Borrowing a few design cues from the hailed-and-hefty Kia Stinger was one of the best ideas put forward for the creation of the Kia Forte, as customers were now able to enjoy a bit of the raw-edged sportiness of a front-running favorite. AsMotorTrend pointed out last week, the redesigned-for-2019 Forte also is much more efficient, thanks to a new CVT which replaces the six-speed automatic transmission on the old model. The 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter I-4 engine carries over from last year, and now delivers an EPA-rated 31/41/35 mpg city/highway/combined in the trim with the greatest fuel efficiency.
This is absolutely cause for excitement for all of us here at Jim Butler Kia, as last year's model sported 29/37/32 on the mpg rating. The more powerful GDI 2.0-liter I-4 in the outgoing 2018 model was rated at 25/33/28 mpg. Many of you out there are falling back in love with the idea of a manual transmission: it is now rated at 27/37/31 mpg, up some from last year's rating of 25/34/28 mpg. Just to put a little perspective on where exactly things stand, we wanted to fulfill the request from a few that wanted us to provide details about just where that ranks compared to other current competitors.
The new Forte was billed as a very appealing upgrade by the seasoned experts at Car and Driver, who claimed that it possessed “more chiseled lines, and cleaner detailing than before”. When the fall comes and you have the opportunity to test-drive this new car, you'll be amazed at the effectiveness of the shift-logic program, that simulates gearchanges, and prevents the engine from droning. The new interior features a horizontal dashboard layout, which sports a tablet-style 8-inch touchscreen in the center. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also both standard, and there are rumors that a Forte5 hatchback, as well as a turbocharged upgrade engine, will be coming soon as well! 