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Already touted as the biggest come back brand of zoo9,Kia Motors has defied al l motoring predict ions byreturning profi ts and a healthy balance sheet to i tsinvestors whilst i ts biggest r ivals struggle to keepinventories from pi l ing up in stockyards al l around theworld. A slew of new models has i t leading even some ofthe biggest Japanese car brands in total volume and alsomarket segment penetrat ion in various markets aroundthe world. Now it brings i ts promise of qual i ty motoringat affordable price with al l new'C'segment car, theForte.

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The Forte from Kia is a huge departure fro- ; IKia mid sized sedans and i t is clearly Kia's l g aforward to capture the executive car segme^: If i l led with features and quali ty f i tment tha: ̂ a

competit ion looking real ly worried. This t ire aForte not only sports a European design bu: ai:interior that would not be out of place in a - gtEuropean car. Add to this an aerodynamic cesrlo.z9CD, which gives i t a wind cheating des g- tsurely save fuel on the PLUS highway drive. i ' rrdrive and bring you this evaluation below.

The inside storyThe styl ish new body encloses a cabin that : :espace for legs and feet, without forgett ing :-eshoulders. l t is a transformation from the p'e. idesign language. The old Kia designs were !:- cut i l i tar ian affair that had to be al l things to a Iand i t did the job with l i t t le effort. But this -eelooking for new challenges l ike the possibi ' :- , cthe Forte further up market. There are styl i-g ccurrent 88 Audi Aa hidden around the exte' c.car. Look closely at the rear lamp treatmen:. :nboot deck and the sides ofthe nose.

l f there's any doubt, consider that this Forte comore luxurious feel inside. Step out of the o' iyrand even the door slams take on a decided i "pthud. A big consideration for the yuppies ir :er

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next- level private transport is a spacious and well-appointed cabin, and here even the RM75,8oo Forte 1.6doesn't disappoint. Fingers and elbows wil l del ight atevery touch with a great leap in the general qual i ty ofthe various polymers and fabrics in the car's l iv ing spaceand the lovely leather-wrapped steering wheel is not tobe missed. Eyes wil l revel on the smart- looking gauges,mult i function engine function display and the newcenter stack that houses the air-condit ioning controlswith l ight red hue l ighting keeping us informed of whatis needed in the control deoartment. l t even has a USBand iPod-ready 6-speaker stereo with an in-dash 5 CDdisc changer that wi l l be more appealing to youngerbuyers. The Forte's cabin has been designed to maximizespace and in the back seat, i t real ly is a remarkable placeto be - plush and comfortable, loads of legroom andheadroom and offers best in class soace for front andrear passengers in almost al l areas. Simple, ergonomiccontrols, uncluttered dashboard layout, an adjustablesteering wheel, easy to read instruments - nothingextraordinari ly outstanding in a upmarket product, buteverything that 's needed to make everyday l i fe with thiscar as hassle-free as possible. The black color schemelooks great and real ly up market and the deep glove boxis a nice touch. Best in class 4r5-l i tres boot space wherethe immediate competitors Alt is, Civic and the Mazda3are trai l ing behind al lows for golfers to travel with theirbuddies and famil ies to take a long drive hol iday with al ltheir necessary luggage. Not forgett ing is the safetyissue where z airbags fol low the r.6-l i tre models and 6airbags are provided for in the z-l i tre SX model.

The drive storyOur test car came with big r7-inch wheels shod with zr5wide rubbers where they did a lot to give the visual heft

of a tal l , wide and muscular car with proport ions thatshowed it to be bigger than the immediate competit ion.It is the perfect ci ty executive car, that 's for sure. Thelight (motor driven steering with the z-l i tre) steeringpoints this car with amazing immediacy, providing i twith an effort less nimbleness that 's simply missing in acompeting vehicle. On the highway, the steering returnsenough (European) feel and f irmness to get pleasure atspeeds. In t ight parking lots, this Forte is clearly in i tselement with a small turning circle. Power del ivery neverfeels lacking in the city and in heavy traff ic. Potholeimpacts don't return groans from the chassis. There'sample braking power, with the pedal feel ing l ight at thetop of i ts travel. The steering is great in the parking lotand in traff ic i t insoires confidence in enthusiasticcornering. Up the pace, and the CVVT z-l i tre engine revssmoothly and the gear shif ter feels good as you run i t upand down the gated shif t pattern. The engine returnsmore than adequate mid-range accelerat ion and top endis impressive and easi ly at ta inable where we managed

and easy rSokm/h with the r .6- l i t re working in tandem

with the nicely geared 4-speed semi auto gearbox.

The Purchase DecisionThis Kia represents an upgrade to the executive car

movement, much aided by i ts dist inct styl ing, improved

inside features and a potential to provide some serious

behind the wheel thr i l ls at a sel l lng pr ice much lower

than the establ ished brands that are r id ing on their

badge branding and not product to push t in. The Forte

meanwhile works hard to prove a point that the rest are

making more than they should on resty led products wi th

l i t t le improvements under the sheet metal.

Kia Forte z-litre SpecificationsEngine: 4-cyl inder r6-V DOHC CVVT

Displacement: r998ccMax power: rr4.7kW @ 62oorPm

Max torque: r94.zNm @ 43oorPmFuel Tank capaci ty:52 l i t res

Sel l ing Pr ice: RM93,8oo

Kia Forte r.6-litre SX SpecificationsEngine: 4-cyl inder r6-V DOHC CVVT

Displacement: t59tccMax power:9t.zkW @ 63oorPm

Max torque: t56Nm @ 42oorPmFuel Tank capacity: 52 l i tres

Sell ing Price: RM75,8oo