[popolino77]

I have been reading and watching reviews on youtube and i have been hearing a lot about how our cars stick to one direction when going straight causing the driver to make small direction changes to keep the car going straight and how it feels akward and how they dont like it, i my self do not notice no such thing , the only thing i feel is wrong with the handling is when i am going over 60mph and i drive over the smallest bump the car feels like i am going to loose control of it and i have to hold on to the steering wheel thight to keep the car straight, what do you feel about our cars handling ?

 

[schizorazgriz]

I notice the same thing as you Poppolino. From my experience when a car is pulling to one side then the wheels are out of alignment. I wonder if the 0 degree on the electronic steering may be off by a few degrees in some cars?

 

[Scoobdude]

My forte felt like it had play in the suspension as well. Tork collars helped take care of that. Wifes optima is even worse though. Collars for her's are much more though.

For the bouncy feeling on bumps, i fit the rear torsion bar. It helped with the uneasy feeling but did not completely get rid of it. But it's a big step in the right direction. Maybe @forte5 could come in since he also added Springs?

The car has room for improvement that is for sure. But stock, as a daily driver i can't find much to complain about.

 

[samuraimnkey]

My 2013 optima hybrid had horrible steering like you're describing. I felt like I had to constantly make small correction "all" the time. I read reviews about the Forte 5 having similar issues, but haven't noticed it at all in my 5. I drive 63 miles to work and if the roads were any straighter I feel like I could let go of the steering wheel and it would get me there.

 

[Forte5]

With my tork collars, torsion bar, trunk brace, spring the car handles ways better. Only thing I don't like is how soft the rear shocks are. I am going to keep looking and asking companies for shock options for us. My car doesn't get upset on bumps anymore and just holds it. I still need to take it into some hard twisty roads to really see how all of this works together.

 

[popolino77]

My 2013 optima hybrid had horrible steering like you're describing. I felt like I had to constantly make small correction "all" the time. I read reviews about the Forte 5 having similar issues, but haven't noticed it at all in my 5. I drive 63 miles to work and if the roads were any straighter I feel like I could let go of the steering wheel and it would get me there.

I know what you are saying my car feels like that too when i am driving on a straight road , its like the steering alignment is perfect ,

 

[rpps]

Apparently our Australia spec. Koups suspension setup has been tuned differently and have had great reviews. john-crawford: KIA CERATO Si HATCH.

 

[Johno]

Apparently our Australia spec. Koups suspension setup has been tuned differently and have had great reviews. john-crawford: KIA CERATO Si HATCH.

NZ also gets the re-tuned suspension set up, just like our Aussie cuzzies .

 

[pablodanek]

Forte Handling

Interesting post, as I did a ton of research before leasing my Forte5 SX and read similar things. I did two test drives to confirm whether the steering was an issue and came away befuddled why so many critics complain about the steering. Is it perfect? No, but I think the car has decent on-center feel and don't feel at all like the car requires excessive inputs on the highway.

I think what you're referring to in terms of instability at speed, and I've noticed it as well, is due to the suspension tuning being a bit stiff. Bumps in the middle of corners especially seem to knock the car off its line. Not a deal breaker for me but it is a deficiency in the car IMHO

 

[Codeeman12]

Have you guys checked your steering mode. I've noticed if I'm in sport mode it tends to drift/pull to the right. But on the other hand if I am in comfort or normal it drives almost in a perfect line. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with which mode it is aligned in that makes it pull one way out another. I am gonna run it by the people up in the office here at the plant and maybe they can run some trials or something and see. Report back if you notice a change in a different steering mode

 

[Forte5]

Mine doesn't drift after putting the tork collars in. You may want to grab those and try.

As for bumps in the road upsetting the car I would say change these hard crappy stock tires because they cause a lot of that issue. Also get the torsion bar because it will help with the rear and steering

 

[Playwithmymind]

Have you guys checked your steering mode. I've noticed if I'm in sport mode it tends to drift/pull to the right. But on the other hand if I am in comfort or normal it drives almost in a perfect line. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with which mode it is aligned in that makes it pull one way out another. I am gonna run it by the people up in the office here at the plant and maybe they can run some trials or something and see. Report back if you notice a change in a different steering mode

Steering mode has no effect on alignment setting, the only thing it does is change the amount that the electric assist helps you. So in normal or comfort mode it will help counter the pull with less effort.

When a car is aligned for a flat surface it will drift or have a slight pull when the road has a crown and the other way around. We don't have much choice on how the alignment is set from the factory but maybe soon we can get some options available.

 

[Johno]

I had cause over the last couple of weeks to drive a standard Cerato hatch (Forte hatch in the US) while my Koup was getting a dash rattle looked at. I've never noticed anything with the steering in my Koup, but I definitely noticed a 'notchy' feeling to the standard Cerato steering. The standard Cerato had the same electric steering as my Koup (at least, from outward appearances it seemed the same) with the same option to electronically adjust the weight of the steering between Comfort, Normal and Sport. The standard Cerato felt like there was a 'notch' at dead centre, with any movements off centre requiring more than just a minor adjustment. Because of that I felt like I was continually adjusting in and out of the 'notch' position. Got back in my Koup this week and there's nothing like that - the steering is super smooth and, for my part, perfect.

 

[Codeeman12]

Steering mode has no effect on alignment setting, the only thing it does is change the amount that the electric assist helps you. So in normal or comfort mode it will help counter the pull with less effort.

When a car is aligned for a flat surface it will drift or have a slight pull when the road has a crown and the other way around. We don't have much choice on how the alignment is set from the factory but maybe soon we can get some options available.

Lol I actually work in wheel alignment at the factory, that's why I was saying I could possibly get some engineers to look at it and maybe get them an understanding of what is going on, because as silly as it sounds the steering wheel itself actually has to be set a certain degree in an up and down kinda way for the car to be properly aligned according to the "Kia way"

 

[Forte5]

Do it! Also talk to them about how much the subframe moves! We have to put collars in to take up the slop!

 

[brettu26]

I have said to my wife that I reckon our Pro 'Ceed GT 'wanders' around at freeway speed too.
We are in Australia with the decent suspension tune and and the ride and feel is excellent.
But cruising straight at 100-110kph i find myself regularly chasing it around very slightly.
I put it down to the 225-40 tyres 'tracking' a bit and also the featherweight electric steering rack which I have not used before.

 

[Johno]

@brettu26 - the Pro Ceed GT also has the benefit of independent rear suspension, which the Koup and the Forte 5 don't have

 

[pablodanek]

That's interesting. The issue you noticed is what I've read a lot about. Sounds like a manufacturing or quality issue? Had my car a week now and I'm convinced I got a good one too!

 

[CrypTech]

Since reading this it seems as though I have noticed that sometimes my Koup also has a "notch" when wheel is centered. Must be something with how the motors that offer the resistance are programmed, but at times, it definitely feels like there is a deadzone in which the motor kicks in, and gives it a notchy feel. Now that I am aware of it, it has become quite annoying. I have tried changing modes, and it is still there. Sometimes it's apparent, other times it isn't. Seemingly randomly.

 

[Forte5]

only time I feel the notch is when it is in sport mode. I have to move the wheel just a tad and then it starts to work. I can definitely feel the notch