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Honda Civic vs. Kia Forte

iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Honda Civic and Kia Forte contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Honda Civic and the Kia Forte.

In comparing the Honda Civic's and the Kia Forte's specifications and ratings, the Honda Civic has the advantage in the areas of fuel efficiency, reliability, resale value, interior volume, overall quality score and base engine power. The Kia Forte has the advantage in the areas of new vehicle base pricing and typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars. Based on this comparison of the Honda Civic's and the Kia Forte's specifications and ratings, the Honda Civic is a better car than the Kia Forte.

Pricing: A used 2024 Honda Civic ranges from $24,951 to $32,094 while a used 2024 Kia Forte is priced between $19,899 to $26,527. For a new model, the Honda Civic's price is between $25,044 and $32,100, with the Kia Forte priced between $20,394 and $27,514.

Resale/Retained Value: Looking at the 5-year depreciation rate for both models, the Honda Civic loses 23.5 percent of its value and the Kia Forte loses 33 percent of its value. This means the Honda Civic retains 9.5 percentage points more of its value and has the advantage of higher resale value versus the Kia Forte.

Quality Rating: The iSeeCars Overall Quality rating for the Honda Civic is 9.0 out of 10 while the Kia Forte's quality rating is 8.0 out of 10. This results in the Honda Civic being ranked 5 out of 43 Best Small Cars and the Kia Forte being ranked 27 out of 43.

Reliability Rating: iSeeCars’ Reliability Rating for the Honda Civic is 8.8 out of 10. For the Kia Forte the reliability rating is 7.6 out of 10. This gives the Honda Civic an advantage in reliability compared to the Kia Forte.

Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Honda Civic’s base engine makes 158 horsepower, and the Kia Forte base engine makes 147 horsepower. The Civic is rated to deliver an average of 35 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 496 miles. The Forte is rated to deliver an average of 32 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 546 miles.This gives the Honda Civic the advantage in fuel efficiency and the Kia Forte the advantage in maximum range. Both models use regular unleaded.

Passenger Space Comparison: While both models are compact cars, the Honda Civic has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear shoulder room and rear leg room. The Kia Forte has the advantage in the areas of rear head room cargo space.

Safety Ratings: When comparing crash test ratings from NHTSA, the Honda Civic has higher safety ratings than the Kia Forte, with an average rating of 5 out of 5 Stars compared to 4 out of 5 Stars. When comparing IIHS evaluations, the Honda Civic has the advantage with a Top Safety Pick award.

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Model & Pricing
Honda Civic
Kia Forte

2024 Honda Civic Sedan
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Honda Civic for Sale

2024 Kia Forte
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Kia Forte for Sale

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$25,044 - $32,100

Starting MSRP:

$23,950

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

$26,555

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

$17,795 - $45,665

New Car Pricing

Asking Price:

$20,394 - $27,514

Starting MSRP:

$19,990

Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)

$26,555

Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)

$17,795 - $45,665

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$27,777

Price Range:

$24,951 - $32,094

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

$28,855

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

$19,171 - $47,673

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

1,429

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

9,574

# Good or Great Deals:

394

Used Car Pricing

Avg Used Car Price:

$22,724

Price Range:

$19,899 - $26,527

Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)

$28,855

Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)

$19,171 - $47,673

# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:

917

Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:

7,477

# Good or Great Deals:

198

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$5,875

Depreciation %:

24.5%

Resale Value $:

$18,075

Residual Value %:

75.5%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

31.6%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

24.4% - 40.1%

5-year Depreciation

Depreciation $:

$6,839

Depreciation %:

34.2%

Resale Value $:

$13,151

Residual Value %:

65.8%

Typical Category Depreciation %:
(Compact Cars)

31.6%

Category Depreciation Range:
(Compact Cars)

24.4% - 40.1%

Honda Civic Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

9.0 / 10

Reliability:

8.8 / 10

Retained Value:

9.0 / 10

Safety:

9.0 / 10

Kia Forte Scores & Rankings

Overall Score:

8.0 / 10

Reliability:

7.6 / 10

Retained Value:

8.5 / 10

Safety:

8.0 / 10



iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Honda Civic

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

13

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

11.2

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

10.1 - 13.6

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

41.9%

iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Kia Forte

Avg Life Expectancy (years):

10.3

Typical Category Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)

11.2

Category Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)

10.1 - 13.6

Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:

7.4%



Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

14.7

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2 - 18.8

Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls

Expected Lifetime Recalls:

3.2

Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2.9

Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)

2 - 18.8

Honda Civic Rankings

Most Reliable Small Cars

2 / 43

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

3 / 43

Best Small Cars Under $25k

3 / 13

Best Small Cars for Teens

3 / 5

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

4 / 43

Best Manual Transmission Small Cars

4 / 21

Best Small Cars

5 / 43

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

5 / 43

Best Family Small Cars

6 / 43

Most Comfortable Small Cars

7 / 43

Best Small Cars for the Money

7 / 13

Best Small Cars for Tall People

12 / 43

Most Affordable Small Cars

14 / 24

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

17 / 43

Safest Small Cars

23 / 43

Kia Forte Rankings

Most Affordable Small Cars

7 / 24

Most Comfortable Small Cars

11 / 43

Best Gas Mileage Small Cars

13 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Horsepower

13 / 43

Small Cars with the Most Legroom

13 / 43

Best Small Cars Under $20k

14 / 21

Best Manual Transmission Small Cars

16 / 21

Most Reliable Small Cars

24 / 43

Small Cars with Best Resale Value

25 / 43

Best Small Cars

27 / 43

Best Small Cars for Tall People

27 / 43

Safest Small Cars

32 / 43

Available Body Styles

Hatchback, Sedan

Available Body Styles

Sedan

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Available Drivetrain Options

Gasoline

Honda Civic Trim Levels

Not yet available

Kia Forte Trim Levels

GT, GT-Line, LX, LXS

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

3 years / 36000 miles

Warranty Information

Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:

5 years / 60000 miles

Warranty, Powertrain:

10 years / 100000 miles

Warranty, Roadside Assistance:

5 years / 60000 miles

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

TOP SAFETY PICK

Safety Ratings

NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:

5 out of 5 Stars

2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars

IIHS Safety Rating:

Not yet available

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

158 hp @ 6500 rpm

Torque:

138 foot-lbs @ 4200 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.055 hp per pound

Base Drivetrain Specs

Horsepower:

147 hp @ 6200 rpm

Torque:

132 foot-lbs @ 4500 rpm

Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):

0.053 hp per pound

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


31 / 40 / 35

Range (city/hwy):

384 / 496 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Engine Specifications

Engine Size:

2 liters

Engine Configuration:

Inline

Number of Cylinders:

4

Transmission:

Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT Automatic)

Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:

FWD

EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):


28 / 39 / 32

Range (city/hwy):

392 / 546 miles

Recommended Fuel Type:

Regular Unleaded

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Standard

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

Standard

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Standard

Power Lift Gate:

Standard

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Standard

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

N/A

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

N/A

Standard/Optional Features

Adaptive Cruise Control:

Available

Android Auto:

Standard

Apple CarPlay:

Standard

Bench Seats:

Standard

Bluetooth:

Standard

Internet Radio:

N/A

Keyless Entry:

Standard

Keyless Ignition:

Available

Power Lift Gate:

Available

Power outlet:

Standard

Roadside assistance:

Available

Voice Recognition:

Standard

Alloy wheels:

Available

Heated Seats

Available

Leather Upholstery:

Available

Navigation System:

Available

Paddle Shifters:

Available

Parking Sensors:

Available

Satellite radio:

Available

Sunroof/Moonroof:

Available

Wireless Smartphone Charging:

Available

Air Suspension:

N/A

Automatic Parking:

N/A

Captain's seat:

N/A

Cooled/Ventilated Seats:

Available

Front Bench Seats:

N/A

Heated Steering Wheel:

N/A

Massage Seats:

N/A

Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof

N/A

Quad Seats:

N/A

Roof Rack:

N/A

Trailer Hitch:

N/A

Wifi:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Available

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Available

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Safety Features

Backup camera:

Standard

Driver Attention Monitoring:

Standard

Forward Collision Warning:

Standard

Lane Departure Warning:

Standard

Lane Keeping Assist:

Standard

Pedestrian Detection:

Standard

Rear Seat Reminder:

Standard

Blind Spot Monitoring:

Available

Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:

Available

360-Degree Camera:

N/A

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

39.3 inches

Front Leg Room:

42.3 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

57 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.1 inches

Rear Leg Room:

37.4 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

56 inches

Cargo Space:

14.8 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

99.0 cubic feet

Interior Dimensions

Front Head Room:

38.8 inches

Front Leg Room:

42.2 inches

Front Shoulder Room:

56.1 inches

Rear Head Room:

37.5 inches

Rear Leg Room:

35.7 inches

Rear Shoulder Room:

55.3 inches

Cargo Space:

15.3 cubic feet

Overall Interior Volume:

96.0 cubic feet

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

2877 lbs

Width:

70.9 inches

Height:

55.7 inches

Length:

184 inches

Wheelbase:

107.7 inches

Ground Clearance:

Not yet available

Exterior Dimensions

Curb Weight:

2769 lbs

Width:

70.9 inches

Height:

56.5 inches

Length:

182.7 inches

Wheelbase:

106.3 inches

Ground Clearance:

5.3 inches

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

16.0 x 7.0 inches

Wheel Type:

steel

Tire Size:

215/55R16

Standard Wheel/Tire Information

Wheel Size:

15.0 x 6.5 inches

Wheel Type:

steel

Tire Size:

195/60R15

Exterior Colors

Black

Crystal Black Pearl

Blue

Aegean Blue Metallic

Gray

Meteorite Gray Metallic

Red

Rallye Red

Silver

Lunar Silver Metallic

White

Platinum White Pearl

Exterior Colors

Black

Aurora Black Pearl

Blue

Not available

Gray

Gravity Gray

Red

Not available

Silver

Not available

White

Clear White

Interior Colors

Black

Black

Gray

Gray

Interior Colors

Black

Black

Gray

Not available

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