2024 Kia Forte: A no-nonsense car that leaves in a hurry, and mostly for the right reasons, Every few years, a compact sedan comes along that nobody talks about at parties but everybody quietly respects. The 2024 Kia Forte is that car. It never chased the Honda Civic’s reputation for polish, never tried to out-tech the Hyundai Elantra, and never pretended to be sportier than a Mazda3. It just showed up, did its job, and got out cheap. Now, in its final year before Kia folds the nameplate into the new K4, the Forte reads like a closing statement rather than a work in progress.
That matters for anyone shopping right now, because the Forte is no longer being built. Every 2024 Forte on a dealer lot or in a used listing is one of the last of its kind, and that changes how you should think about buying one. This is not a car chasing headlines. It is a car finishing a decade-long job of being the practical choice in a segment that keeps getting more expensive.
The compact sedan class has thinned out over the past few years as buyers drift toward crossovers, but the ones left standing, the Civic, the Corolla, the Elantra, the Impreza, have all gotten pricier and more feature-heavy. The Forte largely held the line. A base LX still starts under 20,000 dollars with destination included, which by 2024 standards is almost a novelty. That alone tells you who this car is for. It is not for someone cross-shopping a loaded Civic Touring. It is for someone who wants four doors, decent gas mileage, and a warranty that outlasts most car loans, without financing 28,000 dollars to get there.
There is a version of this review that just lists specs and calls it a day. That is not useful to you. What follows is what the Forte actually feels like to live with, where it earns its price tag, and where Kia clearly decided that spending more money wasn’t worth it.
Our Opinion
The Forte earns its keep through value, not excitement. The base engine is genuinely slow off the line, the CVT hunts for the right response more than it should, and the ride gets busy over rough pavement. But the fuel economy is excellent, the cabin layout is smarter than the price suggests, and the standard safety suite embarrasses some pricier rivals. If you walk in expecting a budget car that behaves like one in some areas and outperforms its price in others, you will not be disappointed. Walk in expecting a Civic-fighter, and you will be.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Some of the best fuel economy in the compact sedan class
- Low starting price with a genuinely usable base trim
- Ten-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty
- Roomy back seat and trunk for the segment
- Standard forward collision warning and lane-keeping assist across the lineup
Cons
- Base 147-horsepower engine feels strained from a stop
- CVT transmission can be inconsistent under hard acceleration
- Ride turns choppy on rough roads, especially on GT-Line’s larger wheels
- IIHS gave the related 2023 model Poor ratings in updated side and moderate overlap tests
- Wireless Apple CarPlay is dropped once you step up to the bigger touchscreen
What’s New for 2024
Not much changed for 2024, and that is intentional. This is the Forte’s farewell lap before Kia replaces it with the K4 for 2025. Kia folded the GT-Line’s old Tech package into the trim as standard equipment, meaning adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, and forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection now come built in rather than as an add-on. The LX and LXS trims also picked up an extra USB port, a small but appreciated fix for families who were tired of fighting over a single charging spot. Beyond that, Kia left the formula alone. No new paint colors worth mentioning, no styling tweaks, no shuffled option packages. It is the same Forte that has been on sale since the last refresh in 2022, just with the loose ends cleaned up before the lights go out.
Exterior Design
Kia’s design language has moved fast over the last few years, and the Forte got a preview of it during its 2022 update. The slim grille, the sharply angled headlights that dive into the fenders, and the tiger-nose front end all borrow cues from the larger K5 and Sportage. It looks more expensive than its price tag suggests, at least from certain angles. The base LX undercuts that impression a little with its 15-inch steel wheels and plastic covers, which is where the car most obviously shows its budget origins. Move up to the GT-Line or GT, and you get 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting front and rear, and enough black trim and red accents to make the car look genuinely sporty in photos.
Compared with the Elantra, the Forte’s shape is more conventional and less fussy with creases and character lines. Next to the Corolla, it looks a touch more athletic, though the Corolla’s hatchback sibling still wins on visual variety. None of this is groundbreaking. It is simply a well-executed take on a formula every automaker in this class is running.
2024 Kia Forte Driving Experience
This is where the Forte splits into two personalities depending on which trim you choose, and the gap is bigger than most compact sedans allow. In the LX, LXS, or GT-Line with the base engine, the car is unhurried. Merging onto a fast-moving highway takes planning. The CVT drones under hard throttle and doesn’t always translate pedal input into forward motion as quickly as you’d like. Around town, none of this matters much. The steering is light, the turning radius is tight, and parking lots are where this car feels most at home.
Step into the GT or GT Manual, and the story changes. This is where the excitement begins, if we’re being honest about what excitement means at this price point. The turbocharged engine wakes the car up, torque arrives earlier, and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic shifts with a crispness the base CVT can only dream about. The manual transmission, still available for buyers who want it, adds a layer of engagement almost nobody else in this segment still offers. It won’t outrun a Civic Si, but it will make a Tuesday commute feel less like a chore.
Ride quality is mixed. Small bumps are absorbed reasonably well, but larger potholes transmit more shake into the cabin than you’d want, particularly on the stiffer GT suspension tune.
2024 Kia Forte Performance and Acceleration
Two engines, two very different characters. The standard 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the LX, LXS, and GT-Line trims makes 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, numbers that were unremarkable even five years ago. Zero to 60 mph takes around eight seconds, which is about average for the class but feels slower in practice because the CVT doesn’t build momentum smoothly. This engine is fine for daily errands and highway cruising once you’re up to speed. It is not fine if you frequently merge onto fast on-ramps or pass on two-lane roads.
The GT and GT Manual swap in a turbocharged 1.6-liter four making 201 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque, and the difference is night and day. Power comes on earlier, the car pulls with real urgency in the midrange, and the manual gearbox gives you something to do with your hands beyond holding the wheel. If performance matters at all to you, skip the base engine entirely and budget for the GT. The extra money buys a genuinely different driving experience, not just a badge.
Ride Comfort and Cabin Luxury
“Luxury” is a strong word for a car that starts under 20,000 dollars, and Kia never oversells it here. What you get instead is a cabin that feels more solid than its price class typically allows. Soft-touch materials show up on the dash and door panels starting at the LXS trim, and the GT-Line adds synthetic leather seating that looks and feels better than you’d expect. The base LX’s cloth seats are fine but clearly the entry point, with less bolstering and a flatter cushion.
Road noise is where the Forte shows its age a bit. Wind and tire noise creep into the cabin at highway speeds more than they do in a Civic or Elantra, and the stiffer suspension on GT trims means bigger bumps get transmitted straight to your spine rather than absorbed. None of this ruins the car, but it is worth noting before you assume “Kia” automatically means “quiet.”
2024 Kia Forte Interior and Comfort
Kia borrowed some layout ideas from pricier European sedans for this generation of Forte, and it shows in how the controls are organized. Everything from the climate knobs to the drive mode selector sits within easy reach, and the dashboard avoids the cluttered, button-heavy look that plagued compact cars a decade ago. Rear legroom measures 35.7 inches, which beats the Corolla and edges out the Mazda3, making the back seat genuinely usable for adult passengers on longer trips rather than just a place to strap in a car seat.
Where the interior falls short is material quality on the lower trims. Hard plastics dominate the lower dash and door panels on the LX, and while that is expected at this price, rivals like the Elantra disguise it better with texture and stitching. Step up a trim or two, and the gap narrows.
Technology and Infotainment
The base 8-inch touchscreen is sharp, quick to respond, and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with Bluetooth, HD radio, and a four-speaker stereo. It is a genuinely good system for the price, easy to navigate without digging through menus. Move up to the GT-Line or GT, and the screen grows to 10.25 inches with built-in navigation, a bigger and clearer display, and available Harman Kardon audio. Here’s the frustrating part. Wireless CarPlay and Android Auto disappear once you get the larger screen, forcing you back to a cable. It’s a strange trade-off, and one that Kia never adequately explained. If wireless smartphone mirroring matters more to you than screen size, the smaller display is arguably the better buy.
Voice commands work reasonably well for basic functions like changing the radio station or adjusting climate settings, though don’t expect the natural conversation style of a luxury brand’s system.
Fuel Consumption
Fuel economy is arguably the Forte’s single strongest argument, and it is not close. The base engine returns an EPA-estimated 34 mpg combined, with 30 city and 41 highway, numbers that top most of the compact sedan field and trail only the Elantra’s specific hybrid-adjacent trims. Even the turbocharged GT holds up well, returning 30 mpg combined with the automatic transmission or 26 mpg with the manual. For a car that isn’t a hybrid, that is a genuinely impressive spread across the lineup. If your daily commute involves a lot of highway miles, the base LX or LXS will save you real money at the pump compared to nearly everything else in this class.
Practicality and Storage
The Forte’s trunk holds a surprising amount for a compact sedan, and the back seat, as mentioned, offers class-competitive legroom. Split-folding rear seats come standard starting at the LXS trim, which opens up space for longer items like skis or flat-pack furniture without needing a hatchback. Front seat storage is thoughtfully arranged too, with a deep center console bin and a dedicated spot for a phone near the wireless charger on higher trims.
This is not a car built around cargo flexibility the way a hatchback or wagon would be, but for a sedan buyer who mostly needs to carry people and the occasional grocery run, the Forte punches above its price class.
2024 Kia Forte Safety Ratings
Every 2024 Forte comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, driver attention monitoring, and automatic high beams. That is a genuinely strong baseline for a car starting under 20,000 dollars, and it beats several competitors that still charge extra for the same features. GT-Line and above add adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert.
The concerning part of the story comes from crash testing. The 2024 Forte earned a four-star overall rating from NHTSA but only three stars for the front passenger-side test, a result worth taking seriously. The IIHS had not separately tested the 2024 model at the time of this review, but the mechanically identical 2023 Forte earned Poor ratings, the lowest possible score, in the updated side and moderate front overlap tests, while scoring Good in the older test protocols. Every major competitor in this class scored better on those newer, more demanding IIHS tests. This does not mean the Forte is unsafe in absolute terms, but it does mean shoppers who prioritize top-tier crash protection should cross-shop carefully before assuming a Kia badge guarantees class-leading safety scores.
Worthy Competitors
The Honda Civic remains the benchmark for this class, with sharper handling and a nicer interior, though you’ll pay more to get there and Honda rarely discounts. The Hyundai Elantra, built on shared bones with the Forte, offers a hybrid option Kia doesn’t and slightly better highway fuel economy, but its styling is more polarizing. The Toyota Corolla trades outright interior space for Toyota’s reputation and resale value, a trade many buyers are still happy to make. The Subaru Impreza stands apart by offering standard all-wheel drive, a rarity in this segment, along with a genuinely upscale cabin, though its fuel economy trails the pack. None of these cars make the Forte a bad choice. They just make it clear that the Forte wins on price and running costs rather than outright polish.
Key Strengths and Key Weaknesses
The Forte’s biggest strength, without question, is the math. Low purchase price, strong fuel economy, and a ten-year powertrain warranty add up to one of the lowest cost-of-ownership equations in the entire compact sedan class. Its biggest weakness is just as clear. The base powertrain feels behind the times, and the updated IIHS crash test results are a legitimate concern for anyone cross-shopping safety scores directly against rivals.
Which Category Does Cardrav Recommend?
For most buyers, the LXS trim is the sweet spot. It adds split-folding rear seats and nicer cabin materials for only 500 dollars over the base LX, without sacrificing the excellent fuel economy that makes the base engine worthwhile in the first place. If performance is a priority and budget allows, the GT Manual is the trim we’d actually recommend driving before you buy anything else in this segment. It is the rare case of a budget-priced car offering genuine driver engagement, something increasingly hard to find at any price.
Conclusion: Is It Worth Buying?
If you need a compact sedan, want low running costs, and don’t need class-leading safety scores or a thrilling drive, the 2024 Kia Forte is worth buying, particularly at the LX or LXS trim where the value proposition is strongest. It handles daily duties without drama, sips fuel efficiently, and comes backed by a warranty most competitors can’t match.
Because this is the final model year before Kia replaces the Forte with the K4, shopping for one today means shopping the used and remaining new-inventory market rather than ordering a fresh one. That works in your favor. Discontinued models tend to see steeper initial depreciation, and dealers are motivated to clear leftover new Forte stock before K4 inventory fully takes over. Expect solid negotiating room on new leftovers, and expect used 2024 Fortes to hold value reasonably well given Kia’s reliability reputation. Compared with the redesigned K4, which brings a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen, more interior space, and updated safety tech at a noticeably higher price, the outgoing Forte remains the better choice for anyone who wants affordable transportation without paying for features they won’t use. If you’re chasing the newest tech, wait for a K4. If you just want a cheap, reliable commuter that won’t punish your wallet at the pump, a 2024 Forte, new or gently used, still makes sense.
FAQ
Is the 2024 Kia Forte a good car?
Yes. The 2024 Kia Forte delivers strong fuel economy, a spacious cabin for its class, and one of the best powertrain warranties in the industry, making it a smart pick for budget-focused sedan shoppers.
Why was the Kia Forte discontinued?
Kia discontinued the Forte after the 2024 model year to make room for the redesigned K4, part of a broader push to unify its sedan lineup under the “K” naming strategy with more modern styling and technology.
What is the fuel economy of the 2024 Kia Forte?
The base engine returns an EPA-estimated 34 mpg combined, while the turbocharged GT trim manages 30 mpg combined with the automatic transmission, both strong figures for the compact sedan class.
Does the 2024 Kia Forte have good safety ratings?
It comes standard with a strong suite of driver assistance features, but the related 2023 model scored Poor in updated IIHS side and moderate overlap tests, so safety-focused shoppers should compare carefully against rivals.
Is the Kia Forte GT worth the extra money?
For buyers who care about driving enjoyment, yes. The GT’s turbocharged engine and quicker transmission options transform the driving experience compared to the base four-cylinder, offering genuine engagement rarely found at this price point.
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