Eagle-eyed readers would notice the absence of the Forte in Kia Philippines’s latest price list. If there was any wonder to the future of Kia’s compact offering, here’s your answer: an all-new model has arrived.

The third-generation Forte comes a long away in terms of design. Taking on cues from the Stinger sports sedan, the Forte appears to have the same proportions including its long hood and short deck. The fastback shape contributed to a much more planted stance while the front-end features the newest iteration of the tiger nose grille. It features LED front headlights and taillights on selected trim levels.



Longer and wider than the model it replaces, the 2019 Forte offers an enlarged passenger space with features such as an 8-inch floating touchscreen that integrates Android Auto and Apple Car Play. It also features a unique 320-watt Harman Kardon sound system that pumps out music through a unique speaker hole pattern on the doors and throughout the cabin.

The biggest news though is the introduction of Kia’s next-generation powertrain. Shared with Hyundai, the new engine is called “Smart Stream.” The second-generation 2.0-liter Nu 4-cylinder engine benefits from technologies such as an Atkinson Cycle combustion and a cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system. Maximum power is at 147 horsepower and 179 Nm of torque. It’s expected to return 12.5 km/L—a 10 percent improvement over the outgoing Forte. Mated to the engine is Kia’s in-house developed CVT transmission.



The Forte also comes with Kia’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems such as Blind-Spot Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Smart Cruise Control, and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist.

Kia will be releasing the all-new Forte for other markets by late 2018. Kia Philippines has not made any announcement as to its availability locally.