This is the official press release in English, that Kia Motors released on Thursday, when Forte was revealed to the citizens of South Korea. In addition to the official text that provides some interesting info about the all-new Forte sedan, you can see some new images that were not included in our post from Friday, which featured the gallery of 28 official Forte images. Some of the photos (the first four) are taken from Korean Forte brochure.
Press release:
Kia Motors Corp., South Korea’s No. 2 carmaker, unveiled its new Forte compact sedan Thursday, hoping that the fuel-efficient car will help boost sales amid higher fuel prices.
The new model, which goes on sale next week, is the latest entrant to the country’s 1.6-liter vehicle segment and marks the automaker’s newest model after another 1.6-liter version of Cerato was released in November, 2003.
The Forte, equipped with a gasoline or diesel engine, will compete with the Avante by Hyundai Motor Co. the SM3 by Renault Samsung Motors Co. and the Lacetti by GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.
Click image to enlarge!
The new Kia model generates 124 horsepower, and the company plans to add a 2-liter engine later. The price for the Forte ranges from 11.9 million won (US$11,300) to 19.6 million won, depending on accessories and engine types, it said.
The automaker, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Co., said it aims to sell 50,000 units domestically and 170,000 units overseas next year. For this year, Kia Motors targets the sale of 30,000 units. Annual sales for the model will rise to 250,000 annually from 2010, it said.
Kia Motors revamped its lineup to boost sales by redesigning its minicar Morning, mid-sized sedan Lotze and new Mohave sport-utility vehicle. It also plans to add a small crossover vehicle, known as Soul, later this year.
Kia Motors last month raised its domestic sales target to 364,000 units this year from 327,000, fueled by strong sales of its Morning mini-car. [Source: Kia]
August 25th, 2008 at 7:03 pm
i’ll take one in charcoal, with the dark brown & black leather, please.
August 25th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
I love the interior colors. The dark brown is a great choice. I hope it makes it to the states. Brown leather is my favorite color interior with a blue exterior or black exterior.
August 25th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
I’ll take a loaded 2.0 liter black with black leather interior!
August 25th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
It would be nice if Kia would let the States have the same luxury they offer in S. Korea.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:19 am
That’s a desition that the importer makes….. to bring it as loaded as the market permits….If U.S. buyers are not willing to pay they are not going to bring it. is that simple.
August 26th, 2008 at 12:57 am
I think they will bring it to the us, but on the “SX” model. Most options will probly come over now that Kia is trying hard to upgrade thier image. They are bring the Loaded Borrego Limited model to the US with all the goodies, and they are brining the Optima SX with all the options too.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:11 am
same here in UAE. the new Mohaves and Optimas are high-end models with features that are available in Korea [LEDs and all]
August 26th, 2008 at 2:33 am
Colby, does the new loaded Optima have the same grille as the Lotze? I hope your right too Colby about that SX model because the Forte’s looks cannot sell without those luxrious features. However, I think the navigation is more needed than heated seats.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:01 am
I disagree. Because with heated seats I know that I can have a warm butt even if I am lost. I saw my first 2009 Sportage today! (Canada plates) I think that Kia will most definitely bring most if not all Korean Options to the US market.
August 26th, 2008 at 10:35 am
well, JTZ, I’ve seen the optima in UAE has the H-grille. It should be there in U.S. as well. the one at the NYC motorshow, was prototype.
August 26th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Wow this thing has turned out to be nothing short of stunning! Congrats Tom Kearns and Peter Schreyer! You two are doing wonders for Kia design!
August 26th, 2008 at 2:14 pm
forte does 14 km/l. and the 1.6 diesel does 16.5 km/l Now how to convert that to MPG?
got it from the korean site and one more thing. Is it possible that forte’s 1.6 petrol produces 1.31 g/km of CO2 or is it 131g/km. cant tell with the small text and also the diesel shows 0.5 g/km CO2 produced.
August 26th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
woops! sorry I reading something else the CO2 produced by the 1.6 petrol and 1.6 diesel is 150 g/km and 178 g/km respectively.
August 26th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Does this car come to Europe? Nice car, but i`ll think the cee’d is better !
August 26th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
As far as I know it won’t come to Europe… (we have cee’d family)
The 1.6 CRDI in the cee’d produces less than 130 g/km CO2
August 26th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
the 1.6 diesel in cee’d produces 130 g/km of CO2? what r they doing to the forte’s engine?
August 27th, 2008 at 7:04 am
= Honda Civic
August 27th, 2008 at 9:14 am
everyone can see it has some resemblence to honda civic in front and lancer from some angles. even Kia fans admit that, but its price is a lot lower and there is a lot of gagets in it which makes it better than civic. so dont brag about what car it resembles cuz we all here have disscussed that and we all still like it.
August 27th, 2008 at 9:39 am
It makes the Civic look cheap and wimpy.
August 27th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
I still think the civic looks like an easter egg.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:32 am
To me the new Civic looks like a cross between the 05′ Lancer and first gen Toyota Hybrid. But, when I look at the face of this, I see more than just Civic, I’m seeing a car manufactorer that is finally getting a face. Besides, the Forte appears muscalur I don’t see it on the Civic. Your right again Greg, without those muscles, the Civic looks wimpy.
August 28th, 2008 at 1:37 am
I didn’t know until now, the first gen Toyota Hybrid (which the bodystyle looks like Civic) is the Prius. Civic fans catch that!!! Civic’s not all that original neither.
August 28th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Oops the Xantia comment was supposed to end up here, and not in the cee’d “plus” section…
See the resemblance now
August 28th, 2008 at 10:07 am
exactly which part looks like forte in xanita? Can’t really see much resemblence…
Hey, everyone knows, that all hondas are always part clones of other cars. people say the sportage looks like cr-v. which ever generation of sportage they were talking about, the sportage came before cr-v, so it shud be that cr-v looks like sportage.
August 29th, 2008 at 3:25 am
Kia body designs run circles silly around Honda body designs. This new Forte sedan is good as it will come to the U.S., luxury items not required…the hot new lines and curves look so good that options will fall as they may and the sedan will be just fine. Just my opinion, I would not get all hot and bothered about backup video or warning alarms or even cruise control. I have cruise control on my ’08 Lancer GTS but haven’t used it once and probably never will. I will use my Lancer’s bluetooth technology, once I get a bluetooth-capable cellphone. But these new Kia designs are fantisimo!!
August 29th, 2008 at 3:50 am
Kia has the best cruise control in the industry! Even up a 5% or 6% grade, Spectra’s cruise control stayed at 75, not 1 MPH less! We were straining the hell out of that poor engine, but made it every time! I’ve noticed that Rondo and Optima have the same great cruise control. Radio controls on the steering wheel keep eyes on the road too. After being spoiled with seat warmers, I will never go without them again! I can do without Nav system (Geography Bee Champ 3 years in a row, I get 3 new Atlases every year!), I would really like Kia’s version of Sync, but I hope they call it something less gay. Auto temperature control is handy for keeping eyes on the road too. 6 disc changer keeps eyes on the road. 8 way power drivers seat is nice, and I am not sure why passenger seat is only 4 way power. I wish that passenger would get adjustable lumbar too.
August 29th, 2008 at 5:26 am
My Lancer’s seats are awesome-they are side-boltered so well that you really have to work to get a lean so bad that you move out of the comfort zone you’re sitting in. I love the Lancer’s automatic temperature control, yep, and the stereo controls on the steering wheel. I agree, some of the new tech. stuff is awesome. As far as NAV goes, I don’t need it. I can just print out Mapquest searches or just rely on an everyday map. Seat warmers? I’m in Arizona!!!! Living in Michigan they would be awesome to have, yep.
August 29th, 2008 at 7:35 am
Lol, yeah. Volvo had that. Didn’t use in AZ, that’s for sure!! It’s getting down to 50 degrees at night here. About 70 during the day. In the summer I always set it to 1 or 2.
August 31st, 2008 at 5:14 am
It’s hitting about 85 tops during the day here in sunny SE Arizona. And down to about 65 at night. The monsoon season is officially still here until Sept.30th! It’s starting to take on an edge of fall weather, though, and I say bring that stuff on! Can’t wait for natural cooling. We finally sprung for a central-air conditioning system for our house. The heat gets so intensive that we had to. Expensive, but, oh, so cool, literally!
September 13th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I liked it very much. When will it be available in the middle east?
September 13th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Hi Tariq. click on my name. it will take you to a site where you might get a more accurate answer cuz this isnt and official site. the site linked in my name is official and you’ll be able to directly talk to Kia officials.
September 13th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
Thanks K-Sport
September 13th, 2008 at 5:52 pm
but it takes a while for them to get back to you. they r quiet busy I guess.
September 16th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Does the 1.6L gasoline version comes with a 4 speed or 5 speed automatic gearbox ?
September 16th, 2008 at 3:54 am
4-speed auto or 5 speed manual for 1.6. no info of tranies for 2.0L though.