FORTE BD

About the Forte BD

Kia stopped making forgettable compact sedans and the BD Forte was the proof. The Smartstream 2.0-liter made 147 hp, the 1.6 turbo in the GT pushed to 201 hp with a seven-speed DCT. The GT was the story. Sport suspension, bigger brakes, an exhaust note that tried, and a chassis that handled better than any Forte before it. The IVT continuously variable transmission on base models was surprisingly tolerable. Interior quality jumped over the previous gen with an 8-inch touchscreen, available wireless charging, and materials that didn't scream rental car. The fastback five-door looked genuinely good from certain angles. Kia priced it to undercut the Civic and Corolla and delivered enough car that the value argument held.