I looked at the Forte and Optima before choosing the Cadenza. In a similar situation to you, I have a somewhat long commute, so I was focusing on gas mileage. The Forte was just way too small. I'm 6'1", I could fit in the Forte, but no one could sit in the back seat. And even nicely equipped ones felt like slightly dressed up econo-cars. Weighing in the future potential need for car seats, the Forte just didn't work for me. The Optima was a much better size. I ended up with the Cadenza because I got a nearly fully loaded one used for the price of a new mid-range Optima.
Sure, gas mileage is important for a long commute, but I came to realize driver comfort was more important to me. I still get 27ish MPG, which is better than I get with my Sorento which I was driving before.