To separate itself from the pack—not to mention sister company Hyundai—Kia says it wants to become a design-led automaker. Kia gave itself a good start by hiring an Audi designer. No, really, that’s exactly what it did in 2006 when it lured Peter Schreyer away from the German company. We think it’s working, too, as we’re now starting to see the effects.

First to catch our eye was the new, boxy Soul that has a distinct and compelling look that’s youthful without crossing the weirdness boundary, as do some of its competitors, such as the Nissan Cube. Now there’s the Forte, which looks handsome in sedan form but positively stylish as a two-door coupe. Sitting 0.4-inch closer to the ground with a 2.4-inch lower roofline that’s not unlike that of an Audi A5, the only piece of the sedan’s sheetmetal carried over to the Koup is the hood. We particularly appreciated its sleekness from behind, where the squashed rear taillights make it stand out from the sedan. A five-door hatchback model will join the Forte lineup in 2010.

The Koup’s mechanicals, however, are nearly unchanged except that it drops the base LX trim, as well as the available EX fuel-economy model. EX Koups get a 156-hp, 2.0-liter four paired with either a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. We drove only SXs, which come with a 173-hp, 2.4-liter inline-four and a five-speed auto or six-speed manual, along with slightly larger front brakes, a stiffer suspension tune, 17-inch wheels, and a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel. The SX also gets some interior upgrades, including a classy red halo that rings the speedo and the gimmicky red lights seen first on the Soul that can be set to flash to the beat of whatever’s playing on the stereo. Kia says it’s still mulling a higher-performance version. How about adapting the 210-hp, 2.0-liter turbo from the Hyundai Genesis Coupe to the front-drive Forte?
Specifications

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, front-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 2-door coupe

ESTIMATED BASE PRICE: EX, $16,500 / SX, $18,000

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection

Displacement: 122 cu in, 1998cc / 144 cu in, 2359cc
Power (SAE net): 156 bhp @ 6200 rpm / 173 bhp @ 6000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 144 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm / 168 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 4- or 5-speed automatic with manumatic shifting; 5- or 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 104.3 in Length: 176.4 in Width: 69.5 in Height: 55.1 in
Curb weight (C/D est): 2750–2900 lb

PERFORMANCE (C/D EST):
Zero to 60 mph: 8.3–9.1 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 16.3–17.1 sec
Top speed (governor limited): 130 mph


FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 22–25/31–34 mpg