2014 Kia Forte Koup Brings Home a BOVY

The 2014 Kia Forte Koup harkens back to a particularly sweet spot in the brand's history, just after its product began gaining credibility and before the advent of the distinctly upper-crust Kia Cadenza and K900. Now, the Forte Koup has added yet another feather to its cap with today's announcement that the lightweight champ has also been named the Best Overall Value of the Year in the Compact Coupe segment by the ownership-cost experts of Vincentric.com.

Said David Wurster, president of Vincentric, “Kia is known for producing feature rich vehicles at very competitive prices and the Kia Forte Koup delivers on that promise. It won the Vincentric ‘Best Value in America’ award in the Compact Coupe segment as a result of very competitive pricing, low depreciation, low insurance costs and due to its excellent warranty and low repair costs.”

The 2014 Kia Forte Koup further distinguishes itself by delivering all of that value in a financially practical yet fun-to-drive package, particularly in its SX trim. That configuration, priced from $20,600, includes a full high-performance upgrade, with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbo that also motivates the hi-po Hyundai Veloster. Featuring direct injection and dual continuously variable valve timing, the engine makes 201 hp and 195 lb.-ft. of torque. With a standard stick, the 2014 Kia Forte Koup SX matches that power with EPA grades of 22 mpg city/29 mpg highway/25 mpg combined (a six-speed automatic is available as well, and it delivers essentially the same EPA line at 22/30/25).

The 2014 Kia Forte Koup SX also gets a revised, sport-tuned suspension and even bigger front brakes that grow from 11 to 11.8 inches in diameter; back stoppers remain at 10.3 inches in both the SX and the standard 2014 Kia Forte Koup EX. All Koups contain a fairly extensive list of standard equipment, too, so that the $18,600 price of admission to the entry model includes an up-level audio system, Bluetooth tech, a rearview camera, air conditioning, and Kia's FlexSteer driver-selectable steering-assist technology. The latter feature allows drivers to custom-tailor steering performance to meet different conditions and preferences.

Providing the party line for Kia Michael Sprague, the company's executive vice president of sales and marketing, said, “The all-new 2014 Forte Koup being named ‘Best Value in America’ in the Compact Coupe category by Vincentric emphasizes Kia’s commitment to advancing value to new levels of sophistication.”