Car Horsepower Charts

2011 Kia Forte SX Road Test

By John DiPietro, Automotive Editor

Take a look at the sales charts, or better yet, the roadways of America, and you'll see that those crafty car brands from South Korea are banging out hits like Bieber and Gaga. First Hyundai turned itself around, going from crappy cars to respected rides and giving Honda a reason to look over its shoulder. And now Hyundai's Kia division is following suit, only with a greater emphasis on the fun stuff. The 2012 Kia Forte SX five-door is the latest example of how this carmaker is hitting all the right notes, putting out another entry that should chart high on the consideration lists of savvy shoppers.

The Forte five-door (or Forte hatchback, if you prefer) is a new addition to the Forte lineup. As a hatchback, it offers passenger room similar to a sedan but with greater cargo capacity within a smaller, easier-to-park footprint. Sadly, Americans tend to look down their noses at hatchbacks, envisioning them as the vehicular poster children for the generic "economy car." But to our collective eye, the Forte five-door looks rather sharp, more like something you'd see in Europe, where even upper-level nameplates offer hatchback body styles.

Overall, the Kia Forte SX five-door is pretty easy to live with, given its solid performance, solid build quality and welcoming cabin that can be outfitted with a number of unexpected yet practical luxury features. Driving enthusiasts may be pleasantly surprised at this Kia's athletic handling chops, while those looking for a plush ride may deem the SX's sport-tuned suspension too firm. As such, we'd recommend cross-shopping the Forte SX five-door with the Ford Focus hatchback , Mazda 3 hatchback and Volkswagen Golf .

With the SX trim, the front-wheel-drive Forte boasts a 173-horsepower 2.4-liter inline-4 — an engine size and output you'd likely expect from a midsize car, not a compact. Teamed with an automatic transmission with no fewer than six speeds, you'd also probably expect it to have performance that's notably superior to other compacts. Unfortunately, not so much. At the test track, the Forte SX's dash to 60 mph from a standstill took 8.8 seconds and the quarter-mile arrived in 16.6 seconds at 83.7 mph. These are respectable numbers, but not much quicker than the Ford Focus and Honda Civic.

Report: 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1 Looks To Eat Mustangs With 580 ...

The folks at Jalopnik just published the report on their most recent visit to GM’s Milford Proving grounds, where they got to have a close-up look at the upcoming 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1. While they were there, they got a few answers from some engineers. As it turns out, the range-topping pony car is poised to kick all of our asses — and, as it currently stands, the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 .

If the things the Jalops are saying turn out to be true, the ZL1 will come with an SAE rated 580 hp @6,000 rpm and 556 lb-ft @4200 rpm from its supercharged LSA engine — which has been rumored to have a different pulley than the one seen in the fantastic Cadillac CTS-V. But the best part about all of that raw gusto is that it brings the power-to-weight ratio to a mere 7.24 pounds per horsepower, which is less than the super-quick Nissan GT-R. However, the good news doesn’t stop there.

The new ZL1 will also feature the next generation of the already fantastic magnetic ride suspension system currently found in the Corvette ZR1 and CTS-V. It will also come with electric power steering and a track-ready necessities right from the factory. From what Jalopnik says, it involves “all the necessary transmission, diff and brake-cooling systems” needed for such activities. Then there’s the new Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Zero Pressure rubber that is the closest thing to a racing tire this side of the pit lane. Then there’s the “NACA ducts in the undertray to help cool the transmission.” Whatever that means.

So, who’s excited?

The Car

How to Paint Your Car

Car

Car, A Drama of the American Workplace

My Car