Kia Restyles the Forte and Adds a New Engine for 2017

2017 Forte Sedan (Credit: © Kia)

The Kia Forte is a dark horse in the compact segment as it offers a great value relative to its main competitors from Honda, Nissan, and Toyota. Sure, it may not boast the greatest sales, but it gives buyers something to think about should they stumble into a Kia dealership and try one out. Today, Kia has officially unveiled the refreshed 2017 Forte sedan.

Like its Forte5 sibling, the 2017 sedan gains a new look that includes a new tiger nose grille, new to-the-grille headlights with available xenon HID lighting, a new front apron, new fog lights, and a restyled hood. Around back, Kia added in new taillights that are available with LED lighting.

For the 2017 model year, Kia will also toss in a new S trim level that sits between the base LX and EX trims. This new trim will add a touch of sportiness to the sedan with a sport-tuned suspension, 16-inch alloy wheels, LED positioning lights, a rear spoiler, a chrome exhaust tip, black cloth seats with contrast stitching, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, and UVO3 technology with a 7-inch touchscreen.

Buyers who opt for the range-topping EX trim are treated to LED taillights, a smart key with perimeter lighting, 17-inch alloy wheels, leather seating, auto dual-zone climate control, and push-button start.

Under its hood, Kia has replaced the old 1.8-liter base engine with a 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle engine that produces 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. This is a boost of 2 horsepower and 2 pound-feet when compared to the 1.8-liter engine it replaces. The optional 2.0-liter GDI engine produces 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque, which is down from 173 horsepower and 154 pound-feet of torque in 2016. Both engines have an available second-gen six-speed auto transmission.

In addition to plenty of desirable standard features, the 2017 Forte will also have premium optional equipment like Dynamic Bending Light, auto emergency braking, forward collision warning, lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.

Kia hasn’t announced pricing or a release date for the 2017 Forte, but that should come soon, so stay tuned.