Many people are making the shift from larger gas guzzlers to economy, compact cars. From one maker that I’ve come to respect comes the 2014 Kia Forte EX. Clean lines, ‘tiger’ grill, and leather interior make this one pretty sedan. The gorgeous electric blue paint and shiny trim help too. Did I mention tha
2014 Kia Forte EX on the Road
On our trip to and from Monterey (about 200 miles roundtrip), the Forte averaged 36 mpg. That was with five people in the car and with Eco mode off! Now THAT’s impressive! Even with city driving mixed in during our loan period, we still got about 28 mpg most of the time.
Back Seat Passengers Beware
Handling was tight and sensitivity could be toggled between comfort, normal, and sport, making it perfect for any driving preference. However, I’d be careful about who you have riding in the back. A curvy road feels like a roller coaster thrill ride to rear seat passengers as they continually roll from side to side.
I was expecting the Forte to be compact but it didn’t dawn on me that also applied to its width. We invited another friend and his 10-year-old son with us on our trip down the coast and it was extremely cozy. The leg room was fine but the hip room was lacking. I didn’t want the kids to feel awkward so, to give them each some personal space, I kind of sat on one hip, crossed my legs, and hugged the door handle there and back. At least there was a good amount of trunk space for souvenirs and plenty of cubbies for snacks 🙂
The 2014 Kia Forte EX would make a great commute or city car for a single person. It’d probably get a bit uncomfortable if you needed to drive more than one passenger on a regular basis. The nice thing is that the lower price tag can give you more room to spend on the available extras like heated steering, leather trim, push start, keyless entry, dual climate control, HID lights, LED control display, and front and rear seat heaters. You’ll even want to consider getting the navigation system as the screen is set at the perfect angle for clear viewing.
Kia Forte – The Compact Contender
With the Forte starting at $15,900 and the EX trim starting at $19,500, this should be on your ‘must try’ list for economy, compact commute cars. It’s on par with other cars of its class but it’s got a nice punch of power and a sweet selection of features.
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7 comments
You definitely know your stuff when it comes to cars! Fantastic review, as always. 🙂
What a comfy little car. Too bad it would not fit my whole family. I miss having a little car like this!
I agree that this would be a good car for a commuter or a single person. But for us moms with growing kids, I would need something with a bigger backseat, especially for my son who’s taller than I am!
We need a slightly larger car for our everyday use, but my nephew is approaching driving age and everybody is making suggestions as to what his first car should be. This should like it should be on the list of contenders.
We are in the market for a new commuter car for my husband… might have to check this out.
I love Kia’s and how affordable they are. This would be a perfect first car for my son. We’re starting to look around, and he’d love the Forte!
I am a big fan of Kia’s, since that is what Bob the Van is. I would love to have a car, but I just know that three of my boys would not squish into a backseat well. Love the sun roof on this car!
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