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"For the compact segment, the best BALANCED car to get." on by gamer1489
Pros: 1) Standard feature set.
2) Handling.
3) Available premium amenities.
4) Comprehensive warranty.
5) Interior and cargo room.Cons: 1) Lack of power.
2) No available power seat.
3) Poor C-pillar area visibility.
4) No premium audio option.Summary: I've had my 2011 Kia Forte SX sedan in Spicy Red with a black leather interior since July of 2011. It's equipped with the leather package and the technology package. Altogether, the MSRP was $23,550 and included: push button start with smart key, navigation with a rear view camera, single zone automatic temperature control, an auto-dimming rear view mirror, automatic on/off headlights, moonroof, rear spoiler, sport leather seat trim and heated front seats, aside from the bevy of standard features on the Forte SX.
At 173-hp, the 2.4L inline four-cylinder engine has more than enough power to get out of the way when merging on a highway and cutting through curves and corners, but it leaves something to be desired when it comes to straight-line performance, especially when accelerating from about 40 mph to 70 or even 80 mph, and beyond.
The stock 17-inch wheels are attractive and fairly light, but there should be an option to choose either the color of the Koup's titanium silver wheels or the bright silver of the sedan's wheels, both being the same styling. The Goodyear Eagle LS2 tires are grippy beyond belief with Kia's sport-tuned suspension helping to keep the wheels on the ground. I've never been more sure of my footing in a front wheel drive vehicle, even going around a tight bend IN traffic! The handling of this vehicle is superb.
The cabin is ALWAYS a nice place to be with soft-touch surfaces in all the common places, though the temperature control knob feels cheap--at least it doesn't look the part. Small touches of chrome and metal adorn the cabin without an ounce of falsified carbon fiber as in the Optima SX, though that finish would look like too much in such a small car. The navigation screen is large and bright and integrates with just about any source of media you throw at it, save video. The voice recognition is easy to use and the camera for backing up is large, accurate and helps in just about every maneuver. The seats are comfortable and supportive with the moonroof sacrificing little headroom in the sedan. The Koup suffers greatly when it's equipped with the moonroof. With the paddle shifters floating with the wheel (only available on the 2011 models and above), they're always there when navigating a turn when your hands are at 9 and 3. The only gripe of the interior was the sound quality of the speakers. They're the same ones with the same "amplification" as the base LX model and are just horrible. I recommend to upgrade the speakers and install an amplifier to add power to the sound as the base amplification from the head unit is just too low if you're trying to fight the sound of air with the windows open.
Handling, braking and low end acceleration are great but once you get above 40, the engine just tails off in oomph. It delivers power well and keeps thew party going, but it's like the music gets turned down as the party starts to amp up. Throw this car into a corner maybe 10-20 mph too fast into a corner and a smile awaits you on the other side, though. The now standard 6-speed automatic transmission does its best to put the power down and never gets into the wrong gear. If it does, a couple of clicks with the downshift paddle and you're there anyway.
Aesthetically, it may not be the leader of the pack with its sister the Elantra getting rave reviews on its styling but this car over a couple of years has aged 5, but seems to be stuck there--like it's been around the block and you trust it. Nothing about the lines are overstated and the sedan is just clean throughout.
If you are in the market for a compact car that packs in fun, sensibility, personality, value and a smile on your face every day you drive it, look no further than the Kia Forte.
Wanna do it up CNET style? If you're looking for a car that gets good mileage and has all the premium amenities, minus the leather and heated seats, go for a 2011+ Forte EX with the premium (moonroof and 16" alloy wheels) and the technology (fog lights, auto on/off headlights, push button start with smart key entry, navigation, single zone automatic temperature control, rear view camera, chrome door handles and trunk accent) packages. Looking for more fun? Upgrade to the 2011+ Forte SX with the packages I've purchased and enjoy the ride.
Kia DOES have the power to surprise. -
"A VERY SURPRISING CAR!" on by mmay628
Pros: The warranty is absolutely fantastic. Very smooth ride. Great appearance. Great standard features at an affordable price.
Cons: Only 30 mpg
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"Not the most refined car, but best bang for the buck." on by yooyong
Pros: -Incredible value - Heated windshield, bluetooth, leather, sunroof, for barely over $21k? Astounding (what I paid).
-Power/acceleration. Easily the fastest car in it's segment. Very quick off the line acceleration.
-Attractive European styling - The heaCons: -Mediocre handling - Numb, overboosted steering feel. It will never outhandle the class leader, the Mazda 3.
-Touchy throttle - This car is hard to drive smoothly.
-Lousy tires - Many owners have agreed that the standard Goodyear rubber is terrible iSummary: On paper the Forte SX is very impressive. You cannot get better bang for the buck for the money. Great acceleration. This car can be an outright torque handling beast. The only black mark is the low rent rear suspension. It may perform fine enough on the track, but in the real world of fractured, pot-holed city streets, it just does not cut it. The other gripe I have is the utterly scandalous fuel economy ratings. I do not drive during rush hour and yet I average in the mid 12s per 100 km which is more than 50% of Kia's 9.0 highway rating. The Mazdaspeed 3 I owned had accurate fuel ratings. MSN Autos reports automakers exaggerate fuel economy ratings by as much as 34 percent. I know every automaker does this, but Kia is clearly making outright bogus claims here and I intend to bring this to their attention.
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"Fantastic, economical car!!!" on by mlewis73
Pros: This car has fantastic handling, very good acceleration considering it is a four cylinder, is well made, and offers excellent features for the price! Perfectly competent in town and on the interstate!
Cons: A little more torque would be nice (but I won't judge too harshly because the car performs admirably considering it is a four cylinder). Great performance for the price; anything more is much more expensive.
Summary: For less than $20k, out the door: 0-60 in about 7.x seconds, leather, sunroof, Sirius, Bluetooth, automatic/tap shift transmission, and 25-33 miles per gallon depending how/where you're driving. OH! Let's not forget the 10 year, 100,000 mile warranty! (Why I bought the car to begin with, after 9 years of owning a Chevrolet Impala that was very unreliable, had a transmission failure at 37,000 miles, and was a maintenance problem.) This car is an excellent value!! Highly recommended!
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"Truly great car for the price." on by usamare
Pros: Superior interstate cruising. The car has good acceleration, good cornering, sharp lines, a 6 speed manual transmission, 17 inch wheels, bluetooth, steering wheel mounted controls, interior and trunk space, a massive warranty, and a low price.
Cons: Many of the interior controls feel flimsy. Not enough lumbar support. The clutch is awkward. The suspension is a little too stiff for a sedan.
Summary: Most pictures don't do the Forte justice. When parked next to Civics, Corolas, and Focii, it looks very sharp.
The standard features on the SX model are many. Heated mirrors, Stability Control, anti-lock front and rear disc brakes, voice activated bluetooth with wheel mounted controls, 6 speaker stereo with audio jack for mp3 players, iphone plug, usb port, Satelite radio am/fm cd player with wheel mounted controls. 17inch aluminum wheels, front and rear sway bars, 6-way adjustable drivers seat, fold out rear center arm rest with cup holders, 6 air bags, 2.4 litre motor with 6-speed manual transmission, stainless sport pedals and footrest, wheel mounted cruise control, rear spoiler, tilt/telescopic steering wheel, giant warranty, etc.
The cabin is very roomy in front and back (no standard sized people will feel cramped), and the trunk is huge.
The front seats come up short on lumbar support, but you will appreciate the way they hold onto you in turns. The inside door, trunk, hood, and fuel release levers all feel a bit flimsy, fortunately they work with little effort.
The hydrolic clutch on the 6-speed manual is a bit unnerving at first. You have to press it in very far, then the engagement range is tiny. The result makes it feel more like an on/off switch than a traditional clutch.
When paired with the touchy accelerator, it's very easy to over-rev on launches, if you're trying to avoid over-revving, you can wind up with some embarrassing stalls.
Third gear is extremely long. During normal acceleration, you'll notice that the low side of third doesn't pull very well. The upside is that third gear will wind-up to around 85mph. So with the 6-speed, dropping to third at 50-60mph gives really good pull for passing.
With third gear hanging in there to 85mph, you can well imagine that by the time you plink it into 4th you're probably going fast enough. One of this cars shining triumphs is that interstate cruising is effortless. In 6th gear at 70mph, the engine is turning less than 2400rpms.
While that's going on, you will find out that the car handles curves quite well with little body roll. The more curves you press it into, the more surprised you will be with what it can do.
Though road and wind noise are mostly very mild, but some road surfaces will produce annoying amounts of tire noise at highway speeds. The suspension allows for solid cornering on good roads, but medium sized bumps can be jarring, and especially unsettling in curves.
The Kia Forte SX offers more for your money than pretty much anything at the same price right now. For just a few thousand dollars more, you could get a better car, but that's always the case. Though rebates vary in different states, Kia's rebates are often significant, making them an even better bargain.
This car 'should' take a big chunk out of Civic and Corolla sales.
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