Kia and parent company Hyundai have been on a wild tear of late and it shows no signs of letting up. The most recent example of this is the stylish new entry-level Forte sedan that the automaker hopes will steal some sales away from the class-leading rivals from Japan.
Fully tanked up with expensive coffee, we set out to drive the new Forte in much the same manner as a typical Seattleite would. That’s not to say we would place ourselves in the fast lane and dawdle along, becoming so-called keepers of the speed. More on those slugs later. Along the way, we found ourselves flying past Boeing Aircraft’s facilities in nearby Everett, where a monstrous 747 Dreamlifter sat outside a hangar awaiting another trip to Japan for a wingset to be used on the new 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Then we drove on board a ferry to Whidbey Island and finally got stuck in Seattle’s notorious rush-hour traffic.
The Forte is technically the successor to the Spectra, but it is really so much more than that. This time, Kia decided to leave the help of the rocked-out Soul hamsters behind and instead concentrate on product, not marketing – though we do like the hamsters. The main competitors in the segment include the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Mazda Mazda3 and when you add in the secondary targets of the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cobalt, it shows why anyone would need to strike hard when attempting to show up as a seriously dominant player that sells on more than just low prices.
She’s got the look
Featuring one of the more muscular bodies to come from Seoul, the Forte continues with the pace started with the Soul. With a pronounced shoulder line over the fenders and across the hood, that extends rearward; the stance is wide and low. Swept-back headlamps combine with the grille area to offer a clean welcoming shape that depending on color and attitude can look downright menacing, given the chance. A more expressive but elegant design than we’ve ever seen on a Kia, we hope the Forte is a harbinger of future designs to come.
Offered in three flavors of trim, (entry-level EX, mid-level LX and high-end SX), we had the opportunity to check out the SX during our sojourn to Seattle.
The Forte SX starts, in typical Kia-style, with a healthy dose of features. Namely power windows and locks, remote key entry, steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls, premium audio, a telescoping steering wheel and, on our tester, heated leather seats, Bluetooth and a power moonroof. Not bad for a little under $20,500. We found the fit and finish to be top-notch and materials appropriate, if not overwhelming. Though the style is unique to Kia, some elements struck us as a little Mazda-like, especially the instrument binnacles.
The interior featured a nicely trimmed dashboard area with all the normal driver accouterments housed within. We like the red illumination around the speedo, but think the tachometer could stand some “butching” up in the appearance department. The center stack houses a great AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sirius audio system, which is upgraded from a four- to a six-speaker system with surround sound circuitry. The Bluetooth system quickly found our phone and offered clarity that rivals cars costing twice as much. iPod connectors are included as is a three-month trial subscription to Sirius Satellite Radio.
The driver and passenger seats were optioned with the leather seating areas, and offered good support although they could stand the addition of adjustable lumbar support. “Class-above” safety includes active headrests and a full array of airbags. Two power outlets in the center stack allow for the use of both a radar detector and auxiliary navigation devic.e although Kia says a built-in unit (of the latter) will be available before long.
And the moves?
Ride quality over the rough roads in downtown and rural roads was extremely well modulated, resulting in a relatively quiet ride. If anything, the low-profile 17-inch tires were guilty of allowing a certain road drone or buzziness into the cabin while on these same rough roads. Head onto smooth highway, and the car was as quiet as some costing three times the price.
Power is available from two different engines. The EX and LX are powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, which manages to pump out 156-horsepower and 144 lb-ft. of torque. Look for mileage that the EPA claims hits 25 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway. The SX is motivated by the 2.4-liter engine, which is a relative of the mill used in its sporty corporate cousin, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Derived from a joint venture involving Hyundai, Chrysler and Mitsubishi, it’s an engine that tuners are already burning up the bandwidth over. Unlike the Genesis coupe, it is mounted transversely to drive the front wheels. Even with power output of 173 horsepower, and 168 lb-ft of torque, the EPA still puts its consumption at 23/31 mpg with the Sportmatic automatic transmission.
While driving back to the “world famous” Pike Street Market for our date with some Flying King Salmon, we encountered the aforementioned keepers of the speed. Apparently someone in state government has appointed certain citizens as hall monitors of Interstate 5. We agree that everyone needs a job, but we hope this is an unpaid position. Motorists would drive shoulder to shoulder at a fixed rate of speed, usually right at the posted speed limit. As a result, we were forced to make offensive moves when cars would move towards exit ramps to make any kind of headway on the limited access highway.
The 2.4-liter was up to the task. The hamsters, er, engine let you know that it was not happy when pressed but it did get up and go through the Sportshift gears when making passing maneuvers. We can’t say the same for the manual, which offered gummy takeup of the clutch and a rather vague feeling between the six gears. Like the Genesis coupe, the Forte could really stand to benefit from a better tranny with a short throw shifter. In addition, the yelp from an engine could sound like a growl with the addition of a cat-back exhaust system for the SX.
Ride quality from the front-mounted MacPherson struts and coil springs combined with torsion beams, coil springs and struts hanging from the rear made for a good ride. It’s not BMW-tight, but it does the job and actually accomplishes it in a fun-to-drive manner. The wide-berth that the Forte posses allows for tight cornering as well as the ability to make rapid but secure lane changes.
Leftlane’s bottom line
Like their Hyundai partners, Kia has the competition looking over their shoulders with good products at great prices. Add in the hefty Kia warranty and you have a great combination…just stick with the automatic transmission. Not quite the standout Kia would like it to be, the Forte is nonetheless leaps and bounds above its pedestrian predecessor and offers 95 percent of the refinement of the class leaders at 75 percent of the price.
2010 Kia Forte SX base price, $18,195. As tested, $20,490.
SX Leather package, $1,000; Power moonroof, $600; Destination, $695.
Words and photos by Mark Elias.
06/15, 4:34 PM
posted by:
bigs4610
front end sure looks like a ford to me
the dash and steering wheel look hideous
06/15, 4:40 PM
posted by:
Kid Icarus
Another great car from Kia….I can’t wait for the Forte Koup to follow in the next 1-2 months!
06/15, 4:42 PM
posted by:
DB9
It takes guts to test a car around Seattle and environs with California plates;-) In the nineties this would get you run off the road. Even down to see the flying fish:-)) The nightlife was better when Nirvana was all the rage;-)
DB9
06/15, 4:48 PM
posted by:
JakeK66
I find it interesting how these advanced “infotainment” systems and bluetooth connectivity keep finding their way in these less expensive cars and remain optional on some very expensive high-end models.
Why also do they insist on using reflector headlamps? It can’t be that much cheaper than the projection ones, and they make a car look cheaper because of them IMO
06/15, 4:59 PM
posted by:
RaineMan
I have also noticed the low-quality of stock headlamps in modern new automobiles. When you can buy a decent set of projectors on E-bay for under $300, why can’t manufacturers put them in their entry-level cars? Just because you didn’t pay $30,000 doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a decent set of lights for night-time driving.
06/15, 5:23 PM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2009/06/separated-at-birth-civic-meet-forte.html
bigs, check that link out to see the resemblance between this thing and the civic…i think the ford-esque look of the front end in those shots comes from the angle of the pic…a more straight-on view (shown in the link) really highlights the civicness of the forte…
06/15, 5:36 PM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Anyone know if those Soul hamsters come with a roll of duct tape?
Hey Mark E, I take it you dont drive around Seattle too much. That shoulder to shoulder driving thing is strangely par for the course almost everywhere there. It’s like a cultural road-braindeath there that is the most annoying thing ever – I lived there a few years and know of what I speak. It’s so bad I began to empathize with road-ragers. Other than that the town is pretty good. For good chow you should have gone to Cactus Restaurant off Madison near the Arboretum.
As for the Forte, something about the interior design leaves me underwhelmed. The seats look comfortable, but like I’d slide around on them (very flat). The dash design looks low budget – like it was designed for eas of manufacture. And the engine choices seem uninspiring, especially with the trannies offered. A gummy manual trannie with vague feeling is a real let-down, and my experience with automatics combined with small motors is really bad.
In short, though the article iskindly written, I get the feeling you were left unexcited by the car. As if there was nothing to leave you saying “you dudes really need to check this one out!”
Am I right? And if I am, can I at least get a roll of duct tape for that Hamster?
06/15, 5:44 PM
posted by:
howsmydriving
Great review, showing kindness and compassion toward hamsters.
06/15, 5:55 PM
posted by:
MaytagRepairman
As somebody who lives in the western Washington area this is probably a good bargain point A -to- point B car for the Seattle area. As the reviewer alluded to, the traffic in the Seattle area has a way of sucking enthusiasm completely out of driving.
06/15, 6:11 PM
posted by:
nickkop
the 2.4 liter is not the same engine in the genesis coupe, LLN, they although they are related. this car comes with a 2.0 or 2.4 liter. The Genesis coupe comes only with a 2.0 Turbo or the 3.8 V6
06/15, 6:25 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I’m sorry to hear that the manual transmission is that balky. I guess it’s easier to copy Honda styling as opposed to their engineering.
Mark, you were so close and didn’t slip across for a wobbly pop? I would also like to express my complete befuddlement when it comes to certain Washington state “keepers of the speed”. When they get through the Peace Arch and onto our Highway 99, which happens to be my daily commuter route, it’s almost unfathomable how stunned these people are. You can flash ‘em, ride a foot off their bumper, get the whole front of your car in their left side mirror and nothing. I’ve even given them several of my best ‘Welcome to Canada’ interpretive gestures to no avail. Apparently being completely oblivious to other motorists regardless of what side of the border they’re on is their forte.
06/15, 6:27 PM
posted by:
Mark Elias
Nickkop,
You are right. I had 2.4 on the brain after the mind numbing drive on I-5 and mistakenly upped the displacement by .4-liters. But I stand by the fact that they are related architecture.
Duct tape, anyone?
06/15, 7:20 PM
posted by:
ASIMO
I really, really dislike the round binnacle displays (speedo, tacho, etc.) so seemingly popular on many cars especially of late.
06/15, 8:20 PM
posted by:
Mark Elias
^NRG: Editing omission, the 2.4 specs are now in the story.
^JohnnyCanuck: Sorry Pal, The Kia peeps had us underfoot, and the keepers of the speed always had us late! Maybe next time when we’re in the hood!
06/15, 9:52 PM
posted by:
Borat
Johnny, in California .357 was popular as road cleaning tool a few years back. The only dangerous part if you miss rear view mirror and hit in the vicinity of a fuel tank debris and fire ball may damage the paint on you hood. I am not advocating violence in any shape or form merely noting the fact that it has place in our society.
06/15, 10:47 PM
posted by:
CP1
Just b/c the Forte has headlights w/ a “kink” in it doesn’t mean it looks like the Civic.
The grilles of the two cars are different (the Forte’s is much larger in size and doesn’t have the same chrome bar across the top (otoh, Saturns do so does that mean Saturn “copied” Honda? Maybe, except that Mitsu came out w/ that look before either did).
The headlights are different – Honda’s kink starts at the grille (just like some VWs – does that mean VW “copied” Honda?) while the Forte has a entire section of the headlight before the kink starts (not to mention that the Forte doesn’t have the jelly-bean shape that the Civic has).
VW and Mitsu are both using the “angry” headlight-look that originated in the previous gen Elantra – does that mean that they are “copying” Hyundai (not to mention that Mitsu is just using an inverted version of Audi’s oversized grille on the Lancer).
Otoh, the Civic’s rear looks a lot like the A4’s (esp. the shape of the taillights which are eerily similar) – I guess that must mean that Honda copied Audi and that the Civic looks like the A4.
Honda also lifted the idea of placing the taillights on the D pillar of the CR-V from Volvo and lifted the Pilot’s new blocky rear and thick C and D pillars from Jeep.
The current gen Accord lifted the front of the 2007 Sonata, the roofline and Hofmeister kink in the C pillar from Nissan/Infiniti (which had stolen it from BMW) and rear design from Saturn.
And so on and so on…
06/15, 11:02 PM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
Borat, speaking of road cleaning I think a Hemi powered Zamboni would fit the bill up here.
06/16, 1:07 AM
posted by:
leftwingagenda
cp1, there is more than a “kink” in the headlights to make these two look alike…check the link again…
http://blogs.edmunds.com/straightline/2009/06/separated-at-birth-civic-meet-forte.html
there are subtle differences, but the differences are exactly that, subtle…i would wager those two cars are more similar in appearance at the front end than any other two current production cars that you can suggest…find some pics and link them here and let folks decide for themselves…
06/16, 2:53 AM
posted by:
sprockkets
Too bad KIA did a poor job of copying their instrument cluster.
Speaking of projectors, the only one in its class that has it standard is the Mazda3.
Well, wait, the Scion xB and now the current xC has it standard, but those two vehicles suck so… who cares about them.
06/16, 10:35 AM
posted by:
TornadoGTI
This car is a Honda rip-off but better. I actually think it looks better than a Civic, inside and out. The Civic looks like a space ship and has that worse instrument cluster/dash I have seen since 1985. Digital speedometers belong on motorcycles and 1985 Oldsmobiles. If you have ever been in one, it is the most uncomfortable car ever. When seated in the front seats you can’t touch the dash. It is a poor design and needs improvement.
Also, I agree with the people and the projector headlights. EVERY new vehicle AT LEAST needs to have projectors. I have Xenons on my car and I won’t even buy a car w/o those. If my $26k GTI has xenon’s standard, than any car can at least offer them as an option. They are even an option on high end cars like Volvo, BMW, Lexus, Audi, etc. ANNOYING.
P.S. – Don’t forget about the Impreza that has projector headlights and is in this class. All Subarus have at least projector headlights.
06/16, 12:34 PM
posted by:
whitelite5460
Tornado,
I agree with you on the Honda looks department. Kia is playing it safe, but taking huge leaps by styling this one after a Honda. The looks and equipment put this miles ahead of the competition. It seems to me that the driving habit of this Kia is also leaps above the previous Kia’s. With the looks and the equipment and the driving, Kia is starting to grab my attention. Following in the footsteps of Hyundia is not a bad thing. Becoming less of a “korean” car and more of a “Japanese” car is very good for Kia.
06/17, 12:40 AM
posted by:
CP1
leftwing -
VW has models where the “kink” is just like the Civic’s.
As for the grille, the Forte’s grille is totally different from the Civics; otoh, the grille on the Saturn Aura and Sky are eerily similar to the Civic’s.
And if anything, the Civic’s rear is more similar to the A4’s rear than the Forte’s front is to the Civic.
“i would wager those two cars are more similar in appearance at the front end than any other two current production cars that you can suggest…:
I’ll take that bet w/ the Mitsubishi Lancer and the Audi A4 or the new Mercedes E Class w/ the Lexus GS.
Heck, I’d even throw in the front fascia of the Accord w/ the Sonata before it got the refresh for 2009.
06/19, 7:52 PM
posted by:
AutoCritical
I think this car will sell well as a reasonably priced car that looks good too..
I have a small write up about the design with some sketches to show my thoughts.. http://www.autocritical.com/blog/2009/06/2010-kia-cerato-forte-more-than-just-a-copy/