The 2019 Kia Forte does’t feel or behave like a compact car. This third-generation sedan is easy on the backside with bolstered front seats and supportive rear seats. With the overall length gaining more than 3 inches, back seat legroom and trunk space are the benefactors. (Trunk volume is 15.3 cubic feet versus the prior model’s 14.9 cubic feet.) The instrument panel features an 8-inch color touchscreen. Buttons and knobs are easy-to-reach and large enough for gloved fingers. Sight lines are splendid. A week-long test drive didn’t net any negative impressions about Kia’s front wheel drive, four-door compact sedan. (The Forte5 hatch is no longer available.)

Powering the Forte is the second-generation 2.0-liter 4-cylinder that produces 147 horsepower at 6200 rpm and 132 pounds-feet of torque at 4500 rpm. The horsepower/torque ratings are unchanged from the 2018 model. Engine mates to a 6-speed manual transmission or intelligent variable transmission (IVT). The IVT is a first for Kia. And in a first for the compact class, this continuously variable transmission uses a chain belt rather than a push belt. Forte is offered in four trims: FE, LXS, S, and EX. The 106.3-inch wheelbase Kia Forte EX with IVT collects estimated mpg of 30 city/40 highway and carries a base MSRP of $21,990.