The Kia Forte has journeyed well south of the border for what insiders are calling a major facelift, yet has emerged without a hefty doctor's bill, a sleight of hand that can only be pulled off in a place like Mexico.
In the span of 14 months, a brand-new Kia plant has appeared like an oasis within the arid landscape of Nuevo Leon, in northern Mexico. The beneficiaries of this massive project, the third-largest Hyundai Group plant in the world, are workers in the state (once fully on-stream, the facility will provide 14,000 jobs) and consumers who enjoy their transportation basic yet value-packed.
The Forte is the first model to be produced in the plant, which will eventually be able to handle five different compact cars made by Kia. Total production will hit 400,000 units per year; a train station directly on the plant site will soon shuttle all but 10 per cent of the vehicles produced to the United States and Canada.
A handful of years ago, Kia upset the pecking order by offering incredible bang for the compact car buck, luring customers away from their traditional Japanese choices and reducing some American offerings to also-rans. But the competition has since responded and the question is whether the refreshed Kia Forte can open the gap once more. Revisions for the new model year include: aerodynamic/cosmetic changes to the front and back, a new automatic transmission design, a strengthened chassis and added advanced safety systems for the higher-end versions.
There are really two different Fortes, distinguished by the two different 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines under the hood. The experience in driving these two varies greatly due to the differences in power, torque and handling; the upper echelon models (such as the top-drawer SX) have significantly more gumption and ride on bigger wheels, which helps alleviate some mushy handling characteristics.
There's also a significant price difference between the starting prices for the base Forte EX with the less powerful engine (at $15,495), and the SX with the more powerful engine and all the bells and whistles (at $27,295).
At the factory proving ground and on the city streets in and above Monterrey, the suspension system of both versions proved a bit unsophisticated in the way it managed real-world surface changes. The steering was even more unsatisfying; it's indirect in that a given amount of steering angle doesn't produce a correspondingly accurate response at the wheels; every corner at any speed requires corrections. The SX with the larger, 17-inch wheels was better, but there is room for improvement.
In the final analysis, compact cars such as the 2017 Kia Forte start out as basic transportation, to be sure. These vehicles can be elevated beyond the mundane through qualities such as driving dynamics, luxury features and outright value. As far as the first category is concerned, the new Forte may leave you wanting. As to the second, the Kia covers all the bases. And the third? Well, other recently revised offerings such as the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla make a strong case for themselves as well.
So: The 2017 Kia Forte is better than ever. But dollar for dollar, so is the competition.
You'll like this car if ... You like a compact footprint with larger car amenities.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $27,295
- Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
- Transmission/Drive: Six-speed automatic/Front-wheel drive
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 9.4 city, 7.0 highway
- Alternatives: Chevrolet Cruze, Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Mazda3, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla, VW Jetta
RATINGS
- Looks: When you’re at the lower end of the price scale, exterior design often gets tossed out the window at highway speeds. Not so with the Kia Forte with its proportionately correct design that makes sedans twice as expensive look bland by comparison.
- Interior: The Forte SX has great features for a compact, including a 7-inch multimedia screen, paddle shifters, leather seats, heated steering wheel, heated rear seats, and heated and cooled front seats. On the other side, while there are six exterior colours in the Forte palette, there’s no choice of interior colour.
- Performance: All LX models utilize an engine that places more emphasis on price and fuel efficiency, particularly when the six-speed automatic is selected. In the EX and SX, the engine has more power, but weaker efficiency – in fact, fuel economy is not stellar for a compact car.
- Technology: The SX has a plethora of tech features, including integrated navigation, Android Auto (with Apple CarPlay on the way), and headlights that bend into the corners.
- Cargo: This sedan may be compact, but it’s big on the efficient use of space.
THE VERDICT
7.5
There's much to like about the Forte SX, but the competition is arguably more compelling.
The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.