Kia Motors released the image of an upcoming Forte four-door sedan. Kia Forte represents the vehicle which will replace the Spectra sedan in US and Canadian market.
If the release is anything like the sketches and concepts Kia has come up with, the Forte will be a strong competitor to Toyota Corollas and Honda Civics that currently dominate the market in USA.
More details will be released by August when Forte makes it’s official public debut.
UPDATE: Second teaser shot of Kia Forte sedan was released a few days ago and it reveales the front fascia of the four door sedan for the first time. Looks really eye-catching! Click here!
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June 3rd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
hmmm… The rear looks a lot like the Citroën Xantia!
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Really. reminds me of civic from front. But still, its beautiful. Looks sporty appealing.
June 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
O man. I can just imagine the hatchback. It will look awesome……..
June 3rd, 2008 at 4:23 pm
It’s like the KOUP BUT THIS IS THE 4 DOOR VERSION.
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:10 pm
there will be no 5 door. the soul is the 5 replacment. no reason to have 2 hatchback vehicles the same size w/ abou the same options. the coupe should be out next year. they are going to release the new optima, spectra and soul at the same time. the borrego should be out in the states soon. I have training on it this saturday to go over the features and options. THEY STOPPED MAKING THE Spec5 and we cannot get anymore in the states FOREVER!!!! The regular spectra is also stopped major production b/c the new one will be out in 4 months
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:45 pm
That fast huh Colby. It’s a nice sedan. you’re right they don’t need a hatch anyway because they are not as popular in North America like in Europe. The Koup can go agaisnt the up coming Ford Focus coupe (it’s quite ugly in my opinion).
June 3rd, 2008 at 5:55 pm
It’s very muscular for a C segment car. Good.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Colby, is your training at the dealership or a Kia Ride and Drive event?
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Looks mah-ve-lous. It is bold and muscular, and I can’t wait to see the whole TD-Spectra. The 5-spoke wheels look like an accurate match, too, with the rest of the car.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:17 pm
atlest they succeeded in making it attractive to me. its even got a 6-speed trany. but who cares… I prefer the soul.
June 3rd, 2008 at 6:28 pm
in store, the ride and drive was 3 weeks ago in the new plant in GA. My GM has pictures of all the borregos just sitting at the plant. He drove both models V6 and V8. Also, USA will get a special “limited” model that has all the options the Mohave has in Korea. Only 2 per dealership. one Black one Pearl White.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I went to the training session on Borrego yesterday. I have all that info in a little booklet. Mom is considering getting the limited model!
June 3rd, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Please, let’s not go off topic. Offtopic messages will be deleted!
Thank you!
June 4th, 2008 at 12:22 am
Himi: in the top title information (I don’t know what you call it, but it’s where it says “2009 Kia Forte, 2009 Spectra…”) it says “Kia Forte”. Is that the name it’ll use in other countries? I’ve never heard that name before. I think the rear looks really similar to it’s sibling, the Elantra. I’ve noticed in the Elantra it has a really short C pillar/ trunk (or boot). I will be very happy if we get the side indicator, and that it be by the wheel well (NOT on the mirror!) . Is the KOUP somewhat of the inspiration for the TD?
June 4th, 2008 at 6:10 am
I HAD TRAINING ON THE BORREGO TODAY. VERY VERY NICE. EVENTHOUGH THE ONE WE WERE TRAINED ON WAS A PROTOTYPE. THE SPECTRA WILL BE OUT IN AUG. I ONLY HAVE A FEW 08′S LEFT AND CANT GET ANYMORE. OPTIMA AROUND SEPT OR OCTOBER. SOUL AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
June 4th, 2008 at 9:48 am
mwahahahaha! i love it schreyer!
June 4th, 2008 at 9:56 am
chris. any info on when soul will arrive?
June 4th, 2008 at 10:54 am
OMG the beginning of the year for the Soul!? *GASP* I can’t wait that long!!!
June 4th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
OK so which is better, the new Spectra? or the Soul???? hmmmmm…
June 4th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Good question JoshyLofty I say get which ever hits showrooms first. I’m trying to choose too. Gosh it’s hard.
June 5th, 2008 at 12:05 am
Kia Forte hmmmm, I can’t wait to get more info on this car. It seems it’s the name for S. Korea right now. It’s aggressive in apperance, it’s taking cues from the Koup. It looks much more muscular and aggrassive than new Civic. It looks like a direct Lancer rival (to me). If I had the money I would get this and Soul. Apparently, I have to choose one and iit’s not easy. It’s good to see Kia making their cars muscular now.
June 5th, 2008 at 3:59 am
Yep, it does look like a direct ‘08-’09 Lancer rival. And I have the ‘08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. What a monstrous car it is, gentlemen!
June 5th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Its easy to chose for me. I like the soul. This isnt unique enough.
June 6th, 2008 at 2:19 am
The Kia Soul is an awesome new design. I love it and I think a lot of Americans will like it. However, I am pretty sure Americans will fork over cash more readily for the new ‘09 Kia TD-Spectra. This is a great new design, I can already tell from the peek-sees they are showing us.
June 6th, 2008 at 8:27 am
I dunno about great NEW design. I see cues from civic here. But anyway, thats a good thing. and its cheaper than civic and will sell well
June 6th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
it a love child of a civic, old acura tsx and a lancer. but it blends very well to get its own style. I love the fron window design.
June 6th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
I think we’re all getting a little too excited on a sketch.
June 7th, 2008 at 2:47 am
K-Sport look at the new Corolla then come back to this sketch and then tell me if your excited like the rest of us.
June 7th, 2008 at 4:15 am
corolla? LOL, that thing sells so bad here, I had to go to google images to recall what it loked like
.
but toyotas arent even in the question to be kia competitors. their cars are just to get from A to B.
honda civic is a faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better car than corolla.
June 8th, 2008 at 5:03 am
I agree that the Soul is more unique but this new Spectra is definitely a looker! I’ll take either in SX form in lime green with a nav, please
June 9th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
JoshyLofty-I agree, I can’t wait to see the new 2009 Kia Spectra in finished form. I think it’s gonna look cool, like my 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS. From what I can see so far, Kia has done a great job with the TD-Spectra. If I was in the market now, and still owned my 2001 Kia Sportage 4X4, the 2009 Kia Spectra 4-door sedan would be my choice. And yes, that lime green might just be my choice for color. Otherwise, I’d take a hard look at Kia’s bright red color and probably pick that.
June 10th, 2008 at 1:04 am
I hope it gets dual exhaust with a mpg very close to 50 and at least 4 types of alloys with a very aggressive rear spoiler. My color would be black, dark blue or red. Can it have leather seats this time?
June 10th, 2008 at 11:09 pm
JTZ-good question about the leather seats. Anyone know?
June 11th, 2008 at 6:56 am
dont think so Bryan. but Kia should offer leather seats this time. the design is too good to not have leather seats.
June 11th, 2008 at 7:46 pm
In America, the Hyundai Elantra, being the sibling vehicle to the Kia Spectra, has leather seats as an option for the SE trim (the higher level). Perhaps Kia will have this option as well? JTZ- I don’t know where you live but I’m doubtful we’d see a dual exhaust, 50mpg or 4 different alloy types. At least not with factory equipment. The dual exhaust seems to go along with (in the USA at least) the V6 engines, and even then not on all the vehicles.
June 15th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
I agree, Kia should, but may not, offer leather seats on the TD-2009 Kia Spectra. I wouldn’t want them, anyway. I like the tough, black cloth seats in my ‘08 Lancer GTS. That material is strong and looks good. It does, however, collect animal fur badly! I have two Pomeranian dogs and I’m mulling over getting a third dog, a Chow Chow. A Chow Chow is all about the fur, man. I am thinking of getting an all-white(rarer to find these)male Chow that is 3 months old. Or a cinnamon-colored 6 week old female Chow. If my wife likes the idea, too, and I agree to walk the new Chow daily, we’ll get one of these dogs this upcoming weekend. Both of these babies will shed up a storm. I do digress now and a then, though, for sure, for sure.
June 15th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
I love Kia’s leather. its so soft!
June 15th, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Yeah, ya know, Boris, I have never had leather seats in one of my cars. So I will withhold judgement on them. I might really like leather for seating material, huh? Nice to have some time to come on here more. The hospitals been keepin’ me hopping! Lots of sick SE Arizonans to help heal. The wind blows a lot here, and people with weeker immunities and respiratory systems get sick all of the time over here. Keeps me in work, for sure. But its finally starting to mellow out a bit. Knock on formica, that is!
June 15th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Greg said that the leather in Kias is goat skin. they get it from a farm or something but he says its only used on the minority of Kias.
June 16th, 2008 at 3:54 am
If it doesn’t have the seats it’s really going to need navigation at least. Just about all the popular c segment cars have it now: Civic, Corolla, Sentra if they want their c segment car to compete with them in perfect competition. I know it will have sirius radio.
June 16th, 2008 at 5:51 am
If they have navigation, they will have leather seats.