2010 Kia Forte
Ever since Hyundai acquired rival Kia, it’s been a full throttle effort to transform the Korean brand’s image from a maker of inexpensive, basic use vehicles, to a high quality, mainstream mark. But their latest effort, the compact Forte, goes head-to-head against industry benchmarks Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic. While the Forte is clearly the most handsome Kia small car ever, it needs more than looks to stay in this race.
The all-new 2010 Forte is a breath of fresh air for the Kia lineup, and simply saying it replaces the generic Spectra would grossly underrate its potential impact.
Available now in a Sedan and Koup, with a “K”, its slightly edgy, American-sourced styling strikes a richer stance than any other Asian mass market small car.
The front-end of our test Forte Sedan, with its flared headlamps, smart-looking grille, and clam shell hood, does have a passing resemblance to the Honda Civic.
But, the well drawn character lines, and up swept side glass, give the Forte Sedan a sharp profile that is its own, and 15, 16, and 17-inch wheels and tires, along with a beefy rear-end, with wrapped and sectioned taillamp housings, cement the image of a well built small sedan.
The front drive Forte finds power from two variable timing I4s. LX and EX trim use a 2.0-liter with 156 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque. Our SX sports a 2.4-liter with 173 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque. That beats the Toyota Corolla XRS.
A five-speed manual is standard, with an optional four-speed automatic for LX and EX trim. The SX starts with a 6-speed manual, with a 5-speed automatic on our car.
Even with more power, Government Fuel Economy ratings for our SX are class competitive at 23 city/31 highway using regular gas. We managed an okay 27.6 miles per gallon in real world driving.
The Forte’s Energy Impact Score is 13.2 barrels of oil consumed per year, with a concise Carbon Footprint of 7.1 annual tons of CO2 emitted.
But, that car will be more sluggish than our SX which still needed 8.9 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60, finishing the quarter mile in 16.8 seconds at 84 miles per hour. Off the line, the Forte felt energetic, with a good hookup, and steady power build. But the pace was hurt by slow shifts. And, while Kia engines have come a long way, our car’s 2.4 was still buzzier and less refined than top rivals.
Ride and handling show even more improvement. The Forte’s front strut and rear torsion beam suspension adds standard Electronic Stability and Traction control. A high value plus over most rivals.
And it showed. Through the cones our car felt very solid, with no flexy or flimsy feel. Steering is nicely responsive. Front push does come on quickly, so Forte is not as nimble or fun-to-drive as the all-independent Civic. But, it gets through with less body roll.
On more typical pavement, we found the Forte’s ride to be more sophisticated than we expected as well. Not soft, but not stiff either. Here, the Forte is more akin to the Corolla XRS.
The Forte’s Brakes are well above class average. Four-wheel discs with standard ABS and Brake Assist. Hard stops proved short at only 122 feet from 60. Stability was great. The pedal could have more feel but that’s a nit-pick.
The Forte’s cabin matches the exterior. It’s far more inviting than the Spectra, with a Civic and Corolla beating 96.8 cubic feet of passenger space.
The dash design is a toned-down version of the Kia Soul, with its overlapping gauges and boogey-board shaped center stack.
Seats are comfortable and well formed with leather an option on our top-level SX, which also included a tilt/telescoping steering wheel.
Forte standard equipment includes six airbags, a CD/MP3/satellite radio, USB port, and Bluetooth. But, air conditioning is an option on the LX.
The rear seats offer decent legroom - even for a six footer - as well as a standard 60/40 split folding feature which extends an already highly useful 14.7 cubic foot trunk.
Pricing for the Kia Forte starts at $14,390 for the LX. That’s over $1700 less than the less well equipped Corolla and Civic. The spread widens with the mid-level Forte EX at $16,490, and top-tier SX at $17,890. And all Fortes come with Kia’s 10 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Wow. We knew going in the 2010 Forte to be a generational improvement in Kia small cars. But, to be a serious alternative to the Civic and Corolla is packaging, power and economy, ride and handling, and style, is a surprise. But then Kia has been surprising us for years, and the compact Forte is just their latest tour to force.
Specifications
- Engine: Sx 2.4-Liter
- Horsepower: 173
- Torque: 168 Lb Feet
- 0-60 MPH: 8.9 Seconds
- 1/4 Mile: 16.8 Seconds @ 84 MPH
- 60-0 MPH: 122 Feet
- EPA: 23 MPG City/ 31 MPG Highway
- Mixed Loop: 27.6 MPG
- Energy Impact: 13.2 Barrels Oil/Yr
- CO2 Emissions: 7.1 Tons/Yr
2024 Toyota Land Cruiser
Toyota’s Go Anywhere Globetrotter Returns To U.S.
Every once in a while, we all need a reset. A time to get back to basics and prioritize the things that really matter. Well, for the Toyota Land Cruiser that time is now. So, let’s find out if that means bigger and better things for Toyota’s iconic off-roader.
The Toyota Land Cruiser’s status among the global off-road community is legendary, and it’s hard to imagine there’s any corner of the earth where a Land Cruiser hasn’t kicked up a little dust or mud. Well, 2024 sees the return of the Land Cruiser to the U.S. market after a 3-year hiatus, getting a major reset for the journey.
The reset comes mostly by no longer being based on the large three-row “300-series” chassis, but a new version of the smaller “200-series,” now known as the J250. As with the latest Tacoma, it uses the Tundra pickup’s full-size steel frame.
While the main Land Cruiser model, which goes by simply Land Cruiser, is packed full of luxury and convenience features, there is also a stripped-down model known as the 1958, honoring the first year the Land Cruiser made landfall here in North America. And it is that 1958 we have here, and we were glad to see it, as it also celebrates the original’s back-to-basics approach as a blank canvas for you to personalize as you tackle more and more adventures.
Not that it’s fully stripped down, as 8-inch touchscreen infotainment, a 7-inch full-color multi-information display, and automatic climate control are still standard. Plus, some seriously durable materials, and great heated cloth front seats that throw off some get serious 1990s Tacoma vibes.
But outside, there’s a definite lack of flashy trim and basic looking 18-inch wheels with Yokohama Geolander all-season tires; plus, big chunky bumpers and tilt-up back glass, which is a rarity that we appreciate. Though there is a little too much plastic in places that are sure to see some abuse if you do any significant off-roading.
It even feels a little rough around the edges, but for us it just adds to the rugged old-school utility vibe in a good way.
We did just that, both here in the Mid-Atlantic as well as in the California desert; and while there are some tech-forward driving aids, the actual hardware is in most cases plenty to get things done. That includes standard full-time dual-range four-wheel-drive, locking center and rear diffs, and 8.7-inches of ground clearance. A front stabilizer bar disconnect is also available to allow for increased articulation.
Who needs a V6 or even a V8 when you’ve got Toyota’s i-FORCE MAX setup at your disposal with 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft of torque coming from a 2.4-liter turbo-four with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and its eight-speed automatic transmission. Low speed torque delivery is impressive. It even feels a little rough around the edges, which may be a turn off to some, but for us it just adds to the rugged old-school utility vibe in a good way.
And it certainly feels quicker than an off roader needs to be, with an instant torque dump as soon as we eased on the throttle at our Mason Dixon test track; helping us get to 60 in 8.1 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 16.3 seconds at 86 mph. Considering the Land Cruiser’s terrain conquering mission, it behaved quite well in our handling course; it was plenty responsive to inputs, with less body roll than we expected and plenty of grip from the tires. The steering was light and quick but as expected didn’t provide much feel. Other than significant nosedive, braking performance was exceptional. Only 107-feet to panic stop us from 60 mph.
With the shift to the smaller size, there’s no more third row available, and cargo capacity now comes in at 46.2 cubic-feet with a max of a still healthy 82.1. Now, the best part of the Land Cruiser’s return is the entry price of $57,445. That’s about 30-grand less than what the last Land Cruiser went for back in 2021.
Whether it’s over the top fashion trends, mullets, or zombies; just when you think they’re dead, they come roaring back to life. Of course, we’re much happier to see the resurrection of this 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser than any of those things. Toyota is one brand that still recognizes the value of full-framed rugged rigs and has also acknowledged that sometimes less really is more. The Godfather of Toyota off-roading is back and better than ever.