The GT version of the Forte was to arrive soon, but we expected it to make its debut at the Detroit Motor Show early next year. The South Korean automaker caught us by surprise by releasing the updated Forte GT for the 202 model year. It carries the good looks but adds more grunt and pace to the standard Forte.

2020 Kia Forte GT Exterior

In terms of visual tweaks, the Forte GT comes with a new black grille with red accents, gloss-black mirrors, new side skirts, and a rear spoiler. The Forte GT can be availed with the optional 18-inch Michelin Sport summer tires that add an extra gist to the car's overall proportionate and stylish look.

2020 Kia Forte GT Interior

Inside, the seats offer extra bolstering and come with the black-red combination and contrast stitching as well. The Forte GT gets a flat-bottom, leather-wrapped steering wheel and different floor pedals. The GT will be equipped with features likes a rearview camera, heated front seats, automatic climate control, and Kia’s UVO infotainment system that supports Android Auto as well as Apple CarPlay.

Now, the car looks stylish with curves in all the right places, but that hampers with the space within the cabin. The seats are placed low, and the raking roofline at the rear reduces the headroom significantly. Six-footers will call shotgun in every possible situation. The seats are pretty slim and you’ll end up longing for more cushions and bolstering everywhere. Once seated, the Forte GT seems cosy and NVH levels are well-controlled.

2020 Kia Forte GT Drivetrain

This is much better than the standard Forte that is sold with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder and 147 horses and 132 pound-feet of torque on tap. Even the strongest powertrain in the forte, a 2.0-liter, four-pot unit that produces 164 horsepower and 151 ponies is not as good as the GT’s. The same setup is seen on the Hyundai Elantra Sport and the GT Sport. It will be mated to a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed automatic transmission system with paddle shifters.

Unlike the standard Forte’s torsion beam suspension setup, the Forte GT is offered with multilink arrangement - the same design as that of the Hyundai Elantra Sport. The hot car will also sound better; thanks to the sports-tuned dual exhaust system.

2020 Kia Forte GT Prices

Pricing for the GT has yet to be announced, but considering the fact that the standard 2019 Kia Forte costs around $19,000, we speculate the Forte GT to be priced around $22,000 - $23,000.

2020 Kia Forte GT Competition

Hyundai Elantra Sport

Even though they have the same blood running through them, they are still competitors. Under the hood, there is no change whatsoever. Looks are subjective, but we give the Forte GT better marks over here since the Elantra has been toned down when compared to its predecessors. The interior layout is also much sportier in the Forte GT. Given that both the cars are priced the same, our pick would be the Forte GT since it is a fresher face in the market and also has much better interiors.

Read our full review on the Hyundai Elantra Sport.

Honda Civic Si

The Civic Si comes with good looks, and a feature-rich interior that is practically laid-out. Under the hood is a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 205 horses and is mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Stuff like adaptive dampers, heated front seats, and the impeccable ride and handling play a great hand in convincing you to go for this car. But, the Civic Si gasps for breath at higher speeds and even its acceleration is not up to the mark; add to that the awkward clutch-throw which will perhaps leave you wanting for more. In the end, the Civic Si is a mixed bag that is too hard to resist, and even a new face like the Kia Forte will find it tough to beat this veteran.

Read our full review on the Honda Civic Si

Conclusion

The Kia Forte looks to have scored a home run with the Forte GT. Kia has basically borrowed an engine setup that is doing duty in other cars already, plonked it into the existing Forte, and gave it a little make up. This resulted in a car that is not only looks smart, but will also draw the attention of the people who liked Elantra GT for how it drives, but not how it looked - Low levels of R&D, but high customer retention rate.

While the Kia Forte seems to be a breath of fresh air in the rather boring line up, the company wants to make sure it has got all the bases covered. So, Kia will be introducing a slightly less exciting "GT Line" trim car; which gets the GT’s looks, but is a standard Forte otherwise. This is targeted to the people who would not want to pay the extra premium for the mechanical changes, but would still want the GT’s appearance.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2019 Kia Forte.