Comparison review: five compact sporty sedans (Fourth place)

With the new 2010 Forte SX, Kia has advanced its styling but backtracked on interior quality and did not add sporty driving dynamics. See more photos of the Forte in today's slideshow.

With most of its recent products, Kia had been on a roll. Quality, refinement, safety, fuel economy, and driving dynamics were all improving rapidly even as the Korean automaker maintained its traditional low prices. 

With the compact Forte, introduced for 2010, it looked as though Kia would be able to add style to its list of new strengths. But while this car features clean and attractive looks, it falls short of the high standard to which the company’s products should now be held. 

The most obvious flaw on the sporty SX version of the Forte – which spent a week with the DC Car Examiner – might be an easy fix: cleaning up an unnecessarily sensitive throttle and abrupt clutch that make the car difficult to launch smoothly and gently. A car that’s frustrating isn’t a fun car. 

But beyond that, this loaded Forte also falls short of most other cars at its price point – and its predecessor, the Kia Spectra – for interior quality, and doesn’t match the best for ride, handling, steering feel, or safety ratings. 

All versions of the Forte feel more like basic transportation than the best new economy cars. The seats are roomy but hard and flat. The interior is sturdy and the perforated leather trim on this car’s seats and door panels is nice, but plastics are hard and hollow, some moving parts are clunky, and not all trim pieces line up properly. More details about the Forte's interior

On the road, the firm suspension makes for ride quality that’s acceptable on most surfaces, but it can feel jittery in some cases even on smooth roads. The Forte takes some bumps in stride, but others come through as alarmingly sharp slams. The car corners capably but not eagerly, with steering that needs more precision and quicker responses. More details about the Forte's driving dynamics

SEE MORE PHOTOS OF THE FORTE IN TODAY'S SLIDESHOW

The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is the highlight of the Forte’s driving experience, offering strong, smooth power through a six-speed manual transmission that has a nice feel to its shifter, if not its clutch. The transmission’s sixth gear also lets the car settle down to return excellent highway gas mileage. 

The Forte does have some other advantages over the other cars in this comparison. Its rear seat is the most spacious of these five, and its trunk also beats the norm. The car driven for this review averaged nearly 32 miles per gallon over more than 700 miles. It also follows the Kia tradition of having the lowest price and the longest warranty. 

But the Forte has strayed from the formula that has encouraged this reviewer to praise other recent Kias: offering a higher level of refinement and quality than one might expect from a low price. With the Forte, a low price buys decidedly less car. That’s less of a bargain. 

If Kia could fix the Forte’s throttle/clutch relationship, it would have a generally adequate compact sedan with a strong engine and slick shifter, which would give the car some credibility at offering fun on the cheap. But to be a class leader, the suspension, steering, and interior could use some upgrades, even if the cost needs to go up a bit to cover that. 

Vehicle tested: 2010 Kia Forte
Vehicle base price (MSRP): $13,965
Version tested: SX
Vehicle price as tested (MSRP): $19,490
Estimated transaction price as tested: $18,027
Estimated transaction price as comparable:* $18,027
Test vehicle provided by: Kia Motors America

Key specifications: 
Length: 178.3 inches
Width: 69.9 inches
Height: 57.5 inches
Wheelbase: 104.3 inches
Weight: 2,853 pounds
Trunk room: 14.7 cubic feet
Turning circle: 35.4 feet
Engine: 2.4-liter I4 with 173 horsepower
Transmission: 6-speed manual
EPA city mileage: 22 miles per gallon
EPA highway mileage: 32 miles per gallon
EPA mixed driving: 26 miles per gallon
Observed during test: 31.9 miles per gallon

For more information: Kia website

Coming up tomorrow: THIRD PLACE

*Note on pricing: when possible, the vehicles tested for this review were equipped comparably to the tested Forte SX, with leather interiors, sunroofs, and manual transmissions. It wasn't always possible. The five vehicles in this comparison are offered with most of the same features in the required price range, but the specific cars available to drive for this comparison ranged from base models with no options to fully optioned vehicles. These discrepancies will be noted in each review and corrected for as much as possible.