2010 Kia Forte
Forte—A Challenger for Civic and Corolla
Kia is looking to take on the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla with its new Forte sedan. The Forte replaces the Spectra, which was rather bland and uninspiring. This new car has sharp styling, a roomy interior, and class-leading horsepower.
The Forte got its good looks from Kia’s Southern California design studio. The designers there gave it a sloping hood and swept-back headlights that make it look sassy. They also provided an up-sweeping beltline to convey a sense of motion.
The cabin is spacious for a compact car. There’s plenty of head-and legroom for tall folks up front, and the backseat will accommodate two medium-sized adults—three in a pinch. The trunk is really big enough for vacation baggage, at 14.7 cu.-ft. Kia equips all Fortes with standard Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, and stability control. These features are usually optional in cars of this class.
Buyers get a 2.0-liter, 156-hp, four-cylinder engine in the base LX and mid-range EX models. It’s hooked up to a standard five-speed manual, or a four-speed automatic transmission. The top-of-the-line SX comes with a 2.4-liter four-banger that pumps out 173 horses, and is teamed with either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic with a manual shift mode.
My SX test car with automatic surprised me with its quickness off the line. When I hit the gas pedal, it jumped. The engine pulled really well from 3000 rpm. Sixty mph can come up in about 8.5 seconds. The automatic gearbox downshifted quickly, for the most part, when asked to, and the manual-shift mode made it easy to select gears at will.
The SX model comes standard with a sport package. The handling is nimble, thanks to a firm suspension and a very quick steering system. It takes only a slight turn of the wheel to get around a corner. However, the stiff suspension exacts a price with the ride quality. My test car telegraphed every little bump in the road to my backside.
The Forte has a lot to offer. It undercuts the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla on price, and comes equipped with standard features that are extra-cost options on those cars. Fortes start at $13,695 for the LX model. My top-of-the-line SX test car was priced at $18,880.
Snapshot Review:
Roomy Interior
Peppy Engine (SX)
Good Handling
Rough Ride (SX)
