5 THINGS I LOVE ABOUT MY 2021 KIA FORTE GT (MANUAL)!!!

[@hmdoc5832]

I have the same car different color but I agree it's the best car or was for its price it is one of the best cars I have owned and I will never get rid of it😃

[@SSZGT]

Congrats on your car!

[@GR33ZY.A1]

I have one in blue love the car. No complaints !

[@SSZGT]

Love it in blue!

[@VerryJerry90]

my 2021 GT i picked up last August has been a great car so far but i have some nitpicks too like the front collision sensor can easily get blocked by debris flying on the road from road salt and snow during winter time (which then renders adaptive cruise control useless until you pull over and clean the sensor) or the fact in Canada since we get the rear heated seats and hatchback trim that the States does not get - we lose front fog lamps and Michelin PS4 as stock and instead we get Kumho touring tires which are pretty good for daily use but useless if you want to drive aggressively. Also idk if its only with my car but the reverse camera is slightly off centred diagonally, not a major issue because I use mirrors and the camera is only for reference but it does seem like a manufacturing defect. Some pros over 22 -21 model retains PHYSICAL handbrake!! -21 has PORSCHE style LED headlights (and i prefer the tail lights of 21 over 22 because it reminds me of Audi) -21 has physical buttons on the infotainment not Haptic Touch

[@SSZGT]

I never had that issue with the sensor, but I live in the south lol. It is crazy the small differences between the Canada and US versions. I agree with all those pros!

[@VerryJerry90]

@@SSZGT yeah it’s only been an issue for me during winter when there is road snow and ice on the road and vehicles in the front of me throw all that debris to my sensor even with a sizeable gap. Honestly the sensor is too low, they should have put it on the grill like on the stinger

[@SSZGT]

@@VerryJerry90 That is interesting. I might never encounter that in the south lol, but thanks for the information!

[@marck.5116]

I'm waiting for my 2022 in Canada. I was wondering how stock tires are but you answered my question...I'll sell them to buy high performance tires.

[@VerryJerry90]

@@marck.5116 yeah immediately ask the dealer to switch em. I should have but I was trying to save money lol

[@KUROSHURA]

Sport Mode is faster in KHG cars. I rented a Hyundai Ionic and KIA K5. Those little incremental changes in the steering, throttle response and suspension made those cars vastly faster and quicker.

[@ryangallo4414]

nice review, I'm currently waiting on my 2022 GT with the GT2 package. Hows the sound system in this thing?

[@SSZGT]

I have the Harman Kardon system and I like it. It is not the best I've heard, but still very good.

[@marck.5116]

I'm waiting also for my 2022 GT. In Canada we don't have gt1 or 2 package, we have limited and if I'm not mistaken it's like a gt2. Did they promise a date? They told me in may.

[@ryangallo4414]

@@marck.5116 they told me July

[@jasgray]

I just picked up my 22 GT last week and it has the Harmon Kardon system in it. It’s alright. Not the best, not the worst but it leaves something to be desired, IMO.

[@SSZGT]

@@jasgray I agree. I like the Bose system in the Mazda3 a lot, but the HK is not bad.

[@ericdolby1622]

Its strange that you do not have the GT2 but yet you have the sunroof and Harman Kardon. The Kia literature says that those items only come on the GT2. Any insight as I am shopping for a 2020 or 2021?????

[@SSZGT]

So, the manual versions for those years cannot get the GT2 package. Instead, they packaged stuff from the GT2 for the manuals because you cannot select any options. You get pretty much everything on the GT2 except the full leather seats, heated/cooled function, and adaptive cruise I believe.

[@ericdolby1622]

@@SSZGT awesome thanks. That will make my shopping much easier. There are three of them around me for sale for around 25k.

[@SSZGT]

@@ericdolby1622 You're welcome! Good luck taking you pick!

[@OriginalYTBR]

A cool upgrade would be to change out the old Kia badges with the new style

[@SSZGT]

I agree, but I haven't seen ones I really liked yet.

[@mystiqblackcat]

I have a '21 GT manual in red, I love it. Agreed 100% on interior, stock exhaust, Sport Mode(in Sport Mode the throttle response is improved, basically the throttle opens and shuts much faster allowing more air in more quickly and it tightens up the electric steering a bit. You lose a little fuel economy, but gain a ton of fun.) I'm about 70% with you on the wheels, 110% on the tires. The value is a big part of what sold me on the Forte GT as well. I appreciate that it came with a great(for the price of the car) sound system also. I haven't found anything that I "hate" about the car yet, 9700 miles/7-months in. Best car I've ever owned or driven(which is admittedly not a large selection.)

[@SSZGT]

Congrats with your GT! Love the red too and as you say it really is great for the price that it is.

[@ae86fiend]

Sport mode is in my muscle memory. The 2nd button I push right away.

[@SSZGT]

It's great to have for sure!

[@thegirthquake8574]

Fun fact for anyone reading: If you find the forward collision warning and stability control are in the way, if you press and hold the TCS button, it eventually turns ALL of it off!

[@AIDAHAR210]

I have a 23 with a manual and I gotta say it is the most comfortable car I owned and quickest I ever bought as brand new. Though perhaps my bar is very low according to some as I'm coming from previously driving a 2020 Ram longhorn and Silverado HC before that with harsh bouncy ride and a need to mash the pedal just to keep up in highway traffic.

[@SSZGT]

Comgrats! I have been seeing the new ones around they look good.

[@bandit68]

Do you still have this car? Will you make a long term review?

[@SSZGT]

@@bandit68 Unfortunately I do not. I kept it for 2 years and traded it for a 2023 Mazda3 AWD Turbo Hatchback. I do miss the car and clocked 26k miles on it. In that time it was near perfect but the only thing I would wish is that the actual manual transmission was better. It was not bad but I would not expect something as good as a Honda gearbox but wish it just offered a little more than it was. I would still recommend this car new at 25k when I got it is hard to beat.

[@bandit68]

Thank you for the response. I do appreciate the videos you made. Have a great weekend.

[@jonlaprade7977]

LOVE my 2021 Forte GT! This car should ONLY be driven in sport mode. I opted for the DCT and GT2 package. The interior feels like an old school Audi A3 to me and at 201 HP, it's the same HP in a brand new A3. Coincidence? Ha! With the heated and cooled seats, the fun factor, and all the tech, this car is a steal! Chose it over a GLI last year. Just so much more for your money.

[@SSZGT]

I fully agree!

[@kiagottigang1512]

That’s why I got it!

[@nathford22]

Kia 2021 forter the only car in which I have not been able to fit in the driver's seat, and my passengers say the same thing, mainly those who travel in the rear seats, the car is very awkward

[@SSZGT]

Interesting. I've never really heard complaints on the seat. They are definitely more snug than my mustang lol

[@nathford22]

​@@SSZGTI I have never driven a car so uncomfortable. For a ride around the city, perhaps for some it won't take time to test how uncomfortable it is, but try to take a long trip and you'll notice, although you don't really need it, just a few blocks away you'll notice. Another thing, the separation between the engine and the body makes all the dirt from the road go towards the engine compartment.

[@SSZGT]

@@nathford22 Good to know. I drove a 6 hour trip about two weeks ago with no issues. I have driven 12+ hours in a dodge caravan that destroyed my back, so maybe my bar is lower lol

[@ActionHank]

@@nathford22 What do you mean the seperation between the engine and the body? That's a pretty standard engine layout. I can't speak for anything under the GT-line, but the panels underneath the car for aerodynamics androad grime cover almost all of everything down there. I'm in the PNW with a lot of rain and live down a gravel road, but so far, with all that I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary getting into the engine compartment than normal. If it was a problem, I think people have complained years ago, and then you just get it cleaned like a normal person LOL.

[@mikelreyna878]

Nice video. I got a 2022 Forte GT manual for $25,780. That was the sticker price, and for what you get, I was happy for sure. I do like the new screens more than the older gen. I like that it’s shorter and wider. If you want to go to the next song and you use the steering wheel button, do you flick it up or down? For me, the next song is down, and it drives me insane. It makes no sense to me! But I do love the car. I also don’t like that I can’t lock the car while it’s running when I get out of it. Such a ridiculous feature in my opinion. I like the new headlights too. I can’t stand the silver trim though. I’ll be deleting that soon. I removed the GT and Forte badge off the back already. I live in Michigan so I’m going to put the summer tires on a lighter set of wheels to get rid of some rotating mass. And I’ll put winter tires on the stock wheels. Are you looking to upgrade anything performance wise? I am looking at all the bolt-ons lol

[@SSZGT]

Congrats! the '22 are sweet and sounds like you got a deal! I never noticed that you cannot lock while it runs, interesting. Currently I have the boomba racing short throw shifter, I am not sure but most likely might do a CAI. Like you said the bolt-ons might be the only other things I do lol.

[@mikelreyna878]

@@SSZGT for sure. Sxth element engineering came out with their carbon fiber CAI for our motor. Check it out. Probably what I’ll go with and race chip with Borla exhaust

[@SSZGT]

@@mikelreyna878 I'll definitely need to check those out!

[@mikelreyna878]

@@SSZGT hell yeah. And the chip doesn’t talk to the ECU so no worries about voiding the warranty. Panda Motorworks has videos on the chip and dyno numbers. Lol 250 to the wheels!!

[@SSZGT]

@@mikelreyna878 Really? That is actually an interesting feature. I'll take a look. Thanks!