Kia’s new logo is slowly making its way across the Korean carmaker’s global lineup. The latest model to debut with the revamped badge is the Forte.
But the new Kia logo up front isn’t all that this Forte has to offer. In its home market of South Korea—where it’s also known as the K3—it also just received a substantial facelift as well. It’s got a new face, a new rear, added tech, a tweaked interior, and, get this, a new transmission.
Up front, Kia’s tiger-nose grille is still there, but it now sports a much more aggressive look. You’ll no longer see gaps between this and the new headlamps. Below, the bumper also looks sharper than before.
Out back, the taillights feature a slightly different pattern but the lightbar on this end has been retained. The reversing lamps have been reworked, and some aero bits have been added underneath.
Inside, apart from the new logo on the tiller, there aren’t any drastic aesthetic changes. What you’ll notice, though, is that there’s a new 10.25-inch infotainment system paired with a new 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. In South Korea, the former comes with free UVO connected services for the first five years.
Another change you’ll notice inside is the removal of the mechanical parking brake. The Forte now gets an electronic parking brake instead, with an auto-hold function to boot.
Engine options remain the same. There’s still a 1.6-liter turbopetrol capable of 201hp and 264Nm and a 1.6-liter nat-asp four-banger that generates 126hp and 155Nm. The upgrade under the hood is found in Kia’s ‘Intelligent Variable Transmission’ that now comes mated to the less-powerful powertrain option. For context, the Forte in our market gets a six-speed automatic or a seven-speed DCT, while this IVT is equipped in the Seltos. Refreshed GT variants still get the same DCT.
The Forte has also received a host of added tech, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward- and rear-collision avoidance assist, and safe exit assist.
So, assuming all these toys would be offered in our market, do you think Kia Philippines should consider bringing in this updated Forte?
The Kita Forte in Photos
