2014 Kia Forte: It has what it takes

The Forte’s grille is less unique than before but still just as recognizable.

The Forte’s tail end has been modified considerably.

The materials are of very good quality but there’s an awful lot of black.

According to the onboard computer, our Kia Forte SX had consumed only 6.3 L/100 km (37.3 MPG US) after testing.

If the front seats aren’t pushed back too far, the legroom is decent.

The Forte SX features high density (xenon) headlights.

The taillights are of the LED variety on the SX.

The trunk ends in a ducktail, which improves aerodynamics.

All versions of the Forte get disc brakes on all four wheels.

With its 422-litre capacity, the trunk is reasonably large, as is its opening. In any case, it’s a lot bigger than that of a Mazda3.

There’s a 60/40 split fold-down rear bench seatback.

In the Forte SX (and definitely in the other versions, I couldn’t get a straight answer from the Kia representative), there’s no spare tire – just a compressor and a kind of sealing foam. At least that clears some space for storage.

The LED taillights are very nice.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine develops 173 horsepower, but it’s not exactly a rocket.