Kia Forte offers stylish compact value

BY JOHN STEIN Automotive Editor September 29, 2011 11:01AM

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2011 KIA FORTE SX

ENGINE: 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder

TRANSMISSION: six-speed automatic

DRIVETRAIN: front-wheel drive

FUEL ECONOMY: 23 city/32 highway

BASE PRICE: $19,395

AS TESTED: $23,640

WEBSITE: kia.com

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The 2011 Kia Forte five-door hatchback delivers compact car economy with a surprising level of flexibility and an impressive list of standard comfort features.

Kia has been experiencing an era of growth the last few years that would be impressive to any economist, car enthusiast or not. The Korean automaker’s compact car lineup adds the Forte sedan to the mix while the new five-door hatchback adds high function and value to the small-car market segment.

Starting at $16,895, the 2011 Kia Forte hatchback has two trim levels: EX and SX, as well as two engine options. I recently tested the Kia Forte SX five-door hatchback and I was impressed with the exterior looks as much as I was taken by the utilitarian interior spaces.

On the outside, Forte is a sleek-looking sedan that exhibits a raked profile from the point of the front grille to the rear tail lamps. This is not a hatchback that knows it is a hatchback — in fact, it looks like it wants to be functional, but with plenty of style.

My tester had 17-inch alloy wheels and a sharp set of front fog lamps. While this cannot be mistaken for a sport sedan or a sport wagon, Forte is athletic and capable looking when it is standing still. In this compact car segment, looks are not usually one of the selling points; it is for the Forte.

Inside the Forte five-door provides ample headroom with 43.3 inches of front legroom. Rear seat passengers will be pleasantly surprised to find comfort in the bolstered seating and decent legroom. It offers 19.4 cubic-feet of cargo space in the rear.

Powering the Forte EX hatchback is a standard-equipped 144-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic transmission is optional for the EX. The Environmental Protection Agency rates both transmissions in the 2.0-liter engines at 25 miles per gallon city and 34 mpg highway.

My Forte SX hatchback featured the 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a smooth six-speed automatic transmission. The base price on my tester was listed at $19,395.

The Forte SX 2.4-liter power plant is rated at 173 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 168 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Paired up with the automatic gearbox with Sportmatic, the four-cylinder engine is EPA rated to achieve an estimated 23 mpg city and 32 mpg highway.

The Forte SX features a standard sport-tuned suspension and cool steering wheel paddle shifters for drivers who want to control the Sportmatic transmission’s shift points. I’m not a big fan of these gimmicky shifters, but there were several times I found myself having a bit of fun with the Forte.

In an economy car, offering fewer safety features can be a way of keeping costs low, but the Kia Forte offers a laundry list of standard safety features. They include electronic stability control, traction control and antilock brakes, six airbags and active head restraints to protect against whiplash (front seats only).

My tester had several optional packages that lifted the car to new heights of comfort and convenience — as well as lifting the price $3,550 to a final landing of $23,685. The leather package ($1,000) featured heated leather seats and an auto-dimming rearview mirror, the $750 power sunroof opened the cabin up to lots of sunshine, and the SX tech package ($1,800) included a navigation system, push button start, auto temp control and chrome finish door handles. All of this made the Forte feel thousands of dollars more plush than anything in the class.

All 2011 Kia Forte five-door EX and SX models feature some standard amenities such as air conditioning, remote keyless entry, steering-wheel-mounted radio and cruise controls, power windows and door locks, floor mats, map lamps and even tweeters for the AM/FM/CD/MP3/SAT audio system.

Along with solid performance and style, Kia Forte offers a comprehensive warranty of 10-years/100,000 miles powertrain coverage, something any auto buyer ought to consider a value in the marketplace.

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