2010 Kia Forte SX. Long Term Review

The process of finding the right car for your hard earned money can be long, difficult, and stressful. The summer of 2010 was my first experience into the world of car shopping. I had invested hours upon hours of research trying to find the best car for me within my price range. It was a process filled with disappointment and aggravation, but eventually lead to a sense of accomplishment and relief.

I was actually quite hesitant to buy a Forte at first. Many people had given me grief over looking at a Kia even though no one ever had any personal experience with them or even known anyone who had a issue with them. It seems as though some people just have a warped view of the Kia vehicle. Kias are often viewed as cheap, bland cars, that get you from point A to point B. Perhaps in the past this had some truth to it. However, the modern Kia is taking the automotive world by storm.

The Forte was created to take over the spot that the Kia Spectra had previously held in their line up. They believed they needed a fresh new design to really start spreading their wings as a car company in the US. Boy did they succeed. Kia is currently the fastest growing car company in America. Gone are the days of bland cars. Kia's got some style now. I ultimately ended up purchasing a 2010 Kia Forte SX in Corsa Blue with all the bells and whistles, except leather, for $18,700 out the door.

One of the leading factors to my purchase of the Forte was the extras... actually the lack of them is what caught my eye. Surprisingly, many features that would be optional from other car manufacturers come standard on the Forte. From bluetooth to the best power-train warranty in the country (120mo/100,000miles) it's got just about everything you could want in a reasonably priced car in its class. All Fortes have Bluetooth with steering-wheel controls, four-wheel disc brakes, Sirius radio (free for the first 3 months), USB and 2 AUX jacks, and stability control. The SX gets 17-inch alloy wheels with larger front brakes, fog lamps, and a telescoping steering wheel. Leather seats are an extra $1000 and the sunroof is another $600. Even though it's literally impossible to get an SX without a sunroof, it is still listed as an option for some reason. Many of these standard items would rack up a hefty bill in extra options in some of the competition's cars.

I'm 6'5 so finding a car compact car that could comfortably fit my frame was a big issue for me. I had originally been looking at the Forte Koup SX. Unfortunately, 2 doors have less headroom than the sedan, and stacked with the extra lost inch of headroom due to the sunroof, my head touched the ceiling. Although I still love my Forte sedan, I do sometimes wish I was able to properly fit in the Koup. It should be noted that everyone had height in different areas. I couldn't fit comfortably in the Koup but I have met people who are taller than I am that fit in it with no problems. One of the few complaints I do have about the Forte is the seats. While they are stylish and mostly comfortable, they do sometimes cause some back aching on longer drives. I'm not sure if normal sized people have this problem too, but it should be considered.

The Forte SX is the more expensive model with a few extras thrown in as standard plus an upgrade from the 2.0L 156 HP engine to the 2.4L 173 HP. It's a a fun little car drive. I have the automatic transmission (that includes a triptronic setting for manual shifting, excellent for quickly changing lanes) that can do 0-60 in around 8.6 seconds. I sometimes experience lag in the lower RPMs but it quickly corrects itself and gives me the power I was looking for. Now, it's not a sports car, at the end of the day it IS in the compact car segment but it is a blast to drive.

The steering to me is sharp and precise. I have heard some people complain that they wish it had more of a feel to it, but for my taste it is perfectly tight and responsive. I almost always drive with my traction control off and it doesn't feel like I have ever lost any grip or stability. Turning it off can slightly improve MPG numbers and gives the car a more spritely feel.

As I previously stated I am a fairly aggressive driver so my MPG numbers are between 19 and 28 depending on the day and highway or city driving. On average it's in the 24 MPG area. However, I have also seen other Forte drivers who average in the mid 20's to mid 30's. It is more about your specific driving style than the numbers advertised, which are EPA estimated 23/31.

Despite all my praise there are quite a few flaws on the first generation Forte. The paint is a little bit to easy to scratch. I have little chips from rocks and a few deeper and longer scratches from sources unknown. The paint looks fantastic on the car, it just seems to have some trouble staying on. There have also been reports of the rear side panel denting in extreme cold. I personally have not experienced this. For some owners the dents disappeared once it warmed up, but for others the dents stayed.

Some owners report a "whistling" from the way the wind hits the side mirror. Again, I have not experienced this personally. Something I have experienced is the noise from road debris underneath the car. There is very poor noise insulation below the car. If you go over gravel or something of the sort, you will hear every chip hit. There have also been reports of the cloth seats bagging in pre-maturely. I can begin to see this happening with mine unfortunately. The front seats can also be uncomfortable after longer car trips. I highly suggest insisting on a longer than usual test drive so you can really get a feel for the car.

My Forte is an automatic but I have heard quite a few gripes about the manual Forte. Apparently shifting is quite different in this car than others. Many experienced (and by many I mean almost everyone I've encountered with the manual) stick drivers have had trouble with this and stalled the car a few times. So, be aware there is a learning curve when driving this car with a manual transmission.

I work a side job delivering food so I spend a lot of time in my car. I really do love it. I would highly recommend anyone looking for a new car to check out the Kia Forte. The sound system is also fantastic for a stock system (if you have the Koup you also get glowing red lights around the speakers that sync to flash with the music).

When I was in the market for a new car I wanted something that was reasonably priced, reliable, and something I could work on a bit as well. I feel as though I found a car that was the best bang for my buck. The modding community is quickly growing for the Kia Forte. I suggest checking out www.forteforums.com for just about any questions you may have about the car or if you're just looking to converse with some other people who love their Forte.