Sometimes, the Americans just don’t realize what they are missing out on.
North America wide, there has been a fundamental shift over the past few years in the preferences of vehicle buyers as to what type of category we’re drawn to. Crossovers and SUVs have steadily increased their market share and for the most part it has come at the expense of sedans.
There are differences however between Canada and the U.S. with our overall preferences as Canadians still have a soft-spot, albeit it a smaller one for small cars. We tend to especially still enjoy hatchback sedans, and sales figures indicate that we like them more than Americans do. It’s a statistic that has not gone unnoticed by automakers, and it has even necessitated some unique decision making among product offerings on both sides of the border.
A great case in point comes from the launch of the next generation Kia Forte, and its 5-door hatchback, the Forte5.
2020 Kia Forte5 GT Limited
Photo: Eric Novak
The Kia Forte sedan was launched across North America in 2019, but the Forte5 did not arrive on North American shores until late in the year. Wait…I meant to say Canadian shores and not North American, because Kia has decided that the Forte5 will be available in Canada but not the U.S.
After spending a week in one, I can only say Canadians in this case are wise enough to know a good thing when they see it and drive it, while my American friends should give their heads a bit of a shake.
The exterior design of the Forte5 is different than other popular 5-door hatchback versions of the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla. There’s a bit of an elongated aspect to it that almost looks to some like it’s been stretched out. Styling is always a personal choice but to me I found it attractive and never got tired of looking at it while it was in my driveway. It’s not muscular per se, but it does have aggressive tones. The Forte5 actually shows design elements of Europe’s popular Kia Procee’d and GT Line treatments, which may also explain the larger appeal here in Canada than in the U.S. To be more regionally specific, 5 door hatchbacks are very popular with Quebec drivers and the euro-styling of the Forte5 would have a welcoming audience among the francophone majority in La belle province.
Under the hood of the Forte5 are a pair of engine options. Base models will offer a 2.0L naturally aspirated 4 cylinder engine offering 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque. My GT Limited tester however was equipped with a 1.6L turbocharged powertrain that offered 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft of torque. The engine is matted to a 7-speed DCT with paddle shifters mounted on the wheel. Going from 0-100 km/h will take 7.3 seconds. None of these statistics indicate rally-car here, but they provided enough oomph combined with a moderately stiff suspension to provide a fair amount of enjoyment when out on open roads.
While Kia has proclaimed this to be a quieter Forte5 than before I still found that there was noticeable cabin noise from the engine – especially when it was cold.
Fuel consumption for the 2.0L 4 cylinder engine according to Natural Resources Canada is 8.0/6.0/7.1 L/100 KM (City/Highway/Combined). For the 1.6L Turbo in my GT, the figures are 8.9/6.9/8.0 L/100 KM (City/Highway/Combined). I was able to meet this number pretty much dead on which overall is neither remarkable nor regrettable. The engine overall is a decent blend of power and efficiency packed into a sporty design meant for fun drives.
The rest of the Forte5 in terms of interior design, safety features and technology largely mirror that of the Forte sedan which I have done a full video review on and you are welcome to check it out.
Photo: Eric Novak
Once upon a time, the very measurement of the Canadian identity was attached to how we matched up to or were viewed alongside our American neighbors to the south. But times have changed and the noticeable differences between citizens of our two countries have gradually risen more to the forefront than they typically have.
In the case of our love for 5 door hatchbacks, and the exclusive right as a result to have the 2020 Kia Forte5 available on this side of the border and not to the south, I say it’s a damn fine day to be Canadian!
2020 Kia Forte5
MSRP: $22,245 EX, $27,395 GT
As Tested: $29,995 GT Limited
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