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.

    See also:

    Electronic stability control
    The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) monitors information from various vehicle sensors and then compares the driver's commands with the actual behavior of the vehicle. If an unstable conditi ...

    Seat belts
    Seat belt restraint system WARNING • For maximum restraint system protection, the seat belts must always be used whenever the vehicle is moving. • Seat belts are most effective when seatbac ...

    Handling: Capable but Not Quite There
    As noted in our prior drives of the SX sedan, the Forte’s chassis isn’t tuned for serenity. The hatchback’s MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension, combined with 17-inch whe ...