Kia Forte Hatchback vs Subaru Impreza Hatchback 04/06/2011
With gas prices rising and fuel economy on nearly all consumers' minds, many automakers are releasing hatchback versions of their popular sedan models. We compared two of these, the Kia Forte and Subaru Impreza hatchbacks, to see which offered budget-conscious drivers more value.
The Forte is cheaper off the bat, with a price tag of $16,895 beating the Impreza's $17,995 sticker. Kia offers a 10 year/100,000 mile warranty, which is significantly longer than Subaru's 5 year/60,000 miles of coverage.
In terms of performance, the Impreza has the Forte beat, with 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque eclipsing Kia's 156 hp and 144 lb-ft. The Forte does have better fuel economy, however, with an EPA-rated 25/34 mpgs beating the Impreza's 20/27.
The interiors of both vehicles are pretty bare, but the Forte does offer Bluetooth connectivity and satellite radio, features which don't come on the base model of the Impreza.
It's a close call between these two vehicles, but we ultimately give the edge to the Kia Forte. Not only is it cheaper than the Subaru, but it offers a better warranty, fuel economy and interior, while sacrificing only a bit of power.