Kia Fortes Are Taking Over The World!

"Kia's Forte appears to be attempting to take over the world. It's available as a sedan and a coupe, and later on, as a 5-door hatchback.

For now, though, since this is a family-car Web site, the question is, is the Forte Koup a good choice for families?

Let's start with the basics. The Forte Koup shares 2.0- and 2.4-liter four-cylinder powertrains with its sedan brother. The smaller engine can be paired with a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic, while 2.4-liters can be matched to a 6-speed manual or a 5-speed automatic. There are three trims: base LX, EX, and sport-themed SX. Koups are only available in EX and SX guise. My tester was an SX with the 6-speed manual and the 173-horsepower 2.4-liter.

The base price was $17,500, and standard features included 17-inch wheels, satellite radio, an AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system, USB and auxiliary input jacks, a wireless cell phone link, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and more. Safety features include ABS, traction control, an antiskid system, front-side airbags, and side-curtain airbags.

Leather seat trim and heated front seats were added at no apparent extra cost. Including the $695 destination fee, the total came to $18,195.



Coupes are primarily aimed at singles or positioned as fun second cars for families. But that doesn't mean they can't be good family cars.

Certainly older kids and taller adults don't like being stuffed into the rear seat of most two doors. But I fit just fine in a very quick, unscientific test. The back seat is bigger than it looks.

The large rear trunk will also appeal to families. But otherwise, this is a sporty coupe, and it's meant to be driven as such.

Forte Koup is surprisingly quick under heavy throttle, although it will never be mistaken for a Corvette. Floor it on an empty road, and it scoots away with no trouble, but it won't scare you.

What is scary is the clutch. Its take-up is maddeningly inconsistent, with a tendency to snag as the clutch is engaged. This makes for a decidedly non-smooth driving experience. Give the engine too much throttle as you move away from a stop and torque steer kicks in. Try and feather the throttle, and you risk stalling. I felt like I was in driver's ed again. The lack of smoothness continues when engaging the clutch after an upshift.

Ride is a bit on the stiff side, but not back-breaking. Handling is flat and stable in corners, and high speeds don't faze the Koup's stability. The biggest negative here? A need for constant mid-corner corrections. At least the steering is nicely weighted.

The interior is handsome, and the exterior styling is sharp, if a bit on the boring side. One flaw: The roofline is a bit low for taller folks. Folks with spiky hair might find it flattened after a long drive.



Fuel economy is a draw for cars this size. The Koup is rated at 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway. I managed 26.4 mpg in 225 miles of city and highway driving--not too bad, when a couple of full-blast acceleration runs were factored in.

In the end, the Forte Koup does not a great family car make, but it's passable as far as sporty coupes go, thanks to its big trunk and decent rear-seat space. But as a compact coupe, it functions well. It's not quite a Civic-beater, but it's darn close."

-familycarguide.com, contributing writer Tim Healy