Starting Price: $19,690 | Price Yours
KBB Rating: 4.0 out of 5
The Kia Forte is a sharp-looking compact sedan with user-friendly technologies and excellent interior space. It’s also one of just 10 new vehicles for sale in America in 2023 for under $25,000 — a stunning value.
Most compact cars come with just one available engine, but the Forte offers buyers a choice. Which one is right for you depends on how you’ll use your next car.
The Popular Engine
2.0-liter inline-4 (LX, LXS, GT Line)
147 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
132 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 31/41 mpg (LX), 28/39 mpg (LXS, GT Line)
Price of entry: $19,690
The base engine in the Forte is the sensible choice. Most compact sedans come with 4-cylinder engines because they make for a reliable commuter, hold up well over time, and provide all the performance most drivers ever need.
It comes linked to a continuously-variable transmission — a mechanically simple device (read: reliable and cheap to fix if there’s a problem) that nicely balances performance with fuel economy.
It’s probably the right answer for most drivers, and there’s a reason it’s the engine found in most Forte models.
The Faster Engine
1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 (GT, GT Manual)
201 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
195 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/35 mpg (automatic), 22/31 mpg (manual)
Price of entry: $24,390 (automatic), $25,090 (manual)
Kia also builds two Forte trims with a more powerful 201-horsepower turbocharged engine. That horsepower figure, for comparison’s sake, is one more than Honda gives you in the Civic Si — and Honda sells the Civic Si as a special high-performance model with a starting price near $30,000. Kia beats it for much less.
The GT’s engine also comes paired with a choice of transmissions. The standard GT gets a quick-shifting 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with power shifters. But, for those who still love manual control, the GT-Manual comes with a 6-speed stick. Three-pedal driving is a different skill, but those of us who love it will never give it up, and we’re glad Kia has an answer for us.
You give up some fuel economy for the added power. If that trade-off sounds fine to you, you’re probably the sort of driver who wants turbochargers and a stick or some paddle shifters so you can keep a tighter command over your driving.
More 2023 Kia Forte
Now that you have a better idea of which engine is right for you build and price your 2023 Kia Forte to see this week’s Fair Purchase Price or see the Kia Forte models for sale near you.
