In recent years, the average price of a new automobile transaction has increased more than ever, making it more difficult than ever to purchase a brand-new vehicle that is also enjoyable to drive. Fortunately, Kia disproves that idea with the Forte GT, the company’s high-performance version of the tiny sedan.
The Forte GT is a member of Kia’s lineup of GT vehicles, which are the company’s sportiest automobiles. With 18-inch alloy wheels, a firmer sport suspension, a performance exhaust system, and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine producing 201 and 195 lb-ft of torque, Kia equips the Forte GT. When cold started, the dual-exit arrangement is shockingly loud, which we predict will appeal to buyers searching for a compact with more personality than the standard Forte. The vehicle we drove had a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, but for $1,000 more, Kia also sells a GT Manual grade that includes a six-speed manual gearbox as standard equipment and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires.
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How Does It Drive?
The Forte GT feels feisty off the line when you gun the pedal because there is a lot of torque steer available. It will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds, which is precisely the time required for its segment. Even when every seat is occupied by grownups on the motorway, there is still an abundance of power available when needed. The transmission offers crisp, quick shifts when the power is applied steadily. The dual clutch gearbox’s flaws are, however, exposed in slow moving traffic or on streets with frequent stop signs. Following an acceleration, it has a propensity to buck under braking and has a tendency to hesitate in reverse.
The transmission was at its best when we tested the Forte GT in the canyons. It revs out to redline with smooth throttle inputs and makes sharp upshifts. Under braking, it switches down anticipatorily. By using the paddle shifters, the driver is more actively involved and has more influence over the dual-clutch transmission’s operation.
The Forte GT is able to play well when cornering enthusiastically. The small vehicle maintains its grip in the corners despite having all-season tires. This was corroborated by our instrumented testing, which showed that the Forte GT performed better than average for compact cars fitted with equivalent tires, pulling an average of 0.87 g on our skidpad.
Three drive mode options are available for the Forte GT: Comfort, Smart, and Sport. While switching to Sport increases steering weight and awakens the motor, Comfort provides the most comfortable steering feel and throttle responsiveness. The Forte GT, according to Road Test Editor Chris Walton, offers “talkative handling and good balance on the skidpad.” The transmission isn’t nearly sophisticated enough to downshift and retain a gear on the skidpad even in Sport mode, he added in a separate comment.
The Kia Forte GT stopped steadily from 60 to 0 mph in 122 feet during our instrumented testing. It provides a good bite and feel to the brake pedal, enabling the driver to modulate the brake pedal smoothly. The Kia Forte GT’s tail end showed a tendency to skid out under severe braking into a corner at the track, but this adds to its eagerness and liveliness on twisting roads. Because of the sedan’s open communication style, it’s simple to get into a routine and navigate tricky terrain with confidence.
The Forte GT performs well on winding roads and poorly in heavy traffic. In stop-and-go traffic, the dual-clutch transmission struggles, and the harsh suspension shakes passengers as the vehicle crosses bumpy or uneven terrain. When purchasing a Forte GT, prospective purchasers should keep this in mind because most people probably won’t want to put up with its non-adaptive sport-tuned suspension arrangement.
Are Features the Forte’s Forte?
Metal pedal covers, contrast stitching, and a comfortable-to-hold leather-wrapped steering wheel are all advantages of the Forte GT. Even though the current generation of the Forte GT was introduced for the 2018 model year, its inside has already begun to seem obsolete. The majority of the surfaces are made of hard plastic, however the door cards and armrests have soft padding. With cleaner, more attractive cabins, a large portion of the competitors has surpassed the Forte’s interior design.
The GT2 package from Kia costs $2,200 and adds a number of practical, aesthetically pleasing, and comfortable improvements that significantly improve the cabin’s appearance. In addition to having an electric parking brake, auto-hold brakes, heated and ventilated front seats, LED interior lighting, rear parking sensors, a power sunroof, a premium Harman Kardon eight-speaker audio system, synthetic leather seats with GT logos, highway driving assistance, and forward collision avoidance assist with cyclist detection, our GT2-equipped test car also had these features. It’s important to note that this item cannot be added to the Forte GT Manual model.
A 10.3-inch touchscreen with navigation, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, keyless entry and push-button ignition, dual climate control, and fully LED exterior lighting are standard on every Forte GT. We particularly liked using the remote start function on the Forte GT to hear the exhaust start up from the outside. It has a lot of features, especially when compared to its compact sedan class rivals with less sporty starting prices of $24,515.
Is the Forte GT Right for Me?
The 2022 Kia Forte GT’s base price is $26,870, which is around $1,500 less than its closest competition, the 2022 Honda Civic Si (manual only). As a result, the Kia presents a compelling case for itself with a wealth of feature options and enough sportiness to excite on winding roads. However, paying more for the Honda might be worthwhile for those who intend to use their vehicle primarily for recreational purposes, particularly since the Civic Si makes use of a standard limited-slip front differential.
The Forte GT isn’t the most extreme sports sedan, but it can be fun to drive enthusiastically and is loaded with enough technology to function as a well-equipped daily driver. However, given its cheap beginning price and continued affordability even after adding the GT2 package with its wealth of features, car lovers with a desire for more are free to purchase their own summer tires if they wish to make their vehicle even more capable. Kudos to Kia for preserving the dream of an inexpensive sport sedan.
Do you classify the Kia Forte GT series as a sports car?
The GT-Line isn’t particularly quick because it has the same engine as the original model and just adds exterior and interior aesthetic elements to the Forte. The 2022 Forte GT-Line reportedly reached a speed of 060 in 8.2 seconds and seemed “sluggish.”
The more potent Forte GT’s 1.6-liter turbo engine achieves a 060 time of 6.7 seconds. Both are decent for the price but neither is as quick as a Honda Civic.
What kind of vehicle is the Kia Forte Koup?
The five-seat Forte is Kia’s entrance into the compact automobile market. It is offered with a selection of four-cylinder engines and includes a number of safety measures as standard equipment. It is offered as a sedan, four-door hatchback, and a coupe known as the Koup by Kia. The Honda Civic, Ford Focus, and Toyota Corolla are rivals. updated for 2013 New 16-inch wheels, LED daytime running lights, and power-folding side mirrors are available for the 2013 model year. Exterior The Forte sedan has clean lines that give it an athletic shape. It doesn’t take much searching to uncover similarities to other compact cars. For instance, the front end resembles a Civic, and the Forte’s taillights resemble those of a Mitsubishi Lancer. features on the outside include:
- 15-inch standard steel wheels with coverings
- 16-inch alloy wheels as an option
- Sport suspension and 17-inch alloy wheels are added to the SX variant.
- a potential sunroof
Interior Audio and cruise controls can be put on the steering wheel. According to Kia, the hatchback’s trunk has 19.4 cubic feet of capacity, while the sedan’s trunk has 14.7 cubic feet. Interior characteristics include:
- often cloth seats
- Leather upholstery is an option
- front seats with optional heating
- air conditioning is an option
- Keyless entry is an option.
- Telescoping steering wheel as an option
- includes backup camera, a navigation system that is optional
- push-button start option
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that powers the LX and EX variants has 156 horsepower. Selecting the SX level results in a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 173 horsepower. the following mechanical features:
Is the Kia Forte an agile vehicle?
The Kia Forte’s top speed The 201 horsepower engine’s noteworthy feature is the tiny sedan’s strong and reliable performance. The Kia Forte has an astounding 120 mph peak speed.
Is Forte a decent vehicle?
This edition of the Forte feels mature and robust thanks to a quiet cabin and one of the most comfortable rides in its class. It is noticeably more polished than prior Kia small sedans.
Along with the great braking performance, the interior is praised for being roomy and tastefully decorated.
The LX model with the Popular package, which includes improved inside trim, 16-inch alloy wheels, remote keyless entry, and cruise control, is the most cost-effective option.
For 2015 models, adjustments to the fuel economy were implemented, and for 2016, the LX trim line received an optional rearview camera in addition to standard keyless entry and heated mirrors.
Better: Elantra or Forte?
Although the Hyundai Elantra and Kia Forte are known for being affordable small sedans, they have more to offer than simply affordability. The 2022 Hyundai Elantra has recently undergone a facelift and sports striking looks and new engines. With the aid of an upgrade for this model year, the 2022 Kia Forte perseveres and gains a sharp new appearance and improved driver assistance technologies. Which should you purchase, then? Learn more about the benefits and drawbacks of each car by continuing to read.
Hyundai Elantra Advantage: Fuel Economy
The 2022 Elantra has good fuel efficiency. With the original 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, it achieves 31-33/41-43 mpg in the city and highway, while the improved 1.6-liter turbo-four achieves 25-28/34-36 mpg. The Elantra Hybrid, which was introduced for 2021, would likely be your choice if you tend to be a little bit of a fuel miser. Depending on the trim, this car gets 49-53/52-56 mpg on the city/highway.
The Kia Forte’s numbers are significantly lower. Depending on the model, the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine achieves 29-31/39-41 mpg. If you choose the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine, your mileage will increase to 22-27/31-35 mpg. There isn’t a hybrid option offered.
Hyundai Elantra Advantage: Technology
The interior of the Forte is stylish and practical, and has recently undergone improvement. It has new optional SynTex faux leather seats, standard wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen. A 10.3-inch touchscreen is an optional feature on both variants. However, the Elantra’s interior appears fresher and more modern. Hyundai also offers a small sedan with a digital key function that enables Android smartphones or NFC key cards to be used to unlock the car.
Hyundai Elantra Advantage: CVT Tuning
We have criticized the Forte’s optional CVT transmission in previous evaluations. The CVT “sucks the vitality out of the powerplant,” to put it frankly. Thankfully, the CVT in the Elantra avoids the same fate. As we highlighted in our First Drive review, it is quiet and responsive.
Kia Forte Advantage: Starting Price
Choose the Forte over the Elantra if you want a compact sedan at the lowest feasible price. The base Kia is less expensive than the base Elantra, which costs $20,875, starting at little over $20,085. When fitted with a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the sporty Forte GT is also significantly less expensive than the Elantra equivalent. In comparison to the Elantra N Line, which costs $26,375, prices for the 201-hp Forte GT start at $24,485.
Hyundai Elantra: Manual Transmission Availability
Both the Kia Forte GT and the Hyundai Elantra N Line grades come with a six-speed manual transmission. Except for when both vehicles are in their sporty 201-hp configurations, the Forte is more cheap than the Elantra in practically every trim level. Compared to the somewhat more cheap six-speed Elantra N Line, which costs $25,275, the Forte GT is more expensive with a manual transmission ($25,485). Due to the regular six-speed gearbox’s discontinuation after the 2021 model year, buyers who choose the base Forte FE trim are no longer able to manually shift the vehicle’s gears.
Kia Forte Advantage: Cargo Space
With 15.3 feet of cubic space as opposed to 14.2 feet for the Elantra, the Forte provides a little bit more cargo area. The Elantra, though, has the edge when it comes to back legroom, another important factor. In comparison to the Forte’s 35.7 inches, the rear passengers have 38.0 inches to spread out.
The Verdict
The smoother ride and more contemporary interior offered by the Hyundai Elantra, in our opinion, will appeal to the majority of purchasers. However, the Forte is a good option if you’re seeking for a new car that’s reasonably priced and equipped with a wide range of safety technology.
What types of vehicles fall under the sports car category?
A sports car is a vehicle that is primarily focused on dynamic performance, including handling, acceleration, top speed, and the pleasure of the ride. Sports cars were first developed in Europe in the early 1900s and are being made by numerous manufacturers today.
Are all two-door vehicles sporting vehicles?
There are some fundamental qualities that insurance companies look at to determine where to draw the line, even though each insurer may have a different definition of precisely what it considers a sports car (some of which may be pretty obvious).
- Model and Make A There is no need for further explanation because the Porsche 911 is a sports car.
- Cylinders in Number
- A 4-cylinder vehicle will nearly always be less expensive to insure than an 8-cylinder vehicle. It goes without saying that there are several 4-cylinder cars that can fly, which is why this list is longer.
- Engine Size
- A 350-cubic-inch powerplant in a sports car should come with a premium.
- HorsepowerWhile there may not be a precise threshold, the more horsepower a vehicle has, the more likely it is to be classified as a sports car.
- ratio of height to weight
- A light-weight vehicle with a low center of gravity often has to “get to moving.
- Amount of Doors
- Both two-door and four-door vehicles are not universally categorized as sedans or sports cars.
- “Athletic Package
- This vehicle model could otherwise be mild but has a radical package on it.
- supercharged or turbocharged
- Anything with the designations “turbo” or “super” is probably a sports automobile.
What can you anticipate paying for sports vehicle insurance? We’ll examine the elements that influence sports vehicle insurance premiums in the following section.
Are coupes regarded as sporty cars?
Do you classify a Honda Accord coupe as a sports car? Do you classify a Dodge Challenger as a sports car? One business may classify a certain model as a sports car while another may classify it as a conventional vehicle. Insurance companies use a few factors when deciding which vehicles qualify as sports cars.
A significant deciding aspect is to consider both the make and model of a car. A typical auto insurance policy might not provide enough coverage for a high-value vehicle; this is also true if you own an exotic car.
The insurance provider will probably need to look through the car’s specifications for models with more powerful engines to see whether your rates will go up in contrast to those for regular auto insurance.
In any case, the cost of insurance for an eight-cylinder vehicle will be more than for a four-cylinder vehicle. But because they are high-performance vehicles with typically far more powerful engines than the average vehicle, sports cars frequently have more cylinders.
Insurance companies will also consider a vehicle’s height and weight. Sports vehicles are quicker and much more agile since they are lighter and smaller than normal sedans.
Sports cars are typically two-seaters in the coupe type with two doors.
There are various exceptions to the standard used by motor insurance companies, including the Aston Martin Rapide S and the Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.
For insurance purposes, these are typically categorized as sports cars because they are fast automobiles with four doors and more than two seats, frequently requiring higher coverage.
A few of the most expensive vehicles to insure are the BMW 4 Series, Mitsubishi Lancer, and Mercedes Benz S Class, according to Hot Cars.
Is the Dodge Charger an insured sports car? Yes. For insurance purposes, are Ford Mustangs considered sports cars? Yes. Is a Camaro a sports car for insurance purposes? Yes.
What about a Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Challenger, Corvette, and Challenger? Yes. Those are simple. But this is where things become tricky: Consider a Mini Cooper. perhaps a Dodge Dart?
Does insurance classify a Mitsubishi Eclipse as a sports car? Do you classify a Nissan Maxima as a sports car? These are more challenging.
Comparing quotations with the particular make and model of the car is the best approach to obtain precise rate information. Look around for the best deals on sports vehicle auto insurance.