The small-sedan segment is Canada’s largest vehicle segment. So naturally the competition is nasty. Witness established and stellar nameplates, like Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, and Mazda3 as well as new, full-strength efforts from Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and Nissan Sentra.
Into this melee walks in the Kia Forte.
Judging by our week-long fling with Forte’s top-shelf sedan model, the SX Luxury, we’re betting that Kia Forte can stand up to the competition and then some.
New Platform
As many of you know, the Forte replaces Spectra. Forte is based on the same, new platform under the Hyundai Elantra. And like Hyundai, Kia has “got the religion” about styling – that styling is just as crucial to success, as is technology-based stuff.
Both Elantra and Forte look sharp, but I’m more drawn to Forte, which is more “creased” than the “fluid” Elantra. Forte was penned at Kia’s California design studio, and features strong lines in the hood, which are echoed along the beltline and along the rocker panels.
Also cool are the swept-back headlights and trapezoid taillights. The high-deck trunk is a feature used by many, but it works, as does the fairly wide track (compared to other C-segment vehicles). Net result is a compact car that looks pretty classy and sporty at the same time.
Sport Focused
Forte is configured as virtually all compact cars on the planet – front-drive, transverse engine, unibody frame, McPherson strut front suspension, etc., etc. So its torsion beam rear suspension seems a bit out of place, in a world gone fully independent when it comes to rear suspensions.
But handling is one of the Forte’s strengths. The firmness of the suspension, and how little the car leaned in corners, was the first impression I had of the car, after grabbing the keys from Kia Canada.
Into this melee walks in the Kia Forte.
 |
| Forte was penned at Kia’s California design studio, and features strong lines in the hood, which are echoed along the beltline and along the rocker panels. (Photo: Mike Goetz/Auto123.com) |
Judging by our week-long fling with Forte’s top-shelf sedan model, the SX Luxury, we’re betting that Kia Forte can stand up to the competition and then some.
New Platform
As many of you know, the Forte replaces Spectra. Forte is based on the same, new platform under the Hyundai Elantra. And like Hyundai, Kia has “got the religion” about styling – that styling is just as crucial to success, as is technology-based stuff.
Both Elantra and Forte look sharp, but I’m more drawn to Forte, which is more “creased” than the “fluid” Elantra. Forte was penned at Kia’s California design studio, and features strong lines in the hood, which are echoed along the beltline and along the rocker panels.
Also cool are the swept-back headlights and trapezoid taillights. The high-deck trunk is a feature used by many, but it works, as does the fairly wide track (compared to other C-segment vehicles). Net result is a compact car that looks pretty classy and sporty at the same time.
Sport Focused
Forte is configured as virtually all compact cars on the planet – front-drive, transverse engine, unibody frame, McPherson strut front suspension, etc., etc. So its torsion beam rear suspension seems a bit out of place, in a world gone fully independent when it comes to rear suspensions.
But handling is one of the Forte’s strengths. The firmness of the suspension, and how little the car leaned in corners, was the first impression I had of the car, after grabbing the keys from Kia Canada.
 |
| The firmness of the suspension, and how little the car leaned in corners, was the first impression I had of the car. (Photo: Kia) |