2009 KIA Forte 2.4L DOHC 6AT (173 HP)

Vehicle Overview

The surprisingly good looking Kia Forte continued the brand’s revival with its launch in 2009.

The Forte featured lots of elements characteristic to more expensive cars, but was at the same time among the least expensive small sedans on the market.

The Forte had a smooth clean look from the front and from the back, with the trim proportions being just right.

The cabin of the Forte gave an upscale feel with the tall roof and the wider body that offered great room for the passengers.

Headroom and legroom were good for the front passengers, however, the legroom in the back seats was limited.

Standard features included bluetooth, an auxiliary input jack, steering wheel controls and voice activation.

With one of the biggest trunks for its class, the Forte could’ve easily been a great companion on longer journey. For longer items, the rear seats could be folded to extend the load area.

The Forte was an inexpensive car to drive, and even if the engines offered were not the most powerful, the Forte was agile and had a good fuel consumption.

The hydraulic steering was decent, however, it was a little stiff at lower speeds and got lighter with higher speeds, which was not exactly the correct setup.

The sportiest Forte was available in the SX trim level, with a 2.4-liter engine that developed 172 hp.

The safety features offered were standard across the trim levels and included dual airbags, full side curtain airbags, ABS with brake assist and electronic stability control.