2014 Kia Forte is What's Cookin', Good Lookin'

11 years, 11 months ago - 29 November 2012, Autoblog

We've said it a billion times now, but man, Kias are sure looking good these days. And under the lights of the 2012 Los Angeles Auto Show, we're getting our first look at the next chapter in the Korean brand's quest for beauty, the 2014 Forte sedan.

We've given it a good once-over in the flesh, and honestly, it might just be the best-looking car in the C-segment class.

There's a whole lot in store for the new Forte, including a choice of two four-cylinder gasoline engines: a 1.8-liter unit making 148 horsepower and 131 pound-feet of torque, and a larger, direct-injected 2.0-liter mill that cranks out 173 hp and 153 lb-ft. Six-speed transmissions are standard across the board, and a proper manual 'box is available on the base LX trim with the 1.8-liter mill.

As you can imagine, the Kia Forte is available with lots of premium features that are no strangers to the compact class, including leather seating, navigation/infotainment, LED running lamps at the front and back, and even high-intensity discharge headlamps. A choice of 15-, 16- and 17-inch wheels are available (depending on trim – only the base LX manual gets the 15s), and all in, the Forte is now a seriously more attractive (literally) proposition than it was in its last generation.