Kia Forte vs. Hyundai Elantra

Compare repair costs, reliability, and owner reviews

Kia Forte

$451
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Hyundai Elantra

$452
Average Annual
Repair Cost

Overall Reliability Rating

4
1
2
Excellent
The Kia Forte Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 6th out of 36 for compact cars. The average annual repair cost is $451 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are both much lower than other vehicles, so the Forte is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
4
1
2
Excellent
The Hyundai Elantra Reliability Rating is 4.5 out of 5.0, which ranks it 8th out of 36 for compact cars. The average annual repair cost is $452 which means it has excellent ownership costs. The severity and frequency of repairs are both much lower than other vehicles, so the Elantra is one of the more reliable vehicles on the road.
Cost
Average annual repairs total
$451
inexpensive
expensive
$452
inexpensive
expensive
Frequency
Average annual repair shop visits
0.19
not often
very often
0.27
not often
very often
Severity
Percentage of annual repairs that are urgent
9%
not urgent
urgent
9%
not urgent
urgent

Overall Car Ratings & Details

5 (2)
4 (2)
3
(0)
2
(0)
1
(0)
“I LOVE my Kia Forte! Everything is wonderful, including the price I paid for it: $15k at The Kia Depot. The no-cost "extras" like Bluetooth, 3 months of Sirius radio and the manual shift option...”
“I LOVE my Kia Forte! Everything is wonderful, including the price I paid for it: $15k at The Kia...”
5 (12)
4 (37)
3 (22)
2 (5)
1 (3)
The Hyundai Elantra ranks highest in value and ranks lowest in safety.
“great all around car, price & reliability makes this car a gem”
“great all around car, price & reliability makes this car a gem”

Vehicle Comparison Rundown

The Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra are two very similar compact four-door sedans. Both come with front-wheel drive. Each is made by a division of Hyundai-Kia, Korea’s largest automaker.

These two cars have identical standard and optional engines. Both the Forte and Elantra put out 147 horsepower standard, with options up to 201 horses.

In a comparison of cargo space and trunk room, there are very minor differences, which can be chalked up to the minor styling differences between the Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra. The Forte has 96.2 cubic feet of interior space, compared to the Elantra’s 95.8 cubic feet. In the trunk, the Forte has 14.9 cubic feet of room, and the Elantra gives you 14.4 cubic feet.

The Forte and the Elantra each come with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, one of the best in the business.

Choosing between the Kia Forte and the Hyundai Elantra really comes down to mostly subjective judgments. Do you prefer the exterior styling, the interior design, or a paint color of one over the other? Or maybe one brand has a dealer that’s better or more convenient. Check out your options and get whichever you prefer.