2013 Kia Forte 1.8L 6AT (145 HP)

Vehicle Overview

Kia challenged the small-sized sedan segment with the Forte when it introduced the third generation of this nameplate in 2012 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Playing in the same league as the Civic and the Corolla was not easy for the Korean automaker. But still, it didn’t want to lose its grip on a segment of buyers who were more concerned about what they’d get for their money than what the resale value of their vehicle was. That’s why Kia made the Forte with an excellent warranty program that overtook its competitors. Even if it lacked the brand awareness of Honda and Toyota, the Korean car manufacturer tried to compensate for that with plenty of standard options for the Forte.

At the front, the Forte featured the same European-inspired design language created by Peter Schreyer for Kia. The big grille sported the Tiger-nose element with its pinched upper and lower sections. Its wide, swept-back projector-beam headlights looked organic, with curved lines ending in sharp angles at their top. Lower, on the apron, customers could order the Forte with a pair of fog lamps that flanked the front fascia. Kia offered generous chromed areas on and around the prominent grille to make the Forte look more up-scale.

From its profile, the ascending waistline created a dynamic look for the Forte, while the short and the alloy wheels emphasized it. The chromed surroundings for the windows line and the black B-post suggested a coupe-like vehicle, although it was a four-door sedan. Furthermore, Kia placed sculptured door panels to make the Forte look like a fast car. Finally, at the back, the automaker installed corner-mounted LED taillights that were extended from the rear quarter panels onto the trunk lid. At the launch, Kia offered the Forte in two trim levels: LX and EX.

Inside, Kia made a neat-looking interior that looked more expensive than it was. The soft materials and the clean layout of the dashboard looked upscale. In front of the driver, the instrument cluster featured large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, which flanked a 4.2-inch display that showed information from the car’s onboard computer. The EX trim level also included Kia’s UVO infotainment system, fitted with a touchscreen and featured navigation. At the front, the narrow seats were good enough for the daily commute, and the same went with the rear split-folding bench. The trunk offered 14.9 cu-ft (422-liter) of space, which was good for the car’s segment.

Under the hood, the Korean automaker installed a choice of 1.8- and 2.0-liter engines. The former was paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic, while the latter was offered exclusively with the six-speed auto box. Thanks to the McPherson struts up front and the dual torsion beams in the back, the Forte provided enough comfort for its customers.