Weekly Top 3: Things To Know About The New Kia Forte
"What's a Kia Forte?"
I knew you'd ask. And ye shall receive.
The Forte is Kia's new entry in the compact sedan segment (Corolla, Civic, Mazda 3, etc.). It shares a platform with the Hyundai Elantra, and it replaces the not-so-dearly departed Kia Spectra, which was known for bargain-basement pricing and little else. The Forte aims to maintain Kia's customary affordability while adding appealing style and competitive feature content and performance.
Having attended a Forte press event in Seattle earlier this week, I've got three things to say about that.
3. Second gear's good for 76 mph.
Two automatic transmissions will be offered on the Forte: a four-speed and a five-speed. I sampled the volume-selling four-speed, which comes only with the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. The transmission has a manual mode, so I figured, what the hey, let's see what it tops out at in first and second gears. Turns out first gives up the ghost somewhere between 35 and 40 mph, and second keeps on moaning till a Corvette-like 76 mph.
This isn't just a random piece of automotive trivia -- there are real-world consequences here. Because the 2.0-liter engine makes most of its power at higher rpm, you'll want to downshift if you need to pass and you're going, say, 40 mph. But first gear's done by then, and second gear's loafing along at 3,000-3,500 rpm, where there's not nearly enough power to get the job done. There's just no way to access the meat of the engine's powerband in a situation like this with such tall gearing. A Kia representative hinted that the four-speed automatic might be phased out in favor of the five-speed unit, and I'd say the sooner the better.
2. It looks cool.
In typical Korean fashion, the Forte's shape evokes a slew of existing designs. There's some Pontiac G6 in the rear three-quarter view and the beltline kink at the A-pillar. I saw a little Lexus IS in the sleek ducktail edge of the trunk lid. The front fascia is a dead ringer for the Honda Civic's. But the overall effect is quite nice. Upscale even. In this segment, a good-looking car that drives fine might be a better sales bet than a weird-looking car that drives great (Mazda 3, anyone?).
1. It's priced right.
Excluding destination, the base Forte LX starts at $13,695 with standard Bluetooth, though power accessories and air conditioning are not included. The midlevel EX incorporates those features for $15,795, and it offers a Fuel Economy Package that adds the five-speed automatic, economy-biased tires and a couple miles per gallon to the EPA estimates (27/36 vs. 25/34). The top-of-the-line SX boasts a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that makes 173 hp (the base 2.0-liter is rated at 156 hp) as well as 17-inch alloys, the five-speed automatic (or an exclusive six-speed manual) and a sport-tuned suspension for $17,195. With pricing like this, the Forte is bound to sell well, particularly if the economy remains sluggish and fuel prices go on their customary summer climb.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor
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- Josh Sadlier June 12, 2009, 3:00 AM
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- Kia, Weekly Top 3
I was impressed with the car when I saw it back in February at an autoshow. There are so many Corolla/Civic/3's on the road, that another competitor is welcomed.
Forte: what the French do when they have gas(sorry, couldn't resist). I know a guy named pêter who is fond of them.
I wouldn't even consider the bargain-basement trim level (OPTIONAL air conditioning?! Is that like optional CD players or optional power steering?) My money's on the EX + fuel econ package. 27/36 is very good. And 156 hp to boot! That's the model for the masses.
Not everyone lives somewhere where you need A/C all the time. To me it's a big plus not to have to pay for AC.
I don't think I used my A/C at all last summer and I haven't used it yet this year. If I lived in LA I would think different but here in Vancouver it's just excess weight, money and complexity under the hood.
+1 for Kia for making it optional.
I think I turn my A/C off in January, and turn it back on in March. Yeah, it's required in Florida.
Wow Vancouver is mild. Where I live it gets hotter in the summer and much colder in the winter. Firstwagon, I'm not sure you need heaters either.
Average high per tourismvancouver.com:
Month Celsius Fahrenheit
January 5 42
February 7 44
March 10 50
April 14 58
May 18 65
June 21 69
July 23 74
August 23 74
September 18 65
October 14 58
November 9 48
December 6 43
brn
In the winter I normally just wear a sweater or sweatshirt and leave a coat in the back just in case. Very rare to go below freezing even in Dec and Jan.
Todays a lovely summer day but even in the middle of the afternoon it's only 20 deg C (68 F).
Big change for me as I grew up in the Ottawa area. A long way from minus 30 C and below in the winter and plus 30C and above in the summer.
Re: A/C in colder climates...
As a kid from coastal Maine whose parents didn't even have a car with A/C until I was 14, I understand where you're coming from. You definitely don't *need* A/C if it's not hot outside (and my parents, who went cross-country in a 1973 VW Beetle, would argue that you don't need A/C even then -- just some towels and a bucket of icewater).
However, our resident interior design guru Prince Albert Austria points out that A/C provides superior window-defogging capacity at all temperatures, so it's still useful in the snow belt.
-JS