Kia Forte5 vs. Mazda3 Hatchback

It’s not hard to see why so many people are loyal to hatchbacks, popularised in the 60s and 70s by car manufacturers like Honda and Toyota. They’re well priced, efficient, easy to drive, and offer the flexibility of a multi-use cargo/seating area. Perfect for the commute to work, running errands on weekends, or for zipping away for a holiday, compact hatchbacks have always been best-sellers even when trends change. In a world dominated by much larger SUVs and trucks, the compact car has bucked the larger-vehicle trend, remaining a steadfast best-seller.

We’re going to compare the two most winning models in the compact car hatchback segment: the Mazda3 and the Kia Forte5. Both models have been dominating the awards this season, leaving rivals best-sellers like the Honda Civic Hatchback and Toyota Corolla Hatchback in their dust.

The Kia Forte was released in 2010, with the five-door hatchback making its debut in 2010. The current 3rd generation Forte was unveiled in 2018, and clearly borrows its style from its sports car big brother, the Kia Stinger.
• The Kia Forte won the AJAC 2019 Best Small Car in Canada award
• The Kia Forte won the 2019 JD Power Highest Quality Compact Car
• Is a 2019 IIHS Top Safety Pick+

The Mazda 3 took over for their long-running bland econobox Protegé compact in 2004. All-new for 2019 in the 3rd generation model, the Mazda3 is proof of Mazda’s philosophy that every car it produces should contain Miata DNA.
• The Mazda 3 won the AJAC 2020 Best Small Car in Canada award

The Forte5 keeps with Kia tradition by offering more – much more – for less. For around the same base model price, this compact hatchback dominates when it comes to features, reliability, and quality. It’s not even a fair fight. The Forte5 boasts an unrivaled suite of standard features – heated sideview mirrors, heated steering wheel, and wireless phone charger all come standard even on the base model. With a leather-wrapped shift knob, leather-wrapped steering wheel, sideview signal repeaters, and stainless-steel sports pedals, none of which the rivals have, you’d never know you were in an economical compact car.

Kia also dominates when it comes to warranty, boasting a best-in-class warranty that is lightyears – and calendar years – ahead of the competition. It features a Basic 5-Year or 100,000 km, a Drivetrain 5-Year or 100,000 km, a Corrosion 5-Year/Unlimited km, and a Roadside Assistance 5-Year/Unlimited km. For more than just the very basic standard features, you need to upgrade to higher models of the Mazda 3, whereby the Forte5 is packed from the start.

Check out the chart below to see how the Kia Forte5 hatchback measures up against the Mazda 3.

Book your test drive today! Check out our new Forte5 inventory here and check out our Pre-Owned hatchback inventory here.