2010 Kia Forte replaces the aging Spectra
Kia will roll out the all-new 2010 Kia Forte compact sedan in early summer as a replacement for the aging and largely unlamented Spectra. “I think it looks really good,” said Tom Loveless, who noted it is also aimed at the sweet spot in the contemporary automotive culture. “This is the heart of the market,” he said, noting that if it hits it’s goal, Forte will become Kia’s volume product.
The Forte, which debuts at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show, blends a new design from Peter Schreyer, Kia Motors’ chief design officer, with a multitude of standard features, Kia officials emphasized. The Korean maker’s product line is rapidly evolving and the Forte compact sedan is another head turner,” declared B.M. Ahn, group president and CEO, KMA and KMMG. “The Forte is an aggressively stylish blend of comfort and practicality – and with a host of standard features it provides the great quality and value that consumers have come to expect from Kia vehicles.”
With a wheelbase of 104.3 inches, an overall length of 178.3 inches, a width of 69.9 inches and height of 57.5 inches, the front-engine, front-wheel-drive Forte offers one of the roomiest interiors in its class with seating for up to five passengers.
When it goes on sales this summer, the Forte will come in three different trim levels LX, EX and SX. The SX trim level offers a more athletic profile with 17-inch alloy wheels and a rear spoiler. The SX model also features larger front brakes for improved stopping capabilities. The powertrain is a 2.4-liter inline-four, with Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT). It produces 173 horsepower. The base and mid-level LX and EX models are powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine producing 156 hp.
Two transmission options are offered for the 2010 Forte LX and EX, a standard five-speed manual or an optional electronically controlled four-speed automatic on the LX and EX models. The SX offers either a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic transmission with Sportmatic manual-mode shifting.
The optional Fuel Economy Package, available with the 2.0-liter powerplant, will include a five-speed automatic transmission, Motor Drive Power Steering and low-rolling resistance tires with aero enhancements. These improvements result in class-leading combined fuel economy of 36 miles per gallon.