2014 Kia Forte

conwelpic

pictures emerging recently on the all new 2014 Forte sedan, which will be followed by the 5 dr and then a Koup.

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a nice shot of the new model (K3 in Korea)

conwelpic

later this week at the LA Auto Show the new 2014 Forte will be officially announced

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iluvmysephia1

looks somewhat Ford Focus-like ta me, that it does. Especially at the C-pillar spot and to the rearward. That's a good thing, in my view, Kia fans.

backy

At kia.com: http://www.kia.com/#/2014-forte/?cid=sem&ppc=y

Also you may have seen the "Hot Bots" ad last night on the Super Bowl. OK ad, but didn't reveal much about the car (but the Sorento "where do babies come from?" ad didn't say much about the vehicle, either).

Also some first drives are ekeing out:

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/31/2014-kia-forte-first-drive-review/

http://www.slashgear.com/2014-kia-forte-test-drive-luxury-features-in-a-compact-- sedan-30267425/

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2013/02/first-drive-video-2014-kia-forte-br- ings-much-to-the-small-car-competition.html

http://www.cars.com/kia/forte/2014/expert-reviews/?revid=59320

http://www.leftlanenews.com/first-drive-2014-kia-forte-review.html

One of the biggest surprises to me is that the 148 hp engine from the Elantra will be used only on the Forte LX. The EX will get a 173 hp, 2.0 GDI mill. That will make the Forte EX one of the most powerful cars in its class.

Also tons of optional features available on the Forte EX... but at what cost? At least those who want their compact all gussied up can get the Forte that way. But get much past $20k and I start wondering about other choices. The LX with convenience package will run about $18,500... or similar to a like-equipped Elantra.

The looks are more mini-Optima than close to a Focus. The tail lamps are kinda like those of the Focus, but they're also like other Kia models and very similar in shape to those on the Sonata. So where did the Focus get ITS tail lamps?

I'll have to take a look at the Forte at the local auto show next month and take it for a drive when it hits the dealers. If it drives well I might toss it into the mix for my next car purchase later this year, but I'll more likely go the hatch route. Maybe the Forte5 replacement will be out by then. If not, there's always the Elantra GT, Mazda3i, Golf etc.

conwelpic

available in 2 models:
EX with the 173 hp 2.0L GDI engine
SX with the 201 hp 1.6L turbo engine

backy

Looks good, but close enough in size/shape to the Elantra GT I wonder if they share a chassis?

Since the hatch won't be available in LX trim, I wonder if the Forte5 will be available for anywhere close to the price of the base Elantra GT? That car with the 6MT and very nicely equipped including heated seats is a little over $19k with discounts available. I don't need 173 hp, but if the price of the EX is close to that of the base Elantra GT it will be hard to resist.

conwelpic

they share powertrains and built off similar platforms, but Kia is not trying to duplicate Hyundai and therefore is equipped quite differently. I can't see it being as cheap as the GT as the EX comes standard with automatic, it does have available heated seats for front and rear.
The Forte 5 has a 2" longer wheelbase and 2 cu.ft. more interior volume with more rear legroom.
You can check out all the specs at http://www.kiamedia.com/us/en/models/forte-5-door/2014/features, prices will not be released till closer to the availability date which will be in the 3rd quarter.

backy

Actually, the Forte5 does NOT share powertrains with the Elantra GT. The Elantra GT uses the 148 hp engine that's also in the Elantra sedan and coupe. But according to what you posted here, the Forte5 will be available with the 173 hp GDI and the 2.0L turbo and not the 148 hp engine. (Which makes me wonder if Hyundai will make the 2.0T available in the GT for 2014.)

Since I really wanted a stick in my next car and the Elantra GT has a nice one, that could strike the Forte5 EX off my list... that and the bigger price tag, albeit the Forte5 might have more features. The greater rear legroom would be nice, but the Elantra GT has enough for my needs. And the GT has the front heated seats standard, even with cloth; I wouldn't be surprised if you have to get leather for the 4 heated seats on the Forte5.

The Forte5 is great looking in the photos though... maybe Kia's best effort to date IMO.

conwelpic

your right about the 5 dr vs the GT but the 1.8L is used in the Forte sedan as the base engine in the LX, so just referring to powertrains in general with the Elantra and Forte lines. The 1.6L turbo in the SX Forte 5-door is the engine that is used in the Veloster.

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dash and engine of the SX 5-door model

dodgeman07

Looks like Hyundai/Kia got the message. The C&D First Drive Review says, "One element that does stand out, though, is how quiet this car is in operation. Interior noise was an issue with the outgoing car, but the engineering team has tamed that gremlin on the new model...the new Forte is among the quietest cars in its class".

With only a modest weight increase over the Elantra, this car seems to deliver the sound of silence.

Car and Driver

Sandman6472

Very impressive looking in the 5 door but still think the Elantra GT is the best looking in this segment followed closely by the Focus and I've got a feeling that the Hyundai will be a bit less expensive to buy. From what I've heard, Ford deleted the SEL hatch from the lineup...and that's the one I really liked last year. I saw one at the dealer very well optioned along with a power leather seat which blew me away in that seafoam color...a very striking looking vehicle! I was really blown away by it and decided then and there that the Focus hatch is more attractive than the sedan. Both of these seem to be in the rental fleets we service in large quantities so gotta feeling that the used car market will be flooded with them in the near future. I'd bet that after a car has about 25k on it, the company's dump 'em into the used market which can only bring the prices down on these puppies. Probably are a very good bargain for a shopper who has no problem driving an ex-rental. I know that I treat each car just like I do my personal vehicle but I'm betting most folk don't give a crap and really abuse them. I'm finding many of them really nasty inside before they're cleaned up so I can just imagine how they drive 'em...forget the break in period! But the rental companies do an excellent job of cleaning and maintaining these vehicles. Even the cars I've driven with mileage in the teens and twenty's drive straight and true with no excessive tire wear and perfect alignments. So if someone has no problem buying these used, a screaming deal can probably be had!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

conwelpic

not sure if this would apply in your case, but one of the major complaints on the Focus has been the rear legroom. Here is how they stack up:

Focus - front 41.9", rear 33.2"
Elantra GT - front 42", rear 34.6"
new Forte 5-dr - front 42.2", rear 35.9"

This also equates for passenger volume to:
Focus - 90.7 cu. ft.
Elantra GR - 96.1 cu. ft.
new Forte 5-dr - 98.2 cu. ft.

conwelpic

the 2014 Forte Koup will be unveiled at the New York Auto Show at the end of March.

conwelpic

Forte sedan LX 1.8L MT - $15,900
Forte sedan LX 1.8L AT - $17,400
Forte sedan EX 2.0L AT - $19,400

Delivery - $800

17" alloys for EX - $300

Popular Package for LX auto only - $900
- 16" Alloy wheels
- P205/55 R16 tires
- Remote keyless entry with trunk opener
- Cruise control with steering-wheel-mounted controls
- Tweeter speakers
- Knit and Tricot cloth seat trim
- Sliding armrest (vs. non-sliding on center console)
- Rear center armrest with cup holders
- Soft touch front upper door panels
- Dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors
- Outside mirrors with turn signal indicators
- Front passenger seat back map pocket
- Illuminated ignition keylock cylinder
- Map light
- Sunglass holder

Premium Package for EX and requires 17" alloys - $2,600

- Power sunroof
- Leather seat trim
- 10-way power adjustable driver's seat with two memory presets
- Ventilated driver's seat
- Heated front seats
- Heated rear seats bottom
- Heated steering wheel
- Auto-dimming rear-view mirror with Homelink®
- Push-button start with Smart Key
- Illuminated outside door handle pockets
- Puddle lamp (under outside mirrors)
- Immobilizer

Premium Package on EX, requires 17" alloys - $2,300
- Navigation with HD Radio technology
- Supervision meter cluster with 4.2" TFT color LCD display (inside the meter cluster)
- HID headlights
- Dual-zone automatic temperature control with center console rear vents
- LED taillights

Sandman6472

A lot of bang for the buck here...and the vehicle looks good also! Looks like Kia is going to have a winner here folks!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

dodgeman07

The LX with the Popular Package for $900 looks like a very good value. $17,600 + TTL if you stir your own gears. That's a nice price for a well-equipped, brand new 2014.

backy

Alas, you can't get the Popular Package with a stick. :sick: So if you want a Forte with even basic (for today) stuff like remote locking, you need to get the slushbox.

For the same money as the LX with Popular Package, I'll take the Elantra GT, no options, for about the same money any day... 6MT, heated seats, fogs, adjustable steering, and hatchback versatility. Same engine as the Forte LX.

Sandman6472

Pulled up next to a new Elantra GT and the car is a looker, no doubt about it and much better looking than the Veloster. Hyundai/Kia seems to be on a roll lately making handsome vehicles that customers want to buy...a great position to be in. And the warranty helps as my wife who knows next to nothing about a car knows about the long warranty Hyundai/Kia products have so their advertising buck is definitely paying off big time. And their vehicles, besides looking really nice, are a blast to drive! They are "fun" vehicles with a little edge which is going over big time with the public. Personally, the new Civic looks a bit bland compared to the Korean offerings, kinda old looking and Honda played it a bit conservative in 2012 & 2013. And the Hyundai/Kia vehicles give that youthful impression that used to be exclusively Honda territory. The Forte looks so similar to the Ford Fusion to my eyes...like a mini Fusion just as the new Sentra reminds me of a mini Altima. Similar to what Toyota has been doing for a few years.

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

dodgeman07

Ouch! I see that now.

Oh well, I agree the "normal" options for a new car in 2013 pretty much require the Popular Pkg. I can't imagine not having cruise control and keyless entry.

I really like what I've heard about the new Forte. Particularly the "quietness" of the 2014 model. I'm sure some of the techniques used to quell noise will be passed along to other Hyundai/Kia models in their next generation.

conwelpic

LX MT - $15,995
LX AT - $18,695
LX+AT - $19,995
LX+AT sunroof - $20,895

EX MT - $20,695
EX AT - $21,895
EX AT sunroof - $22,795
SX AT - $26,195

if anyone wants more details on the specs, just let me know

conwelpic

conwelpic

2014 Forte owners manual is now available for free download in pdf from KGIS

conwelpic

The new Kia Forte demonstrates the big strides made by compact-car interiors in a relatively short time. Its controls are cleanly configured and easy to use, and the carbon fiber-like trim is a sporty, classy touch.

Starting at $15,900, the Forte has the lowest base price in its segment. And yet it delivers premium features, from a straightforward and intuitive communication system to brilliant door trim resembling the layered gills of a shark. Many of the Forte’s materials are upscale enough to warrant placement on luxury vehicles.

http://wardsauto.com/ward039s-10-best-interiors/asian-brands-dominate-ward-s-10-- best-interiors

conwelpic

how do you post pictures all the icons below have disappeared!

Kirstie_H

Hm... I've been trying to figure it out for a bit now, no luck. I'll see if I can a bit later. Hopefully the icons will come back ASAP.

Kirstie_H

OK, found the ticket.
Use the "less than" sign
img src="put the url in quotes"
Use the "greater than" sign to close it.

Like this, except with less than/greater than instead of the brackets:
[img src="http://www.choosemyplate.gov/images/new/fruits-forks.png"]

conwelpic

that's okay, but I'm not going to remember this every single time I want to post, so what happened to all the icons that were below this posting box?

conwelpic

Kirstie_H

They're missing temporarily - we have a support ticket in asking to get it fixed.

dodgeman07

Really impressed with what I've seen and heard about this car. It is an "American-size" compact with more road presence than any other compact class offering except the VW Jetta. A big compact to be sure.

Haven't driven one but have looked it over and appreciate the EX has standard 16" rims and 55-series rubber. You can get the higher trim level and stronger engine without being forced into big wheels and low-profile tires. I like that and imagine other American consumers will too.

Sandman6472

Haven't seen any in our rental fleet as of yet but will report back with some impressions once they start showing up. looks to be a home run for Kia and hopefully some of the good stuff will get over to it's cousin, the Hyundai Elantra with the refresh as I'd love for the wife to buy one as her next d d. I think she'd do well with the 2.0 engine as it's very close to what she has now so she won't feel deprived at all. It's also a very good looking vehicle to boot!

The Sandman :sick: :shades:

otis12

Most dealers here in North Jersey have a half dozen or so 2014 Forte sedans on hand. Time to see who has a full-loaded EX. Maroon/Nutley/Fette are on my list. Opinions?

backy

MT thinks so. They compared the Forte EX to the Dart Limited, Civic EX, Mazda3i Grand Touring, and Sentra SL in their June issue and declared the Forte the best all-around car and winner of the comparo. Note that they picked this set of cars because the Mazda3 won their comparo last year vs. the Cruze, Focus, Civic, Elantra, and Jetta, so they only tested the new/updated cars against the reining champ.

Quite a step up for Kia! Could an MT COTY award be in the future for the Forte?

backy

I drove by my local Kia dealer with a few minutes to spare today, so stopped in to look at the new Forte. They had only one LX, a loaded (for an LX) automatic, and a few EXes. The sales rep I talked with said they aren't making many LXes right now. LX was about $19.2k, the EXs $20.3k (fairly basic for an EX).

I didn't drive one but gave the LX a good look-around and sat in it front and back. I was impressed by the materials quality and the back seat room. If there were a little more room for feet under the front seat, it would be really roomy in back; as it was, there was plenty of room for short-to-medium drives for average-sized adults. I'm 5'9" and there was plenty of knee room, decent thigh support, and my hair cleared the headliner.

Trunk is quite roomy, but like the Elantra sedan there's no spare tire. Alloys (16" on LX package, bigger on EX) looked good. Car looks very good in person, more sophisticated than the Elantra IMO.

There's only a slight different in FE, 1 mpg city, between the 1.8L in the LX and the much more powerful engine in the EX. Maybe that's why they aren't making many LXes!

I'm still favoring a hatchback for my next car, but I'll have to drive the Forte when I get closer to the buying decision. A big factor would be what kind of discount I could get on one... there's a lot of fine cars in the $19-20k range.

stever

A reporter would like to speak with a Baby Boomer who recently (within the last year) purchased a compact or subcompact car. If you can assist, please contact pr@edmunds.com with your preferred contact information by July 17, 2013

kia_dave

Kia 36 mo lease numbers project the residual value at 65%!! Nice

Glad I bought one.

Kirstie_H

Yes, that's nice, but as a Kia salesperson, it seems logical that you would have purchased or leased a Kia vehicle.

Sandman6472

We drove a bunch of new ones recently, heck, they still had the plastic on the seats and dash. All I can say is...sweet! We had LX's and the engine was plenty powerful and the seats comfy. I can see Kia selling a boatload of these puppies as well as the Soul's we got to drive. Drove a new Sorrento last week from Orlando down to Lauderdale and again, a very impressive rig.
Hyundai/Kia are on a roll here with each new vehicle better than the one before. I liked one so much that I bought a 2014 Hyundai Tuscon crossover on December 1st! Very very impressed with Hyundai/Kia right now!

The Sandman

jimpimms

The 2014 Forte5 SX 6MT was No. 1 on my list... until Kia (finally!) released the specs. EPA fuel economy is an abysmal 21/29/24, yet the same engine in the Veloster Turbo (2800 lb. vs. Forte5's 2970 lb.) is rated at 24/33/28. The final nail in the coffin is that the 173-hp 2.0L that's now standard in the Forte5 EX is also standard in the 2014 Hyundai Elantra GT, but without Kia's mandatory slushbox. Advantage: Hyundai. Ergo, the Forte5 is completely off the list, and my current 2010 Kia Forte EX 5MT is likely the last Kia I'll buy for myself (my wife loves her 2012 Soul+ and doesn't care that it too gets abysmal fuel mileage).

Sandman6472

Love the looks of the Forte but I'd get the Elantra GT right now and would've if the Tuscon didn't win me over. True the mileage ain't great, it drives amazingly smooth and I love the higher driving position. Hyundai/Kia is making some great products right now and are producing vehicles the public really wants.

The Sandman

otis12

How big is the gas tank, sedan vs. hatchback?

conwelpic

@otis12 said:
How big is the gas tank, sedan vs. hatchback?

same size 13.2 US gal