Wow, Kia built a great-looking Honda Civic...or did they?
There is certainly no denying the similarities between the two up front. Inside, it’s not so Honda, and Kia seems to have embraced brown so much that I get a craving for chocolate every time I drive one. Black with red stitching is available on the SX model, if you prefer licorice.
Kia was recently recognized as on of the “Five Most Connected Auto Brands” by Consumer Guide Automotive. The Forte has an AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo with three months’ Sirius Satellite Radio service. Three months is all you need, because Sirius kind of repeats after that, at least on the comedy channel.
You also get an audio input jack, USB port, and Bluetooth standard, with steering wheel-mounted controls (check out the slideshow for photos). Not bad for a starting price of $13,695.
Kia and sister Hyundai have excellent tactile tactics. Everything you touch has a quality feel. If there is any cheap plastic in this car, you won’t feel it. The big round thing you touch the most has the best feel. The controls and surfaces of the Forte feel better than other cars costing far more. If you drive blind or blindfolded people around much, they will be greatly impressed by the Forte. If the engine sounded a little better, you could even lie and tell them they’re in a BMW. Maybe if you kept the stereo up loud….
Power comes from a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine with Continuously Variable Valve Timing and multi-port electronic fuel injection. It claims 156 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque. Gas mileage is 25/34 mpg (city/highway), and goes up to 27/36 with the optional Fuel Economy Package (that’s a new option). Transmission options include five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
The black-seated SX gets a 2.4-liter four, claiming to out-do Mazda3 and Corolla XRS with 173 horsepower. SX gear choices are six-speed manual or five-speed automatic on the SX, and hovers around 23/31.
It gives small a good name; it is maneuverable, but not cramped. It drives smooth for a small car. As mentioned earlier, it feels great. Kia’s got modern and technology down. For a cheap car, you never feel like you’re stuck with cheap. The biggest hangup may be the nameplate on front. A Civic discussion group gave lots of respect to its looks, but not for reliability or resale.
Forte owners post loving comments, but they can’t reflect more than a couple of months’ ownership.
For reliability comparisons, we’ll go to ‘04 Civic vs ’04 Spectra, the model the Forte replaced. Civic averages 4 out of 5 stars; Spectra 2. Certainly Kia build quality is ever-increasing, but that’s a pretty good head start for the Honda.
Source:examiner
