If you want the looks of the high-performance version of the Kia Forte without its more powerful engine or suspension upgrades, Kia has added a new trim level to the 2020 Forte called the GT-Line. It's nearly as visually aggressive as the 201-hp Forte GT, and yet it comes with the same 147-hp naturally aspirated inline-four engine as all standard Forte sedans. Basically, it's got the look but not the performance to back it up.
The GT-Line's key exterior features include a black grille with red accents, special 17-inch wheels, and GT-Line badging, while the interior has a flat-bottom steering wheel, extra bolstering for the front seats, and metal pedals. It fits between the LXS and EX models in the Forte lineup, replacing the previous S trim. Perplexingly, this supposedly sporty-looking Forte can only be had with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), as the six-speed manual comes only on the base FE trim and the turbocharged GT.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
