kia Forte’s exterior length grew by 3.2 inches, and it was just under an inch wider, resulting in a noticeably larger interior. The front seat had plenty of legroom, though headroom was tight for occupants over 6 feet tall. The backseat had adequate headroom and legroom for taller occupants. The Forte had 15.3 cubic feet of trunk space, making it one of the largest trunks in the class. The EX trim featured Kia’s smart trunk system, which automatically deployed the trunk when standing near the rear of the car.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback offered 25.2 cubic feet of cargo space, slightly more than the Honda HR-V Touring. The Civic Hatchback’s driver’s seat was low, but once settled into the Sport Touring’s heated leather front seats, the driver would be comfortable. The center console storage area was long and deep, with a sliding armrest, tray, and cupholders. Rear seat comfort and legroom were good, but the lack of air-conditioning vents and dark tinted rear glass could make passengers uncomfortable.

The 2019 Kia Forte came standard with an 8-inch UVO touchscreen, featuring a vivid and intuitive layout. The physical buttons and conventional tuning and volume dials made the system user-friendly. The UVO e-services provided enhanced roadside assistance, in-depth vehicle diagnostics, and a smartphone app for locating the parked car.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback featured a stylish dashboard with digital instrumentation and a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in all but LX trim. The system included Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, text-messaging support, navigation, a quick-charging USB port, and a 12-speaker premium sound system. The Civic Hatchback also offered automatic climate control and Smart Entry with Walk Away Auto Lock.

The 2019 Kia Forte offered standard forward-collision avoidance, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver-attention warning. Additional driver-assistance features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and adaptive cruise control. The lane-keeping assist system was active and effective, making highway driving easier.

The 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback included the Honda Sensing suite as standard, featuring forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, Road Departure Mitigation, and adaptive cruise control. However, the lane-keeping assist lacked smoothness, and the adaptive cruise control occasionally braked for no reason. The Civic Hatchback did not have a blind-spot monitoring system or rear cross-traffic alert, relying on LaneWatch for the right-side blind spot. The 2020 Civic Hatchback did not earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS due to Poor headlight performance.