Bounce bounce bounce!!!

Get into the Kia Forte SX and I dare say that most first-timers would be quite impressed with the sporty speedometer dials and push start button. Both these designs are not new to me- I'm used to Alfa Romeos and they have always had beautifully-crafted speedo dials since 156 (and the new Mazdas too, if I recall correctly), while our families' Lexus LS460L and Toyota Highlander have the push start buttons as standard accessories. Funny though that cars in Malaysia treat something so basic as a luxurious option feature; so kudos to Kia for including such features in its Forte SX.

While I do have many likings of the Forte, there is a bone of contention with its... bounciness. I am blessed with friends whom chauffeur me around ever so often in their rides. 2 of my very good friends have the new Toyota Corolla 1.8 and Honda Civic 1.8 respectively. When I sat in their cars, whether at front or at the rear, the ride had always been pretty comfortable and I could lazed back whimsically.

Both cars are C-segment cars as is the Forte, or I think that it is a fair comparison if I lump them together. The Forte SX has 17" sports rims as standard, which was also the reason that gravitated my wife towards the SX model rather than my earlier preference towards the EX model, which was essentially the same mould but more pocket-friendly (RM6,000 cheaper in price, and with an additional bodykit worth RM2,000 pre-installed!). The SX feels more premium on the inside though, and the safety features clinched the deal somewhat.

Sure, look at the above Forte SX with the 17" shoes and tell me that it doesn't look enticing; and I'll show you a liar through and through. It does look good; but boy does it bounce like crazy! I thought that as the mileage piles up, the suspensions may settle down a bit but coming to 20k km now, and I still think that I am driving a speedboat across choppy waters sometimes. It just bounces up and down too much!

The handling's good enough for a C-segment car, and the suspension gives you the confidence to tackle the Ulu Yam corners with ease; but the 17" rims may just be the Forte SX's Archilles' heel. The Theta 1.6 engine has to work harder, and it bounces a fair bit. The EX however, enjoys a preppier engine and drives more comfortably; so put two and two together and you can deduce that it's those 17" sports rims affecting the balance. Perhaps a lightweight set of 17" rims would ease the engine's load somewhat; but you still can't help but think about how comfy the Forte EX is (comparable to the Altis actually).

Would you then, downgrade the wheels to 2" smaller as had been seen with some Forte SX on the roads? Decisions, decisions, decisions...