2021 Nissan Sentra vs. 2021 Kia Forte
2021 Nissan Sentra vs. 2021 Kia Forte
Overview
If you've been shopping around for an economy-class sedan that has looks and style, you can't go wrong with either the 2021 Nissan Sentra or the 2021 Kia Forte. Both lend a classy look with some splendid safety features. Aside from the popularity vote, let’s see what separates these two sedans.
Safety
The Nissan Sentra has a stellar five-star crash-test rating in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration tests. It also includes powerful driver-assistance technology options, including adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera. It comes standard with an impressive braking system with class-competitive stopping power. In safety ratings, the Kia Forte comes in second with a four-star crash testing. There are optional add-on braking systems available that do not come in the standard safety package.
Driver Assistance
When it comes to driver-assistance packages, it's clear that all packages are not created equal. The Nissan Sentra's package is far superior to the Kia Forte's. The Nissan Sentra's standard package includes automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, a blind spot monitor, a driver attention monitor, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, night vision, parking assist sensors, pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, a semi-autonomous driving mode, and traffic sign recognition. The Kia Forte shares some of these features but doesn't come standard with lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, rear cross-traffic alert, or traffic sign recognition.
IIHS Top Safety Picks
Both the 2021 Nissan Sentra and the 2021 Kia Forte walked away with the "IIHS Top Safety Pick Award" for 2021. The divergence between the two comes in when testing vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention. The Sentra's standard package is tested against the Kia's with optional equipment. Which means the two standard packages are not created equal. The child seat anchors in these vehicles may also be important to consider. The Nissan Sentra comes out with a golden G+ rating, the highest rating given in these tests, but the Kia Forte struggles with an A (average) rating. The seat anchors are simply too deep in the seat to be effective, and the middle seat has no lower anchors available at all.