Kia’s new 2010 Forte is solid competitor among compact sedans

Special to the Star-Telegram

The all-new Kia Forte sedan has arrived for 2010, bringing another credible contender to the burgeoning compact segment.

Replacing the Spectra, the Forte offers consumers a South Korean alternative to the Japanese compacts that dominate this vehicle class – the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla.

With a starting price of $13,695 (plus $695 freight) for the base LX model, the 2010 Forte offers a long list of standard safety and convenience features, including anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control.

Kia also offers a two-door version, called the Forte Koup, with prices ranging from $16,595-$17,695 (plus freight). It’s Kia’s first-ever coupe, and comes with the same engine and transmission choices as the sedan.

The Forte is impressive for an entry-level economy sedan, with both styling and handling that seem to belong in a higher price range.

This isn’t a plain-vanilla car like the Civic or Corolla. The exterior design features some interesting touches such as swept-back headlights and a wide stance that gives the car a muscular look, but also helps improve road handling.

Kia says the Forte’s specially engineered body has high torsional stiffness that enhances handling and ride quality.

The interior is quite surprising, too, with a well-planned layout, easy to read instruments, and uncomplicated controls.

The Forte has 96.8 cubic feet of passenger space, with room for five people, although the middle position in the back is best left to small children. The trunk is the largest in the class, with 14.7 cubic feet – more than some popular midsize sedans.

Besides the base LX, available models are the midlevel EX ($15,795) and sporty, top-of-the-line SX ($17,195).

The SX has a more-athletic profile, aided by 17-inch alloy wheels and premium P215/45R17 tires. It also comes with a sport-tuned suspension and larger front brakes.

Our tester was the EX with the four-speed automatic transmission, which raises the base price by $1,000 to $16,795.

The Forte is 178.3 inches long, 69.9 inches wide and 57.5 inches high, which compares with 177.3 inches long, 69 inches wide, and 56.5 inches high for the Civic, which also costs more – starting at $15,305 (plus freight) for the 2009 model.

It’s almost the same length as the Corolla, whose 2010 prices begin at $15,305. The Forte has more standard content than its key competitors, as well, which helps add to the value.

Value pricing is part of Kia’s strategy to compete against Japanese models, which U.S. consumers generally believe to have better quality.

But the quality of Kia and Hyundai vehicles has risen dramatically in recent years so that there is little difference between them and their Japanese rivals.

Hyundai, Kia’s parent company, uses the same pricing strategy for most of its vehicles, based on the belief that price is a strong motivator when trying persuade consumers to switch from trusted brands such as Civic and Corolla. But it’s more than that. Buyers in the entry-level class are more sensitive to price, and a lot of them are choosing their first new cars.

Looking for comments?