View In-Depth Photos of the 2020 Kia Forte GT
The new Forte GT looks and feels the part of a sporty economy car, but it's more compelling for its attractive pricing than for its outright performance.
Kia hasn't given up on sports sedans. Witness the slinky, rear-drive Stinger and the Forte GT, the warmed-up version of its front-wheel-drive compact sedan, which is new for the 2020 model year. It's dressed well and equipped properly for its mission, with a 201-hp turbo-four and an available six-speed manual. But its ride, handling, and performance aren't quite honed enough to propel it to the front of its fun-loving class.
The Forte GT is powered by a familiar 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four that can be found under the hoods of many Kia and Hyundai products. It develops 195 pound-feet of torque at 1500 rpm.
The Forte GT's engine drives the front wheels through either a six-speed manual transmission (applause!) or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Opting for the latter drops the price by $600.
To improve the GT's handling, Kia swapped the standard Forte's torsion beam rear axle for a more costly multilink setup.
Kia got the Forte GT's look right. The changes include blacked-out trim, a racier front bumper cover, a tasteful BMW-like rear-deck spoiler, and more-aggressive 225/40R-18 tires on attractive 18-inch alloys. All-season tires are standard, but sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 summer tires are a $200 option.
The GT's sporty theme continues on the inside. The good stuff includes well-bolstered front sport seats covered in grippy fabric, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, and classic white-on-black analog gauges.
Beyond the sporty touches, the Forte GT is well-equipped for its price. Standard features include a power moonroof, a premium Harman/Kardon audio system, pushbutton start, LED headlights, rear park-distance monitors, and more.
The Forte GT's acceleration, braking, and skidpad grip roughly overlap that of the leading front-drive compact sports sedans—the Honda Civic Si and Volkswagen Jetta GLI—but its road manners aren't as sharply honed.
In everyday driving, the Forte GT signals that it's ready to entertain its driver when the road turns twisty. Its steering and brakes are reasonably sharp, its clutch and shifter well-coordinated, and its exhaust note is subtle and raspy.
While the Forte GT is pleasant and sporty enough around town, when driven aggressively it feels slightly disconnected and hesitant. Steering feedback evaporates, and the exhaust note goes flat.
While the Forte GT is sporty, its most compelling feature is its value. Equipped with summer tires and the six-speed manual, our test car's sticker came to just $25,090.
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
2020 Kia Forte GT
View Photos of the 1987 Sterling 825SL
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet Interior Photos
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet Exterior Photos
View Photos of the 2027 Ferrari 849 Testarossa
