KIA Forte 2019

Body and cabin

The 2019 Kia Forte’s sleek look is not just due to its filiation with the large Kia Stinger. It has gained 2 cm of width and no less than 8 cm in length, compared to the outgoing model. Height and wheelbase are unchanged. It closely copies the dimensions of the Hyundai Elantra, which has the same platform, placing both vehicles among the larger of the compact segment.

Interior volume is similar to that of the former generation. The cabin is roomy enough for four adults, though it is still difficult to slide one’s feet under the front seats—a frequent shortcoming in Hyundai and Kia compacts. An excellent driving position is available to all, thanks for example to a sliding centre armrest and well-located footrest. The heated and leather trimmed telescoping steering wheel equipping all models is a big plus as well.

The heated front seats seemed equally comfortable whether upholstered in cloth or synthetic leather. Or almost: only the faux leather bucket seats come with lumbar adjustment. The passenger seat is height-adjustable, which is rare in an affordable car.

Trendily perched on the dashboard, the new, 8-in. touch screen is just as clear, quick and well laid out as in all of Kia’s other vehicles. It comes with several buttons and knobs that provide practical access to the main functions, with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay also making life easier for users.

All in all, it is nice to be able to count on such easy-to-use controls and instruments in the touch-screen era. Even the gear selector and parking brake, both levers, have a classic and reassuring feel. That said, an electronic parking brake, like the Honda Civic’s, usually frees up storage space while reducing long-term maintenance costs.

The trunk is rather lightly finished but it tops the segment in terms of volume, according to manufacturer specifications. Its square shape and large opening make it easy to load.

Safety

Kia is finally expanding advanced safety technology to the entire Forte lineup. Automatic transmission models—95% of expected sales—now come with automatic emergency braking as well as lane departure warning with automatic lane keeping. Blind-spot monitoring and automatic headlights appear starting on the EX; adaptive cruise control is restricted to the two most expensive trims.

The 2019 Forte had not undergone crash testing when this article was published online, in November 2018. The preceding generation obtained the highest U.S. government and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety ratings; Kia expects the 2019 model, with its reinforced structure, will perform similarly.

Crash test results

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Overall score: 4 / 5
Frontal impact: 4 / 5
Side impact: 5 / 5
Rollover resistance: 4 / 5

Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS)
Moderate overlap frontal impact: 4 / 4
Small overlap frontal impact:
- driver side: 4 / 4
- passenger side: 4 / 4
Side impact: 4 / 4
Rear impact: 4 / 4
Roof strength: 4 / 4

IIHS Top Safety Pick+

Mechanical overview

The 2019 Kia Forte bodywork includes three times as many hot-stamped components and five times more structural adhesives than before, as well as a greater proportion of high-strength steel. A more rigid platform usually improves not just the safety but also the handling and refinement of a vehicle.

Electric-assist steering; MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension: the main drive components are unchanged but have all been retuned in relation to the reinforced structure. Without revolutionizing the segment, the simplicity of the components allows design and long-term maintenance costs to be kept in check.

The sole engine offered this year appeared under the hood of the Forte in 2017, shortly after it was introduced in the redesigned Hyundai Elantra. This 2.0-litre 4-cylinder is an Atkinson-cycle design, an internal combustion method often used in hybrid cars because it promotes fuel economy. Its 147 horsepower at 6,200 rpm is competitive for a compact car, but its 132 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm proves a bit low—a trade-off of the Atkinson cycle design.

This engine is significantly less powerful than the direct injection power plant used by the former-gen Forte EX and SX. On the other hand, it seems exempt for now of the numerous knocking problems that afflicted the more energetic engine.

The base model Kia Forte LX still offers a six-speed manual gearbox, even though only 5 percent of buyers opt for it. For all the others, the transmission is a new automatic that is the most newsworthy mechanical feature of the Forte for 2019.

The new transmission replaces the six gears of the former automatic by a continuously variable mechanism, a solution widely adopted among the small cars. Kia claims that its new CVT, designed in-house, is the first in the compact segment to use a chain-type belt rather than a push belt, to promote both performance and durability.

Like several other recent CVTs, this one simulates the gear shifts of a conventional automatic in heavy acceleration. The goal is to avoid the prolonged high revving that increases the noise level and annoys certain drivers. The shift lever also provides access to an eight “speed” manual mode.

The aim of a CVT in most cases is to reduce fuel consumption. The 2019 Forte mostly holds the line, since its combined rating of 6.9 L/100 km (Natural Resources Canada) represents a reduction of just 0.2 L/100 km, or less than 3 percent, relative to the 2018 model.

Driving impressions

Our first encounter with the 2019 Kia Forte took place between Ottawa and Mont Tremblant, crossing several localities in the Outaouais region. We drove it on secondary roads, some twisty and some degraded that quickly highlighted the solidity of the new chassis. The car corners confidently, mostly avoiding the understeer inherent to front-wheel-drive vehicles (i.e. their tendency to plough straight ahead when driving fast into a curve). The steering supplies little information about the road surface but proves to be precise, linear and well-weighted.

The body remains stable when encountering a bump in a curve, where previous generations of the Forte tended to drift slightly. That indicates that the semi-independent rear suspension is appropriately tuned. Unfortunately, because of their low profile, the 17-in. tires mounted on EX+ and higher trims trigger an excessively firm reaction on degraded pavement. The EX’s 16-in. tires do a better job of absorbing impacts thanks to their higher sidewall.

We drove an EX version for the final portion of our trip from Mont Tremblant to Montreal via highways 117 and 15. This run highlighted a significant improvement in cabin soundproofing, especially as concerns tire noise. On arrival, the on-board computer indicated an average consumption of only 5.1 L/100 km for a distance of 130 km—an excellent result, even when taking into account the numerous downhill sections this route included.

Considering the 6.8 L/100 km turned in during the rest of our test, the CVT gamble seems to have paid off in the case of the Forte. It is not the revolution that Kia would have us believe, but it easily measures up to similar transmissions in the segment. The engine even seems livelier with the CVT than with the former six-speed automatic, which is fortunate, considering the weak low-rev torque.