Not very long ago, we reviewed the Kia Cerato Forte 6-Speed, and the car most certainly impressed us with its well-sorted six-speed transmission and accomplished drive.
I distinctly remember thinking to myself then, though, how would the drivetrain fare in a Kia Forte hatchback. Would it be as good in a smaller and lighter package? Would the local dealer even bring in the Forte hatchback?
Lo and behold, shortly after our Cerato Forte review, Cycle & Carriage Kia announced the arrival of the Forte hatchback onto Singapore shores. It most certainly took a lot of us by surprise.
Needless to say, we were all eager to find out how the shortened Forte compares to its popular sedan sibling. And so, here we are.
Exterior
Kia has taken an unusual route with the Forte. Most manufacturers start off by designing the hatchback model first, before releasing the equivalent sedan. But the Korean carmaker has decided to go the other way round, launching the sedan before spawning the hatchback.
The result though, is that Kia has to make a concerted effort to make sure the car looks natural, instead of merely chopping off the rear end from the sedan. To that end it seems to have done pretty well.
I distinctly remember thinking to myself then, though, how would the drivetrain fare in a Kia Forte hatchback. Would it be as good in a smaller and lighter package? Would the local dealer even bring in the Forte hatchback?
Lo and behold, shortly after our Cerato Forte review, Cycle & Carriage Kia announced the arrival of the Forte hatchback onto Singapore shores. It most certainly took a lot of us by surprise.
Needless to say, we were all eager to find out how the shortened Forte compares to its popular sedan sibling. And so, here we are.
Exterior
Kia has taken an unusual route with the Forte. Most manufacturers start off by designing the hatchback model first, before releasing the equivalent sedan. But the Korean carmaker has decided to go the other way round, launching the sedan before spawning the hatchback.
The result though, is that Kia has to make a concerted effort to make sure the car looks natural, instead of merely chopping off the rear end from the sedan. To that end it seems to have done pretty well.
 |
While the overall design is still subjective, with some people still not liking the absence of the rear bodywork, I personally think that overall, the Forte hatchback looks quite handsome and well-resolved. There are slight hints of the Subaru Impreza hatchback around the rear C-pillar area, and it does give the car a somewhat sporty stance. The car's Santorini Blue paintwork accentuates that Scooby effect too.
And it looks like a trend that might be followed by its competitors as well, with Chevrolet set to introduce the Cruze hatchback towards the end of this year. Would be interesting to see how that compares with the Forte hatchback…
 |
Interior
Inside, not much has changed from the Cerato Forte sedan. The only real visible difference I could pick out was the absence of a boot release lever in the interior. The boot now has to be opened from the back. Not sure how ideal that is security-wise though.
Otherwise, the Forte hatchback retains the same well-appointed cabin as the Cerato Forte. The same cool details like the red stitching on the leather trim, the steering-mounted audio and Bluetooth controls, and the paddle shifters for the six-speed automatic gearbox.
Cabin space is the same as well, with the legroom for the rear passengers still as decent as ever. Build quality seems to have improved slightly, with the materials looking and feeling a bit more sturdy and upmarket.
Inside, not much has changed from the Cerato Forte sedan. The only real visible difference I could pick out was the absence of a boot release lever in the interior. The boot now has to be opened from the back. Not sure how ideal that is security-wise though.
Otherwise, the Forte hatchback retains the same well-appointed cabin as the Cerato Forte. The same cool details like the red stitching on the leather trim, the steering-mounted audio and Bluetooth controls, and the paddle shifters for the six-speed automatic gearbox.
Cabin space is the same as well, with the legroom for the rear passengers still as decent as ever. Build quality seems to have improved slightly, with the materials looking and feeling a bit more sturdy and upmarket.
So let's talk about the main difference then, the boot. The Forte hatchback loses about 190mm of length from the sedan, all of which is taken from the rear.
Despite the reduction in size though, the Forte hatchback still has a reasonable cargo capacity of 385 litres, which is a mere 30 litres less than the sedan.
The hatchback shape also allows for more versatility. With the seats folded down, the Forte hatchback can be converted into a small van of sorts, ideal for carrying tall and unwieldy-shaped items that might not fit in a sedan due to the fixed parcel shelf.
All-in-all, the Forte hatchback doesn't lose much when compared to the Cerato Forte sedan in terms of interior packaging.
Despite the reduction in size though, the Forte hatchback still has a reasonable cargo capacity of 385 litres, which is a mere 30 litres less than the sedan.
The hatchback shape also allows for more versatility. With the seats folded down, the Forte hatchback can be converted into a small van of sorts, ideal for carrying tall and unwieldy-shaped items that might not fit in a sedan due to the fixed parcel shelf.
All-in-all, the Forte hatchback doesn't lose much when compared to the Cerato Forte sedan in terms of interior packaging.
 |
The Drive
So, does the Forte hatchback drives differently then? Well, yes and no.
The six-speed automatic gearbox still shifts as smoothly and quickly as before. The steering is still as light and responsive as before. The 1.6-litre DOHC in-line four-cylinder CVVT engine is still as eager and peppy as before, and it does not feel very different from the Cerato Forte in terms of the general driving experience.
However, the car does feel somewhat lighter than the sedan, thanks to the removal of weight from the rear end. Power it into corners and you can sense the car shifting quickly, giving it an almost hot hatchback-like driving experience. Obviously, the Forte is not a hot hatch, but you do think that the chassis and setup would be more than capable of providing the base for one potentially.
The Forte hatchback feels nimble and agile, perhaps marginally more so than the sedan. However, some might find that the overall sensation comes across as just too light, and might want a bit more weight for better stability.
Yet strangely, the Forte hatchback also feels somewhat smoother and more refined than the Cerato Forte when cruising. The din from the 1.6-litre engine seems to have been reduced, perhaps thanks to better insulation. The ride too feels less jiggly than the sedan, evening bumps out comfortably with minimal fuss.
So, does the Forte hatchback drives differently then? Well, yes and no.
The six-speed automatic gearbox still shifts as smoothly and quickly as before. The steering is still as light and responsive as before. The 1.6-litre DOHC in-line four-cylinder CVVT engine is still as eager and peppy as before, and it does not feel very different from the Cerato Forte in terms of the general driving experience.
However, the car does feel somewhat lighter than the sedan, thanks to the removal of weight from the rear end. Power it into corners and you can sense the car shifting quickly, giving it an almost hot hatchback-like driving experience. Obviously, the Forte is not a hot hatch, but you do think that the chassis and setup would be more than capable of providing the base for one potentially.
The Forte hatchback feels nimble and agile, perhaps marginally more so than the sedan. However, some might find that the overall sensation comes across as just too light, and might want a bit more weight for better stability.
Yet strangely, the Forte hatchback also feels somewhat smoother and more refined than the Cerato Forte when cruising. The din from the 1.6-litre engine seems to have been reduced, perhaps thanks to better insulation. The ride too feels less jiggly than the sedan, evening bumps out comfortably with minimal fuss.
Conclusion
Spinning a hatchback off a popular and top-selling family sedan is not a common practice, most notably for Asian makes. However, these are strange times in automobile land, and Kia has bucked the trend to introduce the Forte hatchback in the hotly-contested family car segment.
While detractors of hatchbacks will never be convinced by the lack of a 'proper' boot, drivers who approach cars from a fresh perspective will find that the Forte hatchback is much more than just a Cerato Forte with a chopped off rear end.
Instead of being the Cerato Forte's lesser cousin, the Forte hatchback actually feels like a car that slots right in-between the sedan and the Forte Koup model in Kia's range. It retains the practicality of a family car, but also gains the driving fun of a much sportier model.
Having now driven both the Cerato Forte and the Forte hatchback, I am more convinced than ever that Kia are on the rise with their product offerings, in nearly every segment it is contesting in.
Now, I guess, the Forte Koup is next for me then…
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Spinning a hatchback off a popular and top-selling family sedan is not a common practice, most notably for Asian makes. However, these are strange times in automobile land, and Kia has bucked the trend to introduce the Forte hatchback in the hotly-contested family car segment.
While detractors of hatchbacks will never be convinced by the lack of a 'proper' boot, drivers who approach cars from a fresh perspective will find that the Forte hatchback is much more than just a Cerato Forte with a chopped off rear end.
Instead of being the Cerato Forte's lesser cousin, the Forte hatchback actually feels like a car that slots right in-between the sedan and the Forte Koup model in Kia's range. It retains the practicality of a family car, but also gains the driving fun of a much sportier model.
Having now driven both the Cerato Forte and the Forte hatchback, I am more convinced than ever that Kia are on the rise with their product offerings, in nearly every segment it is contesting in.
Now, I guess, the Forte Koup is next for me then…
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
