Nissan Sentra vs. Kia Forte

The Trial of Safety

Safety is a top priority when you’re looking for your next vehicle. Both the Sentra and the Forte come equipped with standard Intelligent Driver Alertness, a system that monitors your driving patterns for fatigued or distracted maneuvers. If it’s time for a break, this feature will urge you to pull over to relax and get some rest.

You’ll also find features like:

• Rear Automatic Braking
• High Beam Assist
• Lane Departure Warning
• Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection

Both the 2023 Nissan Sentra and the Kia Forte have a lot of standard safety features, but which one has more?

Standard vs. Available Features

The Nissan Sentra pulls ahead with its standard suite of six safety systems: Safety Shield® 360. By uniting your on-road awareness with the intelligence of these systems, you’ll feel deeply confident and cognizant on your drives. This includes the four features listed above as well as:

• Rear Cross Traffic Alert
• Blind Spot Warning

Although the 2023 Kia Forte has several standard safety features, its base trim isn’t equipped with Rear Cross Traffic Alert or Blind Spot Warning, which means you may miss an approaching vehicle in your blind spot zones.

Technology

Using standard Apple CarPlay® or Android Auto™, sync up your compatible smartphone to the infotainment center to be transported to the setting of your choice: a rock concert, a sports game, or the frontlines of an investigation.

Stream your favorite playlist or podcast to stay entertained on the go. Both vehicles allow you to easily connect your phone.

The Trial of Luxury

Where the Forte and the Sentra start to differ, though, is with their luxury amenities. On two of the Sentra’s three trim levels, you’ll enjoy the convenience of Dual Zone Automatic Temperature Control. Use this system to maintain separate climate zones between you and your front-seat passenger. Unfortunately, the Kia Forte only grants this feature to three of its five trim levels.

For a dash of elegance, upgrade to the available quilted leather-appointed seats in the 2023 Sentra. You won’t enjoy the same genuine luxury in the 2023 Forte—it only offers optional artificial leather seats.

The Trial of Power

Although their engines are small, they’re mighty. Let the numbers speak for themselves:

While they have similar engines, the Sentra’s expert engineering results in an ideal balance of power and efficiency.

The Difference Torque Makes

Although the Kia Forte and the Nissan Sentra have nearly the same amount of horsepower, you’ll notice a slight difference in their torque outputs. With a 14 lb-ft difference, the Nissan Sentra provides 146 lb-ft of torque compared to the 132 lb-ft of the Forte.

What does this mean? Well, if you’re excited to rev the engine and pull away from the stoplight, you may have better acceleration with the Sentra.