2023 Kia Forte GT Review: Turbo Fun On A Budget That's Hard To Beat

Fun is best measured on a sliding scale. While it's easy to stare wistfully at the array of supercars and exotics on offer today, or even the horsepower-heavy behemoths that promise speed to go with their family-hauling talents, not everyone has the cash to splash on (or even the inclination to own) something so excessive.

While SUVs and crossovers may have proliferated, and average transaction prices spiraled up, it actually feels like we're seeing a surprising resurgence of relatively affordable "enthusiast" cars. Models like the GR Corolla, the Civic Type R, and the Elantra N all instill fun-to-drive into compact family hatchbacks and sedans, while the perennially beloved MX-5 Miata continues to skirt a delicate line between capability and attainability.

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What, though, if your budget is even tighter? Well under even a used last-generation Civic Type R, perhaps, and yet you're not willing to sacrifice that new car smell. Well, that's where something like the 2023 Kia Forte GT comes in.

Kia, like the rest of the auto world, hasn't been immune to the shift toward SUVs. However that hasn't meant the death of its other body styles: even with the imminent departure of the Stinger, there's still the Rio, Forte, and K5 keeping the sedan and hatchback flags flying. Consistent across the board is affordability, though it'd be unfair to describe these solely as value plays.

Instead, just as we've seen from most of Kia's recent crossovers and SUVs, there's an aggressive balance of style, equipment, and safety tech. And while Kia — like the rest of the Hyundai Group — is mainly focused on electrification at the moment, that doesn't mean its gas-only models have been entirely left behind.

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The bigger question — or, at least, the one that's more relevant to the Forte GT — is whether these relatively low-cost daily drivers have the bones to make a legitimate performance car. As you might expect, that's where things get a little complicated.

The regular Forte comes with a 2.0-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four gas engine with 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. They're numbers that are hardly staking a claim on sports car territory, but then again Kia's sedan starts at $19,690 (plus $1,125 destination). The same 2.0L is used in the LX, LXS, and GT-Line; when you get to the Forte GT (from $24,390), though, you get an upgrade.

That's Kia's 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Down in capacity, sure, but up in grunt with 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. Out goes the CVT, replaced by either a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic with paddle shifters on the steering wheel or a 6-speed manual in the appropriately-named 2023 Forte GT Manual (from $25,090 plus destination).

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The extra horses aren't the only changes. Kia also gives both GT trims a sport-tuned multi-link rear suspension system, dual exhaust, and bigger wheels than the GT-Line's 17-inch alloys. A fairly subtle rear spoiler and special side sills are carried over, too, while the headlamps switch from projector to LED to match the fog lamps, DRLs, and rear clusters.

Inside, the GT gets black cloth and SynTex seats with red detailing, a GT steering wheel, wireless phone charger, and a rear air vent for the dual-zone automatic climate control. There's also a 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, push-button start, and SiriusXM.

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This particular 2023 Forte GT is $27,415 including destination and the $1,900 GT2 package, and what you get for your money — in car terms — is, frankly, astonishing. Sure, there's the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and fancy 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels with striking red center cap trim, but more surprising are things like ventilated front seats and Kia's lane-following Highway Driving Assist. I've been in so-called luxury cars more than twice this Forte's price that don't come so well equipped.

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It's a far cry from the days when an affordable vehicle meant you were basically locked out of high-end features. That's not to say that every Forte buyer will necessarily want — or need — their backside cooled as well as heated. It's great, though, to have the option at least. The GT2 package also includes a power-adjusted driver's seat, reverse parking sensors, sunroof, and a Harman/Kardon audio system, plus more SynTex on the seats.

Even with its bigger, fancier wheels and cute little trunk-lid spoiler, nobody is going to look at the Forte GT and think, "There goes a Civic Type R killer." That assessment continues from behind the wheel, though it's not to say the Kia can't be fun. Just that, as with all things in life, it pays dividends to set your expectations appropriately.

The Forte GT is entertaining, much in the same way that compact, relatively lightweight, front-wheel drive cars with a little more poke than usual are often entertaining when misused. Despite Kia swapping out the standard suspension for something more sporty, it doesn't really encourage aggressive cornering in the way that, say, a GR Corolla might. Nor is it as communicative as a Miata, as the steering lacks that directness and road feel.

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Still, the 1.6L turbo fizzes with pleasing eagerness, and with the shifter knocked over into "S" mode (which also, helpfully, puts the Forte GT into the Sport drive mode without you having to hit the button) it'll cling to lower gears and generally do its best to all feel a bit silly and playful. The result is never outright fast — nor would you expect it to be — but that's not really the point.

In fact, from behind the wheel I couldn't help but think of the cheap, cheerful array of little hatchbacks that I drove after first getting my license while wondering what extra mischief I might've got myself into had they come with the slight uptick in power that the Forte GT offers. Like those cars, a sensible bias toward understeer is dialed in from the get-go, and any aspirations of extreme recklessness are cut off at the knees by the limits of grip and grunt.

Will you miss the electronic limited slip differential that Hyundai fits to the (more expensive) Elantra N? The Elantra N's eLSD is certainly more proficient in directing front wheel grip to where it'll be best appreciated, a welcome talent when you consider Hyundai's car has 75 horsepower and 91 lb-ft of torque more to wield. For day-to-day fun, though, the Kia is communicative where it matters: no, you don't get endless grip, but nor are you left in the dark as to when it's about to run out.

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Unlike the procession of old, moderately wobbly Fiats I spent my late teens in, the Forte GT comes with a whole host of standard active safety tech. All Forte trims get forward collision-avoidance assist with pedestrian detection, lane keeping assist, lane following assist, and driver attention warning. To that, the GT adds rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, blind spot detection, cyclist detection to the forward collision-avoidance assist, and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go.

Kia's other big advantage is economy, though the 1.6-liter turbo engine isn't quite as frugal as the base 2.0-liter. A Forte GT is EPA rated for 27 mpg in the city, 35 mpg on the highway, and 30 mpg combined. In comparison, the non-turbo Forte is rated at 30 mpg in the city, 41 mpg on the highway, and 34 mpg combined.

Then there's the warranty, and as we've seen from Kia before, it's a healthy chunk of reassurance. The 5-year/60,000-mile limited basic warranty is joined by a 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty and a 5-year/100,000-mile limited anti-perforation warranty. There's also 5-year/60,000 miles of roadside assistance thrown in.

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That's healthier than what Toyota offers on a GR Corolla (from $35,900) or what Volkswagen offers on a new Golf GTI (from $30,530). VW does include the first two years of scheduled maintenance, however.

Comparing the Forte GT with luminaries like the Civic Type R and GR Corolla is unfair, really. Kia isn't pitching its sportier sedan as the be-all and end-all of performance. Instead, it's about offering a little more zip and a tad more whimsy to what's otherwise a fairly sensible little compact.

Those who want the real deal in hot-hatch-style entertainment should be looking to things like the Elantra N, where in addition to power there are also features like the eLSD, uprated brakes, and nifty adaptive dampers. But — and this is no small but — you're also looking at a considerable step up in price, relatively speaking. An Elantra N starts at $32,900, a GR Corolla from $35,900, and a Civic Type R from $43,795, all plus destination (and any inevitable dealership markups for these popular models).

The Kia, in contrast, lands at $25,515 including destination. You're sacrificing power and engagement, sure, but that's a huge price delta. And when I think back to those years of post-license motoring, what I remember isn't badge prestige or even horsepower but the feeling of liberation and, yes, a little silliness along the way. On that front, even with its half-hearted sporting abilities, it's hard to argue with what the 2023 Forte GT is offering.