Yahoo Autos 2020 Kia Forte GT Gets 201 Turbocharged Horsepower and Other Performance Tweaks
Since the debut of its new Forte sedan, Kia has attempted to make a tenuous styling link between it and the sporty, rear-wheel drive Stinger. That connection becomes more legitimate with the arrival of the 2020 Kia Forte GT, a higher-performance version of the compact four-door that contains all the ingredients for a true sport compact: a turbocharged engine with 201 horsepower, an available manual transmission, a tweaked suspension, and aggressive visual additions.
Under the Forte GT's hood is a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine making the same 201 horsepower that it did in the last Forte 5 SX hatchback. It pairs with either a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, with the latter coming with paddle shifters for the flat-bottom steering wheel. Several handling upgrades are available, too, starting with a rear suspension setup that trades the standard Forte's torsion beam for a fully independent arrangement-we assume it's the same multilink rear as the related Hyundai Elantra Sport. A set of 18-inch wheels wrapped in optional Michelin Sport summer rubber should provide more grip than the base car offers.
Adding to the Forte GT's presence on the road are a number of visual tweaks including a body kit, a rear spoiler, a black grille, and two-tone wheels. Inside, you'll find different pedals, the aforementioned flat-bottom steering wheel, and sport seats with contrasting piping and additional bolstering. Kia will offer the car in GT1 and GT2 trim levels, with the latter likely to come with optional extras such as a sunroof and LED ambient lighting.
For now, the Forte GT is only available as a sedan, but we expect a Forte hatchback to arrive sometime next year with its own, similar GT trim. Previewed by the Europe-market Kia Ceed GT, it will likely carry the Forte 5 name in the U.S. market. In the meantime, the 2020 Forte GT sedan will go on sale on our shores next summer with a base price likely to fall somewhere in the $22,000-to-$23,000 range.
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