Packed Cabin
But what the Forte five-door lacks in dynamic refinement is perhaps made up for with creature comforts. Starting at $19,090, the five-door Forte SX has everything from the $17,590 EX—including power windows and locks, keyless entry, a six-speaker stereo, and cruise control—while piling on SX-specific gauges, a telescoping steering wheel, “metal finish” interior accents, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. On our car, the automatic transmission added $1000 to the tab, as did the optional Leather package, which extends cowhide to the seating surfaces and adds front seat heaters. The $1800 Tech package encompasses a reasonably intuitive, voice-activated touchscreen navigation/infotainment system, as well as automatic headlamps, keyless start, and chrome door handles. Our car’s final option was a $750 sunroof, bringing the grand total to a semireasonable $23,640. It must be said, though, that one can get into any number of decently equipped mid-size family sedans for the same money.
But against its main competitor, the Kia lives up to its reputation for value: a comparably equipped Mazda 3 hatch runs $26,440. Is the Mazda’s masterfully tuned chassis worth almost three grand? Likely not for your everyday compact-hatchback customer, especially if his or her shopping comparisons are limited to equipment rundowns. Factor in Kia’s superstar warranty, and the Forte hatch’s on-paper advantage grows, which should make life for Kia salesmen a little easier. Still, if you’re someone who loves to drive, the 3 is the way to go. In that department, this Kia is close, but not quite there.
See also:
Keys
Record your key number
The key code number is
stamped on the bar
code tag attached to the
key set. Should you lose
your keys, this number
will enable an authorized KIA dealer to
duplicate the ...
First Drive: 2010 Kia Forte
The Forte is technically the successor to the Spectra, but it is really so
much more than that. This time, Kia decided to leave the help of the rocked-out
Soul hamsters behind and instead concentr ...
Two Hearts for the Soul
The five-place “urban crossover vehicle” goes on sale here in March. Two
engines will be offered: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder making 122 horsepower and 115
pound-feet of torque and a 2.0-liter f ...