Hyundai seems to get all the good press these days, but Kia—which it owns—is also going great guns. It was one of only three car companies last year to actually sell more cars in the US. Replacing the aging and generally unloved Spectra with the Forte no doubt contributed to Kia’s success.

In any trim level it is a very good looking compact sedan, with a beveled taughtness that gives it an upmarket, confident presence. In topflight SX spec it looks even better, thanks to some tasty 17” wheels and low profile rubber. Inside, the classy vibe continues; the dash forms are pleasing to the eye, and assembly quality is excellent. If the general feel of the materials is hard and hollow, that’s the case in almost all the Forte’s competitors. Besides, you end up distracted by the cool ‘Supervision’ gauges and all the great standard conveniences, like USB, Bluetooth, and satellite radio. About the only genuine sour note were the front seats, which were covered in a very cheap grade of leather ($1000), which did nothing to increase their poor comfort quotient. At least the back bench was large and well shaped, as was the Kia’s trunk.

As far as driving dynamics, Kia has left behind the limp-wristed wallow and float of the Spectra, but perhaps overshot the target in tightening up the Forte’s chassis settings. While the SX model is undeniably athletic, with quick turn-in and low roll angles, it is also quite harsh over anything other than the smoothest pavement, and almost two-dimensional in its steering response. It reminds of early efforts by GM—especially Pontiac—to mimic the handling prowess of established German players. It took decades for the American’s to learn how to tune a sports sedan to not only corner flatly, but also to ride well and offer linear, predictable responses. The Koreans have shown themselves to be much better students; no doubt the black magic of tweaking chassis bushing kinematics and getting damper valving just right wont elude them much longer.

The Forte SX’s powertrain is more successful from the off. Comprised of a linear and torquey 2.5-liter four and smooth 5-speed automatic (a manual is standard), it provides class-competitive acceleration at around 8 seconds to 60mph, and decent fuel economy ratings of 23/32mpg. The tester averaged 24mpg in city-centric driving.

What was more surprising was how generally refined the 173hp mill was; many earlier Korean four-bangers have been harsh near their top end and prone to vibration. The SX’s 168lb-ft means one need not venture to redline on a regular basis, yet when one does, the engine is at least as smooth and willing as something from Toyota, even it doesn’t zing with the joy of most of Honda’s motors—yet.

Many have been drawn to Kia in the past because of the value its products offer: one of the best warranties you can get, safety systems such as standard ESP, and all the great tech that comes baked into the package. The Forte SX adds a welcome dollop of charismatic sportiness to the compact, four-door formula, meaning many will check it out just because it’s a great car, not just because the math makes sense.

Price as tested $20,490

Kia’s take on the Forte is here.

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