The 2010 Kia Forte Koup: The time has come

The Canadian compact car market is very active, thanks to the economic crisis and the price of gas. Buying a small car represents a sensible and well-thought-out choice. Automobile manufacturers, with the exception of the three big American manufacturers, have taken note of the demand and are all offering economical vehicles at a low price. Korean manufacturers are benefiting most from the current market, and the Kia Koup is a good example.

German influence

The Koup boasts a very nice exterior design, and we would have expected as much given that it was designed by Peter Schreyer, the design guru who spent more than 20 years leading the Audi design team. The result is a vehicle with a sporty look in line with the Koup’s purpose. And unlike many of its rivals, the Koup isn’t just a sedan missing two doors. It’s wider, lower and more aggressive than a sedan.

Plain Jane

The same cannot be said for the interior, where the Koup has essentially the same lines and materials as the sedan. It has a plain and simple overall look, and it lacks the punch and originality that you often see in coupes. However, we must admit that the quality of the materials and finish is head and shoulders above what was offered in the now defunct Spectra, which the Forte is replacing.

Who needs a hug?

The Koup’s seats are very comfortable, and what they lack in softness, they make up for by enveloping the occupant. There’s a lot of lateral support and the seat hugs the driver wonderfully. Once you get behind the wheel, the driving position is easy to find and the controls are well placed on the central console. In fact, the layout of all of the controls is very practical, a telltale sign that an ergonomic specialist gave it a good once over to check everything. The Koup’s EX base model stacks up very well against the competition.

A real looker

I know what you’re thinking: As pretty as it is, this Forte Koup surely must be concealing very ordinary mechanics, right? That was true several years ago, but Kia and its parent company, Hyundai, have gotten serious and have now practically reached the heights of the biggest Japanese manufacturers in terms of quality. And in some cases, there’s a noticeable German influence in the vehicle handling.

Not in Valentino’s league

The first few kilometres behind the wheel of the Koup were surprising to say the least. It truly has the soul of a sports car. Sure, it’s light-years away from the Lamborghini Gallardo, but it compares favourably with the Civic Si coupe, considered the benchmark in the category. Obviously, Lambourghini’s famous test driver Valentino Balboni wouldn’t be impressed, but I sure am.

Solid

The Koup’s handling is a pleasant surprise and it’s reassuringly sturdy. The car is so stable and hugs the road so well that you’ll wonder if it isn’t carrying excess weight. On the contrary, it weighs 1,297 kg, which is about average for this type of vehicle. From that you’ll deduce that the engineers made a great deal of effort to perfect the Koup’s handling in order to make it as pleasant as possible.

Calibration 101

In fact, mechanically it has been wisely calibrated, which helps give passengers an experience that is simultaneously comfortable and steadfastly sporty. It has a much firmer suspension than the sedan and helps limit roll and pitching considerably. The steering is well assisted at high speed, but proves heavy at low speed.

Two engines

Kia is offering two engines, an energy efficient base version and a more powerful version, for its Koup. The first is a 2.0 litre, while the second ups the ante to 2.4 litres, but both are four cylinder engines. The fuel efficient 2.0 litre is the most sensible choice and it’s offered on the SX base version at a very attractive price. As for the 2.4 litre, it helps give the Koup more power and a better experience at the wheel for the thrill seekers out there.

17 horsepower and 0.4-litre more

Our test car came equipped with the 2.4 litre engine and performed very honourably for this category. It was powerful enough to create good accelerations and there’s a generous torque that’s available over a vast rpm range. Paired with the six-speed transmission, the output is completely satisfactory and interesting. For performance-minded people, it’s only 0.4 more litres and 17 more horsepower, but they go a long way to satisfying the driver.

Onwards and upwards

Once more, Kia is offering an original product that is well adapted to its clients needs. It has everything it needs to please, starting with a price that won’t scare off buyers. The car is well put together, features good performances and offers an extremely advantageous warranty. The future definitely looks bright for the Forte and its cousin the Koup.