Huntington Beach, CA – The compact segment is the most popular and intriguing in the auto industry with a countless number of automakers trying to make a splash. The South Korean-brand Kia happens to be one of those who are trying to have its compact – the Forte – make the same impact as its Rio did in the subcompact segment. 

The new 2014 Forte sedan made its debut late last year and now it was time to show off its other variants – the Forte5 and Koup.

To attack this compact market, Kia is aiming at younger buyers (they currently sit third as an automaker in youngest average customer age) between the ages of 25-54 with a focus towards attracting new buyers. In order to attract those new buyers, Kia would need to directly compare well with the Mazda3 Sport for their Forte5 and the Honda Civic Coupe for their Forte Koup. That’s not to say they have to beat them in numbers, but given Kia’s affordable prices – if they could stack up with those two big boys, they will get plenty of customers coming their way.

In this review I will group the two variants together and differentiate them when needed. Let’s start with the exterior of the Forte5 and Koup. Based on trim selection, the grilles of the Forte5 and Koup vary. The EX and below models will receive the same mesh grille as seen on the Forte sedan; while the SX and above will receive a different front fascia with a slimmer grille and black air intake below it, leading to a more aggressive lower stance. If you like a sportier model, the SX and above comes with character lines on the body, 18-inch aluminum wheels and twin exhaust tips. It’s safe to say that new CEO and Chief Designer of the new Forte, Peter Schreyer has continued his excellent work by carving out a hot specimen ready to jump in the pool of compacts.

When it comes to the cabin – I found the Forte’s inside doesn’t overly reflect the excitement that was felt outside. I will give credit that the SX-L felt more luxurious and all trims well-surpassed Kia’s old days from a century ago. But those days are gone and Kia can no longer be looked at with a, “it’s nice for a Kia” comment – they wouldn’t appreciate that either. 

The top-trim SX-L is treated with leather seats, a sunroof and a next-generation enlarged entertainment console with navigation. Drop down from that trim and you’ll still receive a leather steering wheel that has nice grip, as well as a leather-wrapped circular manual gear shift and alloy pedals that shine. However, the entertainment console drops to a miniscule and basic looking UVO Infotainment System without navigation. 

Overall, the interior of the lower-trim models are simplistic in nature resembling its compact status. In the end, not everyone can go all-out like the new Mazda3’s – there has to see some cost-cutting somewhere to reach those great prices.

One of Kia’s big attractions is the all-new 1.6-litre gasoline direct-injected turbo engine for all SX and SX-L models for the Forte5 and Koup. That turbocharged engine is a first for Kia in a compact car and it produces an exciting 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. 

For the other models, they will be given a 2.0-litre direct injected four-cylinder engine producing 173 horses and 154 lb-ft of torque. In all trim levels and styles, consumers can choose from either a base six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission.

Now to the good stuff – how they both drive. This press trip was a good one, as it took us to southern California starting at Huntington Beach, also known as “Surf City, USA” with a drive south through some of the windiest roads and ever-changing terrains until our final destination in sunny San Diego. 

Both the Forte5 and Koup handled its way with precise handling and steering precision. Its flex steer system was a joy to use as I set it to “sport” mode for most of the drive route. At lower gears, some turbo lag was noticed; however, it finds its groove around third and fourth gear. 

For a compact hatch and coupe, the Forte has a lot of spunk jetting its way from 0-100 km/h in just under 7 seconds. It’s not going to blow you away, but it holds its own against some heavy competition that includes some bigger names like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra, Toyota Corolla and Ford Focus. 

Even more impressive than its speed was how smooth and quiet the ride was. I wasn’t anticipating that from a Kia, but after going through some gusty winds up on the mountain without even noticing it – I came out of it, impressed. 

Fuel economy isn’t the Forte’s strong suit, as it prefers to focus its attention on performance and technology with an eye on fuel efficiency. Throughout my drive, I was able to achieve a combined 9.0L/100 km mostly on highways with the use of one aggressive right foot. It’s not great, it’s not horrible, but what Kia believes is that with the performance ability at lower RPM’s – that will save the consumer more money in the long run.

The Forte5’s range is extremely reasonable starting out at $19,495-$28,395. The SX-L trim is loaded with the works including LED headlights and taillights, 18-inch alloy wheels, heated seats in the front and back, satellite radio, power folding mirrors, dual exhaust and a turbocharged engine. The Koup’s prices are similar ranging from $20,895-$28,295 (no base LX trim) and it’s filled with all the gadgets, minus the rear heated seats.

The Forte5 and Koup variants are a great addition to a Forte roster that’s ready to makes waves in that crowded compact segment. The value you get from the base trim all the way to the top-level is rivalled by no one in the industry and the key ingredient to why Kia has been one of the fastest growing companies in Canada. The Forte hatch and coupe are well worth a test providing a great combination of performance and technology for a price you just can’t beat.