Kia Forte5 SX Turbo: What a fucking bargain!

"Luc - The Acadian Oppo" (luc5)
08/11/2014 at 09:40 • Filed to: None

I was just on the Kia website looking at the Cadenza and I managed to stray onto the Forte5 configurator and was extremely surprised. First off I did not even know there was such a thing as a turbo model. This Forte5 SX is a GTI fighter with 201hp and a 6spd manual. Currently with rebates we are looking at $22997.36 CAD out the door. HOLY SHIT that is cheap.

Let’s compare this to a base model Golf GTI shall we?

The GTI’s out the door price is $30964.50 CAD and it is less equipped than the Forte5 SX and has 2 less doors(the 4 dr GTI is way WAY more money $36109.50). The Kia is $7967.14 dollars less and has a much better interest rate. I know the Kia won’t have the dynamics the GTI does but if someone was just looking for a hot-ish hatch to use as a daily commuter I think I would have to go with the KIA, the savings are just too huge to ignore.

DISCUSSION (27)

Milky > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 11:20

I'm going to be that guy and say 200hp isn't enough these days, the competition has moved on. Hell even the GTI doesn't give you that much HP compared to something like a FoST.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 11:25

Pretty good value. I went on the kia website to see if I could test one out of curiosity. We dont get them here in the UK apparently.

Long Live the Longdoor > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 13:26

Yes, thank you Kia for not jacking the prices up on this in Canada!

That said, my biggest gripe with the forte5 and the Veloster Turbo is that they don't sound very good but that's just me nitpicking (and I'm a bit of an audiophile when it comes to my car's sound).

GoliathRex > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 15:14

What does a civic SI go for in Canada? Abarth?

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > GoliathRex
08/09/2014 at 17:38

Civic SI is $29763.00 all in and the Abarth is $24979 all in. the Kia is almost $2K cheaper that the Abarth still.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Long Live the Longdoor
08/09/2014 at 17:39

I'm sure with the proper exhaust tuning you can make it sound just fine.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Milky
08/09/2014 at 17:45

Meh. I drive a 178hp automatic ford fusion and it gets around just fine. Considering that this is $6000-$8000 less than the competition makes it a clear winner in my book.

There will always be faster cars than you no matter what you drive.

GoliathRex > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 17:47

Wow! that is a good deal then. VW is expensive in the states, so I was not surprised to hear the Kia is a better value in CA.

Jayhawk Jake > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/09/2014 at 19:58

Interesting...apparently if I'm mentioned in a post it comes up on my 'recommended' thing when I post a new post.

I think it's a great bargain, but as with previous Kia's and Hyundai's reports say the driving dynamics aren't there yet. I think if you wanted a GTi to be a nice sporty DD this would be a fantastic alternative. If you want a GTi to be a nice sporty DD that you also take down crazy mountain roads and to autocross every weekend, stick to the GTi.

I really want Kia to make a 'halo' sports car. The GT4 stinger should be that car. Get a team of quality experienced sports car chassis engineers and get the driving dynamics sorted, then trickle it out to cars like this. Their design is so good and the value for money is still fantastic with most Kia's, they just aren't there yet for enthusiast cars.

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 09:59

How much are the Fiesta ST and Focus ST in Canada?

mcseanerson > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:04

Not bad. I too did not know such a thing existed.

jariten1781 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:08

I had one as a rental coincidentally when the wife's GTI was in the shop (again). It was perfectly fine squirting around the city, but it had some seriously sketchy rear end behavior when being pushed. When I'd hit an imperfection mid corner the rear end would shift track and it would induce some wobbling through the whole suspension. I don't think it was dangerous, but it was far from confidence inspiring. It kind of felt like the rear was too softly sprung while the front was pretty tight.

All in all it wasn't a bad car, but I wouldn't put it in the same category as a GTI.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
08/11/2014 at 10:09

The Fiesta ST is $25,519 all in and the Focus ST is $29,856 out the door.

The Kia also has a much lower interest rate 2.99% vs 5.89% for the Fords and the Kia will be much better equipped as well.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > jariten1781
08/11/2014 at 10:16

Your rental was it the SX Turbo model? with the 8K in savings over the GTI I'm sure a person could put on some stiffer springs or a bigger sway bar to help solve that issue.

I'm in no way saying that the Kia is a better car because it is clearly not. What I am saying is that value wise nothing compares to the Kia. The "you get more for your dollar" factor is thru the roof on the Kia.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > mcseanerson
08/11/2014 at 10:21

Me neither, up until Saturday I had no idea about it at all. Kia really should market this a little better as they has a real winner with this one. I'm sure if more people knew it existed they would probably sell a lot more of them.

Would I buy one with the intentions of using it on a track? probably not

Would I buy one to use as a spunky commuter? You can bet your ass I would!

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:27

The fords are pretty well equipped, have you looked into third party financing? My attitude on Kias is that you pretty much get what you pay for.

jariten1781 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:28

It was actually the Koup Turbo, but same drivetrain and suspension. Totally agree it's a decent deal.

I doubt that you could really get the suspension as sorted as the GTI with just springs though. It has a torsion beam rear vs the GTI's IRS. It's one of the places where they save some dough.

It would probably spend a hell of a lot less time in the shop though. Our GTI has been a nightmare. Never more than 10k in a row without something going wrong. Soon as the warranty is up we're done with it.

TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:30

KIA also offers the Cee'd GT and Pro_cee'd GT for sale in the UK - they're like European versions of the Forte. Both have ~200bhp, and KIA are adamant that it's not a hot hatch but rather a warm hatch. Something brisk, practical and cheap.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
08/11/2014 at 10:35

I'm not actually looking for a car I just saw what great value it was. I have a loaded 2013 Ford Fusion SE.

The best rate you will get around here with 3rd party financing is 4.99%

IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
08/11/2014 at 10:39

Are there Credit Unions in Canada? That's how I normally get good rates down here. 4.99% sucks.

JawzX2, Boost Addict. 1.6t, 2.7tt, 4.2t > jariten1781
08/11/2014 at 10:41

Hyundai/Kia hasn't figured out the "sporty twist-beam" rear suspension thing for the new Forte or Elantra platform, but my old 2011 Elantra Touring (C30-EW, Kia Cee'd -remember the Cee'd was the "Reasonably Priced Car", and even Clarkson would make comments like "It's not really too bad, is it, that Cee'd?" when talking with "Stars" who were real drivers, and it turned some pretty damn fast laps, even with the 1.6.), which had independent rear was right in line with the concurrent-generation GTI for grip and composure. That car needed more horsepower... I don't miss it, because FieSTa, but it was a genuinely entertaining car and more fun to drive than anything else in it's price class...

Here I am flogging it through the slalom in 2012, sadly I can't find the un-cropped version, but note the pronounced lack of body lean. That thing had great motion control...

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > TwinCharged - Is Now UK Opponaut
08/11/2014 at 10:43

Yeah this is the exact same as the Cee'd GT. If I was buying one of these it would strictly be used for commuting duties so warm or hot doesn't really affect me all that much.

$22997.36 CAD = 12516.71 British Pounds if you were wondering. Don't forget this is out the door price with Tax (VAT) included.

but holy hell is a Pro Cee'd GT ever a good looking car I'd commute the shit out of that car.

Kinja'd!!!

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
08/11/2014 at 10:44

It's the exact same car as the Cee'D GT just different name for North America

$22997.36 CAD = 12516.71 British Pounds if you were wondering. Don't forget this is out the door price with Tax (VAT) included.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > IDROVEAPICKUPTRUCK
08/11/2014 at 10:52

I think we have credit union here. the higher interest is only on the ST models. All the others are between 0% & 2.49%.

The focus ST is normally $29,999 before destination and taxes at about 2.49%(this would model is the same as your FoST level 2 with recaros. We do not get the base ST in Canada). What ford does around august each year is introduce "Employee pricing". all this does is reduce the price to $26,769 before fees & taxes and in return they jack up the interest rates. Therefor your payments stay about the same and you are not really saving any money at all.

The only upside to this is if you come to sell down the road you owe less on the car even if the payments are the same.

BATC42 > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
10/30/2014 at 14:59

And reviewers here seem to really dig the Pro Cee'd GT, good car all around, not great, but good.

itschrome > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
10/30/2014 at 15:00

I have a feeling this is no different than the Veloster . looks good on paper, but lacks behind the wheel. unless they did something different in the transmission and suspension department it's probably a bit of a dog and lazy in the corners.

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Luc - The Acadian Oppo
10/30/2014 at 15:12

My fiesta ST has 1.49%, although I got a lot model so it has stuff like sunroof and nav.