If Hyundai’s current prestige started when Sonata introduced Fluidic Sculpture, Kia’s “image boost” also came from a very successful new design language, Tiger Nose. It’s interesting to notice that even though these sister brands always share platforms and engines, each one managed to develop its own image with complete freedom and, therefore, compose its own public. After releasing Forte sedan last year, the Koreans now show the even more attractive five-door sibling. Here you’ll read why this is such an irresistible car.
While the sister always invests at plenty of creases and folds, the path followed by Kia may be more discreet in a first sight, but the fact is it only takes a closer look to be fully appreciated. Peter Schreyer’s team created an organic style, with smooth transitions between the volumes contrasting with the stronger-shaped elements. Although the Europeans have their own medium-sized Kias (the cee’d line), Forte’s styling has heavy influences from what those markets use on their cars – Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Citroën DS4 are good examples of that. But if Kia really wants to offer high-quality products, it would be a nonsense to create this Forte sibling as nothing more than a shortened-rear sedan. There are several exclusive items at this hatchback, starting with the front fascia: the famous grille became much shorter, just to create a visual connection between the headlights, in order to make room for an impressive lower intake. The sides use exclusive rear doors whose design goes against the European cousin’s: Forte doesn’t use the third window even in cee’d’s creative shape; that two-part design actually resembles DS4 once again. And when you see this Forte passing at your side, nothing says a more stylish goodbye than those gorgeous irregularly-shaped tail lights. But this car surely has much more to offer.
The interior is entirely shared with the sedan, but this is a great fact. It means this car brings good-looking console and plenty of room for five, but with the addition of a huge equipment list: it’ll be possible to drive the new Forte with items such as heated seats and steering wheel, keyless entry, leather seats and xenon headlights, divided into a couple of trim levels: EX, for example, comes with the sedan’s 2.0L with 173-hp power and 154-lb-ft torque always using a six-speed automatic transmission – the 1.8L won’t be used here. The surprise, however, comes from SX: the upmarket trim adds 18” aluminum wheels with 225/40 tires, LED tail lights, twin exhaust tips and some style accessories, which composes the perfect sporty ambiance to the turbocharged 1.6L and its 201-hp power and 195-lb-ft torque, this one offered with the same gearbox or an optional six-speed manual. This must be the very same engine as what recently was revealed to be used in cee’d GT, which gives this Forte a very important position: at least while Kia doesn’t come up with some more special variation, Forte SX will be the Korean hot hatch for the North American market, being capable of taking very famous names such as Ford Focus ST and Volkswagen GTI with the same level of attractiveness but a little less power, just like the European brother.
