Compare the2024 Kia ForteVS 2024 Mazda 3

Both the Forte and the Mazda 3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, front wheel drive, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, driver alert monitors, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Kia Forte is safer than the Mazda 3:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Forte comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The 3’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 2 years or 24,000 miles sooner.

Kia’s powertrain warranty covers the Forte 5 years and 40,000 miles longer than Mazda covers the 3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the Mazda 3 ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

There are over 42 percent more Kia dealers than there are Mazda dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Forte’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Forte has a standard 150-amp alternator. The Mazda 3’s standard 100-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forte first among compact cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Mazda 3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are better in initial quality than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia above average in initial quality. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Kia vehicles are more reliable than Mazda vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Kia first in reliability, above the industry average. With 34 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mazda is ranked 12th.

The Forte GT’s standard 1.6 turbo 4-cylinder produces 10 more horsepower (201 vs. 191) and 9 lbs.-ft. more torque (195 vs. 186) than the Mazda 3’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Forte GT is faster than the Mazda 3 base 2.5 4-cylinder (manual transmissions tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Forte gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Sedan:

On the EPA test cycle the Forte gets better mileage than the Mazda 3 Hatchback:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Kia Forte uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Mazda 3 with the 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Forte has 1.3 gallons more fuel capacity than the Mazda 3 AWD’s standard fuel tank (14 vs. 12.7 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

A seven-speed automatic (SMG) is standard on the Kia Forte GT, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a six-speed automatic is available for the Mazda 3.

The Forte has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Forte offers an available sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer an SMG.

For better stopping power the Forte GT Auto’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Mazda 3:

The Forte stops much shorter than the Mazda 3:

For better traction, the Forte GT Line’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Mazda 3 (225/45R17 vs. 215/45R18).

The Forte GT’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Mazda 3 Select Sport/Preferred/Carbon/Premium’s 45 series tires.

For superior ride and handling, the Forte GT has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Mazda 3 has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The Forte GT has front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Forte GT flat and controlled during cornering. The Mazda 3’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Forte has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

The Forte’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (59.1% to 40.9%) than the Mazda 3’s (60.2% to 39.8%). This gives the Forte more stable handling and braking.

The Forte GT handles at .93 G’s, while the Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan AWD pulls only .83 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Forte executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Mazda 3 Carbon Edition Sedan AWD (27.5 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.1 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

The Kia Forte may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 400 pounds less than the Mazda 3.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Forte GT is quieter than the Mazda 3 Premium Hatchback (36 vs. 40 dB).

Because it has more passenger and cargo room, the EPA rates the Forte a Mid-size car, while the Mazda 3 is rated a Compact.

The Forte has 3.2 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Mazda 3 Sedan (96 vs. 92.8).

The Forte has .8 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room, .2 inches more rear headroom, .6 inches more rear legroom, .2 inches more rear hip room and 1.8 inches more rear shoulder room than the Mazda 3 Sedan.

The Forte has a much larger trunk than the Mazda 3 Sedan (15.3 vs. 13.2 cubic feet).

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, just waiting momentarily behind the back bumper can open the Forte GT Line/GT’s trunk, leaving your hands completely free. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its trunk, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The power windows standard on both the Forte and the Mazda 3 have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Forte is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Mazda 3 prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

Consumer Reports rated the Forte’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the Mazda 3’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Forte GT Line/GT Auto keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Mazda 3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

Insurance will cost less for the Forte owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Forte with a number “3” insurance rate while the Mazda 3 is rated higher at a number “8” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forte is less expensive to operate than the Mazda 3 because it costs $209 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Forte than the Mazda 3, including $114 less for a muffler, $13 less for front brake pads, $135 less for a starter, $83 less for fuel injection, $277 less for a fuel pump, $34 less for front struts and $136 less for a power steering pump.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forte first among compact cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The Mazda 3 isn’t in the top three.

The Kia Forte outsold the Mazda 3 by almost four to one during 2022.