The Kia Forte

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Released in 2009, the Kia Forte was part of the automaker’s bid to revamp their nameplate offerings and change their image a bit. The Forte was a compact car that was designed to compete with offerings from both Honda and Toyota. It was also designed to be the replacement for the Spectra in the US auto market.

The Kia Forte debuted to considerable approval from consumers. It instantly became the company’s bestselling model. It was offered in only a single body style, though it did feature a range of different engine options and transmission choices. The 4-door Forte was available with either a 1.6, 2.0 or a 2.4-liter engine. These were mated to either a CVT, a 4-speed automatic, a 5-speed manual, 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic transmission.

The Forte is also offered as the Forte Koup, which is a slightly sportier version of the car, with only two doors. This model was introduced in late 2009, as a 2010 model, though it became very popular with consumers in a short time, as well. The coupe version made use of the 2.0 and 2.4-liter engines, as well as a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic transmission. The purpose of the Koup derivative was to capture some of the excitement surrounding similar cars such as Honda’s Civic Si.

The Forte is available in three different trim levels. These are the SX, LX and EX trim options. The LX is the base model, while the EX offers slightly upgraded features. The SX is the luxury version of the Forte and offers some performance upgrades, as well. Interestingly, the Forte garnered numerous awards as well as customer praise. It was awarded by Motor Trend, Edmunds.com, the NADA and Consumer Reports for several different things, including design, style and safety, as wel