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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2014 Kia Forte

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Overview

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2014 Kia Forte Review

By Jason Allan

KBB Expert Rating: 8.1

Whether you've already come around on Kia or you're still not convinced, test driving the all-new 2014 Kia Forte is guaranteed to make your compact sedan decision more difficult. It's as sporty and substantial inside as it is outside, the available features list is luxury-like in quantity and quality, and save for some foundational shortcomings relative to competitors like the long-refined Honda Civic, the overall level of refinement is on par with anything in the class. The 2014 Kia Forte is definitely worth a look, and for buyers in search of features and technology, it's going to be a long look.

You'll Like This Car If...

The 2014 Kia Forte's key strengths include its good looks, great tech and a generous warranty.

You May Not Like This Car If...

The 2014 Kia Forte isn't as fun to drive as it looks, and it's not quite the bargain its deceptive starting price might suggest.

KBB Expert Ratings

Overall Rating

8.1
Driving Dynamics

7.4
Comfort & Convenience

8.0
Design: Interior & Exterior

7.8
Value

9.0
Safety

N/A

How It Ranks

#2

out of 4

MPG

#2

out of 4

Horsepower

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Consumer Rating

9.8 out of 10

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consumer ratings

What's New for 2014

The Kia Forte has been totally redesigned for 2014.

Driving the Forte

Driving Impressions If you're drawn to the 2014 Kia Forte by the implied promise of its sporty look and available 173-horsepower engine, prepare yourself for a disappointing test drive. While it's quick...

enough and handles just fine, the Forte falls far short of the Ford Focus, Mazda3 and Volkswagen Jetta in driving feel, which is a big part of fun-to-drive. But as long as you're among the 99% of buyers more interested in transportation than track time, you won't find anything not to like about the way the Forte drives, rides or handles. The Kia Forte is a fun car, but more because of its looks, features and tech than its driving dynamics.

Favorite Features

UVO ESERVICES
In addition to a bunch of other cool infotainment capabilities – many of them voice-activated – Kia's next-gen UVO system leverages your Bluetooth-connected smartphone to automatically call 911 in the event of an airbag deployment, and lets you send a navigation destination from your computer to the car.

FLEXSTEER
As part of its new electric power steering system, the 2014 Kia Forte EX includes a FlexSteer feature that lets the driver select between Comfort, Normal and Sport steering modes. Comfort mode feels the least artificial, making small corrections easier and mitigating some of the compromise of efficiency-enhancing electric steering.

2014 Kia Forte Details

2014 Kia Forte Dashboard, center console, gear shifter view photo

Interior

The interior of the 2014 Kia Forte is sporty and straightforward, with a heavy helping of tech and just a whiff of whimsy thanks in large part to vertical ripples in the passenger-side dash. It's all very well done. The back seat is average in size for the category, but the Forte does boast the uncommon option of heated rear seats. The trunk is among the category's roomiest, measuring almost 15 cubic feet.

Exterior

On one hand, the Kia Forte isn't as flashy as its Hyundai Elantra corporate cousin. On the other hand, the Forte's look will probably age better because of it. And that's just one of the reasons we'd take the Kia. Here, Kia's healthy addiction to category-first features manifests itself in power-folding exterior mirrors, puddle lamps and illuminated door-handle pockets, a collection of niceties not offered on most luxury cars in 2013.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

Technically, the 2014 Kia Forte starts at $16,700 with destination, including Bluetooth and USB connectivity, air conditioning, and a split-folding rear seat. But it also has small steel wheels, a manual transmission and a host of feature deficiencies. Add $1,500 for an automatic transmission, then another $900 for the Popular Package – alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, etc. – and you've got yourself a respectable compact car, but for $19,100. A full complement of active and passive safety features are standard on every Forte.

Optional Equipment

A fully loaded 2014 Kia Forte can surpass $25,000, but with an impressive set of equipment that includes common touches like leather seats, moonroof, keyless entry and push-button start, plus unexpected touches like a heated steering wheel, ventilated driver's seat and heated rear seats. The Google-powered UVO eServices infotainment system is also among the most comprehensive systems in the segment.

Under the Hood

The front-wheel-drive Forte is available with two different engines, including one of the most powerful engines in the segment. Each is matched with the same 6-speed automatic transmission, while the smaller engine is available with a 6-speed manual transmission. The Forte's power advantage requires a small compromise in fuel economy, with the Forte's numbers trailing many of today's newer compact cars.

Kia Forte LX
1.8-liter 4-cylinder
148 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
131 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 25/37 mpg (manual), 25/36 mpg (automatic)

Kia Forte EX
2.0-liter 4-cylinder
173 horsepower @ 6,500 rpm
154 lb-ft of torque @ 4,700 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 24/36 mpg (automatic)

Pricing Notes

Today's Kia vehicles don't offer the same price advantage they used to, but with better quality, more features and significantly improved resale values, they're now a much smarter buy. Yes, the Forte's $16,700 starting price (with destination), is one of the lowest in the category, but that's more of a marketing gimmick, because Kia won't make many of those bare-bones vehicles and you don't want one anyway. You might still pay less for a Forte than a Civic, for instance, but the apples-to-apples difference will likely be hundreds of dollars, not thousands. So don't expect to pay a lot less for a Forte, but you can look forward to getting more features. And if you plan on keeping your next new car longer than the three years or 36,000 miles that most competitors cover, Kia's impressive 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty is a real advantage.

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2014 Kia Forte Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

9.8

Out of 10

Based on 12 Ratings for the 2014 models.

Review this car

Value

9.9/10

Quality

10.0/10
Reliability

9.9/10

Performance

9.8/10
Comfort

9.9/10

Styling

10.0/10

Too soon to really say but...

By I M Hooked (TX) on Friday, July 19, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 300

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "comfort, style, price"

Cons: "low gear acceleration"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"What a great ride! Compared with my 2010 Mazda 3i, the 2014 Kia Forte gets the nod for a quieter interior, more back seat leg room and general driving/riding comfort but misses the vote for out-of-the-starting block acceleration and steering response. I have to agree with the KBB review, if you want a sporty feeling keep looking. If you want a superb family ride at an affordable price, this one is a sure winner. I'm very pleased with my choice so far."

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Dont pass on this one

By tommyb (WI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Best features for price in class"

Cons: "Big key fob."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought this in May to replace an 04 Rio.Drives as nice as it looks,quiet and smooth.I drive it nice and it returns 42mpg highway.EX has enough features to.keep you going with UVO."

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Dont pass on this one

By tommyb (WI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Best features for price in class"

Cons: "Big key fob."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought this in May to replace an 04 Rio.Drives as nice as it looks,quiet and smooth.I drive it nice and it returns 42mpg highway.EX has enough features to.keep you going with UVO."

Was this review helpful to you? yes | no | report abuse

Dont pass on this one

By tommyb (WI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Best features for price in class"

Cons: "Big key fob."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought this in May to replace an 04 Rio.Drives as nice as it looks,quiet and smooth.I drive it nice and it returns 42mpg highway.EX has enough features to.keep you going with UVO."

1 person out of 2 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? yes | no | report abuse

Dont pass on this one

By tommyb (WI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Best features for price in class"

Cons: "Big key fob."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought this in May to replace an 04 Rio.Drives as nice as it looks,quiet and smooth.I drive it nice and it returns 42mpg highway.EX has enough features to.keep you going with UVO."

1 person out of 1 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? yes | no | report abuse

Dont pass on this one

By tommyb (WI) on Tuesday, July 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 2,800

10 10.0

overall rating 10 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 10/10
Value: 10/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 10/10
Performance: 10/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 10/10

Pros: "Best features for price in class"

Cons: "Big key fob."

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"Bought this in May to replace an 04 Rio.Drives as nice as it looks,quiet and smooth.I drive it nice and it returns 42mpg highway.EX has enough features to.keep you going with UVO."

1 person out of 2 found this review helpful

Was this review helpful to you? yes | no | report abuse

See all 12 reviews