I'd be honest and say I was one of those people that would never consider buying a Kia. I was in the market for a 5 door so I tested the new Mazda 3, honda fit, hyundai elantra touring but I have to say the Kia forte was by far the best value. when i first saw the car I thought iI was looking at an Audi 3. I think Kia has come a long way and is now true competition to the "big brands" like Honda and Toyota. I would say the Mazda 3 was my second choice but i would have payed more $$$ for the Mazda up front plus it had less MPG than the forte. I bought the SX version of the kia and honestly could not tell the difference between the Mazda and the Kia. compared to the Honda fit, I thought the forte had a lot more room and it also came with a lot more standard features like bluetooth, sunroof, shift paddles, trip computer, etc. in terms of reliability the Kia warranty is the best in the market so that gives me a piece of mind. Needless to say, I really like the new kia forte 5 door. if you are in the market for a great hatchback, I'd give the kia forte a try.