[AdamJ29]

The reason the majority of your magazines and larger reviewers are hard on Kia and Hyundai is because Kia/Hyundai ain’t paying their bills.... you will always see them sneak in comments like.... “ the kia’s transmission falls short of the Honda Civic SI transmission that puts its power to the ground with 18” wheels wrapped in Michelin tires”...... ... guess who is paying their bills....
Or they will compare a base Kia Forte with a damn TYPE-R and make sure everyone knows the base Kia got it’s dick stomped.... everything is bias when money is involved.

Yeah, the civic si - Forte GT comparison tests make it seem like there's such a large gap between the two vehicles. I understand performance (handling wise) the Si has an lsd but besides that , I'd actually say the forte gt may even feel more premium. And you may not notice that lsd during most driving on the streets. I do love the Si as a car and wouldn't mind owning one in the future once I learn stick. The more enthusiast value options the better.

My forte gt line base feels premium. The door handles light up, the sounds when you lock/unlock the door are great. When I set my Bluetooth I had a robot speaking to me. The middle dash has customizable themes, when you use the wiper blades a menu pops up on the middle dash screen(between speedos) that shows you your setting while toggling through it. I discover new things everyday. The feel of the materials and fit and finish is really premium for an entry level compact sedan. People need to see these cars in person because pictures don't do it justice. Makes you feel special, lol.

I'd go out and say the GT2 package GT must be really nice and more premium feeling than a civic si. My brother in law has a civic sport on the way so im excited to see how that car feels inside and out. Im sure it's premium feeling as well. The Honda , Toyota and Kia compacts offer great value , imo. And sedans always drive better than cuvs to me. Cuvs make me miserable, they're uncomfortable , worse on gas , seating position I don't like , suspension feels off, they feel heavy , and so forth. With gas prices people should be going back to compact sedans and they won't be disappointed. They are more feature packed and have better ride/handling/mpg than cuv counterparts .

 

[ZiggyM5]

Yep same warranty. No reason to lease unless you WANT to lose money long term. Gotta think long term. If you lease you are basically throwing money away. If cash is short right now, find a credit union that will get you financed for a low interest rate and a longer loan period to lower monthly payments. Leasing is a total waste of money long term.

Pentagon Federal Credit Union is an excellent choice. Always lower interest than any bank. We have 4 branches even in Puerto Rico. Regarding gas, don't floor it too much. You may literally see the MPG going down in real-time. A 2 hrs. drive at the highway I have got 25-30 mpg. No racing anyone during the trip though.

 

[ZiggyM5]

I've only owned KIAs since 2010. I have a 2011 KIA SOUL with 150k miles on it and runs great still. Haven't had any major work needed. Very happy with KIAs but the newer cars seem to give me first world problems like carplay issues..........

I got my first Kia Rio in 2018 only as a necessity after having financial problems and the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. I was so impressed with this little car (I still have it) that I started looking at the GT, but guess what ... KIA doesn't want the car in Puerto Rico (don't ask me why; I still don't know). I started researching in 2019 when they went to market. I got so infatuated with the car that I bought it in cash in Florida, where my sister helped me with the dealer. Ah, I never tested it; there was none in PR. There is a post about my saga somewhere in this forum. I took care of all the arrangements. The total price "out of the dealer" was $23.7K with GT2 package, cabin ambient lights, and remote start, but I REFUSED to pay for any option ($1,600). I even told the salesman NOT TO WASH IT; I would do that when I got it.

In the end, after transportation, registration, PR taxes, and miscellaneous costs, the total price went up to $30K (taxes alone was $4.3K). I went to Pentagon Federal Credit Union with the title, and they financed it for 72 months at a 2.29% interest rate (2018 Rio was $413 per month, the GT is $443 a month). As someone else posted, based on the local market, KBB, NADA, and local certified ads, I can get $30K for my one-year-old. Kia doesn't bring NEW GTs to PR, but dealers can get used imported and only found 2020s. I found a certified ad asking $38K for a 2020 GT and about 15K miles. I don't know what happened with it; either they found another infatuated buyer like me, or they low the price A LOT to get rid of it. I haven't seen any 2021 or 2022 GT in the local market.

My experience with my Forte GT so far is excellent. After some add-ons, it is even better. I love it!

I wish you the best with your Forte GT research. If you get one, I believe you won't regret it.

Cheers!