Kia Forte

Kia Forte
Manufacturer Kia Motors
Also called Kia Cerato
Kia Cerato Forte (Singapore)
Naza Forte (Malaysia)
Production 2008–present
Model years 2009–present
Assembly South Korea: Hwaseong, Gyeonggi (Hwasung Plant)
China: Jiangsu (Yangcheng Plant)
Kazakhstan: Ust-Kamenogorsk[1]
Predecessor Kia Cerato
Class Compact
Body style 2-door coupe
4-door sedan
5-door hatchback
Layout Front-engine, front-wheel drive
Wheelbase 2,650 mm (104.3 in)
Length 4,480 mm (176.4 in) (coupe)
4,530 mm (178.3 in) (sedan)
4,340 mm (170.9 in) (hatchback)
Width 1,765 mm (69.5 in) (coupe)
1,775 mm (69.9 in) (sedan, hatch)
Height 1,400 mm (55.1 in) (coupe)
1,460 mm (57.5 in) (sedan, hatch)
Designer Peter Schreyer

The Kia Forte is a compact car manufactured by Kia Motors since mid-2008 to replace the Cerato, available in two-door coupe, four-door sedan, five-door hatchback variants. It is not available in Europe, where the similar sized Kia Cee'd is offered (except for Russia and Ukraine, where the Cee'd and the Forte are both available).

In some markets, such as Australia and Brazil, the Forte is marketed as the Kia Cerato replacing its predecessor of the same name. In Singapore, the name Kia Cerato Forte is used,[2] while Naza of Malaysia has assembled the vehicle since 2009, selling it there under the name Naza Forte.[3]

Contents

History of development

The Forte shares the same platform as the Hyundai Elantra (HD), though employing a torsion-beam rear suspension in place of the Elantra's multilink design.

Kia has stated that the Forte was specifically designed to target younger buyers attracted to sharper auto designs.[4]

Coupe (Koup)

The two-door coupe "Forte Koup" was originally unveiled as a concept car in the form of the "Kia Koup" on March 20, 2008 at the New York International Auto Show.[5][6] The concept sported a twin screw turbocharged version of the 2.0-liter Theta II inline-four engine. The production Forte Koup is badged as the "Kia Cerato Koup" in Australasia and South Africa, is called the "Kia Shuma" in China, and "Kia Koup" in Chile.

Sedan

The Forte sedan was designed in Kia's California design studio by Tom Kearns and his team.[7][8] The Forte two-door ("Koup") was previewed as the "Kia Koup" Concept, and was also designed in Kia's California design studio.[9][10] The Korean model went on sale on August 22, 2008.[11] The US model was unveiled at the 2009 Chicago Auto Show.[12][13]

Hatchback

The new Forte hatchback five-door debuted at the 2010 New York International Auto Show 2010.[14]

Powertrain

Engine type Displacement Power Torque Transmission
1.6 L Gamma I4 (gasoline) 1,591 cc 126 hp (94 kW; 128 PS) 15.9 kgf·m (156 N·m; 115 ft·lbf) 5-speed manual, 4-speed automatic (6-speed automatic + paddle-shift as of 2011 model)
1.6 L Gamma I4 (LPG hybrid) 1,591 cc Continuously variable automatic
1.6 L CRDi VGT I4 (t/c diesel) 1,582 cc 128 PS (94 kW; 126 hp) 26.5 kgf·m (260 N·m; 192 ft·lbf) 4-speed automatic
2.0 L Theta II I4 (gasoline) 1,998 cc 156 PS (115 kW; 154 hp) 19.8 kgf·m (194 N·m; 143 ft·lbf) 5-speed manual, 4- and 6-speed automatic
2.4 L Theta II I4 (gasoline) 2,359 cc 173 PS (127 kW; 171 hp) 227 N·m (167 lbf·ft) 6-speed manual, 6-speed automatic

LPI Hybrid

In 2009, Kia unveiled the mild hybrid Forte at the Seoul Motor Show for the South Korean market.[15][16] Taking its underpinnings from the Hyundai Elantra LPI Hybrid, the car is powered by liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). It is powered with a 85-kilowatt (114 hp) 1.6-litre LPG engine coupled with a 15-kilowatt (20 hp) electric motor and a lithium-polymer battery pack, making it the first production car to use lithium-polymer batteries.[17][18]

Market

Asia

For the Chinese market, Kia has offered the "Forte Furuidi" since 2009. The Furuidi was unveiled at the Nanjing International Expo Centre,[19] and is available with the 1.6- Gamma and 2.0-liter Theta engines.[20] "Furuidi" means luck and auspiciousness in the Chinese language—and has a pronunciation similar to its English name "Forte".[21]

In Malaysia, the Forte is assembled by the joint-venture company Naza-Kia and is called the "Naza Forte". It is offered with the 1.6-liter Gamma and 2.0-liter Theta II engine variants, with six-speed automatic transmissions.

Europe

In Russia and Ukraine, the Cerato (Forte) is available as Cee'd's notchback counterpart, with the coupe and saloon available together. The Forte is not available in other European countries, due to the relatively low popularity of small family saloons there. Despite the LPI Hybrid being launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Forte is still not offered in European countries outside Russia and Ukraine.

North America

In the United States, the LX and EX include a 2.0-liter CVVT engine and a standard five-speed manual transmission, with an optional four-speed automatic or a five-speed automatic with the Fuel Economy Package. For the 2011 model year, Forte is available with an optional six-speed automatic, with the four- and five-speed automatics being discontinued.

The LX is the base model. It comes standard with electronic stability control (ESC), and seat- and side-mounted airbags. The standard stereo includes four speakers, AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, and Sirius XM Radio. An iPod-compatible USB input jack and an auxiliary port for an external music device and steering wheel mounted audio controls are also integrated with the sound system. Bluetooth handsfree technology is also standard.[22] The second-tier EX adds air conditioning, power windows and door locks, cruise control, a six-speaker radio, a key fob with keyless entry, and turn signal indicators on the side mirrors. The SX has the 2.4-liter engine with a six-speed manual or optional five-speed automatic transmission.[23] The SX also adds alloy wheels, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever, a tilting and telescoping steering column, sport-cloth seats, and a metallic finish to the interior. Later production models have soft-touch panels on the armrest and door, as well as on the dashboard. For 2011, the EX and SX sedans are automatic-only, while the base sedan and all models of the Koup and Forte5 continue to offer the choice of manual or automatic.

An optional Fuel Economy Package adds low resistance silica tires, a more efficient alternator, a five-speed automatic transmission, and aerodynamic enhancements to increase fuel efficiency. With the Fuel Economy Package, the Forte EX has a 27 mpg-US (8.7 L/100 km; 32 mpg-imp) fuel consumption in city driving and 36 mpg-US (6.5 L/100 km; 43 mpg-imp) in highway according to United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).[22] Automatic transmission models include an "Eco" display on the instrument panel that tells the driver when better than expected fuel efficiency is reached, hoping to influence driving habits toward more efficient operation.

For the Forte Koup, an optional leather package is available on both EX and SX trims. When combined with the EX trim, leather is utilized for the upholstery, steering wheel and shift lever; heated front seats and a sunroof are also included with the package. When paired with the SX trim, it includes only heated leather seats and the sunroof, as a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift lever are already fitted as standard.[24]

The Forte sold in Canada has similar specifications and equipment as the US-market model. Some differences include the addition of power windows, door locks and power heated exterior mirrors on the base LX trim, a telescopic steering wheel on the EX trim, and a standard sunroof and automatic climate control system on the SX trim. The EX and SX also have a chrome-trimmed rear garnish and door handles.

References

  1. ^ "AО "Азия Авто"". Aziaavto.kz. http://www.aziaavto.kz/hist_eng.htm. Retrieved 2010-10-30. 
  2. ^ "Kia launches the new Cerato Forte for the Singaporean market". iCars Singapore. 2009-01-31. http://www.icars.sg/2009/1800/kia-launches-the-new-cerato-forte-for-the-singaporean-market/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  3. ^ Yaohan, Seow (2009-11-26). "Naza Kia Launches The Forte In Malaysia". News.motorstop.asia. http://news.motorstop.asia/malaysia/naza-kia-launches-the-forte-in-malaysia/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  4. ^ Martinez, Nate (July 8, 2008). "Revealed! 2010 Kia Forte Sedan images hit the Web". Motor Trend. http://wot.motortrend.com/6258271/auto-news/revealed-2010-kia-forte-sedan-images-hit-the-web/index.html. Retrieved September 30, 2009. 
  5. ^ Lavrinc, Damon (2008-03-20). "New York 2008: Kia KOUP Concept comes out". Autoblog. Weblogs, Inc.. http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-kia-koup-concept/. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
  6. ^ Hardigree, Matt (2008-03-20). "Kia Koup Concept Astounds, Konfounds". Jalopnik. Gawker Media. http://jalopnik.com/370103/kia-koup-concept-astounds-konfounds. Retrieved 2008-03-20. 
  7. ^ Kia Design Tempting youthful buyers with cheap chic Aug. 28, 2009. Globe and Mail
  8. ^ Kia Forte Design Concept, Peter Schreyer Youtube Video
  9. ^ Forte (All-new Cerato) & Forte (All-new Cerato) Koup Design Essay :Kurt Kahl (Senior Designer. Kia America Design Center). July 31st, 2009. Kia BUZZ
  10. ^ KOUP Q&A By Colin Jang. July 10th, 2009. Kia BUZZ
  11. ^ "Revealed: 2009 Kia Forte". TheCarBlogger. 2008-07-02. http://www.thecarblogger.net/2008/07/revealed-2009-kia-forte.html. Retrieved 2009-10-18. 
  12. ^ Sam Abuelsamid. "Chicago 2009: Spectra out, 2010 Kia Forte in". http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/chicago-auto-show-2010-kia-forte/. 
  13. ^ Phillips, Drew (2009-02-11). "Chicago 2009: Kia Forte rolls into Chi-town". Autoblog.com. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/11/chicago-2009-kia-forte-rolls-into-chi-town/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  14. ^ Padgett, Marty (2010-04-01). "Kia Forte hatchback". Thecarconnection.com. http://www.thecarconnection.com/marty-blog/1043957_2011-kia-forte-five-door-2010-new-york-auto-show. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  15. ^ Abuelsamid, Sam (2009-03-24). "Kia introduces production Forte LPI Hybrid in South Korea". Autoblog.com. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/24/kia-introduces-production-forte-lpi-hybrid-in-south-korea/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  16. ^ Martinez, Nate (March 24, 2009). "Kia Launches Eco Dynamics Label in Korea, Unveils Forte Hybrid Model". Motor Trend. http://wot.motortrend.com/6496293/green/kia-launches-eco-dynamics-label-in-korea-unveils-forte-hybrid-model/index.html. Retrieved October 5, 2009. 
  17. ^ FrugalOne (2009-03-25). "Kia Unveils Forte LPi Hybrid In Korea | Reviews | Prices | Australian specifications". Themotorreport.com.au. http://www.themotorreport.com.au/24580/2010-kia-forte-lpi-hybrid-unveiled-in-korea. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  18. ^ GoAutoMedia (2009-06-30). "Hyundai 2010 Avante LPI Hybrid Electric Vehicle - Lithium-polymer leads the charge". GoAuto. http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mellor.nsf/story2/716D7EE067B3EC81CA2575E5000A15A4. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  19. ^ "预告:6月18日18点08直播FORTE福瑞迪上市发布". Auto.sina.com.cn. http://auto.sina.com.cn/news/2009-06-17/1621500542.shtml. Retrieved 2010-10-09.  (Chinese)
  20. ^ Kia Motors launches locally-manufactured Forte in China
  21. ^ "Kia Motors launches locally-built Forte in China". Kia Press, 18 Jun 2009. http://news.alibaba.com/article/detail/cars/100120995-1-kia-motors-launches-locally-built-forte.html. 
  22. ^ a b 2010 Kia Forte SX First Drive 06-11-2009, edmunds.com
  23. ^ Tan, Paul. "First photos of new Kia Forte Sedan". Paultan.org. http://paultan.org/archives/2008/07/02/first-photos-of-new-kia-forte-sedan/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 
  24. ^ Korzeniewski, Jeremy (2009-09-07). "CONFIRMED: 2010 Kia Forte Koup will go on sale late summer". Autoblog.com. http://www.autoblog.com/2009/07/09/confirmed-2010-kia-forte-koup-will-go-on-sale-late-summer/. Retrieved 2010-10-09. 

External links