2010 Kia Forte Koup Named One of the Best of The 2009 Orange County Auto Show

The 2010 Forte Koup, Kia first-ever two-door coupe, has been named one of the “Best of the 2009 Orange County Auto Show” by NADAguides.com. One of only five vehicles at the show to be honored, this credit comes on the heels of its sibling, the 2010 Forte sedan, being named “Car of the Month” for August by the same online automotive resource.

The most recent addition to the Kia Motors lineup under the brand’s aggressive design-led product rollout, Forte Koup was acclaimed for its bold styling, class-leading power and exceptional standard technology features.

“This honor by NADAguides.com is just another example of how Kia is moving in the right direction by offering consumers a number of appealing qualities in all Kia vehicles, including comfort, styling, technology and safety,” said Michael Sprague, vice president, marketing of KMA. “Forte Koup is yet another huge statement for the brand both in style and in value, and presents us with the exciting ability to reach an entirely new market of automotive enthusiasts.”

NADAguides.com selected the top five vehicles of the Orange County Auto Show based on a concept or production vehicle’s style and features as well as its ability to make an immediate impact on the automotive industry and predict the needs of consumers.

“The Kia Forte Koup follows in the footsteps of the slightly larger four-door sedan with an unprecedented 2.4-liter engine that produces 173 horsepower. Kia is becoming the next big global automotive giant,” said Michael Caudill, automotive expert for NADAguides.com.

Available in two trims, EX and SX, Forte Koup offers consumers an aggressively styled performance-inspired two-door coupe with an abundance of amenities as well as impressive power. All Forte Koup models feature Bluetooth® connectivity with steering wheel-mounted controls that enable voice-activated hands-free operation for compatible cell phones and a six-speaker AM/FM/CD/MP3 audio system outfitted with SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

For added listening convenience, steering wheel-mounted audio controls also come standard on all models, as well as USB and auxiliary input jacks in the center console with full iPod® and MP3 controllability via the audio head unit or steering wheel-mounted controls.

For those looking for extra punch under the hood, Forte Koup is truly a driver’s car with options of either a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine (EX models), producing 156 horsepower and 144 pound-feet of torque(2) that features Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and multi-port electronic fuel injection, or an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine (SX models), also with CVVT, which delivers 173 horsepower and 168 pound-feet of torque(3), more than the Scion tC. [Source: Kia]