2023 Kia Forte

The 2023 Forte (third generation, carry-over from the 2022 refresh) uses the 2.0L Atkinson-cycle MPI four on FE, LXS and GT-Line trims; only the GT gets the 201 hp 1.6L turbo. Near the bottom of the sedan band.

132 lb-ft arriving high in the rev range is typical of a naturally aspirated economy four and sits near the floor of the sedan band.

Published figures for the 2023 2.0L/IVT bracket 8.3 s (catalog estimates) to 8.7 s (Edmunds instrumented), so ~8.5 s is representative — average for an economy compact.

The 2.0L is smooth at light throttle but turns coarse and vocal when worked, and its acceleration is merely adequate. Mid-pack against Civic and Corolla base engines.

Kia's IVT CVT imitates stepped shifts and avoids the worst rubber-band drone, but reviewers find it unpolished — too eager to drop revs when you ease off slightly, which makes power delivery surge. The GT's 7-speed DCT is quicker but not the volume configuration.

Every 2023 Forte is front-wheel drive; no AWD is offered on any trim.

There are two gas engines (2.0L NA with IVT; 1.6T with 7DCT or 6MT on the GT) and no hybrid or electrified option — fewer choices than Civic or Corolla, which also offer a hybrid.

The volume LXS uses the 2.0L/IVT, which EPA rates at 32 MPG combined. The FE's tires and trim lift that to 34. Solid for a non-hybrid compact.

EPA city rating for the volume 2.0L IVT configuration.

EPA highway rating for the volume 2.0L IVT configuration — strong for a gas compact.

Calculated from the 14.0-gallon tank and the EPA 32 MPG combined rating, since EPA does not publish a range figure for gas cars.

EPA annual fuel cost estimate for the volume 2.0L IVT on regular gasoline at 15,000 miles/yr.

Every 2023 Forte powertrain, including the GT's turbo, runs on regular unleaded.

NHTSA rated the 2023 Forte 4 stars overall, held down by a 4-star frontal result that includes only 3 stars for the front passenger; side barrier and side pole are a clean 5 stars.

No IIHS award for 2023: the Forte rates Poor in both of the Institute's tougher current tests — the updated moderate overlap front (rear-passenger protection) and the updated side test (structure Marginal, driver torso and pelvis Poor). Legacy small overlap and original moderate overlap results are Good, as are roof strength and head restraints.

Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with pedestrian detection, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist and Driver Attention Warning are standard on every trim, but blind-spot and rear cross-traffic are a package option on the volume LXS and absent on the LX, and adaptive cruise cannot be had on LX/LXS at all (optional on GT-Line, standard only on the GT DCT).

IIHS rates the standard system Superior in vehicle-to-vehicle and Advanced for daytime pedestrians, but only Basic at night, where it barely slows for a crossing adult — strong daytime performance, weak in the dark.

When fitted, the hardware is good for the class — blind-spot collision-avoidance with steering intervention, rear cross-traffic with braking and Safe Exit Warning — but it is a package option on the volume LXS and unavailable on the base LX.

Lane Following Assist — true lane centering — is standard on every 2023 Forte, generous for an economy compact. Tuning is competent on well-marked highways but wanders on faded lines and corrects assertively rather than smoothly.

The volume LX and LXS get conventional cruise only, with no way to add adaptive cruise; on GT-Line it is an option and only the GT DCT gets Smart Cruise with Stop & Go, Navigation-based SCC and Highway Driving Assist standard. Where fitted it works well, but most 2023 Fortes sold have none.

No hands-free driving system is offered on any 2023 Forte; Highway Driving Assist is hands-on lane-centering only.

IIHS rates the 2023 Forte's headlights Poor, with inadequate illumination on curves and no curve-adaptive lighting offered; high-beam assist is not available on the volume trims.

Forward and side sightlines are good for a compact sedan, but the fastback roofline and thick C-pillars restrict the over-the-shoulder view, and camera help stops at the standard rear-view monitor — no surround view on any trim.

IIHS rates LATCH ease of use Acceptable — two outboard sets of lower anchors plus three tethers — but the lower anchors sit deep in the seat bight, and modest rear knee room makes a rear-facing seat behind a tall driver tight.

The third-generation (BD) Forte sedan is a conventional five-passenger compact on every 2023 trim; 2023 is a carry-over year after the MY2022 facelift.

Front headroom is a genuine strength despite the low fastback roofline, comfortably above the compact-sedan midpoint; the optional sunroof on upper trims takes a bite out of it.

Class-average front legroom — a tenth behind the Civic and Elantra (42.3 in) and ahead of the Corolla (42.0 in).

Rear headroom holds up better than the sloping roofline suggests, edging the Civic (37.1 in) and Elantra (37.3 in).

The clearest space deficit: 35.7 in trails the Civic (37.4 in) and Elantra (38.0 in) by well over an inch, the cost of the BD packaging that favors trunk and styling.

A 15.3 cu ft trunk is above the compact-sedan average (Civic 14.8, Elantra 14.2, Corolla 13.1); the LXS-and-up split-folding rear seat extends it for long items.

Competent but conventional storage — console bin, door pockets, front cupholders and a covered front tray, with wireless charging only on upper trims. Nothing here is a segment innovation, and the low cabin limits bin depth.

Reviewers praise the seat shaping and unobtrusive headrests for long stints, but the volume LXS gets a 6-way manual driver's seat with no lumbar adjustment, and Consumer Reports found the LXS seats uncomfortable; the 10-way power seat is limited to GT-Line/GT packages.

The torsion-beam rear and firm tune handle small imperfections acceptably but get unsettled over larger bumps, with the rear suspension singled out — behind the Civic and Elantra for compliance.

Road and wind noise are reasonably suppressed at cruise per Edmunds, but the 2.0L/IVT drones when worked and Consumer Reports rated the cabin loud for the class; no acoustic glass or ANC.

Sparse where most buyers shop: LX/LXS get single-zone manual A/C and no heated seats. Dual-zone automatic climate and remote start arrive on GT-Line; heated and ventilated front seats are GT-Line/GT package options.

The 2023 Forte LX was among the cheapest new cars in America and undercut every compact-sedan rival (Elantra SE, Civic LX, Corolla LE, Sentra S). At $19,690 before freight it sits below the floor of the sedan pricing band.

The LXS is the Forte's volume trim, adding alloy wheels, a 60/40 split-fold rear seat and cruise over the LX for $500. Even the turbo GT manual stays under $26,300 with freight, so the whole ladder sits below the sedan band's floor.

The volume LXS runs the simple naturally aspirated 2.0L Nu MPI four with the IVT on 16-inch wheels — cheap parts and a dense dealer network keep running costs among the lowest in the class. The figure budgets tires, brakes and unscheduled repairs on top of scheduled service, and Kia includes no complimentary maintenance, so the owner pays from the first oil change.

The Forte is one of Kia's best value-holders and depreciates from a low base, so dollar losses are small. The figure sits slightly below published estimates because the five-year horizon of a 2023 car runs past the Forte's 2024 discontinuation (replaced by the K4), and orphaned nameplates tend to give back a little residual.

Kia's 5-year/60,000-mile basic coverage tops the band and is two years longer than the 3/36 from Honda, Toyota, Mazda and Nissan. It applies to every 2023 Forte trim.

The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty is the ceiling of the segment band and double Honda's and Toyota's. It is limited to the original purchaser — later owners drop to 5 yr/60,000 mi.

Kia includes no complimentary scheduled maintenance in the US, unlike Hyundai (3 yr/36,000 mi) or ToyotaCare (2 yr/25,000 mi), so the Forte owner pays for the first oil change. Included perks are 5-year/60,000-mile 24/7 roadside assistance and a 1-year Kia Connect trial on equipped trims — the 'basic roadside only' band.

$21,315 volume-trim price minus its estimated resale value after 5 years (60% retained, or about $12,789) leaves about $8,526 in depreciation. Add the projected $3,850 in 5-year maintenance and repairs, and owning this vehicle for 5 years costs about $12,376 in total.

2023 is the fifth model year of the third-generation (BD) Forte and the second after the MY2022 facelift, a carry-over year with no powertrain change. J.D. Power rates the 2023 car 87/100 for Quality & Reliability ("Great"), and the nameplate's own track record backs that up — the 2020 Forte topped the compact-car segment in J.D. Power's 2023 Vehicle Dependability Study, ahead of the Corolla and Elantra. Consumer Reports is less enthusiastic, at roughly average predicted reliability, and the generation's IVT shudder complaint theme keeps this in the upper mixed-signal band rather than the 80+ tier held by the Corolla.

Kia was the top-ranked mass-market brand in J.D. Power's Vehicle Dependability Study three years running (2021–2023), exactly the window in which a 2023 Forte was bought, but its standing has since settled to modestly better than average, and Consumer Reports places it in the upper-middle of the brand table rather than the top five. That is a consistently above-average record, which puts it in the upper-mid band.

Unlike the clean 2024 car, the 2023 model year drew three NHTSA safety recalls, all on steering/front-suspension hardware: a crack-prone left steering knuckle and an improperly welded right front lower control arm, the latter carrying a Do-Not-Drive advisory and later expanded. Each is a manufacturing-batch defect covering a small population (roughly 5,000 cars combined) rather than a design flaw, which keeps this out of the 0–49 band, but loss-of-steering consequences plus the generation's recurring IVT shudder TSB theme put it at the low end of typical.

The volume LXS uses the 2.0L Smartstream MPi port-injected Atkinson four (147 hp) with the IVT — a low-stress engine with years of high-mileage service across Forte, Elantra, Kona and Seltos that avoids both direct-injection carbon buildup and the Theta II family behind Kia's engine campaigns. The chain-type IVT is the weaker link, with an early-generation shudder theme, but the 2022+ cars run the revised calibration.

Reviewers like the Forte's cabin design and layout but consistently note that hard plastics are common, especially on the volume LX/LXS trims, with soft-touch surfaces and nicer trim reserved for GT-Line and GT. Competitive for an economy compact, not class-leading.

Cabin assembly is well regarded — quiet, nicely finished, no rattle or panel-gap complaint theme — and the J.D. Power 87/100 quality score supports solid initial quality. It is scored below the 2024 car because the 2023 build drew two separate weld/casting-quality recalls on front-suspension parts from the Monterrey plant, evidence of process variation that year.

Roughly 775–800 US Kia dealers give adequate metro and suburban coverage but a thinner rural footprint than Toyota, Honda or the Detroit brands, and Kia sits below the mass-market leaders in J.D. Power service satisfaction. The 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty offsets some of that; there is no complimentary scheduled maintenance.

Repair cost data is strong: RepairPal puts the Forte's average annual repair and maintenance cost below the compact-car average with fewer unscheduled visits, and the 2.0L MPi and IVT are shared with high-volume Hyundai/Kia models, so parts are cheap and plentiful and independent shops know the car.

The volume LXS carries the 8-inch touchscreen audio unit shared with the LX; the 10.25-inch navigation unit is reserved for GT-Line and GT. Small for a 2023 compact.

Kia's pre-ccNC software is fast and logically laid out, and keeps physical knobs and buttons for audio and climate. Reviewers rate it among the best at this price; the small screen and aging graphics keep it out of the 80+ band.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on the 8-inch system fitted to LX and LXS, so the volume trim gets cable-free projection; the 10.25-inch GT-Line/GT unit is wired-only, which keeps it below the all-trims band.

No built-in navigation on the volume LXS — native maps come only with the GT-Line/GT 10.25-inch unit. Voice control is the button-activated fixed-command recognizer; phone projection is the more capable path.

The LXS gets six speakers versus the LX's four, adequate but unremarkable; the 320-watt Harman Kardon 8-speaker system is a GT-Line/GT package option out of reach of the volume trim.

Every 2023 Forte uses the same 4.2-inch TFT Supervision display between analog gauges; no full-digital cluster or larger upgrade is offered on any trim.

The Forte's head units predate Kia's ccNC OTA platform; map and firmware updates are USB downloads. The volume LXS has no integrated modem at all, so no connected updates are possible.

Kia Connect offers remote start/climate, lock/unlock and find-my-car, but only GT-Line and GT have the modem; the volume LXS has no telematics and no factory remote start (dealer key-start kits exist).

The LXS has a front USB-A media port and a front USB-A charge port plus a 12V outlet; rear charging is optional and wireless charging is GT-Line/GT only. No USB-C and no AC outlet.

The volume LXS uses a turn-key ignition with a remote-entry fob; proximity Smart Key, push-button start and Smart Trunk arrive on GT-Line. No phone-as-key on any trim.

A rear camera with guidelines is standard; rear parking sensors are upper-trim only and no surround-view or automated parking is offered on any 2023 Forte.

No head-up display on any 2023 Forte trim or package — typical of the economy compact class.

The 15.3 cu ft trunk swallows a full-size stroller plus groceries and the LXS adds the 60/40 split-folding rear seat. Against that, 35.7 in of rear legroom crowds a rear-facing seat, and IIHS rates LATCH only Acceptable.

Forward collision-avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping and lane following are standard, but blind-spot and rear cross-traffic are a Technology Package option on the volume LXS (unavailable on LX) and adaptive cruise is GT-Line-optional/GT-only. Crash results are the problem: Poor in the IIHS updated moderate overlap and updated side tests, Poor headlights, and a 4-star NHTSA overall with a 3-star front passenger.

Four adults and luggage travel fine thanks to the big trunk and decent noise isolation at cruise. The rear thins out: 35.7 in legroom, single-zone manual A/C with no rear vents on the volume LXS, and a torsion-beam rear that gets unsettled over larger bumps.

Built for commuting: light steering, a compact footprint, a tight 34.8 ft turning circle, a smooth-creeping IVT and physical climate/audio controls. The ceiling is equipment — adaptive cruise cannot be ordered on LX/LXS, there are no heated seats, and the 2.0L drones when the IVT holds revs.

Cheap to buy and run: 32 MPG combined on regular for about $2,100/yr, 34 MPG on the LX, and the lowest entry price among mainstream compacts. No hybrid Forte, so it can't match the Corolla or Elantra hybrids, and 28 MPG city is only average.

One of the easiest cars in the class to place: 182.7 in long with a 34.8 ft turning circle, tighter than the Corolla and Sentra, plus a standard rear camera. The fastback's thick C-pillars and absent rear sensors/surround view on the volume trims hold it back.

Not a work vehicle: no published US tow rating, no bed or payload figure worth noting, and hauling is confined to the trunk with the rear seat folded behind a 147 hp FWD powertrain.

The port-injected Nu 2.0L is simple with cheap parts and backed by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and the Forte is a rental/rideshare staple. The IVT under sustained abuse and reported oil consumption are question marks; nothing is engineered for hard duty.

No 120V outlet, no tow package, no washable floor and no upfit ecosystem; power stops at 12V and USB-A. Genuine roof crossbars, cargo nets/trays and the folding rear seat are the only credits.

Range is good — about 448 miles combined from 14.0 gallons — and road noise stays mild at cruise. But the volume LXS has a 6-way manual seat without lumbar and cannot be optioned with adaptive cruise or Highway Driving Assist, and the firm rear and IVT drone wear on long days.

Pavement-bound: FWD only, about 5.3 in of ground clearance, no tow rating, no skid plates or terrain modes. A factory roof crossbar kit for bikes or a kayak is the one concession.

Among the biggest trunks in the mainstream compact-sedan class at 15.3 cu ft, with a 60/40 split-folding rear seat from LXS up and factory crossbars. A sedan's short decklid and aperture limit bulky items; no hatch, underfloor bin or hitch.

Secure and willing but not a class leader: volume trims use McPherson struts and a coupled torsion-beam rear on 16-inch wheels (multi-link only on GT). Consumer Reports found it agile; Edmunds and U.S. News found it unremarkable next to the Mazda3 and Elantra.

Quick electric rack that places the car accurately, but reviewers fault it for little feedback and a vague on-center feel at highway speed.

Adequate four-wheel discs (11.0 in vented front / 10.3 in solid rear) on volume trims with no reviewer complaints about fade or pedal feel, but no standout instrumented result for the 2.0L car.

The 147 hp 2.0L with Kia's IVT is fine at light throttle, but the CVT drops revs too eagerly on partial lift, producing surging delivery, and acceleration is merely average.

The naturally aspirated four goes coarse and buzzy when extended, the IVT holds it there, and thin sound deadening lets it into the cabin.

A tight 34.8 ft circle at the nimble end of the compact-sedan band makes parking and U-turns easy.

Logically clustered physical controls, a reachable touchscreen and a standard tilt/telescoping wheel are strengths; the volume LXS's manual seat without lumbar, criticized by reviewers, holds it back.

Competent transportation rather than character in the volume configuration: 8.3–8.7 sec to 60, numb steering and a droning IVT. The enthusiast case lives in the 201 hp GT with its available manual, which this scorecard does not describe.

At $19,690 the LX undercuts every compact-sedan rival while including an 8-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a full ADAS set (forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, lane keeping, lane following, driver attention warning). The rest of the base car is spare: 15-inch steel wheels, a non-split rear bench, manual climate control, and no blind-spot monitoring on LX.

The 2023 Forte was the cheapest mainstream compact sedan, roughly $2,000–$4,000 below a comparably equipped Civic or Corolla, while offering a roomy cabin, up to 41 mpg highway and Kia's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The 201-hp GT at $24,390 adds genuine performance per dollar.

Five orderable configurations from $19,690 to $25,090 across two engines (2.0L IVT and 1.6T DCT), with a six-speed manual on the GT — broad for a 2023 compact sedan. No hybrid or AWD option, which the Corolla and Elantra used to reach buyers the Forte can't.

2023 was a rebound year for the Forte, with US sales up roughly 27% to about 124,000 units — solidly in the segment's top tier. It still trailed the Corolla and Civic by a wide margin, so it was a strong seller, not the leader.

Kia's image had improved sharply by 2023, with strong initial-quality results and better-than-average resale. It is still a value brand rather than an aspirational one, and the 2022–23 'Kia Boys' theft wave around older immobilizer-less Kia/Hyundai models dented perception of exactly this class of car, although 2023 Fortes have immobilizers.

The 2023 model year sold into tight post-pandemic inventory, when Kia incentives were thin and dealer markups common; discounting on the Forte returned only gradually during 2023 and grew as 2024 run-out approached. Buyers got modest offers at best, well short of the heavier 2024 cash/APR deals.

The 2023 Forte is a carry-over year of the third-generation (BD) car launched for 2019 and facelifted for 2022 — mid-to-late cycle, five model years into the generation. The nameplate had one year left before Kia replaced it with the all-new K4 for 2025.

Reviews were positive but qualified, praising space, economy and price while noting a coarse engine and cheap cabin materials, and the Forte rarely won comparison tests. IIHS named the 2023 Forte a Top Safety Pick only for GT models with the upgraded headlights, and its Poor results in the updated moderate-overlap and side tests kept the rest of the range off the list.