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| The 2019 Kia Forte EX. |
This might be age talking, but I'd hate to see that happen. Because there is little on this earth as satisfying as a well-built four-door sedan. BMW proved that all the way back in the 1970s with the 5-series. Honda brought it to the masses in the 1980s with the Accord and Civic sedans. Up to that point, two-door coupes were where the action was. America wanted Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupes with vinyl roofs. Until it didn't.
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| 2019 Kia Forte EX. |
It's cleanly designed, reasonably well-powered (147 horsepower from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with your choice of a six-speed manual in the loss-leader FE model (base price $17,790) or an intelligent variable transmission (the only choice in the LXS, S and EX models), and wonderfully fuel efficient (EPA estimate 30 city/40 highway).
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| 2019 Kia Forte EX. |
Where it's changed is what you get these days in an economy car. My Civic cost $8,200. For that price, I got one manually-adjusted outside mirror, air conditioning (a dealer-installed option) and an electric rear window defroster. They were shipped from Japan without radios. The dealer-installed units were lousy and expensive, so my first stop after taking delivery was a stereo shop, where an Alpine AM/FM/Cassette unit and four speakers were installed for an additional $500. So the Civic, the way I drove it, cost $8,700.
Adjusted for inflation, that's $21,434 today.
The base price of the top-of-the-line 2019 Kia Forte EX is $21,990, or $556 more in today's money. And here's what you get:
- 17-inch alloy wheels
- Anti-lock brakes
- Traction control
- Electronic stability control
- Vehicle stability management
- Hill-start assist
- Tire pressure monitoring
- Dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents
- AM/FM/mp3 audio system with eight-inch touchscreen and rear camera
- Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
- SiriusXM Satellite Radio
- USB charger
- Bluetooth
- Power-adjustable driver's seat
- Heated and ventilated front seats
- Pushbutton start/smart key/smart trunk
- Blind-spot collision warning
- Driver attention warning
- Forward collision avoidance
- Forward collision warning
- Lane-keeping assist
- Rear cross-traffic collision warning
- Fog lights
- LED taillights and daytime running lights
- Power heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals
The '84 Civic had a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. The Kia? 10 years/100,000 mile limited powertrain warranty, 5 year/60,000 mile limited basic warranty and 5 year/60,000 mile roadside assistance.
Our test car had an added $3,335 in options (an upgraded Harmon Kardon premium audio system with Clari-Fi, navigation, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, power sunroof, LED overhead lighting, wireless phone charger, forward collision avoidance, parking distance warning, smart cruise control, LED headlights with automatic high beams, upgraded 17-inch graphite finish alloy wheels, a rear spoiler and carpeted floor mats).
Roll in $895 inland freight and handling and that's $26,220. Well below the average transaction price for a new car in America---and well above the level of value and satisfaction most cars in its class deliver.
