Pros

• It has a lot of functions and costs less than most of its competitors
• Excellent mileage per gallon
• A Simple way to get information and entertainment
• A long guarantee

Cons

• The ride can be a little stiff sometimes
• Some rivals’ back seats are more prominent

What is the Forte’s speed? The Forte has a firm feel that makes it suitable for daily driving. Our test Forte went from 0 to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds, which is typical for its class. Even though it looks terrible, the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) works great most of the time. It responds quickly to power but is also ready to slow down when the throttle is only lightly pressed. It could release more energy.

We don’t like how the Forte drives, either. It’s hard to tell where the center is, and the steering weight is fine, but it doesn’t give you any input. Even though the Forte turns pretty flat, bumps in the middle of a corner can make it shake.

How comfortable is the Kia Forte? Other cars in its class are less comfy than the Forte. The headrests are soft and don’t get in the way, and the chairs are shaped to make them comfortable for long trips. Since the noise from the road has been muffled well, only a little bit of wind and other background sounds can be heard. The automatic temperature control for two zones works well. Even though the result isn’t excellent, we like that the front seats of our Kia are ventilated.

In this case, Forte’s main flaw is its muscular frame. It works well on bumpy, uneven ground or minor problems but doesn’t work on bigger bumps. Irregular bumps are hard on the rear chassis in particular.

How’s the inside? Kia designed the Forte’s interior beautifully. The varied materials make the well-built room look mature and elegant. Because all key activities are done using physical buttons, infotainment is simple. The settings are straightforward to identify and utilize. Wheel and seat can be altered in different ways.

The front seat features ample leg and shoulder room. Taller drivers have room. Only anyone above 6 feet tall will have trouble with the back seats. The rough plastic seat backs and lack of rear knee room make it less comfortable than comparable cars in its class.

How good is the tech? Overall, the Forte has a lot of tools that work well together. When not turned up too loud, the sound from the improved audio system is clear, and the touchscreen is easy to use. Even though you must follow instructions, the native voice system is easy to use for simple controls.

All Forte models have essential front-crash prevention, and higher-level trims can add a blind-spot warning system. It’s too bad that most trim levels of the Forte don’t have adaptive cruise control as standard. A lot of rivals use it. All the tools worked well during testing and didn’t set off any false alarms.

What about putting things away? For how small it is, the Forte is a handy car. The car trunk in this class is enormous, with a wide, flat floor and a big opening. The back seats have a 60/40 split and can be folded forward to make room for bigger things.

Some cute little trays and a big center console box inside the house can store small items. A child safety seat will be put in the back. We put up a big one in the middle facing the back and saw plenty of room for the people in front. This little car is so helpful that you might wonder why you need something bigger, like the Kia K5 medium.

How well does it use gasoline? The EPA says that the base engine in the Forte should get excellent gas economy (34 mpg for the FE model). We could have done better in our real-world driving tests, but the Forte did better than most of its rivals.

There’s no question that the Forte is a good deal. It could be more reasonably as well-balanced in terms of tech as some competitors, but you’ll pay less for many of its features. Even though the price is low, the inner design is of very high quality. How to save money is only sometimes clear if you look for it.

Kia and Hyundai, both owned by the same company, have the best warranty in the business right now. The standard warranty covers six years or 60,000 miles, and the powertrain is covered for ten years or 100,000 miles. Roadside help is also good for the class and can be used for five years or 60,000 miles. On the other hand, Hyundai lets you drive as much as you want during the same period.

The Forte is a small car that doesn’t look like a cheap choice so you can show it off. The best thing about this car is that it is affordable without making you feel ripped off. But it doesn’t have the fun-to-drive qualities of the Civic and Mazda 3 that make those cars great.

As of this writing, Kia has not made any official comments about the 2024 Forte. We’ll change our suggestion if something changes, but based on the Forte from last year, we recommend the LXS. It has new features like alloy wheels and better materials on the inside. It also has a low price and a strong guarantee. Include the Technology package if you want a blind-spot warning and a device that detects cars coming from the rear.

Various Kia Forte models

The Kia Forte is available in several different trim levels. All three trims come standard with 147 hp and 132 lb-ft 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines (LX, LXS, and GT-Line). The power plant here has a transmission that may change speeds at any time. Both the GT and the GT Manual have a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, mated to a six-speed manual transmission.