Instrumented Test
TESTED
Kia calls its new Forte5 SX “ultra hot,” proving that heat, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. By the current standards of the hot-hatch class, 7.5 seconds to 60 mph is not exactly scorching, nor is a quarter-mile run of 15.7 seconds at 89 mph. The Ford Focus ST and the Volkswagen GTI are significantly quicker, as is Ford’s new Fiesta ST. Still, this is the first Forte that can make a plausible case for membership in the hot-hatchback club. And it’s a more desirable Forte5 all around.
Force Feeding
Redesigned for 2014, the Forte continues to be offered in three body styles: a formal sedan, a coupe (Koup in Kia-speak), and a five-door hatch. The Forte5’s dimensions have expanded. Compared with the previous generation, the wheelbase stretches two inches, length increases about a half-inch, and it’s a smidge wider and a little lower—but mass is kept in check due to increased use of high-strength steel, more of which typically means less structural metal overall.
The SX is the performance version of the Forte5, and its main distinguishing feature is a 1.6-liter turbo four that’s new to Kia’s U.S. power inventory. This yields some pretty substantial output upticks for the SX: 201 horsepower versus 173 from last year’s naturally aspirated 2.4-liter, and 195 lb-ft of torque versus 168. And like that of most force-fed engines, the Kia’s torque peak is more of a plateau, spanning from a lowly 1750 rpm all the way to 4500. Mated to a six-speed manual transmission (a six-speed automatic is optional) the net result, thanks in no small measure to that agreeable torque curve, is performance that manages to make the Forte5 SX feel quicker than the stopwatch says it is.
Agility with Comfort
There’s more to the dynamics than acceleration. The new chassis rides on a revised version of the previous model’s front-strut, rear-torsion-beam suspension, delivering an agreeable improvement in all-around agility and ride quality. There’s a bit more vertical motion in the suspension than you’d experience in a Focus ST or GTI, but body roll is far from excessive, and real-world grip—yielded in part from a set of 225/40-18 Nexen CP67 all-season tires—is adequate.
“Adequate” isn’t the same as “tenacious,” of course, and this isn’t the rubber you’d want for an autocross session. It’s also not the right rubber for bringing the Forte to a quick standstill. The SX has bigger front brake rotors than does the EX model, but the SX’s 174-foot 70-mph-to-0 stop pales in comparison to, say, the 159-foot snub by the Fiesta ST hot hatch.
Electric power steering replaces the previous hydraulic gear, and this proved to be reasonably quick at 2.9 turns lock-to-lock and more accurate than many other electrified tillers. FlexSteer, a driver-selectable steering-assist system, is standard. But none of the system’s Normal, Comfort, or Sport boost settings provides sufficient road-surface feedback through the steering wheel.
Nevertheless, the 2014 Forte5 SX is an appealing package with respectable dynamic credentials, pleasant ride quality, attractive curbside presence, and a well-executed interior. And if the acceleration numbers aren’t thrilling, the fun-to-drive factor is distinctly higher than the previous model’s.
