It was during 2009 that Kia introduced the compact
Forte
to the U.S. Market, and since then it has been our third-most-popular vehicle,
falling behind only the Kia Soul and Kia Optima. The experts on staff at Kelley
Blue Book are always great at depicting what features and form a new car model
possesses without being too personal or opinionated, and they still claimed
right away that it is “an extreme value for the money when compared to the
Honda Civic Si, Mazda 3, and Subaru Impreza”.
The 2020 model year brings a few trim changes for
the Kia Forte, plus the addition of a new turbocharged 1.6-liter engine that is
only available on the GT. Last year was when the larger overhaul took place,
yet the EX Special Edition trim now sees the 2-tone interior, upgraded Harman
Kardon sound system, voice command navigation, power sunroof, and wireless
charging. The GT-Line and GT with the new turbocharged engine are the two sport
lines added to the lineup: the GT receives the same engine as the base FE
2.0-liter, 4-cylinder that cranks out 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque
with upgraded trim bits on the interior and exterior.
The 2020 Kia Forte GT-Line boasts 17-inch alloy
wheels, gloss black accents, LED daytime running lights and taillights,
blind-spot warning with lane changing assistant and rear cross-traffic
collision warning. Fans of manual transmissions won't be disappointed: the 2002
model can be equipped with the manual 6-speed as standard in the base FE and as
optional in the top-of-the-line GT. All other Fortes come standard with the
same continuously variable transmission that carries over from the 2019 year.
Don't forget to ask us here at Jim Butler Kia of St Louis about the
benefits of the available GT2 package: it adds 10-way power-adjustable driver's
seat, heated and cooled leather-like front seats, blind-spot warning, forward
collision warning, parking sensors, wireless charging, and optional Michelin
Pilot Sport summer tires. Now standard across the entire Forte line is the
Drive Wise safety suite: this equips you with forward collision avoidance and
warning, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and driver attention
warning.
Once you move up the line to the GT, you can equip
yourself with lane changing assist, blind-spot warning, rear-cross traffic
warning, smart cruise control, and parking sensors. The 2020 Forte will also
come with our heralded 10-year / 100,000-mile warranty, one we deem the
absolute best to protect your automotive investment in the business!
