Vehicle Tested
| 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX
Base Price: $17,500
At-Tested Price: $18,195
Built in South Korea.
Options
Leather Seat Trim
Heated Front Seats
Engine: 2.4-Liter I4
Transmission: 6-Speed Manual
Drive Wheels: Front-Wheel Drive
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The sporty coupe market is a fickle one. The stars of today shoot across the sales sky as quickly as meteorites in the night. One reason for this phenomenon is that sporty coupes are often the "impulse" buy of the car market. They sport trendy styling cues, have two-door appeal, and are often more flash than substance.
Hoping to break that cycle are the folks behind the new Kia Forte Koup. Though the name might be a little kitsch, the idea behind the Koup is as sound as the day is long--take a high-volume subcompact sedan, lop off two doors, and give it swoopy styling. That's the typical formula for a sporty coupe and one that Kia has followed to perfection.
The Forte sedan made its world debut at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show and is all-new for 2010. The Forte Koup is based on the sedan and completes with vehicles like the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Scion tC, and Volkswagen New Beetle.
The Forte Koup is front-wheel drive and seats five on front buckets and a three-place rear bench. Trim levels include EX and SX. EX models come with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 156 horsepower. SX models get a 173-horsepower 2.4-liter four cylinder. Both engines come with either a manual or automatic transmission.
Standard safety features on all models include antilock four-wheel disc brakes with brake assist, stability control, traction control, front-seat active head restraints, tire-pressure monitor, and dual-front, front-side, and curtain-side airbags. Park assist and rear-view monitor are not offered.
The EX lists for $16,595 and includes clear-lens headlamps with auto-off feature, dual body-color power mirrors with turn signal indicator, body-color exterior door handles, variable intermittent windshield wipers, roof-mounted antenna, air conditioning, rear window defroster, day/night interior rearview mirror, dual visor vanity mirrors, dual map lights with sunglasses holder, cargo area light, cloth seat trim, six-way adjustable driver seat, 60/40-split folding rear seat with adjustable rear headrests, power windows, power door locks with keyless entry, AM/FM/CD/MP3/Sat audio system and USB + auxiliary input jacks, six speakers with door-mounted tweeters, Bluetooth cell-phone connection hands-free connectivity and steering wheel-mounted controls, tilt steering column, EcoMinder fuel efficiency monitor (Automatic models only), cruise control with steering wheel-mounted controls, center console with armrest and storage area, carpeted floor mats, 205/55R16 tires and 16-inch five-spoke alloy wheels.
The $17,695 SX adds sport-tuned suspension, sport cloth seat trim, metal-finish interior accents, metal pedals, tilt and telescope steering column, leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob, supervision gauge cluster with trip computer, speaker lights, 215/45R17 tires, 17-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, front fog lamps, gloss black front fascia accents.
Options are limited to automatic transmission, power sunroof, leather seat trim with heated front seats. The Forte has a $695 destination charge and is built in South Korea.
Get Up and Go When equipped with the 2.4-liter four, the Forte feels quite energetic. There's plenty of torque for quick stoplight launches and ample passing power when overtaking or merging. Kia's own numbers peg the 0-60 mph time for a Forte SX at about eight seconds, placing it near the top of the class in terms of acceleration.
The smaller 2.0-liter four is considerably less sprightly, though is has adequate around-town punch. It gets bogged down when mated to the four-speed automatic or when there are more than two adults aboard.
Speaking of transmissions, the five-speed automatic mates quite well to the larger four and provides quick downshifts and smooth upshifts. That's a good thing because the optional manual transmission isn't the most user-friendly unit on the market. The shifter has longish and undefined throws and the clutch lacks feel and is too light.
Kia says that both Forte engines run fine on regular-grade gasoline. EPA numbers for the 2.0-liter four are 25/35 mpg with the five-speed manual or four-speed automatic. When mated to the five-speed automatic, the numbers jump to 27/36 mpg. The 2.4-liter four is rated at 22/32 mpg with the six-speed manual and 23/31 mpg with the five-speed automatic.
In real-world driving the SX, which comes standard with the larger four, will net about 26 mpg in routing driving and light-duty commuting. If you spend a lot of time on the highway, you'll likely post more than 30 mpg on a regular basis.
On the Road Ride quality depends on model. The EX having the most comfortable ride and the SX having a considerably firmer ride. Regardless, all Forte models have better than average impact absorption and composure on rough roads. Forte Koups finds a middle ground between the sporty Scion tC and the smooth-riding VW New Beetle.
When the road grows twisty, Forte Koup more than holds its own against other coupes. Though body lean is noticeable on lesser models, all feel sure footed and extremely solid. The steering is nicely sorted with plenty of road feel and the brakes have good stopping power and an easy-to-modulate pedal. Grip level depends on model, with the SX having the highest cornering levels.
Road rumble and wind rush are nicely muted compared to other compact cars. Sadly, both engines are coarse in hard acceleration and hum intrusively at highway speeds.
Behind the Wheel The interior of the Forte strikes a nice balance between function and comfort. Materials are class appropriate and no more. Drivers face a large speedometer flanked by tachometer and fuel gauge. The center stack is nicely designed and protrudes slightly from the dashboard, moving it closer to driver and passenger. Radio and climate controls couldn't be simpler and more straight forward. Window, lock and mirror controls are placed conveniently on the driver-door armrest.
The front seats are comfortable if lacking a bit on overall support. Head and leg room are good in the sedan. The Koup's lower roofline means less headroom, to the point where those more than six-foot tall will complain. SX gets tilt-telescope steering wheel, while EX gets only tilt wheel. Outward visibility is good on sedans, slightly compromised to the rear on Koup.
Rear-seat room is a class surprise but still nothing to write home about. Leg room is tight if the front seats are more than halfway back and head room is tight for those more than six feet tall.
Koups have class-appropriate cargo room. Both models have good interior storage with lots of bins and cubbies all around the cabin.
Bottom Line Flavor of the month or not, the Forte Koup is a substantial car at a fair price that you won't grow tired of over time. If anything, you'll find that you like the Koup the more you drive it. The good fuel economy and user-friendly interior make it an excellent commuter car and the sporty handling and sharp steering make it fun to drive.
In taking a look at the model lineup, the more-sporty SX seems like a steal at a $1,100 premium over the base EX. Throw in Bluetooth, USB audio jack, keyless entry and steering-wheel controls and you get a nicely equipped car for a fair price.
Specifications, 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX
| Dimensions
| 2-door coupe | Engine
| DOHC I4
| Wheelbase, in.
| 104.3
| Size, liters/cu. in.
| 2.4 / 144
| Length, in.
| 176.4
| Horsepower @ rpm
| 173 @ 6000
| Width, in.
| 69.5
| Torque (lb.-ft.) @ rpm
| 168 @ 4000
| Height, in.
| 55.1
| Transmission
| 6-Speed Manual | Weight, lbs.
| 2859
| EPA Estimates, mpg
| 22 city / 32 highway
| Cargo Capacity, cu. ft.
| 12.6
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| Fuel Capacity, gals.
| 13.7
| Manufacturer's Warranty
| Seating Capacity
| 2
| Bumper-to-Bumper
| 5 years / 60,000 miles
| Front Head Room, in.
| 38.7
| Powertrain
| 10 years / 100,000 miles
| Front Leg Room, in.
| 43.6
| Corrosion
| 5 years / 100,000 miles
| Second-Row Head Room, in.
| 35.3
| Free Roadside Assistance
| 5 years / 60,000 miles
| Second-Row Leg Room, in.
| 33.9
| Free Scheduled Maintenance
| None
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