Kia Forte: Which Model Replaced It & Possible Reasons Why It Was Discontinued

When the Kia Forte debuted for the 2010 model year as the replacement for the Spectra, it was viewed as a more serious challenger to rivals like the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Mazda 3, and Scion tC than its predecessor. That was due to distinguishing strengths such as attractive exterior styling with seductive lines, a decent cabin, a wealth of desirable standard amenities, and good fuel economy. The fact that it came with a reasonably powerful 156-hp base engine also suggested the new Kia Forte wasn't there just for show.

Those qualities not only established the Forte as a competent contender in the compact car segment, they also hinted at a vehicle that could be around for a long time to come. But Kia's decision to kill the Forte after the 2024 model year dashed all hopes for a long-term future for the compact car, despite it having carefully preserved much of its desirable traits like good fuel efficiency.

The 2024 Kia Forte FE, for example, returned an EPA-estimated 30 mpg in the city, 41 mpg on the highway, and 34 mpg in combined city-highway driving. The styling remained as sharp as ever, too and buyers were given a roomy interior with numerous standard features at an affordable price point. But none of that was convincing enough to keep the Forte around longer, as it was cleared from the lineup to make way for the Kia K4. Beyond that, the move appears to be part of a broader attempt by Kia to simplify its lineup and establish a niche for the brand.

After production of the Forte ceased in 2024, Kia wasted no time in transitioning to its successor, the all-new 2025 Kia K4 compact sedan. Like the outgone Forte, the K4 comes standard with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine developing 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft of torque, funneled to the wheels via a continuously variable transmission (CVT).

However, the K4's available turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder makes 190 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, slightly less power than the Forte's. You also now get an eight-speed automatic transmission with the turbo-four, as opposed to the seven-speed automatic or six-speed manual that accompanied the 2024 Kia Forte GT's 201-hp turbo engine.

Instead of the 15-inch steel wheels found on the Forte, the Kia K4 offers 16s as standard. But perhaps one of the biggest changes can be found in the K4's interior — there's a standard 12.3-inch infotainment panel to replace the 8-inch touchscreen display on the Forte. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration come standard on both cars, as does a four-speaker audio system.

However, the K4 is bigger overall in dimension than the Forte at 185.4 inches long, 72.8 inches wide, and 55.9 inches tall. That makes it longer, narrower, and taller than the Forte, which measures 182.6 inches in length, 70.9 inches in width, and 56.5 inches in height. At 107.1 inches, the K4 also rides on a longer wheelbase than the Forte's 106.3-inch spread. Naturally, that means extra legroom for rear passengers, and the K4 does not disappoint, offering 38 inches of rear legroom versus 35.6 for the Forte. The Forte, meanwhile, has slightly more second-row headroom than the K4 at 37.4 inches compared with 37 inches for the K4 with panoramic sunroof.

If you've been following the brand for a while, you might recall that Kia introduced the K5 as a replacement for the Optima in 2021. With consumers now familiar enough with the alphanumeric system, the K4 is likely the next part of Kia's plan to unify its cars under a single naming convention. This could simplify things for potential customers and help establish a bit of brand identity.

This nomenclature is similar to Kia's approach with its electric vehicles, where its entire EV lineup is set to be named EV1 to EV9, with EV1 indicating an entry-level Kia electric car and EV9 the flagship model. For that to happen, the Forte name clearly had to go away. While there may be other reasons why the Kia Forte was discontinued, slow sales probably aren't a factor, considering the Forte sold well over the course of its three generations. In its last year on the market, Kia moved 106,050 units of the compact car, a slight dip from 2023's 123,953 units. That marked the fourth consecutive year of six-figure unit sales for the Forte, but the model wouldn't get a chance at a fifth.