Kia is going full speed ahead with is new image. The Soul is erasing the memories of the soulless Rio, and now the Forte is adding style that the Spectra never had. The Forte has been on sale in other Markets sine August, and U.S. sales are now slated for this spring.

The 2010 Forte is being offered in three different trims: EX, LX and SX. Forte LX and EX are powered by a 2.0-liter DOHC four-cylinder engine, producing 156 hp and 144 lbs-ft of torque, that features Continuously Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and multi-port electronic fuel injection. The SX features an upgraded 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine, also with CVVT, which delivers 173 hp.

Why are we excited about a new little Kia? Well, budget-friendly Kia seems to be starting to turn a corner. Its Euro-only Cee’d has been getting good reviews for style and performance. This Forte looks great inside and out compared to the Spectra it replaces, and so our hopes are high.

Press release after the jump.

Kia Forte originally appeared on topspeed.com on Wednesday, 11 February 2009 16:00 EST.

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In 2008 at the New York Auto Show Kia unveiled the Koup concept. And only a year after, at the same show Kia brought the Forte Koup coupe, a model that stays quite faithful to the concept. The Forte Coupe will be offered in EX and SX versions, with prices starting at $16,595 and $17,695, respectively.

The idea for the car is simple: a sleeker coupe look for the sharp Forte sedan. That also means the engine lineup won’t change from the sedan. The Koup will be available with either a 156 hp 2.0-liter or 173 hp 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Both engines are mated to either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment includes: air conditioning, a driver’s seat height adjuster, adjustable rear seat headrests, tilt steering column, rear defroster, center console with dual cup holders, map lamps and variable intermittent wipers.

Press release after the jump.

Kia Forte Koup originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 8 February 2010 16:00 EST.

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Roadfly.com road tests the all new 2010 Kia Forte. Jessi Lang reviews the latest small car entry from Kia. According to Jessi Lang the all new 2010 Kia Forte is the “best value for your money” in the small car segment.

Kia announced today the debut of the new Ray Plug-In Hybrid Concept at the Chicago Auto Show next month. The concept was styled by the team at Kia Design Center America and wants to demonstrate how Kia’s evolving design direction would be applied in the packaging of a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Kia offered no details on the concept, but the first teaser image reveal a sporty fastback profile, a panoramic glass sunroof and LED lights on the rear tail-lamp assembly.

Stay tuned for the official details!

Kia Ray Plug-In Hybrid Concept originally appeared on topspeed.com on Thursday, 21 January 2010 07:48 EST.

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