Kia Forte (2013) vs. Chevrolet Malibu (2013) Specs

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2013 Kia Forte and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu Specifications

Model Year	2013	2013
Model	Kia Forte	Chevrolet Malibu
Engine	2.4L I4 DOHC-4v 173 hp@6000 168 lb-ft@4000	turbocharged 2.0L I4 DOHC-4v 259 hp@5300 260 lb-ft@5200
Transmission	6-speed shiftable automatic	6-speed shiftable automatic
Drivetrain	FWD	FWD
Body	4dr Sedan	4dr Sedan
			Difference
Wheelbase	104.3 in	107.8 in	-3.5 in
Length	178.3 in	191.5 in	-13.2 in
Width	69.9 in	73.0 in	-3.1 in
Height	57.5 in	57.6 in	-0.1 in
Curb Weight	2898 lb.	3635 lb.	-737 lb.
Fuel Capacity	13.7 gal.	18.5 gal.	-4.8 gal.
Headroom, Row 1	40.0 in	39.0 in	1 in
Shoulder Room, Row 1	55.7 in	57.5 in	-1.8 in
Hip Room, Row 1	53.0 in	55.0 in	-2 in
Legroom, Row 1	43.3 in	42.1 in	1.2 in
Headroom, Row 2	37.8 in	37.5 in	0.3 in
Shoulder Room, Row 2	54.7 in	57.1 in	-2.4 in
Hip Room, Row 2	53.3 in	54.3 in	-1 in
Legroom, Row 2	35.0 in	36.8 in	-1.8 in
Total Legroom	78.3 in (over 2 rows)	78.9 in (over 2 rows)	-0.6 in
Cargo Volume	14.7 ft³	16.3 ft³	-1.6 ft³

2013 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

2013 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

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Comment
2012	On paper, the Malibu's rear seat is only a little tighter than those in the 2008-2012 sedan and in competing cars. In person, rear knee room would only be marginally competitive in the compact sedan segment. Sitting behind my 5-9 self, my shins graze the front seatbacks. GM is rushing some revised seats to market. But if past attempts to fix a cramped rear seat are any indication, this won't make a substantial difference. The rear seat in the Ford Fusion is roomier, if also short of the segment's quasi-limos. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2014	4dr Sedan 196-horsepower 2.5L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	Both front & rear compartments very roomy & comfortable. Again, this is noted improvement over our 2009 Malibu. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Seat Room and Comfort: Cons
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2013	4dr Sedan 182-horsepower 2.4L I4 Hybrid 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	This is tight if front seats are postioned at or close to the back of their range; shorter wheelbase in this model compared to prior version. Rear seat access is excellent (i.e, for infant car seats, small item transport). see full Chevrolet Malibu review
2012	4dr Sedan 169-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I'm 6'4" tall and 60 years old. I have a tough time getting in and out due to the low roof. see full Chevrolet Malibu review

See TrueDelta's information for all Sedans, Coupes, and Hatchbacks.

See TrueDelta's information for all Kia models.