Overall Rating
Updated on: December 31, 2021
Senior Editor
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan is one of the few cars in the compact sedan segment that also comes in a coupe and a hatchback body style. All three body styles received good market feedback, thanks to their affordable pricing and great cabin space. However, the car is now left behind by some of its rivals who have got considerable improvements.
Spacious cabin
Simple but fashionable looks
Decent fuel economy
Extensive list of available features
Road noise
Low on legroom
Tilt-and-Telescopic steering wheel on the EX trim
based on 5 ratings
POPULAR TAGS
User Overall Rating
Posted On: December 31, 2021
Great value for money at an amazing price The reason I purchased the used 2012 Forte is because my family and I couldn’t afford another car. As I started driving the vehicle, I realized that it's a great value for money as the performance of the vehicle is much more worth than the price of the car. I was pretty impressed by its sharp styling and firmer suspension. We always take our forte on our weekend trips, picnics or any other short holidays, because of the cargo space offered in our forte we had no issues in terms of comfort. Moreover the features of the vehicle like illuminated vanity mirrors, full power accessories and a six-speaker sound system makes our rides fun and entertaining. Although so...
User Overall Rating
Posted On: January 10, 2022
Noises from the engine For a car that cost me $7,230, I dint even feel like complaining a lot but as a customer, I’ll have to do it. the Forte definitely is not at all comfortable as the seats feel dead and the drive is as bland as the turkey I ate for thanksgiving. The Forte does have a very pleasant cabin layout but that barely does anything to make the ownership a fun. I also get to hear certain noise from the engine and it feels like something is broken. I hear some noise from the engine and as I took it to the dealership for expert advice, these guys checked my car and told me theres nothing wrong they must either e high or deaf to say that as its pretty evident that the engine isn’t normal...
User Overall Rating
Posted On: January 13, 2022
Some signs of aging The Forte ended up being larger than I expected and that is definitely a great thing but I am pretty annoyed with the white interiors and the seat material is such that it holds on to stains and dirt for a long time. Also, the radio stops abruptly and is probably the signs of aging in cars. The Forte even though a long has a very easy handling characteristics making it a city friendly driver. Very satisfied with the whole purchase but the only suggestion would be if they could give the customers a few choices on picking the appointment according their convenience as I would have made things a little easier for me.
Vehicle images are guides only and may not reflect the model's exact specifications/features– exact specifications/features should be confirmed with the seller.
Pricing and Features
Pricing and Feature
Features
Engine and Performance
Fuel Economy
Interior
Exterior
Safety
Competition
7.8
OVERALL RATING
Overall Rating
The Forte sedan for the year 2012 gets very minor changes. The 2012 Kia Forte sedan is priced at $15,200 for the base model and comes with two engine options to choose from. This pricing makes it one of the most affordable and economical cars to choose from, and it goes up against the 2012 Ford Focus, the 2012 Toyota Corolla, and the 2012 Chevrolet Cruze.
8.0/10
Features
7.6/10
Engine and Performance
7.0/10
Fuel Economy
7.6/10
Interior
7.0/10
Exterior
7.6/10
Safety
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan is offered in three trim levels: LX, EX, and SX. Pricing for the car starts at $15,200 and goes up to $19,100 for the top trim. Standard features across all trims include a six-way adjustable driver’s seat, tilt steering column, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, Bluetooth, CD player, USB/iPod interface, and 4-speakers.
|
Trim |
LX |
EX |
SX |
|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP (Manual) |
$15,200 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
MSRP (Automatic) |
$16,200 |
$17,600 |
$19,100 |
|
Key features |
15-inch steel wheels |
Adds/Replaces features on the LX |
Adds/Replaces features on the SX |
|
|
Six-way adjustable driver’s seat |
Keyless entry |
2.4L engine |
|
|
Tilt steering column |
Cruise control |
17-inch alloy wheels |
|
|
60/40 split-folding rear seats |
Tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel |
Cloth upholstery |
|
|
Bluetooth |
Air-conditioning |
Leather-wrapped steering wheel |
|
CD player |
Full power accessories |
Sport-tuned suspension |
The LX trim only gets air-conditioning as an optional extra. The EX trim gets a Fuel Economy package, a sunroof, and 16-inch alloy wheels as optional items. The SX trim gets a sunroof and leather upholstery with heated front seats as an optional extra. Optional Packages on the 2012 Kia Forte sedan include a Technology package available on the EX and SX sedan only.
We recommend
The top of the line SX trim of the 2012 Kia Forte sedan is the one we recommend. It gets a more powerful 2.4L engine and comes with a smooth six-speed automatic. It’s also very well equipped in terms of interior features, and there are some good optional extras as well. The ride quality is good as well.
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan gets two engine options. A 2.0L I-4 engine that outputs 156 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque and comes on the LX and EX trims. The SX trim gets a more powerful 2.4L engine that outputs 173 hp and 168 lb-ft of torque. The LX gets a six-speed manual transmission as standard, whereas the EX and SX get a six-speed automatic transmission as standard. This is available on the LX as an option.
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan comes with FWD. In terms of handling, it’s a mixed story. The handling on the LX and EX trims is not at all impressive and is slow and unresponsive. The suspension is soft, and some might say it’s too soft as well. However, on the SX trim, everything changes. The suspension is more firm, and the handling is very involving and responsive as well.
|
Models |
2012 Kia Forte sedan |
2012 Ford Focus sedan |
2012 Toyota Corolla |
2012 Chevrolet Cruze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MSRP |
$15,200 |
$16,500 |
$18,820 |
$16,800 |
|
Engine |
2.0L I-4 |
2.0L I-4 |
1.8L I-4 |
1.8L I-4 |
|
Drivetrain |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
FWD |
|
Transmission |
6-speed manual |
5-speed manual |
4-speed automatic |
6-speed manual |
|
Horsepower |
156 hp @ 6200 rpm |
160 hp @ 6500 rpm |
132 hp @ 6000 rpm |
138 hp @ 6300 rpm |
|
Torque (lb-ft) |
144 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm |
146 lb-ft @ 4450 rpm |
128 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm |
125 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm |
|
0-60 mph (sec) |
8.1 |
8.2 |
9.9 |
9.5 |
|
Quarter mile (sec) |
16.2 |
16.2 |
17.4 |
17.4 |
|
Top Speed (mph) |
131 |
132 |
116 |
126 |
All cars come with an FWD setup as standard. The Kia Forte is the fastest off the line with its 0-60 mph time of 8.1 seconds. The Ford takes 8.2 seconds and is slightly behind the Forte. The Cruze takes 9.5 seconds, whereas the Corolla is the slowest at nearly ten seconds. In terms of power produced also, the Corolla has the least output.
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan with the 2.0L engine returns 26 mpg in the city, 36 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg combined. The automatic transmission increases the mileage by 1 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. With the 2.5L engine, the fuel efficiency reduces slightly to 22 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. The car has a fuel capacity of 13.7 gallons, which gives it a combined range of 397.3 miles.
|
Models |
2012 Kia Forte sedan |
2012 Ford Focus sedan |
2012 Toyota Corolla |
2012 Chevrolet Cruze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
MPG (city) |
26 |
26 |
26 |
25 |
|
MPG (highway) |
36 |
36 |
34 |
36 |
|
MPG (combined) |
29 |
30 |
29 |
29 |
|
Fuel tank capacity (gal.) |
13.7 |
12.4 |
13.2 |
15.6 |
|
Range (City/Highway) (miles) |
356.2/493.2 |
322.4/446.4 |
343.2/448.8 |
390/561.6 |
The Ford Focus is the most fuel-efficient car with a combined mileage of 30 mpg. All remaining cars return a combined mileage of 29 mpg. The Chevy is slightly behind in the city, whereas the Corolla’s mileage drops on the highway. In terms of range, the range on the Cruze is the most thanks to its 15.6-gallon tank at 390 city miles and 561 highway miles. The Forte has a range of 356 city miles and 493 highway miles.
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan’s interiors are not the best in the segment. The interiors can use better quality materials, with improved fit and finish levels. The Kia’s interior is not as good as we see on some of the rivals. However, it is well laid-out and simple and even the controls and knobs are firm and robust.
The Forte is the only five-seater car left that stays true to its original shape and segment. The seating position is very good, but in terms of comfort, the car is behind the competition. The front seats offer good headroom and shoulder room with decent legroom as well, but in the rear, the legroom is less and it’s best for two people only.
|
Models |
2012 Kia Forte sedan |
2012 Ford Focus sedan |
2012 Toyota Corolla |
2012 Chevrolet Cruze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Passenger capacity |
5 |
5 |
5 |
5 |
|
Front (head/shoulder/leg) (in.) |
40/55.7/43.3 |
38.3/55.6/41.9 |
38.8/54.8/41.7 |
39.3/54.8/42.3 |
|
Second (head/shoulder/rear) (in.) |
37.6/54.7/35 |
38/53.7/43.7 |
37.2/54.7/36.3 |
37.9/53.9/35.4 |
|
Cargo capacity with rear seats up(cu-ft.) |
14.7 |
13.2 |
12.3 |
15.4 |
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan offers the most legroom in the front row and the most headroom as well. In the rear, it loses most of its tall headroom and a decent amount of its legroom as well. The Focus offers the best rear legroom space. The Toyota offers balanced seating comfort. In terms of cargo capacity, the standard carrying capacity is decent at 14.7 cu-ft on the Forte. The Cruze offers the most at 15.4 cu-ft. Some interior features are:
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan’s infotainment unit is simple and pretty straightforward but has a long list of available features. Standard features on Forte’s infotainment unit include Bluetooth, AM/FM stereo, CD player, USB/iPod interface, auxiliary input, and a 4-speaker system. Higher trims get better features that are available as optional on the lower trims. Salient features include:
The 2012 Kis Forte sedan is a good-looking car, but nothing is fascinating about its design language. The exterior is very simple, and though at first glance one might not like it, it tends to grow on one the more time is spent with the Forte. The design is clean, with large and wide headlamps, with the flowing hood and the overall continuous roof that integrates well with the rear. The rear part might feel somewhat punched in when viewed from an angle.
|
Models |
2012 Kia Forte sedan |
2012 Ford Focus sedan |
2012 Toyota Corolla |
2012 Chevrolet Cruze |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Curb Weight (lbs.) |
2729 |
2857 |
2800 |
3093 |
|
Length (in.) |
178 |
178.5 |
179 |
181 |
|
Width (in.) |
70 |
71.8 |
69 |
71 |
|
Height (in.) |
58 |
57.7 |
58 |
58 |
|
Ground clearance (in.) |
6 |
N/A |
6 |
7 |
|
Wheelbase (in) |
104.3 |
104.3 |
102 |
105.7 |
The four cars are very similar in terms of their exterior dimensions, but on closer inspection, the Cruze is around 3 inches longer than the other cars. The Focus is the widest of all but is the shortest car as well. The Kia sits 6 inches off the ground, like its rivals. In terms of wheelbase, the Forte and the Focus have the same wheelbase whereas the Cruze has the most wheelbase at 105.7 inches. The Kia Forte is also the lightest of the lot. Some exterior features on the Kia Forte include:
The 2012 Kia Forte scored a rating of ‘Good’ from the IIHS and received a 4-star rating in the crash tests conducted by the NHTSA. Standard features include antilock disc brakes, stability control, active front head restraints, traction control, and airbags. The following safety features are available on the Kia Forte:
The 2012 Kia Forte sedan does very well to perform as a daily driver and can also be a great companion on long journeys. The engine is smooth, and they do pack in a punch. It provides decent features on the inside and comes with pretty good safety ratings as well. It does lack in the development part where its rivals have gone ahead, but it still can be a fierce competitor. All in all, the Forte offers a great package for what you pay and is one of the best cars to get.
User Overall Rating
Great value for money at an amazing price
by Abraham
User Overall Rating
Noises from the engine
by Hannah Hardacre
User Overall Rating
Some signs of aging
by Nannie Austin
User Overall Rating
Pretty boring to drive
by Lillian Mackay
User Overall Rating
Pretty boring to drive
by Lonnie Wilkinson
