It’s probably no surprise, but we’ve become a nation of SUVs and Crossovers. And Kia certainly makes their share – the Soul, Seltos, Sportage, Sorento and Telluride are all great vehicles.
But there’s still a market for sedans, especially affordable ones. The Honda Civic, the Toyota Corolla and Kia Forte are all strong sellers. Even better, some of the manufacturers offer sporty versions for the enthusiast on a budget. The Civic Si comes to mind. And we also have another fun small sedan vying for your driver’s dollar – the Kia Forte GT. So, does it serve up bang for the buck? Let’s find out!
Aggressive Looks
The Forte GT starts off on the right foot with some great looks. The exterior got a refresh last year, so for those of you who missed it, the front end features a sleeker version of the Kia “Tiger Nose” grille with more expressive headlights including a cool segmented LED driver’s light.
The front bumper has a wider sweep that looks more aggressive, and LED fog light are now integrated into the lower air intake in a cool segmented pattern. Oh, and the new Kia badge (apparently the designer is a Nine inch Nails fan!) adds a great modern touch.
The profile hasn’t changed much, but we’re ok with that, it’s a sleek design that’s remained crisp and modern. It was cool 3 years ago when the previous-gen Civic was still kinda dorky. One thing Kia hasn’t changed are the uber-cool 18-inch alloy wheels – made all the better on our tester with grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Summer tires.
Like the front, the rear has new LED lights that look crisper, and a reshaped rear bumper that ties the whole look together, along with the cool new logo. We really loved our tester’s Sporty Blue paint job – a cool blue with a touch of aqua in it that’s really unlike anything else out there. Not outlandish, but just different enough to get a second look!
Updated Driver’s Interior
Like the outside, last year’s inside got some fresh touches. Open the door and you’re greeted by looks that could easily be VW or Audi – before they went full gonzo digital. The materials have a high-quality feel and depth, and there’s a sense of order that everything is exactly where it should be.
While it received a larger 4.2-inch driver’s TFT cluster, you’re still facing a large analog tachometer and speedometer. Hello, old friends, you’re looking fine. There’s a fat, perforated leather, D-shaped steering wheel that’s quite sporty, and we appreciate that the remote switches on the spokes are actually large enough to be easily deciphered and used.
The 10.25-inch info-tainment touchscreen sits tablet style on the dash, and the set-up is intuitive with switches below to help you toggle through pages. Kia does a solid, and still provides a volume and tuning knob, and the Harmon Kardon premium audio system sounds sweet as well.
Okay, it still has that goofy-yet-endearing Sounds of Nature ambient program – Lively Forest is our favorite – but you get the feeling of loads of features for your dollar. You even have a wireless charger – although to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, you still need to plug in. A minor quibble.
The dual climate controls are equally user friendly with large knobs for easy control – and below that, sound the trumpets….an actual 6-speed manual gearbox! Around the stick are controls for heated seats, Sport mode and RearView Camera..all handy, and again, showing that someone at Kia really thought about how people use their cars.
You don’t get leather at this price, but the heated front sport seats are deeply bolstered, and feature nice red piping to brighten things up. We also found the rear seats are adult friendly, and the trunk is quite spacious. The rear seats split-fold as well, and with a generous pass through, the Forte is great for taking larger items along.
Some have asked why they don’t make the Forte as a hatchback, but we think Kia would love to put you into an SUV/Crossover if carrying larger items are a priority.
Driving – the Forte GT’s forte’
While there are other Forte models, we think the GT is hands-down the enthusiast’s choice.
While lesser models feature a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter four cylinder, the GT ups the ante with a turbocharged 1.6-liter that pumps out and impressive 201 horsepower. Another upgrade, instead of the lower model’s CVT transmission, you get a DCT gearbox that’s a performance treat with lightning-quick shifts.
We’ve sampled that engine and transmission combo in numerous Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and it’s delightful. We were equally delighted to find that our tester had the optional 6-speed manual transmission. Well, sort of delighted. First of all, you pay $700 more for the manual, which seems backward, considering all the tech that goes into the DCT gearbox. And while we’re thankful that Kia is one of the few manufacturers offering a stick, it’s not our choice here.
Let’s start with the engine – it’s a sweetheart, it starts with a deep rumble, and the performance exhaust even gives off the occasional pop as you back off the throttle. All good. It also pulls strongly 6,500 rpm redline and gives you a nice kick in the back as you scoot along.
The manual trans is less inspiring. The action is light, but the throws are long. It makes for a pleasant companion in traffic, but less so when you’re driving enthusiastically. A short-throw kit would help. Also, between the shifts the engine tends to hang on to rpm’s – much like Honda’s Civic. So, while the manual is certainly quick, it never feels that way. And the DCT seems to have none of those problems. Considering it is $700 less – as much as we love sticks – we’d opt for the DCT.
The rest is much better news. The handling is fine with great steering feel, and the summer compound tires on the 18-inch alloys is grippy and responsive. The ride is feelsome, yet smooth and comfortable, and the brakes serve up good feel. This is an easy car to drive quickly and reminds us of the Audi/VW set up with a light, on-the-tippy-toes vibe. Very nice.
Kia, Like Hyundai also gives you an impressive suite of safety features, including Forward Collision Avoidance, Blind Spot and Rear Cross Traffic Warning, Lane Departure and Lane Keep Assist, and Safe Exit Assist warning.
In comparison to the Jetta GLI and Civic Si, we’d say the Forte is a little less performance biased, maybe a bit more daily driver, but then you look at the value story and the light bulb goes on.
Outstanding Value is also its Forte’
Pricing For the Forte LX starts at $19,790. A fresh looking, well-equipped vehicle with a 10-year warranty for under $20k! Sounds like a bargain to us.
Our GT tester is at the other end of the lineup, but at $25,090 (that includes the $700 upgrade for manual transmission) it strikes us an even better bargain for all you get. Add in $1,125 for destination, and our tester rang the bell at $26,125.
Direct competitors would include the Honda Civic Si, at $30,195 – over 20% more than the Kia. The VW Jetta GLI is full of European goodness, but at $32,935, it’s much more expensive.
Great looks, exhilarating to drive, and an exceptional value, the 2023 Kia Forte GT proves you don’t have to break the bank to have fun!
Ben Lewis grew up in Chicago, and after spending his formative years driving sideways in the winter – often intentionally – moved to sunny Southern California. He now enjoys sunny weather year-round — whether it is autocross driving, aerobatics, and learning to surf.