![]() Starting with the exterior, the Forte GT has several GT-exclusive parts. ![]() But in this application, I kept thinking that it may have been better for them to call this the Forte GT-Line, and then rename the current GT-Line as the Forte S.Įven though it might not have the full performance I expected from a GT-badged Kia, the Forte GT does offer a unique feature set over the regular Forte that sets it apart and will please buyers who opt for this trim level. Sure, if they gave us the Veloster N engine in this car, it would definitely be worthy of the name. Should Kia have really slapped that GT badge on the car? After all, this exact same powertrain lives in the Kia Soul and is badged as a GT-Line there, rather than a full GT, which seems more reasonable.Īfter thinking this through, I believe that Kia does slightly cheapen the GT badge by putting it on this car. I was also thinking about the Civic Type R and the Veloster N which both outshine the 2020 Forte GT in every way. I was thinking about the Stinger GT, the brilliant grand touring car that introduced the Kia GT badge and took the world by storm, matching and in some cases outright beating cars that cost tens of thousands of dollars more. That’s because although I was comparing it favorably to the Civic Si, I also kept seeing that GT badge in the corner of my eye (it is featured prominently on the steering wheel, the dashboard brightwork trim, and the seats, after all). However, while I think the Forte GT is a brilliant performer, I am also a little bit conflicted. Speaking of which, this car’s power is matched perfectly to its handling ability. It’s been tuned excellently, with very little body roll and a stiff suspension that gives you confidence when you’re pushing it hard. What was even more impressive was the handling in this version of the Forte. When I did that, I found a quick, lively, responsive car that is able to accelerate quickly enough (about 6.7 seconds from 0-60mph), hold gearshifts right to the 6500rpm redline, and shift immediately upon tapping those paddle shifters. Jumping in the Forte GT for the first time, I noted that the automatic is set by default to the least sporty setting, which is a shame because it’s only after you learn how to use this transmission that you get the most out of the car, so it’s possible someone test driving this car at the dealer may walk away unimpressed simply because they didn’t realize how to use it to its full potential.Īfter a day or two, I realized that I needed to activate sport mode, move the gearshift lever to the left, to its “S” setting, and then pull the left “minus” paddleshift so that the transmission moved to “1” (not “S1”) to prepare the car for spirited driving. Nevertheless, I walked away impressed by the car’s performance. Unfortunately, the fully loaded GT2 package is only available with the automatic transmission, and that’s the version I got to test. Additionally, the Forte GT offers a GT2 package which comes with a host of luxury and convenience features that aren’t available on the Civic Si. It’s the same engine you’d find on a Veloster Turbo or a Soul GT-Line, and unlike the Civic Si which was only available with a manual transmission, offers buyers the choice of either a 6-speed manual or a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The GT variant is a direct competitor to the Honda Civic Si sedan, with a 201 horsepower, 195 lb-ft torque turbocharged inline four. Kia rolled out an all-new third-generation Forte compact sedan in 2019, but waited one model year to introduce the more performance-oriented Forte GT. An impressive alternative to the Civic Si, but does the GT badge work on this car?
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |