Why I Just Bought a Kia Forte
One of the great things about this job is the fact that, most of the time, I can provide my canny analysis without letting the real world get in the way of a particularly good story. But recently I had to place my cash in the same location as my oral cavity and actually buy a new car: A 2010 Kia Forte to be exact.
The Forte's Fresh Face
In a lot of ways, it came down to timing. Despite all the focus on fuel efficiency and small cars, the Kia Forte, which went on sale in mid 2009, remains the newest compact on the market from the mainstream automakers'”and with Hyundai-Kia now outselling Nissan-Infiniti, we have to consider Kia part of the mainstream.
Think about it: At this stage in the game, the only two domestic compacts are the Ford Focus and Chevrolet Cobalt, both of which are about to be replaced by all-new models'”the new Focus and the Chevrolet Cruze'”and both are currently riding on distinctly old-school platforms. The Focus underpinnings date back to 2000, while the Cobalt's been in duty since the end of 2004. Of course, that hasn't stopped either vehicle from turning up positive sales numbers or impressive EPA numbers.
Both have seen tough months recently in terms of customers, as a result of their age and the Cash for Clunkers hangover effect, but the Focus is still up 3.4 percent through August, with 120,666 customers in the first eight months of the year. And even in August, when sales dropped 39.5 percent, volume was at 15,466 units and the Focus trailed only the Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla in terms of monthly sales in the segment.
The Cobalt had a much tougher August, with sales cratering to the tune of a 67.6 percent drop-off, but overall sales through last month are still up 15.1 percent. Plus, it's worth pointing out that the Cobalt, in XFE trim, still tops all compacts when it comes to fuel efficiency for internal combustion engine models, and the Focus puts up exactly the same combined mpg number as the Forte.
In other words, these cars still have plenty left to offer buyers, and as you can discover by asking for a free new car price quote.
The Kia Forte Value Proposition
But speaking of price tags, a low MSRP is Kia's not-so-secret weapon. The Forte starts at a mind-boggling $13,695. The new Ford Fiesta'”which is a subcompact, remember'”starts at $13,320. The price of admission to a current Focus is $16,640. The Cobalt sedan is more competitive, but it still wears a base sticker price of $14,990.
Let's bring the rest of the compact crew into the picture now, too. The Toyota Corolla, Nissan Sentra and Honda Civic all start significantly north of 15 large, with initial MSRPs of $15,450 for the Corolla, $15,520 for the Sentra and $15,805 for the Civic sedan. The Hyundai Elantra opens at $14,145, but this is one of those cases in which I find the looks of a vehicle so off-putting that I wouldn't purchase it even if it were the best of the bunch'”and the current Elantra, which has yet to go through the Hyundai makeover machine, is definitely not that.
Now, the key here is value, not just price, and that closes the gap a bit because while the base Forte offers a ton of standard content, air conditioning doesn't happen to be on the list, and this'”despite my ongoing focus on fuel efficiency'”remains a "must have" for me. When you add a/c into the mix, the Forte comes up to at least $15,995. But it also comes up with yet more standard features, including Bluetooth compatibility, cruise control and a six-speaker audio system with USB port, all operated by steering-wheel-mounted controls; a 60/40 split folding rear seat with adjustable headrests and fold-down center armrest; an "eco" light on automatic transmission models to coach drivers toward more efficient driving; remote keyless entry with a panic button; and even dual heated side mirrors with built-in turn indicators.
The bottom line here, for me, was a highly contented Forte EX for $16,250, which is a package Kia's rivals just couldn't equal'”although I'm betting some of our Autotropolis car dealers can.