There was a time when it was laughable to think a contender in North America's tough compact car market would have come from Korea. Kia's only been selling cars here for 10 years, but progress evidenced by their product expansion and competitiveness is arguably impressive. In fact, they've been out-performing much of the industry all spring.
If the excitement apparent in Kia's Canadian team is any indication, the 2010 Forte is going to be a big deal. The automaker's latest sedan (a coupe and wagon are coming) promises to deliver today's value-minded shopper everything they need at a reasonable price, alongside a few surprises.
Here's the gist. Forte comes in 3 trim levels and is powered by one of two four-cylinder engines. The 2.0 LX opens the bidding at $15,695 with a class-leading 156 horsepower engine and five-speed manual.
A mid-range 2.0 EX adds additional features like air, keyless, cruise, and a set of tweeters for the stereo. Kia says that the 2.0 EX should be their volume seller. They're hoping it'll steal a chunk of the double-digit market shares enjoyed by key competitors like the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla. The Forte 2.0 EX is priced from $17,995.
If top-of-the-line is your Forte, then the 2.4 SX model adds 17-inch alloys, automatic climate control, leather seats, a sunroof and more. The larger engine generates 173 horsepower, and delightfully, it comes standard with a six-speed stick.
Four or five-speed step-tronic automatic transmissions can be optionally fitted to either the 2.0 or 2.4 litre engines, respectively. In this case, the multi-application world engine isn't available with a CVT.
All models are standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, and a full-out Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is standard on all but the base model. Bluetooth is included across the range too-- a move partially made in light of recent and upcoming anti-distraction driving laws. Bluetooth technology equips drivers for safe and legal gabbing on the go.
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| In all though, Forte looks to have the value-priced sporty-sedan thing pretty much nailed. |
If the excitement apparent in Kia's Canadian team is any indication, the 2010 Forte is going to be a big deal. The automaker's latest sedan (a coupe and wagon are coming) promises to deliver today's value-minded shopper everything they need at a reasonable price, alongside a few surprises.
Here's the gist. Forte comes in 3 trim levels and is powered by one of two four-cylinder engines. The 2.0 LX opens the bidding at $15,695 with a class-leading 156 horsepower engine and five-speed manual.
A mid-range 2.0 EX adds additional features like air, keyless, cruise, and a set of tweeters for the stereo. Kia says that the 2.0 EX should be their volume seller. They're hoping it'll steal a chunk of the double-digit market shares enjoyed by key competitors like the Mazda 3 and Toyota Corolla. The Forte 2.0 EX is priced from $17,995.
If top-of-the-line is your Forte, then the 2.4 SX model adds 17-inch alloys, automatic climate control, leather seats, a sunroof and more. The larger engine generates 173 horsepower, and delightfully, it comes standard with a six-speed stick.
Four or five-speed step-tronic automatic transmissions can be optionally fitted to either the 2.0 or 2.4 litre engines, respectively. In this case, the multi-application world engine isn't available with a CVT.
All models are standard with four-wheel antilock disc brakes, and a full-out Electronic Stability Control (ESC) system is standard on all but the base model. Bluetooth is included across the range too-- a move partially made in light of recent and upcoming anti-distraction driving laws. Bluetooth technology equips drivers for safe and legal gabbing on the go.
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| The larger engine generates 173 horsepower, and delightfully, it comes standard with a six-speed stick. |