Kia Forte S Automatic: A Compact Car for Tech Lovers

What would happen if you mix a Korean automaker with an Italian name and an exterior sculpted by Germans? It sounds like a recipe for disaster, doesn’t it? But the new Kia Forte S delivers more than you’d expect from a sedan with such a confusing process behind it. More spacious, more comfortable, better equipped and better looking than previous models, this compact sedan has drawn the attention of our mechanics here at Wagner KIA of Shrewsbury.

And, it’s not hard to see why. The new S model starts at $20,000 and is practically a bargain that continues to live up to the expectations set by Kia with past Fortes. Let’s take a look at what the car has to offer and how it performs.

Pleasing to the Eyes

This Kia S model is the newest addition to the Forte family, which includes three different styles: sedan, coupe, and hatchback. All 2017 Kia Fortes come with a new grille, tail lamp, and headlamp designs. This S model also has 16-inch aluminum wheels, LED driving lights, a chrome exhaust pipe, and a deck lid spoiler. Additional options include fog lamps, a chrome beltline, door handle inserts, and LED tail lamps.

While the exterior looks like a regular compact sedan, the new Forte comes with a not so common feature. The car boasts small triangular windows in it’s windshield pillars, which highlight it’s tilted beltline.

Inside, the seats are covered in black cloth with white accent stitching while the steering wheel and shifter are leather coated.

There’s nothing regular about the technology boasted by the new Kia Forte S. A 4.2.-inchTFT display located between the speedometer and tach shows the mileage. A 7.0-inch touchscreen placed in the center of the dashboard allows you to control the car. This S model provides both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity features.

If you’re a little fed up by the touchscreen technology and miss the old days of pushing and turning buttons, then the new Kia Forte S is the right car for you, as well. The radio has knobs for volume and tuning while three other buttons allow you to control the climate. So, it’s not an overstatement to say that Kia can please almost any driver, from the nostalgic ones to tech enthusiasts.

Powerful and Balanced

The new Kia Forte S is powered by a 147-hp 2.0-liter four cylinder engine, an important shift from the old 1.8-liter engine. The crankshaft is balanced so that it cuts friction. The engine uses the Atkinson cycle with an extension stroke for increased efficiency.

This S model also comes with a six-speed automatic system. The automatic’s manual mode can hold the chosen gear up until the 6,500 rpm redline. However, it doesn’t offer an automatic kickdown for passing. That’s why, as numerous test drives concluded, it’s best to leave the car in automatic mode.

Due to it’s hard working engine, the 2017 Kia Forte S can reach 60 mph in 8.7 seconds. It can reach a top speed of 122 mph, and the engine really purrs during the last 1,500 rpm of its rev range. The rear torsion beam and the suspension of front struts together with the roll motions and body pitch are perfectly controlled, enhancing the Forte S’s dynamics.

Economic

Merging a petite, high-efficient engine with an automatic transmission is one of the best ways to achieve fuel economy nowadays. The New Kia Forte S promises 38-mpg EPA on the highway and 29-mph EPA in the city, proving that it’s a great car for those who don’t want to spend too much money on gas.

You can activate the Lane Keep Assist System, and you can cruise with your hands off the wheel for about 20 seconds. Unlike most lane control systems, test drives showed that this one actually does a pretty good job at finding the center of the land instead of wiggling between the lines.

Ultimately, what pleases us most here at Wagner KIA of Shrewsbury is that the Korean automaker managed to meet and surpass all expectation with its new S model.