Chevrolet Malibu (2009) vs. Kia Forte (2015) Specs

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2009 Chevrolet Malibu and 2015 Kia Forte Specifications

Model Year	2009	2015
Model	Chevrolet Malibu	Kia Forte
Engine	3.6L V6 DOHC-4v 252 hp@6300 251 lb-ft@3200	turbocharged 1.6L I4 DOHC-4v 201 hp@6000 195 lb-ft@1750
Transmission	6-speed shiftable automatic	6-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Sedan
			Difference
Wheelbase	112.3 in	106.3 in	6 in
Length	191.8 in	179.5 in	12.3 in
Width	70.3 in	70.1 in	0.2 in
Height	57.1 in	56.5 in	0.6 in
Curb Weight	3680 lb.	3036 lb.	644 lb.
Fuel Capacity	16.0 gal.	13.2 gal.	2.8 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	39.4 in	39.1 in	0.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.9 in	56.1 in	-0.2 in
Hip Room, Row 1	53.0 in	53.0 in	0 in
Legroom, Row 1	42.2 in	42.2 in	0 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.2 in	37.3 in	-0.1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	53.9 in	54.9 in	-1 in
Hip Room, Row 2	52.1 in	53.1 in	-1 in
Legroom, Row 2	37.6 in	35.9 in	1.7 in
Total Legroom	79.8 in (over 2 rows)	78.1 in (over 2 rows)	1.7 in
Cargo Volume	15.1 ft³	14.9 ft³	0.2 ft³

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2008	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	The rear legroom and seat comfort are suitable for two adults on extended trips. see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2008	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	during a six hour drive felt no fatigue see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2008	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	The Malibu seats have the comfort of a Lexus and the supportive nature of an Accord. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2009 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2009	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	After driving this car for a half hour, my back was in pain. How absolutely useless on a roadtrip. see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2008	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	The front passenger seat is like sitting in a hole. It can be difficult to get out of. see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2008	4dr Sedan 252-horsepower 3.6L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I tried the LS cloth, LT2 Ultralux, and LTZ leather seats...all of them were uncomfortable. Too little padding. see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2008	4dr Sedan 252-horsepower 3.6L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I like the seating for the front seats. it fits me very good. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2015 Kia Forte Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Comment
2014	People who need a roomy rear seat don't often buy coupes. So with the Civic Si the coupe is an inch and a half shorter (in both height and length) than the sedan, which translates to nearly three inches less headroom and nearly five inches less legroom in back, making it a very tight fit for even modestly sized adults. Those who do want a roomy rear seat in their coupe will be much happier with the Forte. Compared to the sedan, Kia shaved the Koup's roofline an inch but kept the wheelbase the same. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, I had about an inch of clearance over my head and a hand's-width ahead of my knees. Switch to the four-door body styles, and both cars are about equally roomy in back. But only Forte rear seat passengers enjoy rear air vents--in every body style. see full Kia Forte review

2015 Kia Forte Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr Sedan 148-horsepower 1.8L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	One of the best of his kind. Almost unbeatable for a car of this price. see full Kia Forte review

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