As you probably know Dave and I are in the market to buy a new car. We have an old SUV that has seen better days. We’ve been making a list of our favorites so that we can be ready when we go car shopping. That’s why I was excited to be given the chance to test drive for a week, the Kia Forte 5-Door Hatchback.
While we’ve been thinking that we’d like to replace our current SUV with another or maybe even a mini-van, we haven’t ruled out a good compact or mid-size car. This was the perfect opportunity to check out what a smaller vehicle had to offer. I made a video highlighting some of my favorite features:
Right off the bat, I fell in love with the keyless entry. It’s so nice being able to keep the keyfob in my pocket or purse and then simply open the door as I’m near. No unlocking necessary. It’s all done for you.
Another wonderful feature is the push button start. Keeping the key fob in your pocket or purse you step on the brake and push the button. The engine starts and you’re ready to go.
I was also happy with the controls on the steering wheel. They made it easy to tune the radio, adjust the climate, and more.
The center display was very nice and I loved the touchscreen features. It was easy to tune the radio
Selecting stations and setting favorites on Sirius was a breeze.
Using the map made navigating simple.
It even showed traffic congestion and delays!
I also liked the visibility the rear view camera offered. We live on a street where lots of people are often out walking. The camera gives me peace of mind while baking out of our driveway. While I didn’t rely on it solely, I felt much better it having it there.
One of our favorite features was the heated seats. Here in Cleveland these have become a must. We loved that when you turned them on, arrived at your destination, turned off the car, when we returned the car and started it the seats would automatically turn on. In most vehicles we’ve test driven you have to turn the seats on every time you start the car. So this was a simple but wonderful feature.
The center console is nice with a couple of storage options.
The sun roof offered lots of extra light.
We liked the folding side mirrors as well. It’s a great idea and a feature we’d use if we had to park the car on a busy street.
The backseat offered a nice amount of room for the kids.
And Logan found the ride very comfy!
The hatchback meant a nice size trunk. Here’s a look at it empty.
Here’s a look at it packed full with Kora & Logan’s suitcase and pillows ready for an overnight trip at their cousin’s. As you can see there’s still a lot of room.
The Kia Forte 5-Door Hatchback is a nice car that we would recommend to anyone with a small family. We felt that for us it would be a good second vehicle. If we already had an SUV or a minivan this would be a car we would consider for Dave to drive to and from work. With a Navigation System that shows traffic congestion and slow downs, the Bluetooth Wireless Technology with Steering Wheel Controls, Sirius, and the Rear View Camera it would make a nice commuter vehicle for businessmen on the go like Dave.
