First Drive: 2010 Kia Forte

Another disappointment, albeit a minor one, is lack of interesting colour choices offered. Four of the eight are variations of silver or beige, the rest being white, blue, red and black. I would have liked to see a couple of the more daring hues offered on the funky Soul available on this car, too, to make the Forte that much more attractive to younger buyers who like to stand out.

2010 Kia Forte SX. Click image to enlarge

Kia will add a coupe body style to the Forte lineup in the latter part of this summer, and Kia reps suggested there’s a strong possibility that we’ll see a hatchback version sometime next year.

Compared only to the Spectra it replaces, the Forte looks and feels like a home run. I’d stop well short of calling it the next big thing in its class, but compact shoppers are a pragmatic bunch who I think will value the this car’s long list of standard features, comfortable interior and nice over-the-road behaviour enough that the down-market interior won’t turn them away.

As it is, Kia’s goal for the Forte is relatively ambitious: to break into the top five in compact car sales. At the moment, the Spectra fails to even make it into the top ten, but that might be a realistic achievement for the Forte.

Kia’s efforts to differentiate its compact from the Elantra are working, as the two cars are very different in character. The Forte comes across as the hipper option, while the Elantra is more grown-up. The Forte, in my opinion, is the better-looking of the two, and has enough character to guarantee it will be the car that at least a few shoppers choose, rather than settle for because of its low price.

Talk about playing to your strengths, and then some.

At a glance: 2010 Kia Forte LX: $15,695 ($16,895 with automatic) EX: $17,995 ($19,195 with automatic) SX: $20,995 ($22,195 with automatic) Freight: $1,455 Specifications Specifications: 2010 Kia Forte Notable Standard power windows/locks/mirrors and Bluetooth connectivity in all models; heated seats, stability control in EX/SX models Manufacturer’s web site Kia Canada

Related posts:

1. Kia announces pricing for 2010 Forte
2. Canadian premiere: 2010 Kia Forte replaces Spectra
3. Kia reveals 2010 Forte Koup in New York
4. Buyer's Guide: 2010 Kia Forte
5. Kia Canada launches Forte microsite