Used 2015 Kia Forte Consumer Reviews
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Little Unknown Hot Hatch!
KiaFan, 10/26/2016
2015 Kia Forte Forte5 SX 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
10 of 11 people found this review helpful
I bought this car new in 2015 with little known about it. Kia doesn't advertise it at all. The SX model is well worth the extra money in my opinion with a pretty powerful 201hp turbo 1.6 liter 4. I travel 100 miles a day in this thing and average 30mpg on premium gas. This car DOES NOT like cheap gas!! It performs poorly and idles even bad on 87. I do on occasion run 89 octane which it does do ok but I do still feel a difference. The car handles great and brakes are super strong. Very stable car! I like the manual trans but wished they didn't use economy gearing. It has plenty of power for a lower ratio which would equal better mpg. In 40k miles now it has been pretty trouble free. Biggest grip on this car is the steering which is electric and hard to get use to. It tends to wander on the road because there isnt a center feeling to the steering and the slightest input you do and will veer off. Car shows no wear besides the few rock chips. You really cant beat the warranty with KIA and Hyundai brands. This is my 3rd product from them and I am very pleased. Great thing is you rarely see another on the road because they are unknown.
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I'll drive it til the wheels fall off
Dan, 03/09/2019
updated 03/20/2024
2015 Kia Forte LX 4dr Sedan (1.8L 4cyl 6A)
6 of 6 people found this review helpful
UPDATE 03/19/24: 175,000 miles. I recently had my only repair shop visit since owning this car. The oil pressure light had started coming on after the engine warmed up. The repair shop started telling me about the bad reputation of these cars engines. They said the oil pressure seemed to be OK, but they could not replace the oil pump due to the amount of work involved. The mechanic suggested they just replace the pressure sensor and see if the problem resolved. Otherwise I would have to take it to a dealership or full service mechanic. Sounded like the least costly repair before I went with something more complicated. $270 and 1000 mile later, no oil light and still running like new. Bad reputation my A&&. Still the most reliable car I've ever owned. UPDATE 07/30/22: Just turned 156k miles. The car started to misfire occasionally so I changed the spark plugs and coil packs which took all of 30 minutes and cost about $200. Problem solved, still no major repairs, just basic maintenance. I still love driving this car. UPDATE 09/11/21: I currently have 140,000 miles and have yet to need any repairs done at a shop. Just recently replaced the rear brakes myself. Still have not had to get tires aligned, but probably about due. I bought this car with 18k miles as a used rental car. I now have 88k miles. This is hands down the most reliable, economical, easy to maintain car I've ever owned (BTW I'm 59). Fuel economy in mixed driving is 35-37mpg; pure highway 42 at 70mph. I just replaced the front brakes myself and still had probably 20k left on the pads. The rear pads are only half gone (once again at 88k miles). I've never had to have the front end aligned and I live on a dirt road. Zero repairs, just routine maintenance.
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2015 Kia Forte for sale near you
3 of 29 listings
- LX SedanMSRP: $7,49117 mi away
- Forte5 SX 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $8,49715 mi away
- Forte5 EX 4dr HatchbackMSRP: $8,9955 mi away
See all 29 listings
A great little car.
T from MI, 06/05/2017
2015 Kia Forte Forte5 EX 4dr Hatchback (2.0L 4cyl 6A)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
Bought a 2015 Forte5 EX a few years back to replace an older car that was literally falling apart. The Forte has been a pretty decent vehicle so far. It's got great features, it looks good, it's relatively fuel-efficient, all of the controls are well laid out, logical, and work very well, plus the long warranty is a bonus. It works well for point A-B transportation and I plan to keep it for many year to come.
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Great cheaper alternative
Forte5, 01/23/2016
updated 02/06/2017
2015 Kia Forte Forte5 SX 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
5 of 5 people found this review helpful
This is a little unknown hot hatch. I didnt even know Kia made this car until some online new car browsing. Got a great deal and was actually pretty hard to find one which means you stand out since rare to see another. Turbo engine has great pick up at any speed or gear! 6 speed manual trans is alittle too geared towards city driving vs hwy. 5th and 6th just isnt a hwy gear it should be. I average 30mpg with high octane gas. Car hates cheap gas. Great build quality and warranty!! The zip and handing makes it fun. I even embarressed a GTI on hwy. This is a low car so getting out and in provides some hand support from the seat. Options galore on the SX model like heated and cooled seats in front and heated in back which is rare for this class of car. Heated steering wheel . Mine didnt come with the Nav and Hid headlights but not spending the extra $$$ on a in dash Nav with phones these days. Only two main gripes with this car is radio just sucks for sound and loudness and steering is electric with is very touchy with any input makes you wander. Also it seems to have a "sticky" feeling when driving straight . Its brief but alarms you when u go to turn . Otherwise been a great,reliable fun car! **Update** -- I now have almost 50k miles of no mechanical issues what so-ever. Has never let me down and still feels and looks new. I do get alot of road noise but mainly due to replacing tires with something that wasnt as quiet. Not the cars fault.
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Almost a GTI for a fraction of the price
rlt_78@yahoo.com, 10/31/2015
2015 Kia Forte Forte5 SX 4dr Hatchback (1.6L 4cyl Turbo 6M)
14 of 17 people found this review helpful
I've always had a soft spot for hot hatches. One of my favorite cars was a prior GTI even though it was also the least reliable car I've owned. I never thought I'd see myself in a KIA but they have really stepped up in recent years. Their designs and reliability are some of the best in the business now. The Forte5 SX with the 6 speed manual is a blast to drive. The power is readily available at low RPMs. The interior is spacious and fits my 6'7 frame well with plenty of room to spare. I don't even need to have the seat all the way back which is exceptionally rare. The ride is quite comfortable. I'm averaging 31mpg(hand calculated, computer says 32-33) in mixed driving. The power folding mirrors may seem a bit gimmicky at first, but they sure are nice to have in a narrow 2 car garage. It's not quite as quick as a GTI nor does it handle quite as well, however you can buy one of these in SX trim for under $18k with a long warranty to boot. Put a little of that savings into some suspension and power upgrades and you're on par. If you're looking for a fun hatchback definitely give one of these a test drive.
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