By James Healey; March 15, 2013
Boy, selling compact cars has become a brutally tough way to make a living.
Programmable steering. "Normal" suited Test Drive with a good blend of firmness, road feel and response. Some drivers will choose "Sport" for even firmer feel, or "Comfort" for a lighter touch.
Not because nobody's buying. The compact segment is awash with activity. But each new compact that hits the market seems to raise the bar quite a bit, leaving rivals agape about how fast their latest hot-dang models got upstaged.
Honda discovered that the hard way, having to overhaul its latest Civic only 18 months after it was launched. Honda said competition moved faster than expected, and it had to keep Civic competitive.
Kia's redone 2014 Forte, going on sale next quarter, is a good example.
Derived from the same parts bin used by corporate affiliate Hyundai for the Elantra sedan, Forte has enough differences to stand out. The high-end version is good enough to make you wonder why people spend $40,000 and more on luxury cars.
Caution: Kia won't disclose prices yet, and the scrumptious test car is a loaded showboat. It's a delight, but without knowing the price, it's hard to say whether it's a value.
Following Hyundai's lead with the Elantra, Kia cut back Forte sedan from three trim levels to two, LX (base) and EX (the test car). When Hyundai cut Elantra sedan to two versions for 2013, it dropped the bare-bones base model and effectively raised the entry price about $1,000.
The loaded EX demonstrates why it's hard to distinguish luxury cars from mainstreamers nowadays. The test car has an impressive array of standard and optional features, including:
2-liter direct-injection four-cylinder engine that feels quicker than its 173-horsepower rating suggests. Very responsive in traffic, and accomplished as a fast-merger and quick-passer on highways. It's standard on the EX -- and, no doubt to Kia's delight, isn't offered at all on the Elantra sedan. The base LX Forte gets the same 1.8- liter, 148-hp, four that all Elantra sedans use.
Perforated leather upholstery for comfortable ventilation, enhanced by heated front and rear seats and a cooled driver's seat.
Heated steering wheel for when you forget your gloves.
Electronic system that links with your smartphone to tell you, among other gee-whiz info, where you parked your car and how long it's been there, in case you need to run out with quarters for the meter.
The catch: It's only compatible with iPhones and Androids. Those of us hip enough to have Windows phones, tough luck, save for the ability to quickly ring up 9-1-1 if you're having a very bad day.
Outside mirrors you can power-fold in for tight parking spots.
Quick linking to phones, even the challenging Windows phone. There is similarly fast streaming connection so you can play your tunes on the car stereo.
A thoroughly pleasant interpretation of the "soft touch" interior in demand these days. Leather with upscale visible stitching on some seams; matte-finish plastic that's the antithesis of "hard" or "brittle"; a gearshift knob thoughtfully sized and shaped not only to fit the palm but to invite it.
Audi-style LED headlight trim, making a dramatic first impression when you see the car coming at night.
A nifty "hero" color (what they call the hue you'll see in launch ads and as bait in showrooms). It's "abyss blue" and hits the brilliant-blue target just about perfectly.
More than just a platform for the show-off stuff, the Kia Forte sedan (hatchback and coupe models are due later this year) is satisfying to drive. That is, it works well as a car. Test Drive hasn't given up on the idea of that being a core value for an automobile.
The 2-liter engine is quick, and turns the racket of direct- injection into a pleasing growl. Pretty easy on fuel, too, by Test Drive standards, yielding mpg in the low 20s in mixed types of (vigorous, as always) driving.
The base model's 1.8-liter won't be as pleasing, but isn't necessarily a deal-breaker for the thrifty buyer. Just be sure its lower power matches your needs.
Brakes take hold quickly, but aren't grabby.
Suspension is nicely sorted out, which isn't a given on Kias. Seeking a sporting image, to distinguish it from Hyundai's more luxe feel, Kia often has overdone the suspension tuning and wound up with cars that ride like go-karts. Forte's well beyond that, having the desirable mix of comfort and control you get in grownups' cars.
Rear suspension's still a beam, not the independent rear springing you really wish for. But it is well-tamed and nicely tuned by Kia. Unless you drive like a rallyist on regular roads, you shouldn't be put off by the back-beam's primitive design. It's what many compact rivals use, so you don't necessarily lose bragging rights.
Assuming Kia doesn't go nuts on price, the 2014 Forte EX sedan is at or near the top of Test Drive's want list among well-furnished compact cars.
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