Driving the compact, practical and attractive Forte sedan last week, I recognized why Kia models are growing steadily more popular. The 2010 Forte, one of nine current models sold by Kia, is a common-sense car that packs a lot of utility and security into a five-passenger, front-drive runner. With a sticker price of $14,390 to $19,190, before options, the car also represents an alluring value.
Forte doesn't skimp on style, either. Its attractive shape points to another reason why Kia is winning converts. When the Korea-based auto company began U.S. sales in 1994, you could easily overlook the few Kia models scampering around our roadways - or you could look at them askance. Today, whenever I notice yet another Kia vehicle approaching me, tailing me or leading me on the street, I remark, now there's a good looking car.
Introduced last fall as an all-new model, the Forte extends the impressive run of Kia designs. The car's bearing is functionally appropriate and simple, with an appealing appearance that is cast into Forte's fundamental shape, rather than pressed in with flairs and embellishments. From the side, the automobile is a straightforward and handsome wedge. From the front, its sweeping, horizontal grille merges with the lamp clusters on either side to give the nose a wide aspect. From the rear, the Forte's posture is squarely stable.
But for all the positive strides embodied in Forte and other shining new Kias - including the just-introduced Sorento crossover wagon that is turning heads and attracting wide praise - I used to find it hard to recommend Kia cars. Historically they commanded low resale values, a remnant from the days when Kia promoted its vehicles for their bargain prices alone.
Resale value is an important measure of quality and endurance. Cars have low resale values if used-car buyers don't trust them. They have high values if used-car buyers consider them durable, reliable vehicles that hold up with use.
I overcame my lingering doubts about Kia longevity after talking to Charles Daher Jr., sales manager of Commonwealth Motors in Lawrence. Commonwealth sells Kia vehicles alongside Chevrolet, Honda, and Volkswagen.
"The big thing that resale values are based on is auction prices," he explained. At wholesale auctions, dealers purchase the vehicle they'll eventually resell to you and me as used cars. Naturally, dealers bid higher for the more popular pre-owned models.
"We used to go to the Kia auctions and be one of the few people who were buying the cars. Now we see Chevy dealers buying them. Honda dealers are buying them. Everyone is buying them," he said. "Now we're paying closer to the numbers that we pay for other makes. And it continues to creep up."
Owner behavior offers another sign of Kia's new worth, Daher said. Today drivers pay to take care of the cars, with buyers returning to the dealership's service department for oil changes and other work that stretches vehicle life.
That wasn't always true. Back when Kias were considered low-price, throw-away cars, people didn't invest much in their care, he said. Commonwealth saw Kia vehicles return for warranty repairs, but not for basic upkeep.
"We used to have more warranty work than we did cash work. Now people are starting to pay to do maintenance on their vehicles," Daher indicated. "They're starting to believe in keeping the vehicle going, because it's a more valuable vehicle."
That sets up the virtuous circle of car ownership: a more valuable vehicle results in better care, which increases the car's value more. "A major part of why some cars last so long is that people see their value and so they do the maintenance. They put the money into them. That pays you back," said Daher.
The manager views the new Forte as a worthy competitor to the trusted and popular Asian cars in the compact class, including models with household names like Civic and Corolla.
"This is Kia's first big leap into the ranks of Toyota, Honda and Nissan. They paid attention to every detail in terms of looks, features, technology, and powertrain," Daher said. "And they're giving you things that you either can't get, or you have to pay extra money to get in a Civic or Corolla."
The Forte's list of standard features includes advanced antilock brakes, electronic stability control, tire-pressure monitoring, six airbags, variable wipers, an audio system with satellite radio and MP3 play-back, plus Bluetooth connectivity with steering-wheel controls, solar glass and tinted windows.
The lower priced, LX and EX levels of Forte come with a 156-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine. The top-level, SX version features a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 173 horsepower. All use manual transmissions, with automatic transmissions available for an additional $1,000.
Kia also sells the closely related Forte Koup, a two-door variant that tilts toward carefree, personal expression. The Koup comes only in upper-grade trims, and lists for slightly more than the four-door Forte sedan.
For my weeklong evaluation, I drove an SX sedan with a $1,000 option that added leather upholstery and heated front seats. The leather trimming its seats was decent, though not the highest grade you'll find in an auto.
That's OK, because even in full dress, the Kia sedan maintains a focus on practicality and value over frivolous luxury. I appreciated the Forte's focus on functional simplicity, which carried over from the body styling to the car's interior. The cabin is attractively laid out yet unassuming. Controls are straightforward, intuitive and easy to operate. The back seat of the sedan is well sized for two adults. The driver's seat felt just right to me, without demanding fussy adjustments. At Commonwealth Motors, the Forte accounts for about one third of 100 new Kias ordered from the factory for the upcoming, spring and summer selling seasons. That's a sizable vote of confidence in the car.
"It's doing great for us," said Daher. "Kia is doing great. We were number two in Kia sales in New England last month. We're expecting big things from Kia this year."
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Jeffrey Zygmont has written about automobiles since 1982. Based in Salem, N.H., he writes books and articles about innovation, technology and culture. He can be contacted through the Web site www.jeffreyzygmont.com
