Leftlane’s bottom line

Like their Hyundai partners, Kia has the competition looking over their shoulders with good products at great prices. Add in the hefty Kia warranty and you have a great combination…just stick with the automatic transmission. Not quite the standout Kia would like it to be, the Forte is nonetheless leaps and bounds above its pedestrian predecessor and offers 95 percent of the refinement of the class leaders at 75 percent of the price.

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    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 p ...

    Manual Transaxle
    Manual transaxle operation The manual transaxle has 6 forward gears. This shift pattern is imprinted on the shift knob. The transaxle is fully synchronized in all forward gears so shifting to e ...

    Special driving conditions
    Hazardous driving conditions When hazardous driving conditions are encountered such as water, snow, ice, mud, sand, or similar hazards, follow these suggestions: • Drive cautiously and allow ex ...