Kia decided to develop this CVT for improved fuel mileage. 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback first drive: Warm hatch.Normal and smart offer more sedate driving experiences. Sport mode just causes the revs to stay higher no matter what you’re doing, and it’s more eager to rev up if asked to do so. It will behave differently depending on the mode you select too: normal, sport or smart. Many buyers may not even notice that a CVT is in use if they weren’t told beforehand, but it’s readily apparent for those of us who pay attention to this kind of thing. The car even seems to pause/delay acceleration a bit as the revs fall before picking back up again. It’ll do this for as long as you stay on it. At full throttle it slowly revs up to redline, then falls back about 2,500 rpm and revs back up. It’s designed to mimic a conventional automatic with “steps” that almost feel like shifting gears. The first CVT made by Kia is a competent transmission for the manufacturer’s first try. Kia didn’t quote any acceleration times, but it feels like a 9-second-plus car to 60 mph. It’s painfully slow off the line, with a throttle pedal that seems to ask you twice if you’re sure before telling the engine to do something. If you came to the Forte thinking it would go as fast as it looks, you’ll be roundly disappointed. Uneven roads do trip the rear end up a bit as it bounces around in ways you don’t want it to. However, the Forte dives into corners much more willingly than before and offers a modicum of fun when hustled on a twisty backroad. It’s not easy to live up to those words, and we think it’s a bit of an exaggeration in practice. Kia says the Forte “has the spirit of the Stinger’s handling.” It mentioned Albert Biermann (ex head of BMW’s M-division) when describing how the new Forte goes around corners. You can feel the benefits everywhere back seat occupants certainly won’t be disappointed. The Forte grew in every dimension for 2019. It has an airy feel with lots of storage spaces too – definitely helpful to make a small car feel bigger. Visibility is great all around, but the A-pillars could use a bit of thinning. A leather steering wheel is nice to see on the features list, but it doesn’t feel that soft or luxurious. Hop in and you’re greeted to new comfortable and lightly bolstered leatherette seats. However, it does almost everything a hell of a lot better. Kia even included a fake “stitch” going across the entire dash for appearance purposes.Īfter everything that Kia did to improve the Forte for 2019, it still finds itself in the weird middle ground among its competitors. One funny part though –- the dash appears to be stitched leather until you touch it and learn that it’s plastic. There’s still plenty of plastic around, but the important bits are all soft to the touch and feel ergonomic. However, the most expensive trims feel like you’re getting your money’s worth. Kia only had top-level EX and Launch Edition trim levels on hand, so we can’t speak to the cheaper versions yet. Horizontal lines and an uncluttered center stack make for a relatively elegant interior look. If you’ve spent any time in a new Elantra, then the 2019 Forte’s interior will look mighty similar. It complicates what could be a wonderfully clean look with giant triangular pieces of piano black plastic. The exterior’s biggest downfall is the separate rear turn signal modules underneath the taillights. Muscular lines in the hood and other spots complement luxury car touches like the taillights that appear to wrap around the entire rear width of the car –- they’re only connected by an unlit strip of trim designed to look the part. From the grille to the copy-cat headlights and even the fastback feel it brings to the rear, Peter Schreyer’s design is written all over this one. The front of the new Forte is undeniably Stinger-like in appearance. Updates include completely revamped styling inside and out, new suspension, and most notably, Kia’s first continuously variable transmission. So, here we are with a brand-new Forte for 2019. But even that’s a stretch to justify why sales have gone up every year as the styling gets older. The looks have always been distinctive when compared to the plain sheetmetal encasing better sellers like the Corolla and Sentra. Handling has never been its strong suit, and the bargain-basement pricing days of Kias have long since passed. It’s not the fastest, nor is it the most comfortable-riding. The Kia Forte is in a weird spot in the compact car segment.
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