Props for saying that pun with a straight face

This guy is more thorough and detailed than any other reviewer out there. He gives every detail completely, unlike other reviewers. Never going back to anyone else.

"which has never been kia's Forte".... Lol, *dead*

Just bought a 2019 Kia Forte LXS. After buying Toyotas and Hondas for over 30 years, I bought a Kia. The other surprise is that I bought a CVT. Not a manual Transmission like I've done for 30 years. I have a 1972 Citroen DS21, and a 1958 Plymouth Belvedere. But for daily driving I always buy something reliable and practical. After looking at a SE Corolla Hatchback, and a Civic 5 door Hatchback, the amount of Standard equipment and build quality was hard to beat. Even though it has an MSRP of 20500 u.s. dollars, they sold it to me for 15900! The most important thing is that I'm 6'3" and the legroom in front is excellent. Very happy. I never thought I would buy a KIA, but I did and I'm happy. Also, right off the bat I'm averaging 35mpg. I can only imagine it going up when it breaks in.

Best grill in the segment.

I just bought the 2019 forte LX, this review really helped me base my decision! So far, it drives amazing. This is my first time ever having a sedan, so definitely a HUGE change!

If Kia / Hyundai start winning the gas mileage Wars... with their new level of quality... this is good news for them.

I love the tablet style infotainment system.

Solid and detailed review as always, Alex. I was struck by the reference to KIA's targeting of first time buyers with the Forte. The first thing that struck me about the Forte was its appeal to recent college graduates struggling under a mountain of student debt and to parents sending a kid off to college in a (relatively) affordable, attractive, roomy vehicle with loads of safety features. And as a daily driver I'm sure KIA is thrilled with that 40+ mpg figure. It will jump off the Moroney sticker on the car window in the showroom where 40+ mpg is much more impressive psychologically than 39. As far as comparisons are concerned, as an owner of both a KIA (Sorento) and a VW (GTI) the relative merits of the Forte and the Jetta are especially interesting to me. If I were shopping in this category I might have to give the nod to the Forte. But as a GTI owner, the more relevant comparison would be the GLI and the Forte GT. And I'd have to know more about each before making that choice. Of course, KIA will be selling only a fraction of the Civic's (and the Corolla's) numbers. But KIA is playing a long game here. Brand loyalty isn't what it used to be but if KIA can hook first time buyers on a Forte and the experience is a good one, those buyers will take a close look at the Optima, the Sportage, the Sorento, and even the Telluride when the time comes to trade up several years down the road. All in all, the associated Korean brands continue to knock it out of the park.

I have worked with 12 manufacturers and now with Honda and Kia and trust me Kia beats a lot of vehicles class vs class that no one would expect. Definitely recommend everyone go take a look at them next time they are looking and comparing models.

Thank you for making this video. This is by far one the best car reviews I've seen in a long time!

"which has never been kia's Forte" aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

I have a 2017 forte with 70,000 miles only thing I have done is oil and filter change, average 40 to 45 m.p.g

Just got mine last week. Fully loaded GT2 in blue. A blast to drive!!!

I’m 6’3” give or take, I used to drive a Forte Koupe. It was totaled and I just recently purchased a 2020 Forte GT, there’s little room with the moon roof, so I purchased the GT without it and have plenty of room to sit behind the drivers seat with where I would drive

I own a 2018 Kia Forte S with the tech package and zero problems except for an intermittent rattle that of course disappears whenever I think about taking the car to the dealership. I rent cars from time to time to take them on an extended test drive and hope I can find a 2019/2020 Forte to test out. I did not like the CVT in the Sentra I just rented. I have been leery to buy a car with a CVT but this Kia may change my mind. I really appreciate Alex's comments on how the CVT transmissions perform. Like Carlos Guevara (see below), I have owned manual transmissions all my life until a few years ago. I wish auto manufacturers would offer ALL of the safety and upgrade options on compact cars with manual transmissions instead of treating them as bargain basement cars. But since that is not going to happen, the Kia Forte EX along with a VW Jetta (reliable??????), Kia Soul EX, Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Kona will be on my list when I shop again.

My pick in this segment for sure.

wow, very well detailed and explained, you helped me make up my mind, went and bought a Forte EX today. thank you very much.

Just traded in my 2017 Kia Rio for the 2020 Forte. So happy and pleased with the space and the size of the car. If you know the Rio you know it’s very small and compact!

Nice review. Thank you

Thanks for joining the "tablet-style infotainment is just fine" club (8:23). I agree with you and have no problem with the design in general and agree that it looks sharp (and "de-bulked") in this particular application.

I have a 2020 Kia forte lxs. It's my third vehicle, my first car technically coming from first a 96 Jeep Cherokee, then a 2011 dodge nitro. It's my favorite vehicle so far, had about 6 months with no problems what so ever.

Highlight of my day!

I've always considered recent Fortes to have attractive interior and exterior styling and the current one continues the trend. Not a big departure from the previous one, but an improvement. Recent (for at least the last 10 years) Honda styling is a bit over done for me. Won't bore you with a long explanation of why, but in short, it tries too hard to be different. I didn't watch this from start to finish in one sitting, but if it was only the addition of the CVT that made all of the mileage increase, that's impressive. I do agree with Alex's suggestion that the Ioniq hybrid might be a good alternative. It looks normal, has hatchback utility and is cheaper than other alternatives.

Just bought the LXS a week ago and it gets great mileage was getting 45mpg on the highway home from Kia dealer MSRP 20k I got mine for 15900 Nice safety features and very peppy engine.

Nice car but the rear bumper is a very bad place for lights. Bumpers tend to bump into other cars when parking. Even if you don't bump into others, others can bump into you.

Wait for the 2020 GT!

Now the 2020 Forte GT-Line a d GT are awesome. I traded in my '19 forte lx in for the GT-Line

Great review man, nice work. I've never watched your vids & didn't know where you're from but as I watched I became more and more convinced that's N. Cal you're in ... then as I continued I thought ... damn that looks like Lucas Valley Road in Marin, where the Skywalker Ranch is ... did I guess right? That's such a great drive, man. Cops are on it though as I'm sure you know if you've been on it. Otherwise, maybe around Santa Cruz mountains somewhere? Friggin' beautiful ...

Can’t wait for you to review the 2020 Forte GT2. I’m 6’7” and fit very well.

Turn signals and back up lights don't belong on the bumper! I honestly hate when auto makers do this. It makes it harder to notice at first glance and makes it easier to damage if you or someone else hits your bumper. Overall, I think it's a nice looking car. Great video btw!

I love the way it's a full body car.... n still small enough for someone fresh outta high school. Not to small or hunchback looking.

You crack me up reclining that driver seat all the way back! Lol

This thing looks great!!

Can’t wait for the Forte GT

I am very impressed. I never expected the Forte to reach these heights, so good on Kia! I still think the Ioniq is the best option in this segment, though.

I shopped all of the vehicles that Alex has mentioned. I agree with most things reviewed here except for the final verdict. I bought a Kia Forte based on a primary and secondary differentiation. Primarily the styling. The Civic's exterior and interior design will not age well and the exterior design is polarizing. You either like the Transformer and Japanese robot anime (Gundam) styling of the Civic or you don't. It's not something that is classy or subtle. The Kia Forte has great exterior and interior styling and something that is much more attractive now and will age better. It's not boring but it's not as outlandish. Secondarily was the financial practicality of the purchase. The Civic is more expensive for an equal based trim of features and does not deliver fuel consumption as well as the Forte. Alex, I watched your earlier review of the Forte at launch and it actually helped me to go out and buy the 2019 Kia Forte. Thank you!

I am four years late!! Also I still get it Alex.

Nice ride 👍

No pun intended? Love it.

Cannot wait for the hatchback variant to arrive!

Went from a 2018 EcoBoost Mustang to the 2020 Forte GT-Line! Pleasant surprise driving this Forte and I am glad I have a sunroof again 😁 Can't beat the great gas mileage and regular gas-unlike the Mustang 🥲

Looking forward to the 2019 Mazda 3 review.

Alex posts a video. I have to watch. Addiction is a horrible disease.

This is a very good looking car

Ha,you made Pun in the first 30sec kudos!

I think this is a great buy for a first time buyer. However, a Mazda3 wouldn't be a bad buy either.

In the real world rear bumpers get bumped - so those low mounted turn signals WILL be damaged.

I have a 2020 LXS model. While I don’t think it’s a Civic or even a Corolla killer, it’s a very nice car. Has apple CarPlay and android auto as standard, lane keep assist, and is pretty fuel efficient with the 2.0 engine. I love the look of it. I love it, it drives well, and its a very good car for the money. If you don’t want a Civic or a Corolla, this is a good option to have. And of course you have Hyundai/Kia’s excellent warranty.

The Koreans have come along way . This Kia will be giving the civic a run for its money .

Now that the new 2019 mazda 3 has just been released some say is the best car. Personally I believe the best car is the car that each person chooses for their own. I like the Mazda 3 too but liked even better the new Forte, and that is the one I bought and drive now.

Yeah, as long as they keep it significantly cheaper than Civic and keep the 100k warranty. I definitely plan on getting the Forté Hatch EX. KIA, please keep the Hatch! 🙏

How does it compare to the Mazda3? I was expecting that comparison.

Very thorough review as always and thank you, but please reveal to us how tall YOU are so we can relate your head room and leg room experience to our own.

This is a a must see for those in the Civic Corolla Mazda 3 market.

Dude I'm 6'2" and I have plenty of head room in my Forte GT-Line. Plus I sit with the seat all the way down, it's seriously not that bad.

Alex, I think Kia is separating the rear turn signals from the main cluster to meet regulations and get their design. Regulations say the tail lamps cannot be placed on a movable piece. It also says the signals need to be of a certain size. If you look at the design, the rear red lamp shape already take up a huge amount of room. So the only way to combine the flashers and the brake lamps will be to make the part of the cluster that doesn't move beside the trunk lid even larger...which would eat into trunk opening space. I think.

Nice review as always. When the Forte 5 comes, it will be the car of the year in my opinion along with the Mazda CX-4. This car allows a first time buyer like myself to not feel like they're settling. For value, is there a better deal on the road? After problems with the Honda crv, this car feels like the class leader, especially when the hatch becomes available. For people like myself who want a car rather than a more high driving suv, I think many will like this. I think the hatch is one of the best styled cars of the year as well over even Mazda products. I think Honda continues to fail in design more than any brand now. They put everything into Acura, and shortchange on every Honda model with few exceptions. Even the CRV shortchanges on safety on the LX model, which isn't really acceptable. Doesn't the civic suffer from engine lag at higher speeds with such a small engine? These small turbo engines just don't have the reliability it seems in every comment. Not sure why the love for the Hondas Alex? But great review.

dude, you are the guy to watch on these lol

Just watched your review on the 2020 Hyundai Ioniq Hybrid and it also scored 73 dB @ 50 MPH. You scored it a B+ for noise and this only a C+.

Please return the Forte GT when you can. I'd really like to see how it compares to the Civic SI. I enjoy your work. Thanks!

Panoramic moon roofs have had issues with exploding. Perhaps Kia decided they're not worth it (probably smart, they still sell on value so it's not worth the potential headache) I think it's very impressive what Kia has done with this car. I think it's a winner in value for now, though I wish high speed AEB was standard. Regarding your plug at the end, the Ioniq and Niro have struggled with transmission issues. Personally for a commuter I'd probably go with the upcoming Corolla hybrid or the Prius, though I appreciate that some can't get over the Prius name. The long warranty might mitigate that for some, but I don't like the uncertainty. Kia/Hyundai tend to dabble in transmissions. The Forte is also an all new transmission, hopefully it'll do better since I understand durability was a priority in its design.

how about adding merging time, 40 to 70 in addition to 0 to 60 times, more relevant in day to day driving

How'd you miss the elephant in the room? Beam suspension vs multi-link. Dampeners have gotten really good, so manufacture now can make it seem nice when its new but it wont last.

Alex do you have any info on the GT's Hatchback model? it's already out in Mexico, Korea, Europe and Australia

Kia rules.

12:32 When someone wakes you up from a nap.

How did you get that color? Kia only offers the Sunfire Orange with those high end features like the sunroof, automatic cruise control, and automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection. I just leased one Dec 2018, and I couldn't find that trim anywhere or with any other color options. It's still the only option on Kia's website. None of the press cars have been that color.

Another high quality review, Alex. This is overall a great looking car, aside from Kia stupidly mounting the signals low on the bumper. Illogical. No doubt this car will get MPGs in the mid-40's cruising on the highway. My 2018 Elantra can and the Forte's CVT is more efficient. This new Forte seems to have some minor build quality issues. I've read several complaints to this point of people having an annoying rattle in the headliner. I'm sure it's something small and stupid, but nonetheless, annoying. There's no telling how reliability will be. Time will tell. I know the same 2.0L Atkinson 4cyl. in my Elantra has issues with making a rattling noise during acceleration. I've read other complaints online about this, but the complaints seem few and far between. Rather odd. Hopefully it doesn't affect the 2019 Forte and Elantra.

Alex!! This is second video on your channel about 2019 Kia Forte. What is the difference between this one the other one? I'm confused

Nice key fob

8:14 noticing the music title ;)

I like it when the screen is like a tablet that is around eye level, my Mazda6 has a similar design. I don't get the complaints to be honest. If you want it to be around eye level, but look more "integrated" then you will need to shove it further back, and wrap it in more material which defeats the purpose. Otherwise you need to bring it down lower, which then means i have to stop looking at the road.

Hi Alex, Thank you for your video. With respect to your question regarding the dash, I like the layout. However, I wish the infotainment screen could swivel to face the driver a bit more. Thanks.

Traded in my sportage sx for a forte ex 19. Pretty good car and I get 610km on a full tank. Double the amount from driving a sportage sx. Umm there's a lot of room in the back of a kia forte.

The stuck on tablet style infotainment screen does not bother me much. However, I know some that find it very offensive... The only thing I don't like about touchscreens is that when driving they are very hard to operate. I much prefer using tactile buttons "like volume control" for as much as possible.

Would be nice Alex to have a 2020 Toyota Corolla SE VS Kia Forte GT review

Can you please do suggest me between kia forte ex+ 2020 and nissan sentra sr i am really confused between both 😓

How do you turn on the fog lamps

I'm guessing that roofline is just standard now cause I actually thought it was pretty upright at first glance compared to others. Had to really think back to boxy cars to remember what a true upright roofline looks like.

I wonder how hard it would be to change a rear turn signal or reverse bulb.

Alex, what is the difference between this review and the old one?

So far I’m happy with my buy. I have the LXS model. Also, do you always veer to the right when you drive? Or did it have anything to do with lane keeping assist?

Hey look who left that Durango just parked on the side of the road. 15:29

When will you guys review the forte gt?

Not a fan of turn signals and reverse lights being so low. Seems like a safety issue

That’s a nice jacket. Where did you get it?

Can you do the refresh civic?

I just got my Kia Forte 2020. Found on with 2,000 miles on it. If I put it in Smart drive mode, does it provide better gas mileage?

Infotainment screens should be high mounted, large, and set back far enough to be within easy reach.

When are you going to review the Telluride?

Seems perfect except I’m afraid of the CVT reliability. There are already many reports of them failing.

Alex what gives? You mentioned something about the Subaru Impreza in your commentary while on the road but you don't mention it as a contender in your breakdown description at the end of the video. Is the Subaru Impreza a like vehicle in the same class as the Forte?

Their sister company. Good one Alex.

That's a good car

I see what you did there with the gas mileage "forte" pun. They should make a sport version called the Fortissimo.

I have to disagree on the CVT. I prefer the stepped/traditional auto feel and would gladly trade .1-.2 seconds of 0-60 acceleration time for this.

Are there any plans for a 5-door model?

If you guys don’t have any badge issue, get the Forte GT (Canada) or GT2 (USA) and thank me later ( I own a 2020 GT)! Forte GT (201 HP, one of the reasons I bought this car, I had a big negative balance from my previous car as well, however, KIA’s dealership offered me a better trade-in amount than others in SK) priced about 29K CAD, so I don’t think it’s a far cheaper car compared with other sedans in this price segment (for example I could able to get Civic XSE or Honda Sport with this price, interest rate might need to be considered if you need to get a finance or lease). However, idk but something special with GT makes me drive more here and there (might be cool features and simplicity of interior) and I enjoy staying at cabin most of the time. GT is a faster car than most of its’ rivals! Honda Civic SI comes with 205 HP (~3K CAD more) can only beat or might be a neck to neck fight against GT in a 0-60 drag race (~30K CAD price point). I drove Honda and Toyota in past for many years, I enjoyed both of them, it seemed their engines are really strong, however if my Forte GT lusts only 5 years without any big issue within the warranty period, I will stick with KIA in future! Thanks!

Rear turn lights look ugly, wish the grill was a little bigger, but other than that, love the car and I'll be waiting to purchase the gt model coming up