A FRESH NEW CAR WITH A FRESH NEW DESIGN
By all accounts the Forte has a clean European design to it, with a side profile that barely has any lines all – just nice smooth sheet metal coated in a surprisingly high quality paint. My tester came with a metallic brown (which Kia calls bronze) coating. I know what you’re thinking. “Brown? Yuck!” But it’s actually very nice – especially in the sun.
I won’t be the first, or the last, to accuse Kia of lifting the design of the Forte’s headlights directly from the Honda/Acura parts bin. In a way it’s a compliment. The rest of the front end looks great too with Kia’s new corporate grille adding just the right amount of chrome around a gaping black grille. Below there’s a three part intake setup that adds to the car’s sporty flare.
MOST POWERFUL STANDARD ENGINE IN ITS CLASS
Those TV spots for the Forte do give you one piece of info about the car – the price. Base LX models start at $13,695 ($15,695 CDN), but you’re much more likely to find yourself in an EX for $15,795 ($17,995 CDN). Those who want a little extra performance can also opt for the SX model. But we’ll get to that later.
The price on the base LX model sounds great, but without any power options or even AC it’s not a very attractive package. The EX, however, comes well-equipped and when you add an auto tranny and the optional Premium Package that includes a sunroof as well as 16-inch wheels and tires, the damage is an acceptable $17,595.
No comments:
Post a Comment