Kia just announced a 2022 model facelift of its affordable sedan, the Forte, with a more aggressive design and a large 10.25-inch infotainment system inside.
Despite living in this crossover and SUV-stricken era, the humble sedan still makes for a practical and convenient offering. And falling right within the compact segment is the Kia Forte, competing against other established players such as the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic, and Toyota Corolla.
For 2022, Kia updated the car with modern and sleeker-looking elements without changing much of the original recipe—if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right? For starters, the front fascia is now adorned with a narrow and sharp tiger-toothed grille, making the Forte appear significantly wider. It is further complemented by Kia’s new logo, headlamps with new DRLs, and a new bumper with air curtains and LED fog lamps on each side.
However, there are no visual changes on the sides, excluding the new 17-inch twin-tone black and white alloy wheels, standard on the GT-line and GT trims. The rear end is updated though, gaining a new LED combination light with a red strip connecting it down the middle and a sportier bumper.
The 2022 Forte will be available in four trim levels — the base FE, LXS, GT-Line, and the top-end GT. The GT-Line replaces last year’s EX and would be offered with some additional features over the FE and LXS. Furthermore, the 2022 Forte will come with two powertrains. The 2.0-liter i4 engine is standard in the first three trims, producing 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque, and is exclusively available with Hyundai’s Intelligently Variable Transmission (CVT).
Meanwhile, the GT packs a more exciting 1.6-liter turbocharged i4 GDi, pushing out 201 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, it can be equipped with either a 7-speed DCT or 6-speed manual transmission, alongside multi-link rear suspension and a dual exhaust system. Worth mentioning, all trims are front-wheel-drive only.
The interior in the new Forte is quite a big step up from the current model, though. Indeed, it receives a new 4.2-inch LCD cluster as standard alongside larger 8-inch infotainment with Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.
Meanwhile, the GT-Line and GT trims are equipped with an even bigger 10.25-inch infotainment system with MapCare navigation and OTA software updates. Other standard features include heated and ventilated SynTex seats, an electronic parking brake and auto hold buttons, wireless charging, and six ADAS system (up to 15 depending on the trim).
The Forte promises to be a competitive offering against well-known players, oozing style and substance from all angles. The sedan will be assembled at the Monterrey plant in Mexico, with pricing and roll-out information expected to come soon!
Gallery: 2022 Kia Forte
More information in Kia’s press release
