Kia Forte vs Lexus IS: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Kia Forte burns about $1,750 of fuel annually against $2,900 for the Lexus IS. That $1,150 yearly gap compounds to roughly $5,750 over five years and $9,200 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Kia Forte leads in both cycles — 31 mpg city and 41 mpg highway against 22 and 32 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Kia Forte is recorded with 3 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 2.0, 1.8), the Lexus IS with 2 (SIDI & PFI, SIDI). Across 60 recorded Kia Forte configurations and 52 for the Lexus IS, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Kia Forte is offered with Front-Wheel Drive, the Lexus IS with All-Wheel Drive, Rear-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Midsize Cars and Compact Cars respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Kia Forte emits 256 g/mile of CO2 versus 345 g/mile for the Lexus IS. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.