The all-new Kia Forte compact sedan has been launched in Detroit, and it’s ready to fight the Honda Civic for compact sedan supremacy in the USA. The current generation Kia Forte has been with us for a few years now, and this model shows us what the new generation model will look like once this new one arrives in the Philippines.
On the outside, you’ll see that its features a long hood and short rear deck design, making it look like a RWD sedan that results in a fastback shape similar to the Stinger luxury sports sedan. The tiger nose grille is flanked by LED headlights with an interesing LED daytime running light design that looks like a 4-petal flower design. At the back, the sloping roofline and short rear deck provides that dynamic and sporty look, while the LED tail lights cast a distinct glow at night. Dimensions on all aspects have grown for this generation, now at 4,640 mm long (81 mm longer), 1,440 mm tall (12.7 mm longer), and 1,798 mm wide.
Inside, the interior is more plush and more upmarket, thanks to the liberal use of soft touch materials. The overall theme here is through horizontal shapes to emphasize the interior’s width. Due to the added exterior dimensions, interior room has also been increased. The center stack is dominated by an 8-inch UVO infotainment system that has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Qi wireless charging, and SMS text readout. Interestingly, the Kia Forte can be equipped with a 320-watt Harman Kardon sound system, which Kia claims is the best sounding in its class.
The Kia Forte is powered by a 2.0 liter 4-cylinder Atkinson Cycle petrol engine with a cooled EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system for better fuel efficiency. The engine produces 147 hp and 179 Nm of torque, and this is the same engine found in the Hyundai Elantra and newly launched Hyundai Veloster. Power is sent through the front wheels via a 6-speed manual or Kia’s new CVT, or as they like to call it their Intelligent Variable Transmission (IVT).
Safety comes courtesy of standard Blind Sport Detection and Lane Keeping Assist, it optionally comes with Forward Collision Avoidance and Smart Cruise Control.
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