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Kia Forte Specifications & Features
The 2023 Kia Forte sedan, which sits between the minicar Kia Rio and the mid-size K5 family sedan, is known for its affordability and restraint. Its most significant personality quality is frugality. Even in its most sporty GT guise, it has glimpses of sportiness but lacks excitement when pushed to the limit. Although it lacks breathtaking beauty, it features handsome design aspects. Although it’s far from a hot rod, it offers respectable engine options, including a 1.6-liter in-line four turbocharged with up to 201 horsepower. The Forte is comparable to a cheap cup of coffee from a convenience store that might be much better or much worse. Unlike its Hyundai Elantra N cousin, the Forte isn’t anywhere close to being as boisterous, but it is economical, respectably capable, tolerably comfortable, and—most importantly—a genuinely excellent price.
What’s New?
The Kia Forte is a carryover model for 2023 following a revitalizing refresh for 2022 except the removal of the GT Technology Package option. The FCA Fusion package, a collection of driver-assist technologies, is now a standard feature on Forte GT cars with the free dual-clutch automatic gearbox.
Kia Forte Engine, Power, Performance & Acceleration
A 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 147 horsepower and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 201 horsepower are the two engine choices available for the Forte compact sedan. The CVT doesn’t help, and the 2.0-liter seems slow. The Forte’s non-turbo engine needed 8.2 seconds to propel the car to 60 mph, which is significantly longer than the Mazda 3’s time of 7.0 seconds. However, the 201-hp turbocharged engine option brings the Forte’s performance closer to that of the Volkswagen Golf GTI and Civic Si. In testing, a GT test car with a manual gearbox managed a 6.7-second sprint to 60 mph, falling just short of those two standout performances. The Forte provides a smooth and secure ride, but its handling isn’t as engaging as its outward appearance, which is influenced by the Stinger, may imply.
Kia Forte Mileage
| 2023 Kia Forte Mileage | City | Highway |
| Forte | 30 mpg | 41 mpg |
The Kia Forte’s EPA highway rating of 41 mpg, city rating of 30 mpg, and combined fuel economy rating of 34 mpg will keep drivers cruising past petrol stations, particularly those with the less potent engine and automatic gearbox. The combined fuel economy falls to 26 mpg if the turbocharged GT with a manual gearbox is chosen.
Dimensions & Space
| 2023 Kia Forte Dimensions | |
| Length | 182.7 in |
| Width | 70.9 in |
| Height | 56.5 in |
| Wheelbase | 106.3 in |
| Cargo Volume | 15 ft3 |
| Airbags | 8 Airbags |
Given the technology that is now available, the 2023 Forte is a steal. A larger 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with in-dash navigation and SiriusXM satellite radio is available on GT-Line and GT models in addition to the base 8.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Between the gauges, all models have a secondary 4.2-inch color display, and a wireless smartphone charging pad is an option.
Pricing
| 2023 Kia Forte Trims | Price (USD) |
| FE | $20,815 |
| LXS | $21,315 |
| GT-Line | $23,015 |
| GT | $25,515 |
Our pick is the GT model, which replaces the Forte’s base continuously variable automatic gearbox (CVT) with either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Despite costing $700 more than the DCT, we would choose the stick shift due to the increased driving engagement. Not many additions are required because the Forte GT has several appealing options, including 18-inch wheels, sport seats, ambient inside lighting, and a wireless smartphone charging pad, in addition to its 201-hp turbocharged four-cylinder, which gives much quicker acceleration.
Specifications, Quarter Mile, 0-60 Mph & Top-Speed
| 2023 Kia Forte Specifications | Specs |
| Engine | inline-4 |
| Drivetrain | FWD |
| Horsepower | 147 hp |
| Torque | 132 lb-ft |
| 0-60 MPH | 8.1 sec |
| 0-100 MPH | 22.3 sec |
| 1/4 Mile | 16.4 sec |
| Top-Speed | 123 mph |