However, when it comes to their transmissions, the Kia Forte is the one that will give you more choices.

While the Honda Civic offers a Continuously Variable Transmission on its trims, the Kia Forte provides the power of choice with three available transmission options. Whether you want smoother performance or like to take control of shifting, the Kia sedan has you covered:

• Intelligent Variable Transmission
• 6-speed manual transmission
• 7-speed dual-clutch auto transmission with paddle shifters

The 2023 Kia Forte and the Honda Civic both come standardly equipped with a reliable 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that revs up over 130 lb-ft of torque for a lively drive. Although their standard engines are evenly matched, the Kia Forte pulls ahead when we look at the available ones.

While the Civic offers a turbocharged engine that gets 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, the Kia Forte overpowers it with a turbocharged 1.6L engine with an output of 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque.

When it comes to their interiors, you can expect more than enough room both for your passengers and your cargo. For instance, the Kia Forte offers these measurements:

• Rear Headroom: 37.5 inches
• Rear Hip Room: 51.1 inches
• Cargo Volume: 15.3 cubic feet

In comparison, the Honda Civic only has 37.1 inches of headroom and 48.9 inches of hip room for your rear-seat passengers. In addition, the cargo volume measures just 14.8 cubic feet, slightly smaller than the Kia Forte cargo area.

Of course, the interior is just the start. You’ll also want to make sure the model is easy to maneuver, which is where their exterior dimensions come into play. To start, both models are exactly 70.9 inches wide, making them easy to drive down narrow streets.

However, the Honda Civic also measures 183.3 inches long. With just under an inch difference, the Kia Forte has a length of 182.7 inches. When you’re parallel parking in a busy city, though, every inch matters.

No matter which one of these commuters you choose, you’ll be in for some impressive safety capabilities. That’s because the Kia Forte and the Honda Civic both offer standard Forward-Collision-Avoidance features.

If you’re approaching another vehicle too quickly, they can engage the brakes to bring your ride to a stop.

There’s a bit more protection provided by the Kia Forte, though, thanks to its standard Driver Attention Warning. This technology watches your driving habits and if it detects you may be fatigued, it will urge you to take a break.

This feature isn’t available on the Honda Civic.