Review: 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX a beauty queen that can't hide its roots
 

<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/coupes/" rel="tag">Coupe</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/economy/" rel="tag">Budget</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/kia/" rel="tag">Kia</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/reviews/" rel="tag">Reviews</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/gallery/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/"><img hspace="0" vspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/02/12kiafortekoupreviewopc.j pg" alt="" /></a>
<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong><sma ll>2010 Kia Forte Koup - Click above for high-res image gallery</small></strong></em></div>
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It's time to stop being surprised that Koreans can make good cars. <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/kia/">Kia</a> and its sister-brand <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/hyundai/">Hyundai</a> have been doing it for years now, with each successive model being better than the last. Hyundai has been selling vehicles in the U.S. for 24 years, Kia for 16, and they don't deserve bonus points anymore for exceeding expectations. Want proof? Along with <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/make/subaru/">Subaru</a>, they were the only three brands to increase sales last year during the Great Recession. The bar has been raised and it's time we take off the kid gloves.<br />
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With that in mind, we turn our attention to the 2010 Kia Forte Koup. A brand new model, the Koup joins the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/model/forte">Forte sedan</a> in displacing the <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/tag/spectra">Spectra</a>, Kia's former best-selling model in the U.S. So the stakes are high for this four-door and accompanying Koup (blech, we mean <em>coupe</em>). We've already sampled the Forte sedan and called it "a stylish, comfortable, frisky automotive companion for surprisingly short dollars." Along with losing two doors, the Koup also gains more aggressive bodywork that suggests the potential for higher performance than the sedan. Does it fulfill that promise or come across as a parts-bin twin with two fewer doors? Let's follow the jump to find out.<br />
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<div class="postgallery"><p><s trong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/">Review: 2010 Kia Forte Koup</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/12kiafortekoupreview_thum bnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/01kiafortekoupreview_thum bnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/02kiafortekoupreview_thum bnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/03kiafortekoupreview_thum bnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/2010-kia-forte-koup-review/low/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/04kiafortekoupreview_thum bnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />
<em><strong><small>Phot os by <a href="http://www.drewphillipsphotograp hy.com/">Drew Phillips</a> / </small></strong></em><em><strong><small>Cop yright (C)2010</small></strong></em><em><strong><small> Weblogs, Inc.</small></strong></em><p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/2010-kia-forte-koup-sx-review/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Review: 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX a beauty queen that can't hide its roots</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;backgr ound:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/2010-kia-forte-koup-sx-review/">Review: 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX a beauty queen that can't hide its roots</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblo g</a> on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/2010-kia-forte-koup-sx-review/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/19357786/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2010/02/16/2010-kia-forte-koup-sx-review/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>

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