Kia Motors Corp.’s Forte Eco Plus, the country’s first vehicle fitted with an idle stop-and-go-system for automatic transmission, will go on sale today.

The idle stop-and-go-system automatically shuts down the engine when the vehicle comes to a halt and restarts the engine when the car is back on the move to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the company, the idle stop-and-go-system fitted in the Forte is an advanced version that does not require the driver to shift gears for it to function. The new system is activated simply by manipulating the brakes, the company said.

Older versions of the system required the gears to be put in neutral. With the advanced idle stop-and-go-system, the compact car manages 17.5 kilometers per liter of fuel, which is 6.1 percent more efficient than the Forte without the system.

According to the company’s estimates, the vehicle can improve fuel economy by up to 30 percent compared to vehicles lacking the system in urban areas where drivers are frequently required to stop.

By Choi He-suk  (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)