Used 2021 Kia Forte

There’s more to the 2021 Kia Forte than its basic description of “reasonably priced compact sedan” might suggest. For instance, cheap small cars have historically cut corners on levels of standard equipment and things like sound insulation or the amount of seat cushioning. The Forte provides a civilized driving experience right from the entry-level, putting advanced safety features and smartphone integration into the package.

Although we seem to be living in the age of the crossover SUV, manufacturers are still making substantial efforts with their compact sedans, so buyers are spoiled for choice. The Honda Civic has to be considered for its equipment, abilities, and resale values. The Toyota Corolla is always a big seller. And the Mazda3 is simply superb. In this company, the 2021 Forte acquits itself well and brings a strong value-for-money element.

In general, the 2021 Forte drives in a pleasant, refined, and somewhat nimble manner. The steering gives some idea of what the front wheels are up to, throttle response is prompt but not overly sharp, and the brakes feel confident.

Those versions with selectable driving modes (all but the entry-level FE) can click among Normal, Smart, and Sport. Smart is the, um, smart one. It moves automatically between Normal and Sport according to how the car is being driven.

The Forte GT has a healthy amount of muscle for a compact sedan and a more sophisticated multi-link rear suspension instead of the simpler (and cheaper) torsion beam setup found in the other Forte variants. It’s an intriguing rival to the enjoyable Honda Civic Si.

Agreeable and unfussy, with strong horizontal lines and a nicely contoured dash — that’s the Kia Forte’s interior design approach. The dash houses neat circular vents and the standard-issue 8-inch touchscreen.

The old story with reasonably priced cars is that the center armrest (if one existed) was typically too low and too short. That’s not the case here. The front seats are also nicely supportive and have enough travel to accommodate tall drivers. The parking brake lever might seem quaintly 20th-century, but many drivers prefer it over modern electric versions that just have a switch.

Accepting that it’s all in the eye of the beholder, we’d still venture that the 2021 Forte would get a thumbs-up from most people for its aesthetics. There’s a hint of Stinger (Kia’s highly rated sports sedan) about it, which is a good thing.

Humble 15-inch steel wheels on the base FE give way to snazzier 16-inch alloys on the LXS trim. The Forte GT model, meanwhile, takes the sporty theme to another level with a dedicated grille design, red-painted brake calipers, and 18-inch alloy wheels.

STANDARD 8-INCH TOUCHSCREEN
Every 2021 Forte has one, not just the upper trims. Positioned perfectly at the top of the center console, with a handy row of buttons just below, it’s an effective interface for an infotainment system that offers Apple CarPlay/Android Auto smartphone integration and many other things.

CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (CVT)
Usually, a CVT would be on a list of our most disliked features. They tend to be sluggish in their responses and emit a drone while evaporating any driving fun. However, the unit in the 2021 Forte (covered by a sound-attenuating metal quilt) does a great job of imitating a conventional 6-speed automatic.

Active safety equipment such as forward-collision mitigation, lane-keeping assistance, and driver attention monitoring are standard in the entry-level 2021 Forte FE. It also comes with a steering wheel that adjusts for height and reach, power locks/windows, a trip computer, cloth upholstery, 6-way manually adjustable front seats, air conditioning, smartphone integration, USB port, auxiliary audio input, Bluetooth, and a 4-speaker audio system.

Apart from the automatic transmission and alloy wheels, the LXS trim is still somewhat sparse, but does add soft-touch plastics for the dash and upper and center door panels, plus 60/40-split-folding rear seats.

It’s not until the GT Line that blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert makes its way into the 2021 Forte. It also has 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry/ignition, leather-wrapped steering wheel/shift knob, heated side mirrors, and a 6-speaker audio setup.

The GT Line Premium package includes an 8-speaker/320-watt Harman Kardon audio system with Clari-Fi (reconstituting sound quality lost during digital compression), power sunroof, two USB ports, wireless charging, and — new for 2021 — a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.

EX trim’s new standard features for 2021 are a powered sunroof, wireless charging, navigation, and the Harman Kardon audio system. In addition, this version now comes with Uvo telematics through a Kia owner’s smartphone app. Functions include remote cabin temperature settings, Connected Routing, engine idle notification, 911 Connect, and roadside assistance.

A GT2 package for GT trim also includes a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, wireless charging, heated/ventilated front seats, pedestrian detection for the forward-collision avoidance system, rear parking sensors, and the aforementioned audio upgrade. GT versions with the manual transmission now have Michelin Pilot Sport summer tires.

Other extras include simulated leather upholstery (standard in the EX, optional in the GT), dual-zone automatic climate control (ditto), satellite radio, and adaptive cruise control.

The standard engine in every 2021 Forte — except the GT — is a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine making 147 horsepower, which is less than the lowest-powered Civic (158 horsepower and can still manage 42 mpg on the highway) and the Mazda3 (186 horsepower, 36-highway mpg).

As mentioned above, the FE trim has a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, with a well-engineered CVT as the automatic alternative.

The Kia Forte GT is motivated by a turbocharged 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine developing 201 horsepower (the Honda Civic Si makes 205). A 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) with paddle shifters is standard here. Think of it as an automated manual. A 6-speed stick shift is optional.

In all models, only the front wheels are driven.

2.0-liter inline-4 (FE, LXS, GT Line, EX)
147 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
132 lb-ft of torque @ 4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/37 mpg (FE manual), 31/41 mpg (FE automatic), 29/40 mpg (LXS, GT Line, EX)

1.6-liter turbocharged inline-4 (GT)
201 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
195 lb-ft of torque @ 1,500-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/35 mpg (automatic), 25/32 mpg (manual)