Kia Forte Hatchback-2014

PREVIEW

Lately, Kia has been fielding strong entries in virtually every segment it enters. Now the 2014 Kia Forte has joined the roster in the compact car class. Previously, we had considered the Forte a decent pick thanks to its low price, respectable performance and generous standard features, but ultimately relegated it to mid-pack status for its lackluster cabin materials and elevated road noise. With this year's redesign, Kia has addressed those gripes in a big way.

Once again, the Forte will come in three body styles: sedan, four-door hatchback (known as the Forte5) and two-door coupe (Forte Koup). No matter the body style, one of the biggest draws to the new car is the way it looks. We usually don't talk about styling, given its subjective nature. But we doubt we'll find much argument when we say the Forte is one of the sharpest-looking cars in its segment.

Even better, the redesigned Forte isn't an example of form over function. It's longer, lower and wider than its predecessor, and you'll notice this on the inside, as the car is quite roomy. Rear seat legroom is especially good. You'll find plenty of features here, too, as even the base LX trim level offers Bluetooth and an iPod interface as standard, while high-end amenities like xenon headlights, keyless ignition/entry, a voice command system (for the audio system and your smartphone) and even heated rear seats are available. Overall interior quality is much better this time around as well.

There are three different engines for the 2014 Kia Forte, and all make more than competitive power. The upgraded 2.0-liter four-cylinder on EX models makes the new Forte one of the quickest cars in the segment, while an even stronger, turbocharged 1.6-liter engine is available on SX versions of the Forte coupe and Forte5 hatchback. The downside, though, is that none of these engines excels in the fuel economy department.

As you likely know, there are many good choices in this class. The Ford Focus and Mazda 3 are a little more fun to pilot and tend to get better fuel economy in real-world driving, while the Honda Civic and 2014 Volkswagen Jetta are well-rounded sedans with lots of refinement and comfort. And of course you might also consider the Kia's cousin, the Hyundai Elantra. But with its roomy interior, upscale features, strong engines and sharp looks, the 2014 Kia Forte is an excellent choice for an affordable sedan, coupe or hatchback.

FEATURES

The 2014 Kia Forte is available as a sedan in LX and EX trim levels. The four-door hatchback (Forte5) and two-door coupe (Koup) are available in EX and SX trims.

Standard features on the LX sedan include 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth phone connectivity and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio and USB/iPod/auxiliary input jacks.

Optional for the LX is the Popular package that includes 16-inch alloy wheels, mirror-mounted turn signal repeaters, keyless entry, upgraded interior trim, two additional audio speakers, cruise control, a sliding console armrest, a fold-down rear center armrest and dual lighted vanity mirrors.

Spring for the EX and you get all the above plus a more powerful engine, adjustable steering effort, foglights, LED running lights, chrome accents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Kia's Uvo voice-activated infotainment system with Bluetooth audio connectivity, a rearview camera, a sliding console armrest and a fold-down rear center armrest.

Options for the EX include 17-inch wheels and two option packages. The Premium package features a sunroof, keyless ignition/entry, leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, a heated steering wheel, a ventilated eight-way power driver seat and an auto-dimming rearview mirror. The Technology package includes xenon headlights, LED taillights, dual-zone air-conditioning with rear seat vents and a navigation system.

The EX hatchback and coupe echo the sedan, while the SX versions include those features but takes a sportier tack, with a turbocharged engine, 18-inch wheels, unique front and rear fascia styling, chrome exhaust tips and metal-trimmed pedals. Option packages for the coupe and hatchback essentially mirror those for the EX sedan.

INTERIOR

Far from being an economy car stuffed with gadgets, the new Kia Forte boasts a handsome cabin furnished with quality materials that, in the higher trim levels, would give premium-brand compacts a run for their money. What's more, the Forte's high-tech features are well designed and easy to use. The touchscreen interface, with its large, logically positioned "buttons," is one of the best examples of this technology, regardless of market segment or price range.

Seat comfort front and rear is very good thanks to thick, well-bolstered seats. With this year's growth spurt, there's plenty of room in back, too. Even 6-foot adults should be comfortable seated in the rear. The Forte sedan is also very generous when it comes to cargo capacity, boasting a trunk capacity of 14.9 cubic feet. The Forte Koup's trunk is slightly smaller at 13.3 cubic feet, while the Forte5 hatchback is the most spacious with 23.2 cubic feet available behind its rear seat.

UNDER THE HOOD

The LX is powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine making 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque. Power runs to the front wheels through a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

The EX gets a 2.0-liter four-cylinder generating 173 hp and 154 lb-ft of torque. On the sedan and hatchback, this engine only comes with the six-speed automatic, but on the coupe, you can also get it with the manual transmission. The SX versions of the Forte Koup and Forte5 have a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder good for 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. On both body styles, you have a choice of the six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.

Fuel economy estimates for the Forte LX sedan are 29 mpg combined (25 mpg city/36 mpg highway) for the 1.8 with the automatic. The manual transmission is also rated at 29 mpg combined. Forte EX sedans with the 2.0-liter engine rate 28 mpg combined (24/36). EX hatchbacks and automatic-equipped EX coupes also rate 28 mpg combined but have lower highway figures. Manual-shift Forte EX coupes come in at 27 combined (24/33).

Kia Forte SX hatchbacks rate 24 mpg combined (21/29) with either transmission. In the Koup, the 1.6-liter engine returns an EPA-estimated 25 mpg combined (22/29) with the manual and 25 mpg combined (22/30) with the automatic.

In Autoexpress testing, a Kia Forte EX sedan accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, making it one of the quickest cars in its segment.

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Kia Forte Hatchback-2013

PREVIEW

Compact cars have gone from ho-hum to holy cow in a remarkably short time. When the Kia Forte was introduced, we were impressed by its sharp styling, quality cabin, agreeable driving dynamics and generous features list. Then the bar dramatically leapt upward as a slew of newer sedans were introduced that matched or greatly surpassed the Forte's previously praiseworthy attributes.

As such, the 2013 Kia Forte is easy to overlook even though it remains a perfectly acceptable compact car. It's still one of the few that offers three different body styles: a sedan, a four-door hatchback and a coupe. The Forte's features list also remains a bright spot, since Kia has only increased the amount of stuff you can cram into this relatively diminutive car. And in a sign of modern priorities, power locks and windows might not be standard, but Bluetooth, satellite radio and an iPod interface are.

Under the hood, the standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine may not achieve that flashy 40-mpg highway number touted in the ads of rivals, but at 37 mpg, it's still properly efficient. If you're willing to sacrifice some mpg for a little mph, the SX trim delivers handling on par with anything in the class. The ride can be unpleasantly firm, though, which isn't the case for some of its newer competitors.

As for those competitors, the Chevy Cruze, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and Mazda 3 should be your prime targets. Each provides a substantially nicer cabin, a more refined driving experience and its own fresh take on sharp styling. Their engines are more sophisticated, and even if they don't boast quite the same bang-for-your-buck, their features lists are overflowing with items you wouldn't normally associate with compact cars.

Given this, it should come as no surprise that Kia is fast at work creating a new-and-improved Forte ahead of the usual schedule. Until that car arrives, the 2013 Kia Forte is a decent choice if the right deal comes along, but you should know you'll be settling for something more ho-hum than holy cow.

FEATURES

The 2013 Kia Forte is available in three body styles: sedan, four-door hatchback ("Five-Door") and coupe (or "Koup" as Kia calls it). The sedan is available in LX, EX and SX trim levels, while the Five-Door and Koup are EX and SX only.

Standard equipment on the LX includes 15-inch steel wheels, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, a 60/40 split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth and a four-speaker sound system with a CD player, satellite radio, an auxiliary audio jack and an iPod/USB audio interface. There are no options for the LX.

The EX includes all of the following plus full power accessories, keyless entry, power-folding mirrors, cruise control, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, map lights, a trip computer and a six-speaker sound system with steering wheel controls. The Five-Door and Koup get 16-inch alloy wheels standard, whereas the sedan gets them as part of the Premium package, which also includes a sunroof. The Eco package adds to the EX electric power steering, a different alternator, low-rolling-resistance tires and aerodynamic enhancements for improved fuel economy.

The Forte SX adds a more powerful engine, 17-inch alloy wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, automatic headlights, foglights, LED running lights, steering wheel paddle shifters for the automatic transmission, upgraded cloth upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and metal-finish interior trim pieces. The Koup SX gets gloss black exterior trim pieces. The Leather package adds to the SX leather upholstery, heated front seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

The Technology package available on both EX and SX adds keyless ignition/entry, chrome exterior door handles, automatic climate control, a rearview camera, a navigation system and real-time traffic. The EX version also gets the automatic headlights, foglights and LED running lights.

INTERIOR

The Kia Forte's interior is a fairly comfortable place, with good room up front and backseats with legroom that, while not great, is about par for the category. One notable exception is the coupe's rear seat, which is a tight squeeze by anyone's standards. The quality of the interior is certainly acceptable, but it's a noticeable step down from what you'll find in a Focus, Elantra or Volkswagen Golf. Some Forte test cars we've sampled have also suffered from haphazard construction. On the upside, interior controls are very user-friendly.

Both the coupe and sedan have a good amount of cargo room, with 12.6 cubic feet and 14.7 cubic feet, respectively. The hatchback version is even better, with 19.4 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats that expands to 44.2 cubic feet with those seatbacks folded down to make a flat load floor.

UNDER THE HOOD

The 2013 Kia Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 156 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque. In certain states, the engine is certified as a Super-Ultra-Low-Emissions Vehicle (SULEV) and as a result produces 154 hp and 139 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard and a six-speed automatic is optional. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 26 mpg city/36 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined for an automatic-equipped sedan or hatchback. The coupe and manual-equipped cars are just a hair worse. The Forte Eco package bumps efficiency to 27/37/30.

The SX gets a 2.4-liter four-cylinder good for 173 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. In SULEV form the engine is rated at 165 hp and 161 lb-ft. The 2.4 gets the same transmission choices as the 2.0-liter. In Autoexpress performance testing, an SX hatchback with an automatic went from zero to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds, which is on par with similarly powered cars. The Koup is a bit quicker. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 23/32/26 with the automatic and marginally less with the manual.

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