Used 2022 Kia Forte

Anyone in the market for a small, practical, affordable car should consider the 2022 Kia Forte.

The Forte became seriously competitive with long-time class leaders in compact sedans like the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla with its most recent update. In some ways, it beats the more established names at their own game with excellent fuel economy, a strong reliability record, and a pretty roomy interior for a small car.

It also helps that the Forte is pretty stylish with an upscale, modern look. Like most Kias, it comes with an impressive list of standard features and an intuitive infotainment system. The Forte is one of the best values you’ll find in this class.

The Forte gets a few updates for the 2022 model year, including an aesthetic facelift. It has some newly available driver assistance tech features like navigation-based adaptive cruise control, Highway Driving Assist, and safe exit warning. There’s also a new 10.25-inch infotainment system in the upper trims.

The Kia Forte is a nice car to drive, but some compacts have better ride quality. The handling of the Forte is agile, and the steering is precise. It’s an agile car on city streets but still comfortable on the highway. Sport and Comfort drive modes can change the personality of the Forte based on driver inputs.

The base engine strikes a nice balance of satisfying performance and good fuel economy. Part of the reason it’s so fuel-efficient is the CVT automatic transmission. Although efficient, this CVT is sometimes imprecise and occasionally suffers from the droning effect that plagues some CVT transmissions.

The drive is more exciting with the turbocharged engine in the GT model. This engine, combined with a multi-link rear suspension, bigger brakes, and sport-tuned exhaust, turns the Forte into a veritable sport compact that’s competitive with the likes of the Honda Civic Si. This engine is mated to either a quick-shifting DCT automatic transmission or an engaging 6-speed manual.

The Kia Forte has a pretty roomy interior for a compact sedan. There’s plenty of legroom and headroom in front, and it can comfortably seat two adults in the back. The Forte also benefits from one of the biggest trunks in its class.

The interior design of the Forte is nice, but there are some pretty low-rent materials in the lower trims. There might be some more hard plastics than you’d like to see. However, the upper trims use higher-quality materials like synthetic leather seating, soft-touch door trim, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The Kia Forte has gotten an aesthetic refresh for 2022. The Forte looks like a more premium, expensive car than it really is, especially in the sportier GT and GT Line trims. Some stylish wheel designs and eye-catching paint colors like Fire Orange and Sporty Blue are available to further add to the style factor.

As for size, the Kia Forte is right in line with the rest of the compact sedan segment. Its dimensions are almost identical to the Nissan Sentra, Hyundai Elantra, and the sedan variants of the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

TURBOCHARGED GT MODEL
An exciting 201-horsepower turbocharged engine powers the sporty Kia Forte GT, and it’s available with an engaging manual transmission.

10.25-INCH INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM
This available infotainment system is new for 2022, with a big, vibrant screen loaded with features like navigation with free map updates, Bluetooth audio multi-connection, and a rear seat sleep mode.

A generous list of standard features is part of what makes the Kia Forte an excellent value. The standard powertrain is a 2.0-liter inline-4 engine linked to a CVT automatic transmission. Standard features include a 4.2-inch driver information screen, air conditioning, cruise control, Sport and Comfort drive modes, automatic headlights, high beam assist, and 15-inch steel wheels.

The standard infotainment system is a user-friendly 8-inch screen with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

An impressive list of standard safety tech features includes driver attention warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-following assist, lane-keep assist, and rear occupant detection.

Upgrading to the mid-range LXS trim only adds a few standard features over the FE model like 16-inch alloy wheels, deluxe interior door trim, and 60/40 split folding back seats. However, it also unlocks an available Technology Package, which adds heated mirrors with integrated turn signals, safe exit warning, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.

The sporty GT Line trim adds a sporty appearance package but keeps the standard powertrain. It also adds the contents of the LXS Technology Package, alloy pedals, upgraded seats, a flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather-wrapped shift knob, a rear center armrest, dual-zone automatic climate control, remote start, and a 10.25-inch infotainment system.

A few option packages are available for the GT Line model, including a Premium Package that adds Harman/Kardon premium audio, wireless charging, adaptive cruise control, a power sunroof, and more. A Sport Premium Package further adds a 10-way power driver’s seat, heated and ventilated front seats, a rear A/C vent, a rear USB port, and synthetic leather seating.

The GT trim has a sporty look with unique 18-inch wheels, LED headlights, dual-exit, sport-tuned exhaust, and a turbocharged engine, bigger brakes, and multi-link rear suspension. The GT model also adds paddle shifters, a rear A/C vent, a rear USB port, and wireless charging. The GT model is available with a 7-speed DCT transmission or a 6-speed manual.

An available GT2 package for the GT model essentially adds the contents of the Sport Premium Package for the GT Line trim. There’s also a Technology Package available for GT and GT Line, which adds adaptive cruise control, cyclist detection, and an electronic parking brake.

There are two engines available under the hood of the Kia Forte. The standard engine is a humble 2.0-liter inline-4 linked to a CVT transmission that delivers a satisfying balance of performance and fuel efficiency, especially from the base FE trim.

Upgrading to the GT model brings an excellent turbocharged engine with a significant boost in performance. It’s available with a 7-speed DCT transmission or a 6-speed manual. It’s fun shifting gears with the manual, but this is by far the least efficient version of the Forte. Every Kia Forte is front-wheel drive with no all-wheel-drive option available.

2.0-liter inline-4 (FE, LXS, GT Line)
147 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
132 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 31/41 mpg (FE), 29/39 mpg (LXS, GT Line)

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 (GT)
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)