The recent redesign of the compact Kia Forte that we see on the road offers us a look at a car that resembles its larger siblings.
While we can easily admire the Kia Forte sedan and what it offers for the drive, the new lineup we have has left out a car that we’ve loved for a long time, the Kia Forte5 hatchback. If we take a peek at what’s being offered on the market in Europe, we see there could be a new model that we might see make the trip to our shores.
The Kia Compacts in Europe are Cool
Every time we hear the term shooting brake used, we feel like there’s something different about the car that we see. Most of the time, this term is only used for two-door wagons, but Kia is using it to describe the sleekness of the Kia ProCeed wagon that’s offered in Europe. This wagon is slim, stylish, and easy to admire when you want a compact car but you need added cargo room to carry the gear you need with you when you head out for a drive every day.
Another offering in Europe, that makes compact cars look cool, is the Kia Ceed GT. This is a small and active hot hatch that has the power, performance, and fun that we feel belongs on the open roads in North America. When you see the Ceed GT, you’ll think of the Kia Forte5 right way and realize this is what’s missing from the current lineup offered by this brand. The fact that this car is being offered in Europe gives us hope that we might see a new Forte5 offered in North America in the next couple of years to fill our desire for a great little Kia hatchback.
Items You Already Know
While the ProCeed and the Ceed GT in Europe certainly offer some engines that aren’t going to be allowed in the US market, the top trim level brings an engine we know. The 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine offered makes 201 horsepower and gives these cars the power and fun desired. This is the same engine we know from the Kia Soul Turbo and the Hyundai Veloster in North America. By having this engine under the hood, it’s easy to see how the Ceed GT could quickly be the next Forte5 for our market.
What Will We See from Kia?
It’s hard to say whether or not either of these vehicles will make their way to North America. As an automotive market, we seem to be looking toward small SUVs to handle our driving needs more than the small hatchbacks. Even so, there is a growth in the hot hatch market and a Forte5 with the 1.6-liter engine under the hood could certainly be exciting enough to be the right car for many to drive. We likely won’t ever see the ProCeed, but the next Forte5 could easily resemble the Ceed GT that we’ve talked about today.
This post may contain affiliate links. Meaning a commission is given should you decide to make a purchase through these links, at no cost to you. All products shown are researched and tested to give an accurate review for you.
