The Forte is Kia's latest line of compact cars. The FWD Forte is larger than the top-selling Honda Civic and Toyota Corolla and includes three body styles: a sedan, a five-door hatchback, and a coupe. Restyled for 2014, the Forte sedan offers a choice of LX and EX trim levels. The base LX model is powered by a 1.8l four-cylinder engine. Although the base model omits a couple of common features like cruise control and alloy wheels, it does have four-wheel disc brakes which is unusual on the entry-level model of many competitive offerings. The higher-trim level EX model includes more powerful 2.0l engine and additional features.

The Kia Forte is all-new for 2013. The new model wears sleeker styling on a body that is about an inch wider and longer than before. The wheelbase has grown by two inches. Two four-cylinder powertrains are offered both are paired with six-speed transmissions. The base LX model equips a 1.8l engine rated at 148-bhp, whereas EX models equip a 2.0l four-cylinder that makes the same 173-bhp as the prior model's 2.4l engine.