2014 Kia Forte EX Long-Term Road Test

Edmunds.com

2014 Kia Forte EX Long-Term Road Test

The 2014 Kia Forte's suspension isn't as refined as those in some competitors.

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zimtheinvader

This is where if you can get lucky enough to find one on a rental lot it is great to be able to rent a car before you buy.

blueprint1

FINALLY, a good remark on the unrefined suspension in Hyundai / Kias. Up here, finding smooth roads is more the issue. That's why I bought a Sentra in 2008 - the Renault chassis is good on lunar pavement.

darex

I test-drove the Forte5 SX hatch recently, and deliberately looked for the potholes (wasn't hard!) and tested this very thing, and was very pleasantly surprised by how I was UNABLE to elicit this behavior (unlike in my Hyundai Veloster), and how much better dampened this car is compared to my current ride. It also has clearly superior sound insulation.

I'll take the Forte5 over the noisy, rattle-box that the Mazda3 is.

fordson1

This can't-get-suspension-calibrations-right is a recurring theme with Hyundai/Kia. There is a lot right with these cars, but this problem is a real deal-killer for me.

tigerheli

http://www.hyundai-forums.com/231-md-2011-elantra/149372-kyb-rear-shocks-installed.html

Replacement shocks can make a HUGE difference, though - that is for an Elantra, but it's the same chassis and the same shocks will fit the Forte.

darthbimmer

Agreed-- definitely test-drive a car on imperfect pavement. Every time I walk in to a dealership I think to myself, "Where's there a crummy road nearby that I can test this car on because I have to drive roads like it regularly?" (Un)fortunately in many parts of California that's not a hard question to answer.