NEW EXCLUSIVE NAZA FORTE 2.0SX
When I first drove the Naza Forte after it was first launched, I had mixed feelings about its performance. The quality of the interior and the ride were fine and noise levels were low. It was a good car, better than most of the other Korean models I had tested earlier.
But the engine and gearbox combination infuriated me on many occasions and that prevented me from giving it higher marks.
Perhaps Kia took note of feedback from owners and motoring journalists and worked hard to improve in this area and the new 6-speed variant (which replaces the previous one) is a significantly better car because of this.
It’s rare that I can give praise to a conventional automatic transmission, especially one that does not originate from a continental car company. With my own car having a manual transmission means that I am more used to being in control of my gears but the Forte doesn’t disappoint either.
When evaluating gearboxes, we usually go by three criteria. The first is speed: how quickly the gearbox reacts to your input. This is important when you want to push the car harder on a twisty road since you will more than likely need to downshift in order to be in the right gear coming out of a corner. The faster a transmission can shift, the later you can downshift and hence the later you can begin to brake.
The second criterion is smoothness: personally, I hold this in a lower regard than speed (I’m younger, say my senior counterparts) but I can still appreciate the necessity for smooth shifting. While it’s great to have lightning quick shifts, when you have to lower the pace in heavy traffic conditions it’s nice to have a car that doesn’t jerk at every shift.
Finally, consistency is important. This becomes apparent after a good hour of steady curves on a twisty main road. Some transmissions begin to heat up and suffer from lag, others lock you out entirely when the going gets tough.
Impressively, the Forte pleases in all three criteria. It has decently quick and predictable shifts, allowing a driver to drive the car more confidently and smoothly. Both upshifts and downshifts are done with surprising smoothness, suggesting a well-engineered torque converter that soaks up the shock.
As for the engine, the one in the test unit was the top-of-the-line 2-litre unit putting out 156 ps and 194 Nm of torque. At times, it can be a little whiny and feels slightly strained but it allows you to drive briskly with general ease.
Maximum power comes at 6,200 rpm so you really have to keep the engine ‘boiling’ if you’re in a hurry. Luckily, the gear ratios aren’t too far apart so power is quite accessible if you know how to use your gears.
The suspension is slightly firmer than many cars but not uncomfortably firm. It allows cornering with confidence, further helped by the minimal body roll. The standard tyres are okay for daily driving but those who want to discover the high limits of the Forte may want to switch to more grippy ones.
For the most part, the handling is typically front wheel drive with no unexpected surprises. The characteristics are progressive enough so that the average driver will not get into trouble.
The steering is nicely weighted and precise but quick changes in direction require a fair amount of arm movement. The paddle shifters behind the steering wheel are nice and snappy (some might find the surface slippery) and provide convenient manual shifting when desired.
While the seats look like they’ll hold you through a corner, with the raised edges, they don’t seem to do as good a job as one would expect. As expected, it’s a purely cosmetic touch but it does help to give the Forte a slightly less docile look. That and the red glow around the speedometer, which feels slightly racer-boy but isn’t entirely unwelcome.
If there’s one interior feature that I would love to put in my own car, it would be the reverse camera. It’s not so rare these days but in the Forte (and some other Naza-Kia models), the rear view display is inside the mirror which is very neat and practical.
So high marks for the 2-litre Forte now that it has a 6-speed transmission and is a much better car than before. As I said earlier, I prefer manuals shifting but this is one of the few cars with automatic transmission that I wouldn’t mind owning.
The well-equipped 2-litre Forte is priced at RM100,405 in Sabah but if that’s more than what you want to spend, there’s also the 1.6-litre variant which costs RM81,622 but the equipment level is much lower. Nevertheless, you get the 6-speed automatic transmission as well and that’s what matters.
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See the available prices.
Model: 1.6 Ex (AT)
Price: RM 75,800
7 years: From RM 988
9 years: From RM 808
Model: 1.6 Sx (AT)
Price: RM 81,800
7 years: From RM 1,067
9 years: From RM 872
Model: 2.0 Sx
Price: RM 93,800
7 years: From RM 1,223
9 years: From RM 1,000
P/s: Monthly installment may vary depending on the rate of interest that is negotiable (3.1%-3.5% depending on buyers’ documents).
Click here for more info: Naza Forte
