Kia Cerato Forte 2.0 SX Review: So who's making sense?

The good thing about the Cruze and the Forte is the simple fact that they're both still way cheaper than their competitors - after all the Forte is the cheapest when compared to the 2.0-litre Civic, Lancer EX and Sylphy, while the Cruze is the most affordable when put next to the 1.8-litre (again) Civic, Altis and Astra. So the purpose of this comparison is to simply see who can offer the top value between these two "cheapest-of-the-lot" family sedans.

Now this is going to be a tough one. The Forte wins by a large gap when it comes to (a) true value-for-money and (b) stretching every single dollar you're paying for. It comes with a generous amount of equipment (including the sunroof), has a well-designed interior and is a whooping $9k lesser than the Cruze. Even with that, the Cruze can still fight back with a better interior, well-insulated cabin, overall class-leading build-quality and handling capability. Plus if you're good at bargaining, its $74,388 asking price could go lower since Chevrolet is aggressively marketing the car.

Decisions, decisions. Ok then - I'll go with the Cruze.

Now, this is not a commercially-driven decision. Don't get me wrong, there's a whole list of things to love about the Forte. But I'm picking the Cruze because it has the better cabin between the two - not only in terms of space, but also overall aesthetic and workmanship. It also has the weightier steering feel and that phenomenal handling - which is important, especially if regular punts up North are your thing. The still-fresh styling plays a part as well.

If you're with me, you admittedly have to pay more and justify to the significant other - but I still think it will be, well, worth it...

Credits: Story & pictures by Azfar Hashim