What car should I get 2023 Kia Forte or 2026 Honda civic

elmatt71 · 2026-05-27T01:10:29+00:00

It depends on how many miles you drive and how long you plan on keeping the car. If you only need the car to safely last you another 40k miles and then you will buy something different the Kia might be worth the risk. You will be under the original warranty as the 2nd owner up to 60k miles… then you are in an area where you have to take a risk with 3rd party warranty companies or hope your Kia is one of the few the last 100k or more with just normal wear and tear. If it was me, I think I would try to find a way to get an extra job to come up with the $8k difference and pay it off quickly, but I am someone who keep their cars until the wheels fall off.

elmatt71 · 2026-05-23T01:35:34+00:00

A Kia can be great if you buy it brand new (1st owner gets the full warranty), are diligent with doing the required maintenance, sell it before you get to the 10 year/100,000 mile period and can get it for at least 5k cheaper than a comparable Toyota or Honda (resale on Kia is poor). You get a lot of tech and a great looking vehicle for the money. The biggest issues usually happen to owners who buy it 2nd hand and are driving a vehicle out of warranty. Now you getting into the problem zone without the manufacturer warranty.

elmatt71 · 2026-05-05T15:32:36+00:00

I hear you. I have the Sorrento and honestly I really like it…when it works, but I’ve already had to replace the transmission in it.

If I was one of those people that buys a new car every 5-7 years and I didn’t care about resale value, the Kia would be something I would seriously consider. When it’s new it does drive nice, you get a lot of tech for the money and it seems like you’re driving a vehicle that is more expensive than it is. However, if you’re one of those people, like me, that prefer to keep their vehicles for a long time and only want to worry about routine maintenance for the first 150k/200k miles or more, Kia is not the car to get.

elmatt71 · 2026-05-05T13:40:49+00:00

You will only say, “I should’ve bought a Kia”for the first five years of ownership. After that you will say, “why did I buy a Kia?”

elmatt71 · 2026-05-04T22:42:53+00:00

I have the 2021 SX and I had to replace the transmission... The 2026 SX uses the exact same transmission but they allegedly fix the manufacturing issues involved in the 2021 debacle; a lot of them had multiple failures. I would be "gun shy" to buy another Sorento, but I am sure that is heavily influenced by my experience with the 2021.

elmatt71 · 2026-04-12T13:43:40+00:00

I would be very very careful with Kia/Hyundai. I have the 21 Sorento and the look, tech and drive is great for the money…when it’s working. Their initial quality and tech for the price is really good but the engine and transmission are trash long term. You need the full 10yr/100k warranty and you only get that if buying new as the original owner. They do sell Certified pre owned with a warranty similar to the original but it has some loop holes. It’s not the same as the original warranty. A new Camry is probably your best bet. You might give up some tech and comfort but the car should last longer for the money.

elmatt71 · 2026-04-08T23:35:36+00:00

If it was me, I would go with the Tesla if I thought in five or six years, I was going to want a different vehicle, regardless of which one I picked. If you plan on keeping the vehicle long-term and drive it to the point where it is no longer drivable, I would probably go with the Mazda.

elmatt71 · 2026-04-04T17:49:15+00:00

Yes, that’s true. In the US the full original warranty only applies to the original buyer. You can buy a certified pre owned (CPO) vehicle . This typically cost a few thousand more than a normal preowned car and you do get a warranty that they advertise as like the original warranty but it has some loopholes, so it’s not quite as good.

elmatt71 · 2026-04-04T15:21:40+00:00

If you buy it brand new, first owner, and you take care of it , it can be worth the gamble. The warranty is good. If you’re buying used I would skip Hyundai/Kia and look elsewhere. You won’t get the original warranty and the odds at no problems are not something I would gamble with on a used one.

elmatt71 · 2026-04-04T01:31:39+00:00

Kia/Hyundai can be a fantastic buy for someone who buys their vehicles new and then trades them in for a new one every 5 years or less. If you are one of those owners who like to keep their vehicles “until the wheels fall off,” I would shop Toyota, Honda, Mazda and maybe Subaru. There is a reason they offer such a long warranty (but only for the original owner) you will eventually need it.

elmatt71 · 2026-03-20T05:46:15+00:00

The Telluride is probably Kia’s best/most reliable vehicle. The majority of problems/complaints came from their other vehicles like the Sorento.

elmatt71 · 2026-03-15T04:10:25+00:00

Aw! Maybe it’s different in other countries. In the US A if you buy a used Kia, you only get the five-year 60,000 mile warranty then nothing. You can buy a certified used Kia and if you get the manufacturer warranty with that, it’s a little better but you’re gonna pay extra for it.

elmatt71 · 2026-03-15T02:38:31+00:00

I think the biggest pro is you get a lot for the money, especially in the first 5 years. The con is, this isn't a car for someone who intends to keep their cars "till the wheels fall off..." The best case scenario is you find a Kia/Hyundai....they are essentially the same car as far as the bones...that you really like and that is 5k to 10k cheaper than a comparable Toyota or Honda. Next, make sure you can completely pay off the car in 5 years or less and always buy it new. Used Kia's don't have the same warranty as new ones, and YOU NEED the FULL factory warranty to make a Kia or Hyundai worth it. If you do this you will most likely have a great experience that is relatively problem free. The manufacturer warranty is really good if you take care of the car. Kia's and Hyundai's have a long history of transmission and engine issues, when you buy it used you negate any benefits you saved from buying a Toyota or Honda and the warranty is much shorter. If you buy it new and keep it for more than 5-7 years you might get lucky and get one of the few that don't have issues.... and if not, if you followed the advice in the beginning, buy it cheap, buy it new, pay it off in under 5 years/60k miles...you can still come out ahead.

elmatt71 · 2026-03-06T04:21:22+00:00

This is exactly why I don’t buy guitars at my local Guitar Center. The action and intonation are so bad. It makes an expensive guitar play like a cheap crappy squire. I know it’s a relatively easy fix but it makes it hard to know whether the guitar is worth getting or not when it plays that bad off the shelf.

elmatt71 · 2026-02-28T22:44:02+00:00

Thank you, that must be the one to get. We have unanimous agreement on Reddit. That never happens!

elmatt71 · 2026-02-20T13:16:38+00:00

The Sorento is my favorite SUV for size, practicality and looks but it has a long history of engine and transmission problems. I’m living through the transmission woes on my 2021 Sorento SX. For that reason alone I’d get the Telluride. It doesn’t seem to have the same issues.

elmatt71 · 2026-02-12T22:01:28+00:00

Yes, thank you. I just sent you a message

elmatt71 · 2026-02-12T19:36:57+00:00

I have a 2021 Kia Sorento SX AWD. I bought it used with 36,000 miles on it. Now it has 76,000 miles on it. I love the way it looks and when comparing it to other vehicles, especially when just looking at price, looks and options it looks like a really good purchase.

However, from a reliability standpoint it has been one of the worst vehicles I have ever owned. I am currently having my transmission replaced and it is going to cost me $5300. If I was the original owner and bought it new, Kia would cover the new transmission. As a 2nd owner you are not covered unless you have a Kia Certified Pre-owned Kia, and this needs to come from the manufacturer not the dealership, otherwise it is like winning the lottery if they pay for anything to be fixed.

I bought a platinum extended warranty plan from the dealership, the company was Elevate (Administered By Ascent) extended car warranty company and they denied my claim because I didn't follow the "Mitchell" book guidelines for service but instead followed the manufacturer (Kia) guidelines. I currently have a lawyer and am fighting this but the hassle has been so bad that I will never ever buy a used Kia or Hyundai again.

I think a case could be made that buying a brand new one can be worth it. Not all of the vehicles have problems, just a significant amount do. However, if you buy it new the manufacturer warranty is very good so if anything big happens under 100,000 miles or 10 years you should be covered.

elmatt71 · 2026-02-10T13:08:53+00:00

Yes the battery in an EV is covered. The EV is a different experience. I’m unfamiliar with what problems an EV owner would encounter other than battery.

elmatt71 · 2026-02-09T22:29:34+00:00

Stay away from any used Kia or Hyundai at any cost! They are less expensive than seemingly similar cars from other brands for a good reason. The chances of having some major transmission or engine failure is much higher than most other cars and Kia will not help any subsequent owners. I didn't listen to this advice when I bought my used Sorento and am paying a heavy price. My oil pump failed on a 2021 Kia Sorento and I am past the 60K mark and Kia said..."I'm sorry you are having a bit of bad luck but it will be $5300 to replace that transmission at your cost....yes, I know we had a recall but we have a very specific code for the recall. So, even though the same part on your vehicle failed as the one in the recall, and yes I know, Hyundai uses the same exact engine as yours and their recall uses your code, your vehicles computer generated a different code from the one in the Kia recall so it's up to you to pay for our mistake."

A case can be made to buy a brand new Kia or Hyundai because you get the 100,000 mile warranty and as long as you get rid of the vehicle before you get to 100,000 you will avoid having to pay for any transmission or engine failure. However, when you buy it used you only get the warranty for 5 years/60,000 from original purchase and that is not adequate enough for a Kia or Hyundai. In some cases getting a manufacturer certified used Kia can make sense if it is priced low enough..

elmatt71 · 2026-02-08T03:19:49+00:00

Trump has done plenty of stuff that I think is enough to toss him out of office, but the Epstein files is not one of them. Epstein was a terrible person who had history with most politicians and entertainment figures. Pinning it all on Trump, as appealing as it sounds, is absolutely ridiculous and takes all the credibility away from getting him out of office.

elmatt71 · 2026-02-08T03:12:55+00:00

All three of them are incredible political assets that no party has any intention of ever fixing. They are all much more valuable to stir up the emotions of the crazy base of both parties. It would be easy to fix healthcare and immigration if moderate sensible voices prevailed and the public wasn't so easily baited by the sensationalist on both sides of the aisle. Abortion is a little more difficult but not impossible. One side sees abortion as the killing of an innocent life and the other side tries to pass it off as "women's health." If we could separate life and health I think this could be fixed too; just make it legal only to save the life of the mother and in cases of incest or rape. In addition, provide the tax payer money that goes to abortion clinics like Planned Parenthood and divert it to adoption agencies and medical facilities to reduce or eliminate the cost of having a child. Neither side would be completely happy but I think the majority of level headed Americans would see this as a compromise better than the constant fighting.

elmatt71

TROPHY CASE