| Pros | Cons | What's New |
|---|---|---|
Outstanding Reliability. | Compromised Ride Quality. | Mostly unchanged from 2014. |
Great Fuel Economy. | Poorly-Appointed Interior. | |
Impressive Cargo Space. | Limited Options. |
$17,490
price145 hp @ 6500 rpm
horsepower130 lb.-ft. @ 4700 rpm
torque6-Speed Shiftable Automatic
transmission1.8L 4cyl FWD 6A
engine-
basic warrantyKorean manufacturer Kia has always established itself as making affordable vehicles offering the best of, well, everything. The 2015 Kia Forte is no exception, offering impressive value in terms of drivability, practicality, and comfort. There’s a good deal of cargo space for weekend trips, and the fuel economy is outstanding.
If you’re planning on taking a 2015 Kia Forte home, we recommend going for the higher EX trim. While the EX costs slightly higher than the base trim, it offers several additional creature comforts and convenience features which help the Forte much easier to live with. Base trims in most budget sedans can get pretty bland, so the EX trim in case of the 2015 Kia Forte would seem like a good fit for your daily driving lifestyle.
The 2015 Kia Forte starts at an MSRP of $17,490, and offers impressive value in countless fonts. The Kia Forte competes with rivals such as the Honda Civic and the Hyundai Elantra, and takes up a close fight in all aspects. In this review of the 2015 Kia Forte, we discuss the pros and cons of the sedan, and help you decide whether it's worth your money or not.
Kia offers the 2015 model year Forte in two trims, keeping things easy for its customers. The base LX gets you all the essential functionalities to get you going, and comes in at an MSRP of $17,490. The next, or the top-end EX trim, is priced at $19,390, and offers you more comfort and premium features, such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel and Fog Lamps.
|
Model |
LX |
EX |
|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$17,490 |
$19,390 |
|
Key Features |
Tire Pressure Monitoring |
LX Features, plus: |
|
4-Speaker Sound System |
Front Fog Lights |
|
|
Tilt And Telescopic Steering Wheel |
Turn Signal Mirrors |
|
|
Single Zone Front Climate Control |
6-Speaker Sound System |
|
|
Heated Side Mirrors |
Cooled Storage Compartment |
|
|
Auto Dimming IRV Mirrors |
Leather Steering Wheel |
|
|
6 -Way Manual Driver Seat Adjustments |
Bucket Front Seats |
We Recommend
If you’re planning on taking a 2015 Kia Forte home, we recommend going for the higher EX trim. While the EX costs slightly higher than the base trim, it offers several additional creature comforts and convenience features which help the Forte much easier to live with. Base trims in most budget sedans can get pretty bland, so the EX trim in case of the 2015 Kia Forte would seem like a good fit for your daily driving lifestyle.
The 2015 Kia Forte comes with a 1.8L Inline-4 engine rated at 145 horsepower and 130 lb-ft of torque. While the engine is nothing close to being athletic, it offers enough grunt to provide powerful highway cruising and comfortable city commutes. The engine comes mated to an efficient 6-speed automatic transmission, which always manages to keep you in the right gear at the right time.
The 2015 Kia Forte goes from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.6 seconds, which makes it fairly quick, given its utility. Additionally, the Forte manages to hit top speeds of up to 131 MPH, which makes it a good vehicle for highway cruising. While we have little to complain about the Forte’s powertrain, we would have loved to see better engine options.
|
Models |
2015 Kia Forte |
2015 Honda Civic |
2015 Hyundai Elantra |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$17,490 |
$19,290 |
$18,085 |
|
Engine |
1.8L Inline-4 |
1.8L Inline-4 |
1.8L Inline-4 |
|
Drivetrain |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
|
Transmission |
6-Speed Automatic |
CVT |
6-Speed Manual |
|
Power |
145 hp @ 6,500 rpm |
143 hp @ 6,500 rpm |
145 hp @ 6,500 rpm |
|
Torque |
130 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm |
129 lb-ft @ 4,300 rpm |
130 lb-ft @ 4,700 rpm |
|
0 to 60 MPH |
7.6 |
8.2 |
8.8 |
|
Quarter Mile (Sec) |
16.0 |
15.0 |
16.8 |
|
Top Speed (MPH) |
131 |
124 |
129 |
Among the competition, the 2015 Kia Forte stands as par with its corporate cousin, the Hyundai Elantra. Both sedans also make the same amount of torque. The Honda Civic stands slightly less powered in comparison. The Kia Forte also happens to be the quickest to 60 MPH in the lot, while the Honda Civic posts better quarter-mile times. While the Hyundai Elantra offers the least top speeds, the Kia Forte showcases better top speed than most competitors in its class.
The 2015 Kia Forte offers pretty decent fuel economy, standing at par with some of the best vehicles in this class. The 2015 model year Kia Forte returns 26 MPG in the city and 39 MPG on highways. The result is a combined EPA rated fuel economy figure of 31 MPG. The Forte also comes with a fairly sizable 13.2-gallon fuel tank, which enables it a driving range of up to 514.8 miles on the highway.
|
Models |
2015 Kia Forte |
2015 Honda Civic |
2015 Hyundai Elantra |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MPG (City) |
26 |
26 |
27 |
|
MPG (Highway) |
39 |
38 |
37 |
|
MPG (Combined) |
31 |
30 |
31 |
|
Fuel Capacity (gallons) |
13.2 |
15.6 |
12.8 |
|
Driving Range (Miles) |
343.2 / 514.8 |
405.6 / 592.8 |
346 / 474 |
Among the competition, there’s no clear winner in terms of fuel efficiency- all three sedans being at par with each other. While the Hyundai Elantra returns the best city gas mileage, the Kia Forte offers the best highway MPG figures. While the Honda Civic offers slightly lower city MPG figures than the Hyundai Elantra, it returns higher highway fuel efficiency.
The 2015 Kia Forte features a simple and functional interior. There’s nothing fancy or premium on offer, but everything in the interior just works. All the buttons and controls are ergonomically laid out, and the build quality feels fantastic. The Kia Forte features comfortable and well-bolstered seats with 6-way manual adjustment. 4-way power adjustment is offered on the EX trim, which is great. The overall aesthetic of the interior feels a little bland, with limited diversity of materials and colors.
We do like the hybrid gauge cluster on offer with the Kia Forte, which can be accessed to view several driving parameters. There’s also a small display mounted on top of the dashboard, which displays ambient temperature and time. Inside the 2015 model year Forte’s cabin, there’s a good amount of practicality too. Kia offers a cup holder in the front, along with a sizable glove box, large door bins and respectable cargo capacity.
|
Models |
2015 Kia Forte |
2015 Honda Civic |
2015 Hyundai Elantra |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Seating Capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Front Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
39.1/56.1/42.2 |
39.3/54.8/42.3 |
40.0 / 55.9 / 43.6 |
|
Rear Row (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (in) |
37.3/54.9/35.9 |
37.9/53.9/35.4 |
37.1 / 54.8 / 33.1 |
|
Cargo Capacity (cu-ft.) |
14.9 |
15.0 |
14.8 |
Comparing the competition, the 2015 Hyundai Elantra offers the most headroom and legroom at the front, while the Kia Forte offers the most shoulder space in the front row. In the second row, the Honda Civic offers the most headroom, while the Kia Forte has the most shoulder room and legroom on offer. There’s no clear winner in terms of occupant space, with all the three sedans having different things to offer. However, the 2015 Honda Civic offers the most cargo space, while the rivals come fairly close in that aspect. Some key interior features offered with the 2015 Kia Forte include:
The 2015 Kia Forte is offered with a fairly basic infotainment unit. There’s a 7.0-inch infotainment screen on offer, which can be accessed to browse several functions and settings. There’s bluetooth audio streaming available, which can play your favourite playlists on the go. You also get USB and Aux support, which certainly adds flexibility to your infotainment needs. With the 2015 model year Kia Forte, you also get a Satellite Radio and basic features such as Navigation. Some highlight infotainment features offered with the 2015 Kia Forte include:
The 2015 Kia Forte offers a simple yet lively exterior design, which aims to resonate with the younger sect of the market, who plan on purchasing the Forte as their first vehicle. The Forte employs a clean and tight visual theme, which communicates modern aesthetics and sharp-looking proportions. The Tiger-Nose Grille stands rampant on the front fascia, with chrome elements adorning the sedan at all four corners.
The silhouette is quite similar to most sedans in this segment, and conveys a sense of space and grand proportions. The rear design feels neat and clever, with a chrome-tipped dual-exhaust setup to make the design a lot sportier. We also love the integrated decklid spoiler, which subtly folds out of the rear trunk. This massively adds a touch of dynamism to the otherwise great-looking exterior design.
|
Models |
2015 Kia Forte |
2015 Honda Civic |
2015 Hyundai Elantra |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb Weight (lbs) |
2,844 |
3,118 |
2,773 |
|
Length (inches) |
179.5 |
181.0 |
179.1 |
|
Width (inches) |
70.1 |
70.7 |
69.9 |
|
Height (inches) |
56.3 |
58.1 |
56.3 |
|
Ground Clearance (inches) |
106.3 |
105.7 |
106.3 |
|
Wheelbase (inches) |
5.3 |
6.4 |
5.3 |
Comparing the competition, the 2015 model year Hyundai Elantra weighs the least, while the Honda Civic features the most weight. The Civic also measures the longest in the lot, as well as being the widest. While the Kia Forte offers the longest wheelbase, the Honda Civic stands the tallest. The Civic also offers the most ground clearance, clearly establishing itself as one of the larger vehicles in this segment. Some highlight exterior features offered with the 2015 Kia Forte include:
The 2015 Kia Forte offers some compelling safety features for the price, establishing itself as the ideal sedan in this price range for safe commutes. The 2015 model year Kia Forte has received a 5-Star safety rating by the NHTSA, while the sedan was acknowledged with a compelling “Good” rating by the IIHS under most safety categories. Some key safety features offered with the 2015 Kia Forte include:
When it comes to budget sedans, practicality, reliability, and safety are usually the paramount points to consider. The 2015 Kia Forte is one of the few sedans in this segment that ticks all boxes with absolutely no compromise. Featuring great build quality, impressive reliability, loads of cargo space, and astounding gas mileage, the 2015 Kia Forte stands as one of the best daily drivers out there. We love the punchy 1.8L engine on offer, and the 6-speed automatic gearbox just makes life easier. With a starting price of just $17,490, the 2015 Kia Forte makes for a compelling alternative to the Honda Civic and the Hyundai Elantra.
Car Name | 0-60 MPH | Quarter Mile | Top Speed | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #6 | 8.6 sec | 16.9 sec | 120 mph | |||
2015 Subaru WRX Ranked #1 | 5.3 sec | 14.0 sec | 132 mph | |||
2015 Chevrolet Cruze Ranked #2 | 6.7 sec | 18.0 sec | - | |||
2015 Mazda 3 Ranked #3 | 8.2 sec | 16.4 sec | 130 mph | |||
2015 Ford Focus Ranked #3 | 8.2 sec | 16.5 sec | 130 mph | |||
2015 Buick Verano Ranked #3 | 8.2 sec | 16.3 sec | 118 mph |
Car Name | MPG City | MPG Highway | MPG Combined | Fuel Tank Capacity | Range (C/H) | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #3 | 25 mpg | 37 mpg | 30 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 330/488.4 mi. | |||
2015 Mazda 3 Ranked #1 | 29 mpg | 41 mpg | 33 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 382.8/541.2 mi. | |||
2015 Honda Civic Ranked #2 | 30 mpg | 36 mpg | 31 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 369.6/475.2 mi. | |||
2015 Toyota Corolla Ranked #2 | 27 mpg | 37 mpg | 31 mpg | 13.2 gal. | 369.6/488.4 mi. | |||
2015 Hyundai Elantra Ranked #2 | 27 mpg | 37 mpg | 31 mpg | 12.8 gal. | 345.6/473.6 mi. | |||
2015 Hyundai Accent Ranked #2 | 26 mpg | 38 mpg | 31 mpg | 11.4 gal. | 307.8/433.2 mi. |
Car Name | Length | Width | Height | Ground Clearance | Wheelbase | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #9 | 179.5 in. | 70.1 in. | 56.3 in. | 5.3 in. | 106.3 in. | |||
2015 Dodge Dart Ranked #1 | 183.9 in. | 72 in. | 57.7 in. | 4 in. | 106.4 in. | |||
2015 Buick Verano Ranked #1 | 183.9 in. | 71.4 in. | 58.1 in. | 9 in. | 105.7 in. | |||
2015 Volkswagen Jetta Ranked #2 | 183.3 in. | 70 in. | 57.2 in. | 5.2 in. | 104.4 in. | |||
2015 Toyota Corolla Ranked #3 | 182.6 in. | 69.9 in. | 57.3 in. | 5.5 in. | 106.3 in. | |||
2015 Nissan Sentra Ranked #4 | 182.1 in. | 69.3 in. | 58.9 in. | 6.4 in. | 106.3 in. |
Car Name | Trunk Capacity | Passenger Volume | Max Trunk Volume | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #11 | 14.9 cu.ft. | 96.2 cu.ft. | - | |||
2015 Chevrolet Cruze Ranked #1 | 15 cu.ft. | 94.6 cu.ft. | 237.8 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Toyota Corolla Ranked #2 | 13 cu.ft. | 97.5 cu.ft. | 103 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Dodge Dart Ranked #3 | 13.1 cu.ft. | 97.2 cu.ft. | 47 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Ford Fiesta Ranked #3 | 12.8 cu.ft. | 85.1 cu.ft. | 16.7 cu.ft. | |||
2015 Ford Focus Ranked #3 | 13.2 cu.ft. | 90.7 cu.ft. | 404.3 cu.ft. |
Car Name | Cargo Volume | Cargo Volume w/ Seat Area | Max Cargo Volume | Bed Length | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #1 | - | 14.9 cu.ft. | - | - | |||
2015 Hyundai Elantra Ranked #2 | 73 cu.ft. | 14.8 cu.ft. | 73 cu.ft. | - | |||
2015 Honda Civic Ranked #3 | 62.8 cu.ft. | 12.5 cu.ft. | 62.9 cu.ft. | - | |||
2015 Acura ILX Ranked #4 | 80.3 cu.ft. | 12.3 cu.ft. | 80.3 cu.ft. | - | |||
2015 Ford Fiesta Ranked #5 | 83.1 cu.ft. | 12.8 cu.ft. | 16.7 cu.ft. | - | |||
2015 Ford Focus Ranked #6 | 83.1 cu.ft. | 13.2 cu.ft. | 404.3 cu.ft. | - |
Car Name | Towing Capacity | Payload Capacity | Weight | Source | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 Kia Forte Ranked #2 | - | 1032 lbs. | 2804 lbs. | |||
2015 Buick Verano Ranked #1 | 1000 lbs. | - | 3300 lbs. | |||
2015 Chevrolet Cruze Ranked #1 | 1000 lbs. | 899 lbs. | 3084 lbs. | |||
2015 Dodge Dart Ranked #1 | 1000 lbs. | - | 3122 lbs. | |||
2015 Subaru WRX Ranked #2 | - | - | 3267 lbs. | |||
2015 Honda Civic Ranked #2 | - | - | 2754 lbs. |
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POPULAR TAGS
User Overall Rating
Posted On: July 2, 2024
My Kia forte has about 123,000 miles on it now, and had 113,000 when I got it. I have had no major issues or problems with it at all! I of course have had basic maintenance done on it and had to change the belt but other than that nothing major. It gets awesome gas mileage on the highway and even in town. I find it to be pretty sturdy and safe.
User Overall Rating
Posted On: August 19, 2024
I purchased my 2016 in 2018 with only 2200 miles on it and it has been a GREAT car ever since. Only things I've had to do is routine maintenance (oil change), a new set of tires and brakes. It's been recalled twice, but both trips to service were resolved in a very short amount of time. I now have only 26,000 miles on it and the only issue is the clock on the GPS isn't functioning. I get 25-30 mp...
User Overall Rating
Posted On: July 8, 2024
My car gets great gas mileage. It drove smoothly didn't have alot of mechanical work that needed done even with high mileage. The only thing I would of liked is if it has cruise control. The handling of the car was great.
