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By Zack Spencer (October 29, 2009)
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To say that Kia is on a roll is a massive understatement. With sales up over 20 percent this year - the year of the "great recession"-is remarkable. What many Canadians have come to realize is that Kia offers a lot of value but they wrap that value in fun-to-drive and fun-to-look-at vehicles.
A perfect example is the new SOUL compact crossover, which has been a big hit for Kia. Now Kia has added this sporty coupe, or as Kia calls it, Forte Koup. This Koup is the latest vehicle to receive the new Kia design language that is helping to transform the brand from basic transportation to a brand buyers would be proud to own.
With a starting price of $18,495, the Koup is perfectly positioned to compete with the Honda Civic, Chevy Cobalt and Ford Focus coupes. This new Koup has blacked out lower front and rear valances, black or two-tone wheels, classy rear lights and duel chrome exhaust. I think the rear lights have an Audi flare and the overall shape is clean and simple, making this compact car stylish and sporty. In fact, the Koup only has the hood in common with the sedan version. The base EX comes with the black 16-inch wheels and the SX adds fog lights, standard sunroof, sport suspension and these 17-inch two-tone wheels.
Regardless of which trim level you choose the Forte Koup is only sold with an all-black interior. Okay it isn't entirely black, there are other trim highlights like flashes of chrome and shiny piano finish on the centre console but the one-tone black interior does make the car sportier. Once again Kia has delivered a car that exceeds what I thought was possible in a car that starts under $20,000. First, the interior has plenty of soft touch materials on the dash and doors and the level of fit and finish is first rate. The seats are very well bolstered and available in cloth or standard leather on the slightly more expensive SX.
The standard features list is remarkable with features many high-end vehicles charge a premium for, including Bluetooth connectivity, heated seats, tilt and telescopic steering with integrated radio controls, USB and iPod integration, air conditioning and power windows and doors. The SX adds satellite radio, sports alloy pedals, automatic climate control and a trip computer.
On The Road
The trend with most compact cars today is to offer two engine choices and the Forte Koup is no different. The base model comes with a 2.0L 4-cylinder with 156hp and the SX gets a 2.4L with 173hp. Since the SX is only $3000 more, the larger engine plus a sportier suspension, bigger wheels and leather seats makes it the more attractive vehicle in my eyes. The downside is that it will burn slightly more gas than the base 2.0L engine.
I had a chance to drive this Koup on the racetrack when the car was released in Montreal. After a few laps it became apparent that this is a very well balanced compact car with predictable handling and a sporty sense that many buyers will like. Even on bumpy Quebec roads the suspension is supple and easy to live with.
Standard traction and stability control along with 4-wheel disc brakes help keep drivers out of danger and provide security even on an inexpensive car. Six standard air bags are also standard.
One of our major complaints with the funky SOUL was that the manual and automatic transmission needed an extra gear to keep revs down and provide a quiet interior. We are happy to report that the Forte Koup doesn’t have this problem because they have included a 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic on this higher-end SX version.
Likes | | Zack | Lacey | Lots of value | Wheels are unique | Looks great | Exterior styling | Level of finish | Many standard features | Engine choices | Comfortable car |
Dislikes | | Zack | Lacey | Lack of headroom | Lack of proven track record | Wheels | |
Price: $18,495 - $22,695
Closest Competitors: Honda Civic, Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus |
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