Until recently "affordable enthusiastic
driving" was the domain of high-style, but lower utility, two-door coupes.
Then, "Drive...He Said" discovered some enthusiastic four-doors out
there, picking the sleek 2014 Kia Forte EX automatic as tops among 4 top small family sedans.
But in defense of a seemingly dying breed of sporty
affordable 2-doors, Kia [quietly] markets a more powerful variant of Forte with a manual
transmission. MINUS two doors...and the letter "E", appending Koup.
2015 Kia Forte
Koup SX:
WHAT:
Compact C category , front-wheel drive, 2+3 occupant 2-door coupe;
Locomotion: transverse 201 hp/ 193 lb-ft turbocharged,
direct injection 1.6L DOHC I-4 gas engine;
Transmission(s):
6-speed manual (optional 6-speed torque converter automatic) transaxle
Chassis
Layout: front strut/ rear torsion beam semi independent; Four
wheel disc brakes, front vented; 18"-inch alloy wheels on SX, electric
power steering assist
Standard
Accoutrement: Cruise
control; 1 x USB/ 2 x 12V ports; Keyless entry, push-button start;
7"-inch touch LCD infotainment screen; 60/40 folding split rear seat back;
Power locks, windows; Power heated & folding side mirrors; Aluminum pedals;
Selectable steering effort; Tilt & telescoping leather wrapped steering
wheel; Bluetooth connectivity w/ voice commands & streaming audio; Music
jukebox HDD
Major
Options: 7" touch LCD infotaiment w/ HDD navigation;
Leather seats, Power moonroof; Leather seats: Front heated, driver's cooled
& 10-way powered; Heated steering wheel; HID headlights; 4.2" TFT
color MFD, Auto-dimming rear-view mirror w/ Homelink; 2-Zone auto climate w/
rear seat vents; Carpeted floor mats, cargo mat.
WHEN: On
sale: September 1, 2015
WHERE:
Kia dealers
HOW
MUCH:
Price w/6-speed manual transmission = $20,590; As tested (w/ Premium + Tech
Pkgs.): $25,485
HOW
SAFE: 8 airbags, high tensile steel, no driver's assist tech
offered; IIHS Ratings: side & frontal impact: "Good", "Good";
small front overlap: "Poor"
WHERE
MADE:
Hwasung, South Korea
GOES
LIKE:
Throttle-on-a-String demands 3000 rpm upshifts for serious steam, exacerbating
the garbage disposal sounds from the engine; Smooth 2nd-3rd manual gearbox
throws aren't possible...come to think of it nor are 1st-2nd; rapid steering, but numbness isn't helped by
selectable effort; Body leans aplenty; 18" Wheels pound ponderously; not
even Traction control can stop Nexen CP671 M+S tires from slipping in the
slick; Not the worst undesteerer in class; Hungryman appetite brakes need
church bells and hard pedal application.
FEELS
LIKE:
Chrome door releases & center stack switch bezels brighten up dark office;
Low front cowl grants generous forward field of view; Perforated pebble grained
leather feels rich; Instrument binnacle hood stitching & faux carbon fiber
trim, half-hearted; Switch buttons are
where buttons belong and knobs where knobs belong; Engine buzz makes abundant
hard plastics resonate; Small icons on 7" Center stack touch infotainent
screen, which is sun wash-out prone; Navigation response is jerky and lacks
bird's eye map mode; Front seat-belt B-pillar extender arm clever but clunky; Doors
weigh a "ton".
HOW
USEFUL: Supportive front buckets remember recline but not pitch
when accessing rear seat; Seat to pedal distance, relative to steering wheel,
not ideal; Nice to have concealed center stack USB and dual 12V connections;
Doors low on storage and swing too wide; Good luck entering/ exiting rear seat
without dinging neighboring car doors; 6' footers shouldn't have any issues in
the back seat; Trunk easily holds weekend getaway's cargo for four.
HOW
EFFICIENT: 28 combined
miles-per-gallon on 87 octane unleaded gas
HOW
APP-licable: subscription available UVO telematics +
E-Services ($600); 6-speaker audio system has plenty of volume, some depth, but
too much tone coloration.
LOOKS:
Sleeker than Scion TC ; Tamer than Civic Si; Sensuous fashion model who has
reach middle age; Reincarnation of Guigiaro designed late 1980's Isuzu Impulse.
VALUE:
Feature wise, you could do far worse than Forte Koup. Lazy throttle saps noisy
drivetrain. Warranty: Can't beat 10 yr/ 100k mi. drivetrain, 5 yr./ 60k mi.
B-T-B warranty - except after a resale, which halves powertrain warranty.
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