It’s pretty much shaping up to be bumper Kia model year, with no less than six model introductions for 2011. First up to arrive was the new Sorento SUV, and now Naza Kia Malaysia has officially unveiled the Forte Koup and the updated Forte 6-Speed sedan.
The two new offerings – which were introduced today at the new 12,000 sq ft Naza Kia 3S Centre in Glenmarie – will be joined later in the year by the new Optima sedan and the Sportage SUV. The sixth model wasn’t specifically mentioned, so bets are on whether it’s the Soul – a refreshed version is due out in mid-year – or the new Picanto, which was just introduced in Geneva.
For now though, the two Fortes hold court, with the Koup leading in things. Kia’s first-ever two door C-segment coupe – which Paul previewed two years ago – certainly has some very fluid lines and nicely balanced proportions, and the result is a car that’s easy on the eye. At RM115,800 on-the-road with insurance, it’s certainly excellent value if you’re eyeing a coupe that won’t break your wallet.
The front features the familiar family face, with black high-gloss accents in the form of the radiator grille, bumper moulding and fog lamp housing helping to snazz up things. At the back, there’s a two-tone bumper, as well as rear LED combination lamps and twin exhaust tailpipes. A point to note is that the fully-imported Koup comes wearing a Kia badge outright, as it rightly should.
It’s powered by a Theta II 2.0 litre four-cylinder CVVT block, with 156 PS at 6,200 rpm and 194 Nm at 4,300 rpm, mated to a six-speed auto transmission. Among the performance specs is a 0-100 kph sprint time of 10.5 secs.
The vehicle, which sits on the same platform as the sedan, features a front McPherson strut and a coupled torsion beam axle rear suspension, though some tweaking on things has been done to offer improved response and stability compared to the sedan. It has a wider wheel track and sits 10mm lower than the sedan, and a larger diameter stabiliser bar, shock absorbers with retuned inner valves and a revised steering-gear ratio help things along here.
Features and equipment include bucket type leather seats, alloy pedals, automatic air-conditioning, an out-sliding powered sunroof, 60:40 split folding rear seats, cruise control and a six-CD changer, six speaker audio system that has a rather unique feature – the outer frame of the speaker grilles are lit by LEDS, which you can enable at the touch of a button. Speaking of frames, there are none for the door windows.
What else? Well, there are the paddle shifters, electric folding side view mirrors, USB and iPod connections, Bluetooth connectability, engine start/stop button and the usual Supervision cluster, in keeping with the Forte kit theme. Oh, and the car sits on 215/45 series tyres wrapped around a black/silver high-gloss 17-inch wheel.
Five external and two interior colour themes are available for the Koup, and these are Racing Red, Clear White, Ebony Black, which come with a two-tone red and black interior, as well as Sweet Orange and Santorini Blue, which come with a single-tone black interior.
Meanwhile, the Forte 6-Speed sedan jumps in looking to continue on the success of the earlier one, which was launched in November 2009. The enhanced Forte 6-Speed comes, as its name suggests, with a six-speed auto box with Shiftronic functionality as well as steering mounted paddle shifters, replacing the four-speeder of old.
Other new features include LED turn signals on the side mirrors, which are now electronically foldable, a new stylish grille design, a rear view camera and mobile phone Bluetooth functionality, operable through the steering controls.
There’s also mention about improvements in the NVH levels, through the addition of sound-deadening material, foam-pads and thinsulators in some areas (A/B/C pillar trim, firewall, trunk mat and cowl-top cover, among others)
The old four-speed shifter, and the one on the new six-speeder.
The six-speed transmission, integrated LED turn signals, new grille design are available on all three models, the 1.6 EX and SX as well as the 2.0 SX. As for the steering-mounted paddle shifters, rear view camera, electronically foldable mirrors and Bluetooth functionality, those are only be available in the 1.6 SX and 2.0 SX variants.
The 1.6 EX does get 16-inch alloys (with 205/55 profile rubbers), replacing the steel 15-inchers found on the previous incarnation. The SX models continue on with the same 17-inch, 215/45 wheel/tyre configuration.
Previous side mirror, and the new LED-equipped one.
Six colour choices are available, these being Clear White, Bright Silver, Titanium Silver, Metal Bronze, Spicy Red and Ebony Black. No changes to the interior trim, by the looks of it.
As for pricing, there’s an increase, but nothing radical given that you finally get a six-shooter – the OTR with insurance price of the 1.6 EX is RM78,800, while the 1.6 SX and 2.0 SX go for RM85,800 and 97,800 respectively.
Naza Kia Malaysia is targeting to sell between 800 and 900 units of the new Forte 6-Speed a month, and as for the Forte Koup, the company is hoping to move 30 units of the two-door vehicle per month.
Live photo gallery from the launch after the jump.
[zenphotopress number=999 album=2032]
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the blue look like subaru
yea rite…when red like ferrari…sheesh…even color want to compare…
why the butthurt? he just mention the color look a like..nothing bashing there. maybe he loves the color and does not finish his sentence..shiishh
did i compare anything??? why i dunno?
you did a serious mistake…never ever compare or say something like the Kia looks any similar to Japanese car la…you should say ‘wow this blue looks 1000x better than the subaru’s blue!!!’
and you should add something like ‘goodbye T/H’
agreed.all thumbs down will go to T & H cars here..indirectly showing the still SO STRONG impact of T & H cars locally. every other comparable model eg mazda & koreans will get strong & good reporting & comments..this Q better lah..specs betterlah..price so good lah…T & H no Q lah… performance wahh on top of this world…bull shiting…narrow view..leh..
Looking at all the comments, look like the automobile world in Malaysia now only belong to the Korean.
But why …why…why .. the monthly sales until January 2011 still didn’t registered any Korean model in the top 10.
Maybe all of you supporters only talk but no action.
lol…u this ppl who not enuf money to buy but oni talkrot!
Subaru blue lighter. It looks like Sepang Blue on audi.
i mean look like subaru coz in my first sight i saw a sg reg blue koup i feel is like imprezza GC8 couple
rilex…this blog full of basher and anti-basher
they mybe thought u bash…while actually u r not..
i get ur point of that blue color..
really, i like that blue..
actually naza should bring in the limited green color version like the one we can see in sg….that color really nice eh haha
nice and hot car kia got there!!
Kia Forte is a C-segment car, so it competes with Honda Civic, Mazda 3, Mitsubishi Lancer, Volvo S40, Volkswagen Jetta, and Toyota Corolla, while the Forte Koup competes aganist Volvo C30, Volvo C70 and Volkswagen New Beetle. The Forte LPI Hybrid would beat off Civic Hybrid if comes to Malaysia.
Great price. This will be a hit
Not again, the NAZA badge is a let down and disguting to put in this beauty….I will not even consider 100k for a NAZA car
if not, u willing to pay say.. RM100k-RM140k for a Kia?
Agreed! If not because that it have Naza badge behind it I would have gotten a Pug..
the naza badge is a sticker which you can peel off. if you are really interested to buy the car or really had the budget, you would have bought it anyway and peeled it off once you received your car.
Agreed. I ask my salesman to immediately replace mine with KIA emblem.
u should be proud of your NAZA, why peel off ?
Suit yourself. We’re not as wealthy as you to buy overpriced cars simply for the badge that you can easily change at Brothers.
Your loss for being a frog that’s stuck under a coconut shell. Original Kia logos can be bought for around RM200 but you’re complaining about the Naza badges that helped to shave over RM10,000 off the selling prices.
pls read the main text first b4 u comment… It reads ” A point to note is that the fully-imported Koup comes wearing a Kia badge outright…”
sadly, many rush to conclusion without reading the text.
i think u really meant about the after sales service by naza right?
not really the badge right?
JUST SAY U CANT AFFORD TO BUY A RM100K++ CAR…END OF STORY. U DONT WANNA BUY KIA @ NAZA SUIT YURSELF…WHY A BIG FUSS???? LIKE U HV DRIVEN ALL THE CARS IN DA WORLD….EMPTY VESSEL MAKES THE MOST NOISE!!!
it’s defintely much much better than OVERPRICED CKD MADZA 3 1.6
Totally agree with u.Mazda 3 is a big let down!!
Kia one of the exciting brands at the moment. Nice solid cars. The bold design shift was one of the best moves they have made.
Yes! The handsome one is finally here. =P
Naza Kia should also bring the Forte LPI Hybrid to compete with Honda Civic Hybrid, as many Malaysian taxis use the LPG, but we want Forte LPI Hybrid to be available in Malaysia as a passenger car instead of taxi.
Fall in luv with this coupe when I first saw it in Korea last May.
Shortlisted in my buying list!!!
TERBAIK!!!
its good if naza also put stick shift in it!!
agree man.
I agree auto is for most of the ppl here who are living in the city.
But somehow i miss a well designed manual with light clutch and slick shifter ( eg suzuki swift sport, honda s2000 manual ) both cars which i have driven before.
With manual, i think the dash to 100 is at 9 sec.
the gen2 cps manual is pretty nice to drive… if one can look past the badge and the strange ergonomics. seriously.
Yep , not to mention it is more economical , however usually resale value of autos are much higher, but this 6-speeder should be good~!
good! now thats a fight with City and Vios…see how they respond. I sure the sales with good hit (so does Inspira)
Camry also no choice of upgrading with GPS, lets see how the H and T respond to the market now.
More competitive makes people improve! good for the consumer!
none of them have coupes. so there is no competitor to compete with. but the forte sedan will be very strong now.
camry with gps is not free one, optional ok…u think they will give u free?? tunggu la..very good now koreans are coming in with good pricing n products. otherwise bolehland will forever selling high price ckd but low spec cars.
Agreed! I’m waiting for KIA Optima (I’m truly meaning waiting only!)
Waiting for what?
Yes, Kia Optima can be a real challenge is they price it right. Infact, the Sonata is already capturing market. Its been seeing everywhere in Klang Valley. Their tail light at night is so cool.
ahem…camry 2.0 is still 4 speed auto…lol….
I already drive my Forte 2.0 new 6 speed for almost a month. Fun drive, great car, value for money, superb 5years warranty (Unlimited mileage). Already change everyone bad-thinker about Kia-hyundai around me!! I repeat.. EVERYONE around me… see for yourself good-thinker of H&T
Not for those people who thumbed you down…maybe they have not test driven a Forte yet…
Not even think about to test drive it… sucks exterior & interior… good handilng? Maybe compare to waja la… performance so poor got good handling also not use lar…
How can you the interior and exterior sucks while many have been praising the design (exterior especially)… anyway, u are entitled to ure opinion lah :)
its not the car i that let ppl down i think..
how about naza’s after sales service? is it better nowadays?
pls share ur experience..if its a good review then maybe more will go towards this beauty.. :)
The service is good for me. I own the 1.6SX since Feb 2010, no complaints so far.
so how lousy is the car ? pls share
yeah… lousy until you can even smell a Myvi ass when traffic light turn green… poor fortbute…
same here..wife just bought one 2.0….very nice car so many gadget, nice ride, should bought for me instead :p
Mind to share the fuel efficiency?:p
Only 1 month? Try for a couple of years first and see la.
Hey wan, I just booked mine. How’s the petrol consumption for 2.0 Kia Forte?
beauty~~
i like it~
daaaamnnnnn…!!!
i was looking foward to see news this on this blog man…!!!
NICE!!!
the Kuop will be quite appealing to those who wanted to buy a Kia Forte but with a more sporty drive and look especially those who are still single or has it as a second car. Good job KIA for introducing more options for the consumers.
Somehow the interior still looks cheap to me. I guess waiting another generation of KIA would be a better option haha.
Also I’ve heard quite a few serious complaints from Naza Kia owners who have difficulties claiming warranty and those who were successful in claiming will have to wait long periods to get their parts.
If only KIA themselves enter the Malaysian market and not merging with Naza to sell their cars.
perhaps a bmw or mercedes benz will satisfy you.
u read my mind bro. looking at the c200 cgi model XD
sure, maybe the C200 can be sold at RM87,000 i would also like to buy one.
orang kaya no need to comment le
aiyoo…big budget go look bmw, merc ar sure cun :)
i have to admit that i’m impressed with the pricing… now please buckup and give honda and toyota a good fight
Love the blue color. When i was little kid back in the 70’s, my dad gave me F1 toys with this blue colors that stick in my mind…any 7 seater for this?..ha..ha..
mazda3 launch just get spanked…this is how you price a car when launch…or even better surprise us like fiesta did…
Fiesta really everywhere on the road leh
which road? i hv not seen many at all, just one or two here and there in kl city.
how is the fuel consumption of 1.6? anybody knows?
and whats the waiting period now?
My 1.6sx 6 speed is doing 8.5L / 100KM according to the computer. currently clocking 700 KM only. I think will be better when reach 5k on the ODO. Mine is about 90-95% highway.
U kidding me? My Mazda3 2.0 5-speed auto gives me 8.5-8.6L/100km. City driving. But i’m still interested to test drive the 2.0 auto though. Kinda find this model value for $.
1.6SX 4 speed 560km @ 45liters 50% highway, 690km @45liter 100% highway for my car
some of you may think 1.6 may be under power if driving the new car, actually after 3rd service 20,000km you will feel the surge of power. Done 30K now.
just want 2 share wif u my forte 1.6 sx (4 speed)
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/71713_445957201157_751626157_5429733_5830284_n.jpg
Wah… U sure aa.. 408km just half tank??? BTW, the distance to empty in the second picture U superimpose ka? hehehe. Should be la kan… but i understand…
Just place my booking for Forte FL 1.6 SX last weekend …
and please don’t educate me about second hand value, spare part issue, petrol drinker … etc. i’m getting bored with all this & it’s my money i decide what i should buy! Peace XD
Agreed with you totally. I bought this car due to the fun factor and value for money to me. Not bothered about 2nd hand value at the moment. Loving every moment in it :)
A good buy !!!
A small request from jeff and Malcolm Lim, PLEASE NEVER EVER peel off the NAZA logo. It’s the PRIDE of our nation.
errr..change it oredi ar..to K emblem
even got it from the naza guy 160, kia 120
can request change emblem directly from naza salesguy? cool .. :)
This has been the most sensible and the best post on Paul tan for sometime… Good for you man…. I have been driving my Forte for 2 year (in SG) ang was glad i did not choose Civic or Altis over it. You will feel the same soon
Nobody is interested to educate you. The fact is,
1) This car has zero second hand value,
2) spare part issue will haunt you foever,
3) And as you said, yes it is a petrol drinker …
Whether you get educated of not is all up to you !
PEACE XD
aroma..
1)2nd hand value is better then the city
2)5 years unlimited warranty gives u a peace of mind. Aftermarket spareparts are very cheap as well. Parts are abundant.
3)Petrol Drinker? 6.5l/100km average on highway 8.0-10l/100km in city drive. Petrol Drinker? LOL
Take bus lor …dont hv to worry abt resale value, spare parts and petrol consumption…
Aroma your a dick you know nothing about the Forte so shut up…its a great car with the best offerings for the price that were paying.
me too dont give a da*n about the resale value….i dare to lose…so?
Good pricing. Managed to price below 80K for shiftronic auto. Will improve their sale higher if providing 3 years maintenance free.
Only desperado car distributors will provide free maintenance.
used to be the case but internationally, that’s what many car manufacturers are starting to do. it is what a buyer wants with their new car.
Can you tell me which car company is currently providing free maintenance in Malaysia?
ford, mazda, now bmw too as i read somewhere. peugeot for certain models. it is probably the next thing that will hit. first it was longer warranties. now it looks like frees ervicing will soon become the norm. i mean, it is not a bad thing isn’t it?
never read news is it?
Ford Fiesta,Ford Focus,Mazda ,Suzuki swift and etc.Wanna list down all of them??
Can you see the similarity? Ford, Mazda, Suzuki, they all have very small market share here in Malaysia. Thus, they’re desperate to attract people to buy their car. Now do you understand why I said only desperado car distributors do this kind of thing? Naza Kia is confident that the car will sell well, thus they don’t need to do this kind of gimmick.
Ah Beng Car with EXPENSIVE price tag, RM 115K for a 2 door.
Wait for Warehouse sales later.
Wait until you die la, hahaa..
Be My Guess U First.
Usual Naza Tactics, When Not Selling well then Huge Price Slash.
Not selling well? In your dreams la, Besides, those days are long gone. Can you tell me when is the last time Naza did that?
price slashes by naza are for old models when they have replacement such as the CITRA when Rondo Came out. Stupid idiot knows nothing
is it? then how much is a good price? RM50k for 2 units? come on, be realistic lah and look around at the othere cars in the market first before commenting.
who ah beng? you?
He is expecting to pay only half of the price for only half of the amount of doors compared to sedan…
u are funny ahahahahahahahaa
If you feel this is expensive enough, W250 Coupe is a right choice for u dude. Coz it price was RM 458,888 and the price is very cheap for u :)
KIA did a superb job but NAZA did a rather “SHXX” job. I cancelled my booking and I never regret! haha…..U see the launching? The car is not ready for deliver yet…NAZA…wake up!
You think you’re buying fish at the market a? All car has waiting period. I got mine after some waiting, and it’s worth the wait. Go figure.
NAZA’s fault mainly in after sales services… but waiting time? u think Korea only built for NAZA is it? i buy my bike oso 2 months waiting…
Guys, U both do not know the actual situation, don’t just assume. If you were told everything was ready and able to get it before Chinese New Year and I have been waited until today, is that call waiting period?! Waiting period is a period of time that was told by the seller, and the buyer willing to wait but not cheating customer that the car will be delivered very soon and empty promises. UNDERSTAND U BOTH?
I also waited my civic for 4 months without saying anything because this is as agreed and noted. Im talking about the service but not bashing any brands, both HEROS.
bro, actually is the salesman who cheated u, not naza. where u book ur car?
That means Naza did not actually control on their salesman quality. Giving empty commitment to customer is the 1st brand killing act in any kind of field.
I have been go to 4 naza showrooms(include brand and dealer) to get the Forte last year, guess what, all of them give me different kind of answers when come to car delivery…this make me lost of confident for them and end up pay a little more and get a Civic.
i don’t remember KIA going into f1 and all that syok sendiri crap, yet they are making world class automobiles and if i’m not mistaken fourth in the world in terms of total volume..
yet we got 3 f1 teams
it will be a hit.. and wait till the new k5 to come to our shore , it will the greatest hit frim kia . now T brand is not at the top anymore . D segment is always concoured by T and H… can u imagine in motortrader magazine mentioned for Dec 2010 sales for d-sagment the sonata sales much higher than the camry.. this is the FIRST TIME ever, rite?
Very nice! my only complain is the servicing and spare parts which is horrible! so hard to find, especially in Sarawak.
It’s quite fast for the service center that I frequent to near Mutiara Damansara. The service is good too. I have no complaints. Don’t know about East Malaysia though
service centre in jalan sherip masahor right?
I went to the one at PJU 3
sorry, i meant in kuching in reference to Darren’s posting.
Lemme get this right, the 4 door is CKD while the koup is CBU? Am i right?
This Koup is a just poser car. Konfem kena cucuk.
By what? your kancil?
no, by my 1975 Datsun 120Y
Go play far-far la poor kid
Hei dude.. A lot of 120Y is not really 120Y engine in it… Mostly are SR20DET in it! Sure can cucuk u.. But compare FC sure cannot laaa…
Wow bro… nice car… your car just remind me… where were KIA when Datsun start producing car???? haha…
I am not the poor kid. Poor kids are the Koup owners in SG. Some even need to smell kentut Altis…btw ko ni Naza salesman ke?
DAtsun 120y? come play with my mitsubishi galant lar…. Forte u tak mampu main…. maybe after we play can go work shop cause car kaput already then minum teh together….. HAHAHA
talk nonsense so pandai go buy ferrari la …. u think buy car like opening burger stalls ah??? go fly kite la u two a%#@hole… with ferrari think u two will juz 4get bout complaining lar…
Haha… like your comment… people shock sendiri… smell the kentut Altis… sports car without performance… imagine BMW equip with Kancil engine… LOL
hello rightious, we need constructive comments here and not personal attack u understand?
i tell u what my friend xxx.
U put a 2 liter mivec turbo into your datsun, boost it to 2 bar. It should produce 300-350 hp for a week or two.
And go smoke ferraris and porsches. Im sure u can. They will smell your kentut in a straight line. Don ever take corner my friend. U will smell the pavement.
But drive it to a five star hotel, park in front of the hotel. See who they halau. I can give lots of such examples but i dowan to hurt your feelings.
Datsun 120y is a great A to B car. Modified its even better. But have some maturity and stop comparing mod cars and stock cars.
0 to 100 in 10.5 sec?? for a coupe?? im with u bro
Aiya…the koup sure kena cucuk at highway lah with the extrerior..but hp outputis just ordinary one…then surely those ah beng modified turbo strapped satria/wira will easily take over it…but they will never know what’s the fun of great handling and composure with style in a shell…lol…
wake up japan wake up don’t copy them but beat them
nice! thx also to Naza, cheers!
Is the Koup CBU from Korea?
yes.
With this kind of pricing, what does Naza intend to position Cheverolet Cruze in their product line?
I don’t think tey know what is market segment or product position.
To them, they are ex- AP King. THey aim is, hamparang sapu, sell as much as posible regardless of any product or brand lor…
Their dream is, all brand in bolehland come under their unbrella, what every we buy, they earn…heheh
thank god the koup dont get under the naza badge..
Koup,nice looking car..
better late than never..good move.!
if they just put the 6-speed,.and not the earlier 4-speed.surely more numbers of Forte on the road..
Ya, correct…… Myself really regret buying the 4 speed…….
relax bro we arr the pioneer 1…don regret it.. hihihi
At least you get to enjoy the car earlier. Unless you just got the 4-speeder yesterday, then that pretty much sucks.
Ya…u rite….. Only regret on the 6 speed……But overall the car is very nice and comfortable………
Never know that this Forte Koup has the frameless door. Sweet!
Most sports models have frameless doors. Sadly Subaru went backwards and introduced doors with frames. :(
The car was already in showroom last week….no secret from Naza it seems
hp produced by Koup just around 2.0 civic, and 2.0 inspira/ lancer only..
Aaaand you were expecting what kind of performance actually? The engine is the same as the Forte 2.0. My god, kids these days. So lazy to read.
good one there! not all 2 door coupes are designed to be raced on the streets. some, like the koup perform best when going to society events, driving slow past night spots etc. these are boulevardiers and they’re not bought for racing, but looking good!
Exactly. Not all coupes are designed for Race. Its just a car for some people to get hot chics on saturday nite. Thts all. Got Money? Got Hot Chics. =)
I place booking for New model Kia Sorento since last year December(2010)
but until today car not receive yet… Hopeless Naza. Poor!! What do you think? should I cancel my order ? I put 1K for booking.. do they give me back?
It has only been 3 months. And it’s a new model, what do you expect? Perodua Viva availability? 2 weeks delivery to your doorstep?
3months are long, dear..
Got KIA Forte last time only 1month…that already consider a long time waiting.
I got my 1.6sx after 3 months as well. I booked early Dec 2010, and I got the car at the end of Feb 2010. No complaints here. I could get it earlier, if I opted for the silver or black color. But I still wait for my Metal Bronze, and I’m glad I did, :D .
H city also need to wait for 4 months le when its lauch. Common le… new car le.. Exora ready stock…can collect rite after loan approved…go lah..
Ppl book for forte 2.0 need to wait for 4-5 months…
What rubbish !!!
I got my 2.0L FL delivered in 11 days (with loan approval within 3 working days after booking)
think of those who wait more than half a year for their peugeot 3008. that is passion. willing to wait for something they really desire. if you not willing to wait, then you can just get another brand that can deliver fast. it is not long if you really desire it. there’s a difference between desire and want and need. cheers! :)
check your booking receipt on whether it says booking refundable or not. if it says “not refundable” then …
standard laa bro..1st batch..
FORTE 1.6sx i booked 12/12/2009 and got the car 30/3/2010..more less 3-4month..until now i still enjoy my ride with forte..CARGASM!!!!
Just buy this korean car if its satisfied your driving and feeling ,change taste from japan to korean car they must be a different ok bro
Time to “taruk kuat kuat” to H & T. 6 speeder price between 80-100k. Y Kia can do other can’t do that… Y??????Y????? NOW ALREADY 21 CENTURY LA…. WAIT UP MAN ( T &H)…. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
Toyota and Honda can give a 6 speeder at this price if the gov gives them 50% rebate on excise duties. They cannot rebadge and “consider” it a local car unlike Naza. You should know how our gov works by now.
Red colour deco interior… Ugly :-( :-( :-(
Why the Six Speed Shifter looks Uglier than the old Four Speed Shifter ???
2 Door Coupe without a Performance Engine is REAL letdown.
Should fix in GDI Turbo Charge Engine instead.
I’d buy it just for its looks.
I didn’t even mind if it powered by a 1.3 litre engine.
why oh why i bought my forte early, if i wait a little longer i could get this new 6-speed…damn
yeah man. good things happen to those who wait.
Its okay, being an early adopter also has its benefits, when a new model comes, you’d also be the first to replace it….
Bravo! Well done KIA Forte. . I am a proud owner of Forte. Even with its 4 speed automatic my Forte SX 1.6 has given me a lot of joy while driving it. I was among first few in Penang to take delivery of the CBU Forte before Christmas 2009. Man, to tell you the truth, its performance is just superb. Now, it’s entering its 16th month of service, it’s still running like new even after clocking 28 thousand km. The FC has been quite consistant, for daily city drive, it gives me an affordable 16 to 19 cents per km using Ron 95. Service wise, I sent my Forte to a KIA authorised dealer near my house, the services provided were on par with any other Top Brands service centres you could find. So, why not give KIA Forte a try.
0-100km/h in 10.5? The specs look impressive but somehow it’s a little slow, even a Ford Fiesta does 9.9 also largely because of the dual clutch transmission.
V2…ever heard or power to weight ratio?….ur comparing acceleration of a C segment sedan and a B segment Compact car?….stop dreaming….
Yes, you’re right, power to weight ratio is an intelligent way to gauge a cars’ performance, but unfortunately the 4-door Forte is a C-segment sedan, the 2 door isn’t. The 2 door should be lighter than the 4 door, and the 2 litre engine should make up the difference between the weight, so perhaps you should do some homework than have your very own wet dreams.
agree with bro V2…even putting power to weight ratio into the equation…this 2.0 koup should clock faster then 1.6 fiesta…even better put pricetag into equation…power to rm ratio hehe…jk…
test drove the Fiesta? the engine is harsh! oh man…so noisy…can hear the engine is struggling when sitting inside the car…poor NVH.
bro i think you are the only one that says Fiesta has poor NVH. LOL!
I test drove the fiesta and NVH is superb! and its not just me, every major reviews put the NVH of fiesta at impressive or not mind-blowing.
1975 Datsun 120Y lolx i think pretty girls wont seat in ur car even 1 minute wahaha it’s so cheap and ugly!Forte Koup is so sexy and pretty nice!
Nice and affordable…
with the growing number of aggresive fans , relatively higher spec and possibly weaken competitor (the new civic not so good ; pricewise, specwise, lookwise), its the moment korean cars finally can get even with the japs, and by the rate of it, will overtook the japs in no time … unless the japs react fast…
yeah,.
i think..will try for a kia or hyundai for my next car,
as my experience wiith H not very satisfied..just ”okey la”
Yeah ! The Jippy Zap Zap
century sprint in 10.5s quite set back la…
if around 9s will be better…
iirc, the previous forte 2.0 can run around 9.2s shown in brochure…
almost same price with Proton Inspira for 1.6Sx, should I get this car? I heard from internal factory source that Inspira steel body is now thinner than the original Lancer, to cut cost, and also that the 2.0cc engine is different model than the original Lancer engine, and also the plastic inside Inspira is actually thinner too, anyone?
need someone from P1 to explain..
i’m very sure lots of P1 engineers n HoD reading this article..but dont know if they wanted to reveal the truth..
in your dream bro..
Not a proton man but work with other OE. It is not possible to simply change the metal sheet to thinner spec. The manufacturer have the standard of the type of metal sheet to match with the die being designed, and should they want to do cost improvement measures, they will look at accessories, not body panel, as reducing body panel parts will result in jig changes and that is just too expensive to do. Further we in the industry was told, the inspira is a CKD from japan, even the local supplier only assemble the part coming from original supplier in japan.
But if you are referring to the paint, it might be possible, and that didn’t affect much. It will always uses 3 std min coat (ED, primer and top coat + clear coat).
Is there a RM10,000 performance kit we could find to deduct at least 4 seconds from the 0-100 time of the coupe ?
I feel like Naza Kia really pays attention to the needs of consumer , and doing us all a big favour, the update on the Naza forte is a really big welcome to the market , I am seriously thinking of getting a Forte now … 1.6SX ………. Bravo~! Bravo~!
theres a 2.4l Variant availble which has 175 bhp.. but sadly it wont be coming here :(
we are getting the old engine.. there aregood GDIs engine out there but our petrol grade cant be use
Malaysia sells its own better quality petrol to europe and then buy petrol from middle east if im not mistaken however, i think the only reason we are not using our own petrol is because proton have yet come up with a next-gen engine…
I taught it took Naza forever to bring in this car. Almost everything in the car looks awesome. The hp on the Koup is a little bit of a letdown. But still, it looks great. Now time to save money. Lol
Eh where is the AP King badge?
now that a real deal, forte 6 speed with complete safety kit and other gadget and reverse camera, cant imagine other company can offer the same amount of kit below rm100k even from proton or perodua let alone toyata and honda
So.. now is Forte Koup vs 308 THP
Interested but why is there no picture of dash/meter board? Puzzled?
Essentially, it’s the same cluster formation as found on the sedan.
Funny some how of you guys can relate good looks to good performance.Have you sat in a Forte b4? Its performance is totally rubbish! Design ok lah,but 6 speeder is almost the same as 4-speeder.Hardly any difference.Test drove both already.
Its nothing to shout about.THe koup has the looks,but in terms of performance its like duno how many miles behind even a Civic 1.8.
Come on lah,I would rather have a Peugeot 308 Turbo than this coupe without performance wannabe.
And yes ,some commenter said that only desperado car manufacturer offer 5 years free maintainence and warranty!
Just look at January 2011 car sales chart lah,Forte selling well? Its not even in the list !
The media really has been paid by Naza to HYPE up the sales .
Its a rubbish car with so many cheap parts.You just have to place it side by side with a Jap make and compare.
Looks good on its own,but is crap when compared to its rivals.Rubbish
what rubbish you talking??
ANOTHER NON SENSE MUMBLING FROM A HONDA FREAK…..I’M DRIVING A HONDA FREED NOW…MY 1ST HONDA CAR. WHAT A RIP OFF…MY LAST HYUNDAI MATRIX WAS MUCH MORE FUN TO DRIVE….GOSH! WHAT A BIG MISTAKE
This “Rubbish” u mentioned won so many international pretigious awards.
This “Rubbish” it outselling Toyota in the US, CHina, Singapore , and some parts of African Country.
This “rubbish” has won a few “Car of The year awards”
This “rubbish” is the most awesome full speced best value fullsafety C-segment car for below 100k
This “rubbish” is wayyyy ahead of HONDA
Exactly. I am seeing bunch of Naza salesman sitting in office bombarding negative commentors here in paultan.org. Lolxxxx….
they all buying because of $, if price too high then they will say JDM is much more worth it… totally agree with you about place both car side by side with a Jap make car to compare… Do not mention any brand from Jap, because any brand from Jap could beat the cheappy, craps rubbish Forte.
Very funny C.K.LIM. It goes to show how damn shallow your mind is when condemning such a car you might not have even driven before.
Mind you, not any brand could beat the so-called rubbish Forte, in fact they actually get bashed by the Forte itself. For instance, the Corolla Altis is practically a goner when you compare handling, features, looks, not to mention even safety & technology!
If you don’t care about what i say, by all means, go ahead and jack yourself with the Japs who has been taking you on a ride far too long.
Yes! You’re right man…
i also test drove 1.6 4speed & 6speed coz i plan to buy it. But sadly i feel the drive train of this car is weak(6speed slightly better) …so for me got no ummphh at all.
for those who plan to buy this car…test drive first & than make your decison…..if u feel the power is ok..just grab it…for me, the power is not enough…
one more thing, u should also consider spare part…the price & avalability. for instance my wife picanto…rear absorber cost u rm240 one piece(not one pair) front rm360. take note that picanto only small underpower car & 1.1 cc only. should have bought myvi instead of picanto. than..sparepart also difficult to get…even Naza also sometime have to order from Korea.
Think about it first before you make decison….
Maserati, WTF is wrong with you?? Every time i see your comments, were nothing but trash comments demonising the Koreans! I mean, what have they done to you for them to suffer such rabid condemnation from you?
FYI, you’ll need to live day-to-day with a car to appreciate its strengths, not just jump to conclusions within a short while!! If you ask me, all cars are good, just they have their merits and demerits. BTW, your claims about Naza paying the press to hype up the event goes to show how much of a douchebag fanboy you are. Can’t accept the facts, so you’ve just got to find something to shoot down.
If you’re so dead fixed on commenting in such a fanboy way, my advice is this:- Stay away from this blog, if constructive, healthy debate is not your forte. period.
and look at that super ugly interior!!
The Honda Insight interior looks 1million times better than this piece of junk.
That red interior ,OMG super ugly!
Honda salesman … haha
nope , i think he compare the car to maserati
just dont bring the Insight near monkeys since they will start humping it….it looks so much like a female monkeys butt….
Always nonsense from you.Not constructive at all.
I find Maserati very pitiful. Clearly he has no idea that the world is changing. In Bolehland, T and H have very good re-sale value. For the value we got for our blood and sweat money, T and H is not exactly best value. Korean cars are getting better and better. Even T and H bought Koreans car and rip them apart to study why Koreans have advanced so far and in certain extend, exceeded the Japs.
Wake up Maserati and stop living in a dream.
Nice to look at. But I wonder, How much is the resale value after 3 years of owning it,
you guys always keep bragging bout second hand value padahal beli kerete using a 9 year loan LOL
Keep it well maintained, keep your own logbook of maintenance , dont crash it, don’t modify it, keep all the original parts, i’m sure it will hold its value
Everything else is ok for me except for the weird looking dashboard…
Feel like want to kick it out everytime when i look at it.. just doesn’t match the great body design..
Attention Toyota and Honda fans, the new forte 1.6 comes with 6-speed auto and a very long list of fantastic features and only priced at 85k. While the Altis 1.6 comes with an outdated 4-speed auto without any of these features and priced at 106k!! And the Forte looks sooo much better than the Altis. Guys, please wake up and stop supporting these overpriced brands! So what if you get good resale value? You are paying an upfront premium price for an inferior product! Think about it!!
Reasonably priced car comes with a price especially with Naza. Indeed the Forte 6 speed is very worth it for the price you pay and the features you’ll get but bare in mind be prepared to face the consequences from their horrible after sales service and exorbitantly high priced spare parts and service charge once yourwarranty period expires. And that if that happens and you want to sell your car, you’ll get very low value.
Even if you are offered with their warranty, you will be served as if you have to beg them to service your car well. It’s very obvious why their 4-speeder sales are still low, it’s because people are having doubts on Naza’s after sales service, so the problem is not with the car but with the service. If only Cycle Carriage was the sole distributor of Kia in M’sia just like in S’pore.
If C&C is the distributor of Kia in malaysia we won’t be getting such a cheap Forte anymore…
Suppose there wont be much of a loss buying this car. You pay thousands more for a Honda or Toyota will less safety features. You pay less for this car, however when you sell you get a higher value for H or T but you paid more to buy it in the first place. So, its more or less the same. Based on looks alone..the Forte beats the rest hands down…not to mention the features.
I talk like you when 7 years ago, I think I am different, I bot Matrix, indeed still a very good car. Last week I can only sold at 18k from 78k fully CBU from Korea. If after so long, though more open minded people like Kia and Hyundai, still a same year vios selling at 50k, city at 40K. Another of my friend also Korean supporter bought sonata, sold at 23k, from 117k. I love Korean, quality good, maintenance cheap, parts cheap, but why just all keep talking when buying 2nd hand korean never give higher price.
agree with you bro…from here can looks so many korean supporter. but the fact is the second hand value is real low….yes, some of u does not care about the second hand value but i think majority doesn’t think like this…remember this is all our hard earned money!
Optima next? that will be a great challenge to the Accord and Camry.
already tested and finally booked the white one..very good product come from world class company..offer value for many in term of performance and quality..compare to Honda and Toyota..always with Kia.my 1st car also kia..and second one also Kia..why? you get what you pay..(YGWYP) :)
kereta yang slow dan mahal macam ni pun ramai yang minat ke? tak faham aku..
mahal dari apa bro..myvi ke viva haha..
im a huge fan of sedan based coupes…imo they look best in that form ala bmw 3 series coupe and audi a5….asking price considering the tax structure and everything is quite asotnishing..i wouldnt have minded if they brought this in with the 2.4 and charged 130 -135 though..needs just a lil more grunt coz right now its in the family sedan category in terms of power…coupe’s are all about respect on the road and u need a lil more power than what is offered..still…its an awesome deal….
at last!! SoMeOnE who agrees with me. personally, i feel sedan based coupes have a more elegant and sleek shape than hatchback based coupes.
Looks? Fine on every angle. Stylish yet it won’t last in 5-6 years to come.
Agility? Still in doubt. Haven’t tested one yet.
Performance? Average to most cars in our country. I don’t expect 200HP for <RM100k car.
Affordability? For most consumers, yes.
Parts? Hard to find except from authorized dealers.
Racing parts? Forget it.
Second hand value? Since when people buy car for investment?
Go figure.
Can I have the front bumper of the Koup as optional kit for the Sedan? Bcoz it make the sedan suddenly look boring… But, yeah, still look way better than a lot of B-segment at the same price range..
I’m amaze with what Kia can do now. The car is very nice… waiting for test drive review. I hope in the future we’ll have lots of quality cars to choose :)
Some people here really dont understand 2nd hand value. Yes someone up thr said car is not investment. Who told you car is investment? Any car bought will depreciate but the key factor here is which car depreciates the least.
Let me give you an example, if you had rm50k and rm 100k and i ask you to throw away one bundle, which one will you throw away? Of cuz the rm50k bundle lah.
Just go and check the value of ANY korean make in the star classifieds and you will realise that most of them are being sold for less than rm20k now. Thats terrible!
And it doesnt matter if forte is doing well in other countries, in msia its not even in the top 10 for january car sales.
And yes it might be specced high but damn its performance is rubbish!
Haha dude… i think we have the common thinking… buying Korean make care is just like ‘DUMPING MONEY’ into the SEA!
If rich people, they don’t care bout car depreciation, they can afford to have any kind of car regardless re sale value…
I’m just an ordinary Malaysian, back to reality la people here!~
Dude, your species have gone extinct. Why are you still here?
Didn’t realise the “species” of accouting for “ALL” factors when getting a car has gone extinct !
Its a good looking car no doubt ! Interestingly spec’ed too. But how long will you be maintaining this car?
5yrs? or Longer? or till after the loan repayments are complete perhaps..
Will you dispose the car or continue with maintanence? If disposal, wld u rather have a higher disposal sum or lower?
If you’re buying the car on cash terms, no worries. If disposing before loan repayments are settled then you’d at least want the disposal sum to cover the bal. of the loan right? Or Don’t you?
if u ask me to throw which bundle that have that amount of money,i think i will surely throw u in the sea..not the bundle of coz!lol…
yeah i know kia 2nd hand value depreciate faster,but that is 10years ago kia..current kia will depreciate much slower than 10years kia as current kia is in the same level as Japanese car..
Old…. point of view….
As today, all New nice design korean car model give 5 year warranty…
Please check back the value after 3 years for recent model where all majority car warranty expiry…
Buy car to enjoy the driving based on the value of money spent for the spec & design.. not 2nd hand value…. sad :(
Stop cheating yourself la, go to any used car dealer in KL/Selangor, ask the re sale price for your ‘lovely crap KIA’, for sure you will ‘shock’ and keep using your ‘lovely crap KIA’ for anohter 10yrs.. haha… hey perhaps you could come to my father in law used car dealer in Ampang, he might offer you additional 2k trade deal… LOL
Why in the burning hell would I want to sell my car? You think I’m driving a vios a?
So please use your lovely crap Fortebutee forever… since the handling so ass good, re sales value soooooooo high…. and goooood design……. many mat rempit will sure admire your piece of crap… bravooooo
Please read full comment and pls reply carefully.
Please do not have the old view where still look back history….
Please monitor it for recent model is like new Sonata, Forte, Koup, coming sportage, optima, picanto, avante…
after 3 years later where warranty still carry on….
Smart buyer will buy used car with warranty instead of brand…..
You are laughfing now LIM, but wait 3 years from now n let see the price different of your low spec, outdated tech, oversupply, plasticky, ugly, no warranty car to the korean cars. We can never exactly assume the future. Who knows mayb gov will impose the 7or 10 years car scrap so second car has no more value or owning brand new car is much easier and cheaper in the future and no one want to buy old car anymore. But what we can see is that korean cars are getting better than the old one so we know that the second hand value will not be as worst as before.
Very funny, gov impose 7-10 yrs car scrap? How soon you think this could be on? Next year? Or 2015 after AFTA? How bout those poor people who are still using old cars which more than 10yrs? Gov gonna subsidy to these people? Haha… Maybe you could keep your KIA to these people, coz they must be happy with this crap under power, so call nice design, and classy Forbutte… Hahaha
arr mr lim then should buy what ar..honda transformers or toyota dugong? hehe..i kasihan la sama u..
I will throw you away instead of any two bundles of money. You drive a car as you feel like on it. BMW had the best resale value, can you afford it ? If you so care bout resale value, dont buy car, motorbike suit you, wait no, bike is better. hey, at least its environmental.
some ppl just keep saying, ” I wonder how much is this car worth after n-th year ?” Well gentleman, it is all going down to the same drain when you going for 7 to 9 years loan, because we are basically “loan” the car from bank.
If you can afford one lump sump cash to buy a car, then we talked about 2nd hand resale value.
a 1 year old 1.6 forte now has better resale value then a 1 year old CIty.
Your point totally useless. My 1 year old 2.0 Forte is valued at Rm86k market price by tokio marine recently. 5 years warranty increased and stabilize the resale value. Ur honda crap are useless fanboy
Congrat to RAZOR…
As usual the misconceptiopn of re sale value vs market price for most of the driver…
Insurance company will asking for the highest premium from the car owner because they want the owner to pay more = higher profit…
Congrat to Razor, because hundred thousand of car ownersss thought that they could sell their car accordingly to the market value provided by the insurance company… Yet, are you going to sell your KIA to insurance company? If so, you must be very happy, because this crap is under insured by these insurance companies… Oh ya, the only benefit is you could get a higher pay back when your lovely KIA is TOTAL LOST in the accident…. or being stole by KIA’s LOVER… hahaha
Probably you could find some ‘crap lover’ to appreciate your market value provided by us (TOKIO.M) to buy your piece of crap, orrrr… you could keep it for yourself forever…
I’m not saying the car is bad… i’m just telling you the real situation that every ‘malaysian’ car owner facing every moment… every day
I,myself thinks that the tokio marine (Sabah)is a crap insurance company itself with their extremely rude and far away for being named professional customer services..
Maserati says:
4/3/2011 at 9:02 am
“Just go and check the value of ANY korean make in the star classifieds and you will realise that most of them are being sold for less than rm20k now. Thats terrible! ”
Walau ei… ANY Korean make. U sure or not? I give u 40K la, u give me second hand Forte.. Any year….
u salesman maserati ka hahaha or just wannabe :p
mahal dan slow?if really want a fast car,just buy a Kancil Turbo then~haha hello fast does not mean pretty,fast does not mean safety thank you.
The Koup needs RWD and a 6-speed manual to be taken seriously!
maybe this koup is not targetted at rwd fans who need a manual. perhaps there are others who really do not really need the speed nor the performance. seriously, they could be satisfied with a nice looking 2 door sporty car that is not a hatchback.
That’s so sad isn’t it? This could have been an affordable nice 2-door sporty car for weekend driving. No other coupes at that price point.
Now the only thing sporty about it is its looks.
Don’t fret, I know where you can find a car like that. In your dreams..
The Integra didn’t need RWD to be taken seriously. 6MT IS available, if you put $ on the table and are willing to negotiate with HQ (NOT a salesman), confirm and then wait.
ugly steering wheel! Cant get over that Frowning look!
..awesome design coupe and value for money!! Putra replacement? No, this is far greater than that !!!
Kia only for those who likes it and would like to keep it for a long time..meaning its a car for those who like cars
If a car is only a car, a machine that will depriciate value over time, just something for you to go from A to B, Kia is definitely not for you..
a 1 year old forte resale value is better then the city. Depreciate much? No. My 1 year old 2.0 forte is valued at Rm86k by Tokio Marine. :D
I like the looks of the Koup. The pricing is also attractive. I should go take a test-drive.
test review by aussie on tis koup
http://www.themotorreport.com.au/50725/2010-kia-cerato-koup-long-term-road-test-review-part-1
Imam thinks that this car will please those who just want to have the looks and “gaya” for style and to show but not really the performance. Imam thinks this car is just so so onli.
Imam finds it difficult to comprehend why ppl like to buy cars with no or negligible re-sale value.. are they not smart enough to think??
Imam just like to wish all the best for the potential owners.. later don’t komplen cannot sell when you want to upgrade to Honda or Toyota later..
Another typical Malaysian mentality, thinking of the resale value of the car before even buying it. But who could blame them? We can only blame our lowly income. The mere thingking of our hard earned money depreciates faster than we thought would certainly scares the living daylight out of us. Without a doubt, Honda or Toyota are top brands of the world, but KIA is coming up. So, just welcome a healthy competition that will benefit all of us as consumers.
Funny, I thought that’s what you call planning ! :D
Seeing the accuracy of the panel gaps, they certainly improved much.
Is Kia going to delay the launch of its brand-new Optima in Europe? Some sources state that European consumers could wait up to 12 months to get their hands on Kia’s striking mid-size sedan!
Due to the high demand for Kia’s new Optima sedan in North America and Asia, Kia could delay the arrival of its new mid-size sedan to Europe. The Optima should arrive to Kia’s European dealerships during the first months of 2011, but some sources close to the automaker now state that European consumers could wait up to one year until they finally get their hands on the new Optima sedan.
It’s no secret that the all-new Optima has been selling really well in the South Korean market. Initial sales of the 2011 Optima (sold as Kia K5 at its home market) in Korea have surpassed those of the 2011 Hyundai Sonata and the K5 now seems to be threatening the reign of the Hyundai Sonata as the number one mid-size sedan in South Korea.
Kia Optima sales are expected to explode in the States as well. The model has just recently been put on sale in the U.S. market and already achieved an impressive sales result. Kia dealers sold almost 2.000 new Optimas in December 2010. The number is expected to grow significantly once Kia imports more cars to its dealers.
Forte is just the beginning, K5 k7 k9 sportage are coming. Watchout!
Finally, all malaysians would able to buy some decent cars with excellent prices.
Kia Koup was among the 10 worst named car in 30 years. :-) :-)
Here’s the comment from yahoo autos
As writers, we’re particularly offended when companies take liberties with the English language in an effort to be cutesy — and this is no exception. We actually like this car! But Kia is asking us to overlook years of schooling and experience to accept their quirky spelling of coupe. It might require a few sessions with a therapist before we can get to that happy place.
Who gives a shit what that piece of white trash ( orang putih ) writes. Happy place? Holy camoly.
He is probably jealous that an asian company can come out with something of a that quality level at a much lower price than they can produce.
Im not saying this Kia Koup has an even better quality than say beemer. But the quality/price ratio is certainly there.
Its not a performance car!! Not every1 needs a 6 sec dash to 60 everyday. I believe the market for stylish looking car is much larger than the market for performance car.
let me guess this Jolo guy also think Jeremy Clarkson is god of motoring……mmmmm
Hahaha.
I feel you mate.
you are totally correct. not everybody buys a 2 door coupe to race with the hotted up jdm pseudo racer at the traffic lights.
Wake up! According to motortrader.com.my, January 2011 Market Report (Models):
17. Hyundai Sonata YF = 532
18.
19. Toyota Camry = 478
20.
21. Honda Accord = 392
.. and Nissan Teana is at no.11 with 1126!
Well, Nissan Teana is the best of its kind..im not suprise to see that result..
forte with 6 speed….. better fc??? hmmmm. hopefully paul could do a review soon
Hi Guys,
Just want to know how is the fuel consumption in comparison to City or Vios? I know it sound stupid to compare Forte with these 2 cars due to the different segment and stuff but just interested to know this since they are almost on the same price range.
Xaxier – this depends on your right leg and driving conditions. If you drive in places where there’s a lot of traffic jam, I believe if you want good/better FC, dont take forte. Take vios instead. But you drive mostly highway, then the FC (according to some who have driven the previous 4 speed one) is about 7.3L/100KM. I suppose 6 speed would be better. Take note that paul cannot review the FC unless they are loaned the car for longer periods of time, as these tests cannot be done “one or two-off”. But I can tell you this car is not a fuel guzzer anymore compared to past KIA cars. My 6 speed is currently doing 8.7KM/100L, about 90% highway 10% city (stucked in jam for > 30 minutes yesterday). Going to go for first service next week. At current rate, this FC could be better than my Saga BLM 1.3 MANUAL FC soon which is getting 8.2 on average on the same road conditions. So lets wait and see.
Which car would u go for ?
Kia Forte or Ford Fiesta
my personal opinion, if you are a family of 4 (2 children) and your kampong is near (stay in klang but parents in Ampang/kajang), get Fiesta but Forte give you options. But If your kampong is far (working in JB kampung melaka) get yourself the Forte. single – Fiesta. make full use of the youth bro!
imho and not intending to offend, i feel the forte is the way to go vs the fiesta if you hv a family and looking for a car that your family can mature into. i also feel the fiesta is over rated… but this is purely personal and i will accept the fact that others (motoring journos included) love it to bits.
Didn’t know that the SAGA is so inefficient. Quite hard to believe a 1.3L car has the same fuel efficiency as a 2.0L car
Thanks to IAFM
I am not a Proton basher but the FC of Proton Saga is really not that economical.
My sister’s Saga 1.3 automatic gives an average of 11 to 13 litres per 100 km. using Ron 95. My 16th month-old Forte returns a better average of 8 to 10 litres per 100 km also using Ron 95 on city roads.
Hi Malcom,
Sorry for the late reply, I was away on business trip and have no time to check the site. Anyway, I am really interested on the Forte and since you are a Proud owner of a Forte( I notice you had been eying the Forte since the first day its launching based on your comment in the previous Paultan’s article). What make you change your mind since you sound skeptical in the beginning? For my side, I am more worry about the After Sale Service as Naza reputation on this are quiet bad! Also the 5 years Warranty, what type of warranty they are giving? are there any hidden clause or such?
Hi xaxier,
At the time when the forte was launched here back in late 2009, I didnt actually have the financial means to purchase the car. So I waited till I had well..better income…which i eventually did and luckily I didn’t get it back then (no offense to previous 4 speed owners) as the 6 speed overall package is definitely worth the price you pay for it. Where can you get a car < 100k with all those goodies? No way! I was actually skeptical due to Naza being..well..Naza as we all know service can be an issue and such. However, I believe its worth giving a try. So far I did my first service at the puchong service centre. So far everything seems good, also there's a fantastic service centre at selayang which is run by one of the kia forte malaysia forum's "spokeperson" who is the branch manager there (his name is Mr Arul). He gives advice and replies to queries by forummers on a regular basis, So with this knowledge, I decided to give it a go. And boy was I glad to buy this car…i just love it! The features are just excellent and unbeatable at this price. Just take a look at all the reviews from US,australia, canada, you will see a lot of praises for this great car.
With regards to the warranty, from what I've been told, 2 years is from Naza and the remaining 3 years is from Allianz (extended warranty) – Dont worry, you do NOT have to buy your car insurance from Allianz to be entitled for this extended warranty. This is how Naza is dealing with the 5 year warranty. As I know and understand, there's no hidden clause whatsoever. 5 years, UNLIMITED MILEAGE warranty. Now, tell me which car manufacturer gives you that kind of warranty and peace of mind for a car < 100k here in Malaysia? None.
Also, not trying to bash other car makers here, but my friend who i driving honda city has said that his honda city maintenance costs are much MORE than what is posted on the site. Also honda requires you to service your car every 3 months even though you are on fully synthetic which should only require you to service every 6 months. Why does honda require you to service every 3 months? Because its stated in their warranty certificate that if you do NOT do so, your warranty is void…so maintaining the forte is actually much cheaper than most people think (I have asked previous 4 speed owners the price difference between their service and the official site for the past 1 year of owning the car, they told me its just +/- RM 20-50 at most, never exceeding). So I think its a great deal. Dont wait, just get it, you will not regret it :)
Hi Malcolm,
Thanks for the detailed answer. Hmmm, I am really torn between Fiesta and Forte. Both looks great but I have to admit Forte offer more in term of the car feature. For Fiesta, I think in term of driving experience and FC, it edge past the Forte.
Again thanks for your detailed answer, it did help to answer a few of my worries.
Ok, just book a Forte, I am joining Malcolm dark side :P
Im really thinks that this naza Koup looks pretty stylish and aggresive..look foward if they will launch a “R” variant for such beautiful car to even better appeal other group of buyer…otherwise it would be a waste…just my 2 cents neway..
Actually I own a ‘H’, but when I see this car with this price, 6 speed, so many feature, woo, it kinds of touch me too…
Especially after it equip with 6 speeds, woo…
this car is so damn good….first time i saw it…i already know this has to be my car.
it not that i want it to be fast…but to impress….
lets admit it….it is so cool…
The 2011 Kia Optima has already made a splash in the midsize sedan market with its far-from-bland looks. It turns out that Kia’s midsizer has some substance to its style: it was already rated a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and has now received a five-star overall crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The Optima earned a five star rating in each of NHTSA’s frontal impact, side impact, and rollover tests – the highest possible score from the government agency. This marks the first time a Korean-built car has received the top rating under NHTSA’s more stringent testing methods that went into effect for the 2011 model year. Joining the 2011 Honda Accord and 2011 Mazda 6, the Optima now sits at the top its class in terms of safety.
Coming to Malaysia in September 2011
If price is right, all Japs are finished
The Japs will be finished IF they stand still !
almost same price with Proton Inspira for this Forte 1.6Sx, should I get this Forte or Inspira 2.0?
I heard from internal factory source that Inspira steel body is now thinner than the original Lancer, to cut cost, without any new crash test !!! and also that the 2.0cc engine is different model than the original Lancer engine, and also the plastic inside Inspira is the same quality like our Saga, anyone?? comments??
semua yg you dengar is Mitsubishi salesman rumours. the steel cannot be thinner, the plastic came from same supplier in japan (kasai) as mitsubishi, the engine is not touched at all by proton except for the plastic engine cover. Inspira 1.8 manual is the best value ( i love my brother’s 1.8 mt fantastic response and handling), but this Forte is a serious contender. 1 segment below, it will always be honda City but for hatchback/2 box car lover, Fiesta is the outstanding. Your money, your choice bro!
the steel is thinner lah, my friend also say the factory used local steel which is not strict in quality….u slam the door u will know between original Mitsubishi Lancer and this Inspira….
I own a Civic and had test driven Altis and Focus . So far the Honda and the Toyota didn’t live up their names ….handling is as terrible as Waja ….. but Focus is different story , excellent handling , powerful engine , no need to mention about its accelaration , it was superb . Honda and Toyata reputation is merely a hype ……I am one of those stupid , paying a premium price for a performance no better than Waja . I reckon Forte is good buy ,handsome looking , a lot of goodies , the handling is acceptable …..but with cheaper price from Civic and Altis …..who wants my Civic ………
Come on bro, clearly you dont own it. Civic have best response (bar the cvt corolla) but the handling is meh when compared with Focus. Civic have ipod connection and the sweet sound of the vtec, corolla is clearly uncle’s car.
Haha… perhaps he just driving the first gen saga… made in 1987… LOL
Rubbish clearly badrul is right. Ford focus is miles ahead of the civic. It competes with the Golf in terms of handling.
the tail light is a bad-ass..will definitely book it soon..
cantik!! i liked !
i tell u what my friend xxx.
U put a 2 liter mivec turbo into your datsun, boost it to 2 bar. It should produce 300-350 hp for a week or two.
And go smoke ferraris and porsches. Im sure u can. They will smell your kentut in a straight line. Don ever take corner my friend. U will smell the pavement.
But drive it to a five star hotel, park in front of the hotel with the ferraris or even Kia Koup. See who they halau. I can give lots of such examples but i dowan to hurt your feelings.
Datsun 120y is a great A to B car. Modified its even better. But have some maturity and stop comparing mod cars and stock cars especially when they are 30 years apart.
hahaha, i also got halau… i shan’t say what car i was in but let’s just put it this way. either you have a badge regardless of the age (like an old 911) or your car is the latest and most fancy looking.
i tell you, totally humbling feeling when you have to vacate your spot for a mercedes that is almost twice the age of your car. this is speaking from experience.
forte 2.0 97K
civic 2.0 130k
corrola 2.0 132k
(sorry city and vios only 1.5L)
let say
after 6-7 years worst case scenario the 2nd hand value
forte – 35k (97k – 30k = 62k)
civic – 60k (130k – 60k = 70k)
corrola – 55k (132k -55k = 77k)
so we loose less on forte perhaps?
GOOD LUCK to all KIA’s owner!~
finally someone who actually understands the reality behind resale value put it on here….see whether all the thick heads out there understands or not….they dont realize they are prepaying their ‘high’ resale value for T & H upfront, not to mention the higher premiums, higher interest, higher insurance….. while Koreans sell cheaper even though they loose a bit more….in the end, whos the biggest loser….ahhaha….
That is correct if you pay higher now your loss of opprtunity cost of not using the money for other purposes such as invetsmnet is there. Furthermore the value of money reduces over time, if you paid less now, the balance money could be used to generate income. Even if your resale value is higher the worth of the money in the future is reduced.
Bored with all those T&H salesman/ die hard fans and all those who thinking 2nd resale money is everything LOL! if you dont like, you can shut up mouth up and get your T&H, dont make silly comments here.!
Don’t bother those T & H hardcores, iis their money, they can do what they want.
If they want to be waterfish, let them be. The japs are so happy.
cun lah forte coupe…
kia now improved, what else should hold buyers to go for kia?
i can’t afford to bash because i can’t afford to buy them (not just forte)
sigh…
Honestly speaking, I haven’t tested driven Forte yet, not even for the first generation 4-speed.
On the paper, Forte offers more specification and features then its comparable priced 1.5 Vios and City.
But at present the second hand resale value of Korean cars is generally lower than Japanese.
Second hand resale value is merely a common perception amongst people.
Common perception does change, especially over a period of time.
Japanese manufacturers have spend years of hard work in building up goodwill of their products, be it car or electrical goods.
To penetrate and capture the already saturated car market in our country, Korean car manufacturers need to work two times, if not less, harder than Japanese to invade the largest car market in ASEAN country.
Rumours could do damage but positive rumours could build up goodwill.
In humble opinion, what the Korean car manufacturers lacking at hand is after sales services that can overtake any competitor in the market, besides its attractive package offered in its products.
After capturing sizeable market segment in our country, the pricy spare parts will no longer become an issue when sales volume is more than enough to maintain economical stock level in our country.
Fairly speaking, please stop mindless bashing here, it only shows what kind of education you get and shows it in public.
I no longer bash Proton because I agree with its MD move to rebadge Mitsubishi Lancer, instead of spending billion of RM in R&D and discontinue the model before even the mould is fully amortised.
You are free to buy whatever car model you like and choose to but not to defame something that you dislike or don’t understand at all.
I would give Forte a try so Naza, Kia or Hyundai, please prove me right in bringing down the unjust national car policy in our beloved country!
bro, whoever you are…
your writings seem to reflect your “marketing strategist/observer” way of thinking? but kudos…
I drive toyota and so not into proton
I dont like bashing as well as bashers; neither which maker…
I suggets, stop commenting and giving atention to bashers.
I like this part:
“Fairly speaking, please stop mindless bashing here, it only shows what kind of education you get and shows it in public.”
But you just encouraged bashers to bash more…lets just ignore bashers
Focus more on the articles. Good writing and have a good day!
Hyundai owners are generally very happy with the after-sales rendered by the distributor. It’s just Kia which needs a bit of work but they have made improvements.
To all Japfanboys out there..please bare in mind Kia Forte is Best Car of The Year 2010…beaten other models in clean hands…take that..even the T dugong got beaten…hahaha
I will wait until i see the re sale value is improve, then only will consider buying korean car… my choice, not yours…
yes of course. it is your choice. by the way, do continue with whatever you have now as your wait could take some time.
wow i really excited with kia forte and forte koup now after i take a look by my self! really nice look inside and out especially this new 6speed gear box with a lot of modern gadget..
But sure i’m still worried with the spare part and the part prize quite high
Went to KIA showroom last Sat…they told me they dont have a test drive unit and there WONT BE ANY test drive unit available…how to buy???
Just like Sorento la. No test drive car. How to buy? It’s berpuluh puluh ribu, not beribu ribu. The problem’s not KIA. Naza’s the problem.
Between 2.0 and 1.6; which one gives better FC?; which one worth value for money? Any body can help me with these questions?
1.6 gives better FC based on what I noticed from comments so far. Perhaps 2.0 drivers are more heavy footed, we cant be 100% sure about that..haha..1.6 SX is the one that is bang for buck..priced more or less the same as a toyota vios 1.5G (highest NON-TRD SPORTIVO spec). Go and test drive it and you will be left speechless..
Those who keep mentioning about strong resale value for their japanese cars, you should ask yourselves this question -> “Am I already paying a premium for my japanese car upfront for this ‘higher resale value’?”. This is usually the case, take vios for example. If you push aside the quality, better FC and compare spec for spec with a car like say…proton persona…are there any extra specs that the vios has that the proton persona doesn’t have?
But if you compare vios with forte for example, you can see several stuff missing from vios already…ok maybe you could argue that “hey those two cars are from different segment, one is B, another is C”..yeah you’re right, but malaysia is a price sensitive market, so if you can get a C segment car at a B segment price, isn’t that more worth it? So if you put a value on the C segment car (forte) wouldn’t that car be more valuable instead? So even if the resale value is lower (i dont think it will be as high as 10k lower, but maybe 4-6k, not sure on this), isnt it more worth it than vios? At least you get to drive a car that has more features right? Food for thought :)
Couldn’t agree more =)
And doesn’t looks like a Dugong to boot . :D
Hi Anthony/team, are you guys going to do a test drive of Forte Koup? A test drive result of the model would be very useful for me as there is no units available in the showrooms nationwide. Thanks in advance.
Paul already did a test drive in south Korea 2 years ago. Just google Kia koup paul tan test drive south Korea
i alread booked the 2.0 for my wife.
thank you for all your comments
Guys, just give it a shots! KIA really puts on efforts to improve n sustain their branding, for those u always keep mentioning the bad of things of KIA & HYUNDAI. U are such an annoying person who loves to spread rumours & created non kind to anyone of us.
Face the fact, KIA motors has the top designer and brand new technologies & the gadgets, Impressing.
I just order my brand new KIA Koup. Can’t wait to hv it real soon!
Here to the fans of Honda & Toyota, be appreciates what you have now, it won’t be last, give KIA & HYUNDAI. They will beat you guys in 3 years. Like what Iphone does to NOKIA, who will knows NOKIA will be replace i-technologies? Hahhahhaa…lol…
It really depends on what do you care about : resale value or value-for-money.
New Forte 2012 already launched in many countries. Just wonder when it will come to bolehland. By then current forte model will get price slash, for those who are thinking of buying current model, it might be worthwhile to wait for few months. Who knows you may save RM 5000 for the current forte when the new forte is launched
Own a Kia Forte 1.6sx for almost a year, no regret at all.
It’s the best among all cars within the price range :-)
How is the maintenance cost of the 1.6SX 6speed? Plan to buy one.