2017 Kia Forte S
The 2017 Kia Forte S is a
sporty, practical compact sedan.
Price: $19,200
The Kia Forte S is a compact, economical sedan that provides a fair
amount of driving fun for a reasonable price.
The $19,200 Forte S is the sportiest of the Forte sedan line, fitting
between the entry LX and top-line EX sedans. (The Forte also comes as a
hatchback and coupe, which aren't covered here.)
The front-drive Forte sedan has jazzed up styling for 2017 with such
items as a new front bumper, grille, headlights and taillights.
The S also has a supple sport-tuned suspension, which some might find a
bit firm. Other features are 16-inch alloy wheels, 55-series tires,
sporty trim, a rear spoiler and a chrome exhaust tip. Too bad Kia
didn't throw in another chrome exhaust tip for an even sportier look.
The quick electric-assist steering is on the firm side. Helping keep
the Forte S securely on the road during trying conditions are traction,
electronic stability and vehicle stability management control systems.
Safety items include side curtain air bags and anti-lock brakes with a
brake-assist feature and good pedal feel.
The Forte S is fairly well-equipped. Standard are air conditioning,
power windows, door locks and outside mirrors, AM/FM/MP3 with an easily
used 7-inch color touchscreen and power windows, door locks and outside
mirrors. (Rear windows lower all the way.)
There's also an always-welcome rearview camera, remote keyless entry,
dual illuminated visor vanity mirrors and 60/40 split rear seatbacks
with releases in the large trunk.
However, my early production test car's rear-seat releases didn't allow
the seatbacks to budge. It felt as if the releases weren't connected to
the seatbacks.
Backlit gauges can be easily read, and the digital speedometer inside
the regular speedometer housing is often helpful in tightly
speed-restricted zones. All controls can be easily used and there's
good cabin space, with such things as large door pockets and a deep bin
on the console, which has handily placed cupholders.
A key option, which was on my test Forte S, is the $1,490 technology
package.
That package contains blind spot detection, lane departure warning
system, rear cross-traffic alert, autonomous emergency braking, forward
collision warning system and outside mirrors with LED turn signals. It
also contains a push-button start and automatic up-down front windows.
(all windows lower all the way).
It seems to be increasingly old fashioned to start a vehicle by turning
an ignition key these days.
The quiet upgraded interior of the S has handsome black cloth seats
with white contrast stitching and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and
shift knob. The supportive driver's seat is adjustable, and the
steering column has a tilt/telescopic feature. Wide door openings allow
easy entry, but a stiff rear-seat center area makes seating only
comfortable for two back there.
The S is powered by a 2-liter, 147-horsepower four-cylinder
dual-overhead-camshaft engine similar to the one in the Hyundai
Elantra. It has 16 valves and provides the 2,855-pound car with lively
performance--although the engine makes a droning sound during hard
acceleration.
The engine works with an upgraded, smoother shifting six-speed
automatic transmission with a responsive manual-shift feature. A driver
can choose "Normal," "Eco" or "Sport" driving modes. I couldn't tell
much difference between the three modes during normal driving.
Estimated fuel economy is 29 miles per gallon in the city and 32 on
highways. The fuel tank holds 13.2 gallons.
The prop rod that holds the hood open is awkward to use, although it's
easy to reach engine compartment fluid containers, especially the one
for oil.
The Kia Rio S feels tightly built and is backed by a
10-year/100,00-mile limited powertrain warranty.
