Kia Forte vs. Lincoln MKZ MPG

Chart is based on 326 fuel economy reports for the Kia Forte and 28 fuel economy reports for the Lincoln MKZ.

Kia Forte MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2015	4dr Sedan 173-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	0	5	55	40	97	30.7
2013	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	none	13	48	16	23	107	24.4
2012	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	light	0	30	0	70	90	28.1
2012	4dr Hatch 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	none	8	22	18	52	68	27.1
2011	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	hvy	0	28	32	39	72	31.3
2011	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed manual FWD	flat	light	none	0	0	70	30	70	27.9
2011	4dr Hatch 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	none	3	16	9	72	72	28.4
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2010	4dr Sedan 173-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed manual FWD	flat	light	hvy	10	20	25	45	60	28.0
2010	4dr Sedan 173-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	hills	med	none	7	29	5	58	112	26.4
2010	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD	flat	med	none	1	57	20	23	68	25.6
2010	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed automatic FWD	flat	med	light	2	40	10	48	68	28.3
2010	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	flat	light	none	4	25	12	59	91	27.6
2010	2dr Coupe 173-horsepower 2.4L I4 6-speed manual FWD	hills	lead	light	28	15	5	53	100	23.1
2010	2dr Coupe 173-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	light	3	7	17	73	67	27.9
2010	2dr Coupe 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 5-speed manual FWD	flat	med	hvy	0	20	13	68	73	32.1
2010	2dr Coupe 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	flat	light	hvy	5	9	30	56	65	32.6

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This page shows only averages. See all the Kia Forte fuel economy data.

Lincoln MKZ MPG

Year	Body/Powertrain	flat, hilly, or mountainousLand	driving style: very light to "lead foot"Foot	A/C use: none to heavyA/C	constant stop and goTraf %	many stops per mileCity %	stop every mile or twoSub %	fairly steady speedHwy %	Hwy Spd	MPG
2015	4dr Sedan 141-horsepower 2.0L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	flat	light	hvy	0	100	0	0	0	33.6
2012	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.5L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	hills	med	light	60	10	10	20	70	39.3
2011	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	light	hvy	0	0	0	100	70	28.0
2011	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD	flat	med	none	21	0	63	16	55	17.2
2010	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	flat	med	light	20	21	26	33	80	23.2
2010	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed shiftable automatic AWD	flat	light	none	2	21	8	69	74	26.6
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	flat	light	light	6	13	26	55	64	24.8
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2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic AWD	flat	light	hvy	3	17	11	69	63	23.3
2007	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic FWD	flat	light	light	9	29	16	46	68	22.0
2007	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic AWD	flat	med	hvy	13	62	13	13	60	14.0

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This page shows only averages. See all the Lincoln MKZ fuel economy data.

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TrueDelta Reviews the Real Gas Mileage of the Kia Forte

Kia Forte Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Comment
2019	The Kia Forte's EPA fuel economy ratings of 30 mpg city and 40 mpg highway aren't quite best in class, but they're close. Unless you include the 55/49 Honda Insight and the 53/52 Toyota Corolla Hybrid in the class--then they're not so close. In my real-world suburban driving I observed trip computer averages in the low 40s in the Forte, similar to a 2016 Civic LX with a similarly sized, similarly non-turbo engine. A Civic EX, with a turbocharged 1.5-liter engine, should do a few mpg better. In the hybrid Honda Insight, I observed suburban trip computer averages in the 60s, but "only" 40 mpg on the highway, not even as good as the non-hybrids. see full Kia Forte review

Kia Forte Real Gas Mileage: Cons
Year	Comment
	I've made it through the top reasons to buy a Kia Forte SX, but no mention of performance and handling (the reasons to upgrade from lesser trims) yet. But neither is the top reason not to buy one, either. Okay, maybe handling is. I'm trying to decide as I write this. Handling definitely isn't the car's largest weakness. That would be fuel economy. With a manual transmission, the Kia Forte SX achieves worst-in-class EPA ratings: 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. (The automatic goes a mile farther on each highway gallon.) Mind you, the Civic doesn't do much better, with 22/31. But the big-engined Mazda achieves 25/37 with a manual, and a lofty 28/39 with an automatic. And the much quicker Volkswagen GTI scores 25/34 and 25/33, respectively. The Forte EX, with its larger but non-turbocharged engine, is more competitive: 24/33 with the manual and 25/36 with the automatic. Maybe the Forte SX just doesn't test well. In my suburban driving the trip computer reported averages between 25 and 40 (depending on the frequency of stops and the heaviness of my right foot), with most in the low 30s. The trip computers in the Honda, Mazda, and Volkswagen all reported about the same. The Kia's trip computer also reported better-than-EPA averages on the highway, but not by as wide a margin. Short gearing restricted 70-mph-highway averages to about 33, well short of the high 30s observed in the others. see full Kia Forte review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Kia Forte

Kia Forte Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	After many trips up and down the eastern USA coast (NY-FL and back) It has proven itself reliable and seems to do very well on the highway. Available power is decent, and fuel mileage is really good. It's unusual f we don't get at least the rated 33MPG but usually are between 35 and 38 with a full passenger load and moderately filled trunk. see full Kia Forte review
2011	4dr Hatch 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 6-speed shiftable automatic FWD	I was able to get 33 on my first tank going 75 on 90% highway driving and 27 with more mixed driving and highway driving at a highr speed. see full Kia Forte review
2010	2dr Coupe 173-horsepower 2.4L I4 5-speed shiftable automatic FWD	even with a lead foot i get 20-24 mpg and on a long road trip 600 miles easily achieved 33 mpg, while still being fun to drive see full Kia Forte review
2010	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.0L I4 4-speed automatic FWD	Seemed rather impressive, especially given its acceleration relative to others in the class. see full Kia Forte review

TrueDelta Reviews the Real Gas Mileage of the Lincoln MKZ

Lincoln MKZ Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Comment
2014	I wavered on whether or not to include fuel economy among the reasons to buy a Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. With the possible exception of its grille, no aspect of the car has been more controversial. As with other current Ford hybrids, owners found they could not match the original EPA estimates, in this case 45 mpg for both city and highway. Ford recently caved to pressure, revising the MKZ Hybrid's EPA ratings downward to 38 mpg city, 37 mpg highway and compensating owners for the difference. Which numbers are more accurate, the old or the new? Even with a cold start in near-freezing weather Gayla (who works the pedals like the typical American) managed over 34.6 mpg in the suburbs (based on the trip computer). With a trip computer reset after the engine was warm and much more effort put towards maximizing efficiency, I observed 51.6 with a two-way suburban trip. Taking the highway downtown and back, I observed 47.4 mpg. So the original EPA ratings are doable, just not when driving the car the typical American way, with a heavy foot and the AC blasting. Braking is at least as important as acceleration. Wait too long to start slowing down for a red light, as most Americans do, and the car's kinetic energy will be used to heat the brake rotors rather than being channeled back into the battery pack. When the battery is fully charged, the car can and will cruise for a few miles on electricity alone. The Lexus ES 300h's EPA ratings are a couple mpg higher than the Lincoln's. My experience with the related Camry Hybrid suggests that the Lexus will also have a real-world advantage, but one small enough to consider them "about the same." The only other midsize luxury sedans offering similar fuel economy are diesels from Germany, such as the Mercedes-Benz E250 BlueTEC. Though these are much quicker than the hybrids, they are also far more expensive. How much more? If you have to ask... see full Lincoln MKZ review

Lincoln MKZ Real Gas Mileage: Cons
Year	Comment
	The MKZ with the 2.0T engine is EPA-rated 22/33 mpg with FWD, 22/31 with AWD. This barely tops the V6-powered ES, and in the real world likely trails the Lexus. A front-wheel-drive Fusion 2.0T, with EPA ratings of 22/34, averaged 19.5 mpg in suburban driving during the week we drove it. With AWD in the heavier Lincoln, real-world fuel economy could get ugly. Step up to the V6, and the EPA figures fall to 19/28 with FWD and 18/26 with AWD (though mpg might not suffer at all outside the lab). Then again, the MKZ is available with a hybrid powertrain rated by the EPA at 45 mpg for both city and highway driving--at no additional cost over the base engine. Even though this powertrain can't seem to approach these impressive numbers in the real world, it's far more efficient than the other two engines. It's the clear choice for buyers who place a high priority on fuel economy. see full Lincoln MKZ review

What Our Members Are Saying about the Real Gas Mileage of the Lincoln MKZ

Lincoln MKZ Real Gas Mileage: Pros
Year	Body/Powertrain	Comment
2012	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.5L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	I wanted a hybrid. I didn't want a Prius. I wanted a more conventional dashboard see full Lincoln MKZ review
2012	4dr Sedan 156-horsepower 2.5L I4 Hybrid CVT FWD	I have been averaging 37.8 combined mpg in warmer months, and averaging 35.2 combined mpg in colder months. I do have to drive with a light foot to achieve these numbers. see full Lincoln MKZ review
2008	4dr Sedan 263-horsepower 3.5L V6 6-speed automatic AWD	Good economy for performance trade off. see full Lincoln MKZ review