Thoroughly Modern Throwback: The 2019 Kia Forte EX

The 2019 Kia Forte EX.

If you believe everything you read, the four-door sedan is dead but doesn't know it yet.  People who analyze data and trends say we're headed for a future made up of crossovers, high performance coupes and ultra-luxury anythings because there's always a market for the exclusive and expensive---even if they're four-door sedans.

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.

Solid Contender: The 2017 Kia Forte EX

The 2017 Kia Forte EX.

We've been charting the rise of the Kia Forte among subcompact sedans for seven years now.  The 2010 model was the moment you could pinpoint when any doubt about Kia being serious went away. It put the Koreans within striking distance of the then-and-now leaders from the Japanese, the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic.

With the 2014 model, the Forte closed the gap.  And the new 2017, a mid-cycle refresh,  cements the Forte's position as a solid contender in a competitive segment.

Why The 2014 Kia Forte Is So Important

The 2014 Kia Forte.

Ten years ago, a compact Kia sedan was what you bought if you couldn't afford anything else. Hey, at least it had that 10 year/100,000 mile warranty.

Four years ago (this month, in fact), we wrote about the 2010 Kia Forte and how it had come from behind to be a legitimate contender in the small car field...something for Toyota and Honda to worry about.

Well, with the all-new 2014 Forte, the day of reckoning has arrived.

New Car Review: 2011 Kia Forte SX 5 Door




The 2011 Kia Forte SX 5-Door.

Hatchbacks never went out of favor in Europe, but somehow, in the early-mid 80s, Americans rejected them as too low-rent. Shortsighted, because hatches offer enormous versatility, combining the best attributes of sedans and wagons without having to permanently commit to either.

There have been signs recently that the US ice is breaking when it comes to hatches, and the Kia Forte 5-Door should go a long way toward the thaw. Every bit as good as the Forte sedan we loved so much two years ago, with the enhanced utility of that fifth door in back.

Kia Forte Review

Imagine you're Toyota or Honda...secure in the knowledge that you build high-quality small cars, that even if you slip a bit, it will take a long time before the perception diminishes after 30 years of performance.

About three years ago, though, you see a tiny dot in your rearview mirror. Long way back...don't worry.

But the dot gets closer and bigger faster than you could imagine. Now it's on your bumper. If you're Toyota, recent recalls, controversies and suspension of production and sales could erase the narrowing lead.

The dot is the 2010 Kia Forte. Base price 2 grand lower than Corolla and Civic. Base horsepower higher. EPA mileage estimates a virtual draw.

But what puts Kia into tailgating territory is a quantum leap in exterior styling and interior quality. Kias have always been not quite there when it comes to the details. In the Forte, they're there. There's not a hint of cheapness or corners cut.

Victory? A new champ? Well, the Forte is certainly deserving of notice, but in terms of winning the hearts and minds of compact buyers, there's that perception issue we mentioned. It will take Kia a while to convince millions of compact car buyers that they have something to offer beyond price...and that "resale value" and "Kia" are not mutually exclusive terms.

Once that happens, though, watch out.