First Test: 2010 Kia Forte Koup - MotorTrend Magazine
Kia's attractive new Forte coupe, the Koup, represents the second stage of the South Korean automaker's evolution in the U. S. market. It became one of the first places to go if you needed a cheap, reliable car. Offering the kinds of kit found in significantly more expensive Japanese models sweetened the pot, but exterior and interior design was nothing to write home about. Now you can write home about it, and in the case of the Forte, both Koup and four-door sedan, you'll undoubtedly write about the car's striking resemblance to the Honda Civic , our 2006 Car of the Year. Live with the Forte for more than a test drive, and you'll start to pick out myriad differences, like the Koup's more sculptured c-pillar and tail section and its more conventional-looking instrument panel, though it is surrounded by top-notch... Phase three of Kia's evolution has yet to arrive -- the kind of driving dynamics a small, sporty envelope suggests. And yet, Kia's natural tendency is to start with the kind of cush its home market prefers. It's a reasonably tossable car that doesn't quite take advantage of the built-in fun-to-drive nature of small cars. Its six-speed manual could use closer ratios, for one, often making you choose from screaming at the redline too long before diving for a turn or upshifting at the last minute and then immediately having to downshift. Closer ratios shouldn't hurt this car or its fuel economy -- it has six gears, after all. Source: www.motortrend.com
