2021 Kia Forte GT Manual - Review - rideXdrive

2021 Kia Forte GT Manual. Cars with manual transmissions are going extinct. Lucky for us, Kia isn't giving up on manual transmissions and their performance-focused Forte GT has an optional 6-speed manual. The 2021 Forte GT is certainly the bang for buck winner when you consider a starting price under $24,000. In this video, we row through some gears with the 2021 Kia Forte GT Manual and see what it has to offer. 2021 Kia Forte GT Manual.
Huge thanks to JTs Kia in Rock Hill South Carolina for letting us spend time with this 2021 Kia Forte GT Manual. If you are interested in buying a new vehicle, certainly check them out!
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[@ridexdrive]

Thanks for watching our review of the 2021 Kia Forte GT Manual. If you gave us a like or left a comment, also SUBSCRIBE! Help our channel grow so we can continue to bring you automotive and motorcycle content. As our channel grows, we will be able to get access to more vehicles and bring you all more reviews! Thanks for your support!

[@Deepanimosity]

Shoutout to Kia for making this car for weird people like me who still prefer a manual.

[@ridexdrive]

Agreed! Welcome to the weird club. Haha. Thanks for the comment!

[@windanthonystream]

You aren't weird. I'm trying to buy a manual Challenger Scatpack Widebody right now. I cant find a full optioned manual, and there are plenty of automatics to choose from. I've been to 6 dealerships looking.. So I decided that I'm going to order one, and have it built to my specifications. I'm one of those people who refuse to settle for an automatic.

[@ridexdrive]

Look. Another weirdo. Haha. Nah. That’s awesome man. It’s crazy how difficult it can be to find a manual car even in new cars that come with them. What spec did you go with on your Challenger?

[@zxtenn]

I had a 2017 Elantra manual and now have a 2019 Elantra manual,, i LOVE a manual! I just turned 65 and learned and grew up on a manual and with hydraulic slave cylinder its far from difficult to push down the clutch, FORGET that IVT, looking at a 2021 Forte base manual. This GT is nice and looks great in and out but i have no use for it

[@Iamsiafu]

You'd be surprised how many weirdos like myself ask for manuals at my dealership.

[@bonjovirocks24]

Now I understand the growing rivalry between the Kia Forte GT vs the Lamborghini Aventador. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIDFZGRrgselrc0

[@ridexdrive]

Haha. Great video.

[@Vbluguitar]

Just got this exact car last week. HOLY COW ITS FUN!!! I am loving the punchy accelerations mixed with the comfy interior and great looks. The car just feels sturdy and its a very nice drive. Thank goodness that there are still a few affordable fun stick shifts out there.

[@ridexdrive]

Awesome! Congrats on the new purchase and thanks for sharing!

[@Karll541]

You might have just sold me! Wish there were more manuals out there but this looks like a fun ride

[@Vbluguitar]

@@Karll541 its been 2 weeks since I bought it and every time I have to go out to a job, or work, or to pick up my kids, I am like "YES, I get to drive somewhere" lol. Stupid I know, but its just fun to drive.

[@tommyaintgotnojob]

Crazy that this car makes the 2021 Toyota Corolla feel cheap.

[@brianescool]

Best review for this car yet

[@ridexdrive]

Many, many thanks!!!

[@TSK24692]

Excellent review... Picked up my Forte GT 6 speed about a month ago and I think all of the important points made were spot on. I think calling it a nice solid, budget minded car with an injection of excitement is the perfect description. As a middle-aged dude who will never push his cars to the limit, the Forte GT is perfect for me. It's not quite as performance oriented as the Si (e.g., shifting in the Si feels sportier), but it's an excellent, comfortable sedan and I will never get tired of the very nice exhaust note (fake or real, I don't care). I also loved how this video emphasized the difference when driving a manual. To me, it's a whole different world when driving a manual. I could drive an econo-Hyundai Accent and still be happy as long as it was a manual. But with the Forte GT and the exhaust note, sporty suspension, solid feel, turbo that kicks in pretty quickly...the fact that it's a manual transmission is what seals it for me. My favorite cars I've owned in the past were my Saabs with manual transmission. I gotta say this Forte GT so far is right up there with them. I love the IRS as well. I think the stability it provides when cruising at everyday highway speeds is underrated. I've owned several solid-axle rear cars and the control and composure even in every-day driving is noticeable. Really, the only thing I'd change about this car is the ratio on gear 6. The cruising RPM on the highway at 70 mph is a bit higher than I'm used to.....which is surprising because other Korean cars I've owned would cruise at a very satisfying 1.8K to 2K RPM.

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks for this awesome and detailed comment! Glad you enjoyed the review!

[@mrblue289]

My past cars were Saabs as well! The Kia Forte GT is the first non-Saab I've purchased. I'm still always on the look out for a well maintained and well priced Saab, but I'm pretty happy with Forte. My only complaint is that they didn't offer heated seats as an option with the manual transmission for the Kia.

[@ericglatstein3881]

@@mrblue289 Yes, I also am disappointed the manual has no heated seats. As I get older and softer, being able to quickly heat the seats in winter is maybe the only luxury-ish option I really care about.

[@chaos2015]

#savethemanual

[@Karll541]

hell yeah

[@mav2knight]

Buying the 6 speed this weekend. I'm still kind of concerned with the dry dual clutch transmission over the long haul with wear and tear and also the lag in slow traffic. I love driving my manual and don't care much if it is a tad slower 0-60 since that is a very small percentage of actual driving. This is a terrific value...thanks for the vid...

[@ridexdrive]

Congrats on the new purchase. Thanks for this comment!

[@MegaMagicman007]

Going to check a GT manual this week, can't wait!

[@ridexdrive]

@@MegaMagicman007 Congrats!

[@MegaMagicman007]

@Birth Chord emblem is a small thing to change. The car is a phenomenal package compared to the Si, especially considering the current car market.

[@mav2knight]

@Birth Chord If the Logo is all you hate, then buy the car. It is an awesome vehicle, love the 1.6 liter Turbo and it corners like crazy.... The Si is a fine car in it's own right but I'd take the Kia GT manual over all of them.....and guess what, I did and LOVE IT !!!!

[@homygmrm100]

Ohhhhh you did it this time X!!!! 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯

[@magician2166]

A question: What is the RPM on 6th gear at 60MPH? Thank you.

[@ridexdrive]

Don’t have those numbers. But I would imagine somewhere around 2500 RPM. Could be completely wrong though. Haha. Maybe try some Kia Forte forums.

[@theamazinggoldfish8713]

I almost bought this but glad I didn't. I went with the lower engine powered, Subaru Impreza hatchback in manual. So glad I did. The Forte GT is loud and picks up road/engine noise, because there is"NO" and I mean no insulation underneath the vehicle. Also turbos put excessive strain and wear on little bitty 4 cylinder engines. 🏹🤠👍

[@dennisalexanderreilly8624]

Just discovered your channel, great review of the GT. I'm on the fence about whether to go with manual or DCT auto , as most of my driving is urban city, and the DCT gets a little jerky at times.

[@theamazinggoldfish8713]

Subaru just took the Impreza "off" the list of manual transmissions for 2024. 😭

[@miguelgonzalezgonzalez8166]

Excellent review. Keep up the good work . Blessings !

[@ridexdrive]

Thank you! Appreciate the comment!

[@swlimable]

A spare tire. Another rarity in the automotive world today.

[@ridexdrive]

haha. Yeah. Fix a flat kits are fairly common these days.

[@AlymerKiteboy]

Up here in Canada it's a $194cdn option! 🙄

[@mikehenry6992]

Wonder what it would sound like on a muffler delete

[@magician2166]

Thank you for your review. It really stands out among the crowd. It honestly contributed to my decision to order this car. With gratitude! 👍

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks!!! This means a lot. Glad we could help you decide on your new car. All the best.

[@GilesDMT]

Dang - that exhaust sounds kinda good

[@ridexdrive]

Agreed! Thought the same thing!

[@xianshep]

So all of you who own one: How do you like (love) it? I'm VERY impressed that KIA has made the GT Manual the top-of-the-line Forte for 2022 (manual AND leather, yay!), and so am eyeing this as my next car.

[@russmode]

Have one rented on turo for trilingual a couple weeks, should be a fun, fuel efficient ride, all I wanted from a rental this time.

[@pikswartgg9285]

Wow nice review ,I love that stock exhaust sound

[@Doc1310]

Very well done video, very professional, flowed well, good voice and appearance, good time management, just right! Well done sir.

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks! Glad you appreciated it. Cheers!

[@jazzquire]

excellent video and editing. does this have auto rev match like the Corolla?

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks! No. The only rev-matching is your own heel and toe. Note the dual-clutch does have rev-matching.

[@jazzquire]

@@ridexdrive appreciate it, sir.

[@ridexdrive]

@@jazzquire Of course!

[@markw4012]

I want a manual plus all the options. It’s a shame most manufacturers ignore customers who want sportiness (manual) *and* luxury. First-time viewer to your channel. Nicely presented. Subscribed, and looking forward to more!

[@ridexdrive]

Yeah. It's like they try and force you in one direction when you choose a manual. I'm right there with you. It would be nice to get a fully loaded car with a manual transmission. Thanks for the view and sub! Enjoy your day.

[@noairmeansnoone]

I've been looking for a fun commuter car for a while to replace my 07 mazda 3 but i wanted to keep a manual cause i personally enjoy driving them more than automatics. now that i know this car exists, im pretty dead set on this car. im glad you stated it's pretty much a comfortable car with some excitement injected into it. that's why i turned away from the civic si cause it doesn't seem as comfortable.

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks for the detailed comment. Enjoy your car search!

[@jonlaprade7977]

My left knee is going bad, so ditched the Civic SI and got the DCT G2 of this car which I love. I feel like if you want a manual car, the SI is a better choice, though. I felt the boost more in the SI than I do in the Kia.

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks for sharing this. Great to know from an owner’s perspective!

[@bobjones2142]

What's the difference between the GT and the GT line?

[@ridexdrive]

The GT Line only adds cosmetic upgrades. The GT adds cosmetic and performance upgrades. The biggest difference is the more powerful 201 hp engine.

[@diamondknight4815]

I like how the inside turned red in sport mode and blue in smart mode

[@ridexdrive]

Yeah. A nice touch!

[@miguelgonzalezgonzalez8166]

Just gave the thumbs up & subscribed .

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks!!!

[@Karll541]

Cool view 7:46

[@ridexdrive]

:)

[@rj9617]

Nice car!

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks for the comment!

[@Karll541]

Great vid and nice overview. It's labeled as a compact with a mid-size interior hmmm That's a lot of HP for a 1.6L. Really considering this one but it seems a bit small.

[@ridexdrive]

Thanks! Yeah. They are definitely compact cars. But not as small as you'd imagine. Certainly go test drive one!

[@elitheegg9374]

worst review for this car yet

[@ridexdrive]

haha. Thanks for the comment!

[@zachbaker5259]

Great video, very informative. My one suggestion would be to work on your speaking inflection. The upward inflection at the ends of your sentences makes it seem as if you’re bored, and the rhythm of your speech can make it hard to listen to for more than a couple minutes. Cheers!

[@ridexdrive]

Informative is the goal! Thanks for the comment. Cheers!