I bought this car because the woman I was with said "Wow, what a cool looking car". Well, partially. I new it shares with other cars/models/brands a very reliable, chain driven, well developed engine that is NOT Direct Injection. DI might provide more power/efficiency when new but is trouble down the road. The choice of fuel efficient cars that are comfortable for daily drive on 40/60 city/highway cycle and don't use DI or hybrid engines is not that wide. For the same money I could go with Chevy Sonic with 1.4 turbo and 6speed manual. Chevy lost my deal because there was a bit more noise on the highway and the seats were less comfortable, especially the passenger one. I find the ride in the Koup taut and the steering precise although a bit too sensitive to the road for my taste. Actually after driving it for 3000 miles I find myself irritated driving other cars with poor precision steering. I guess Mini/BMW owners experience the same. The Koup fulfills too opposing desires for me - one is to be fuel efficient (I get calculated 30/38/32 city/highway/combined), the other to be fast when desired (tested in NYC). The power/weight ratio at this price range (16G) is exceptional. On top of that included are beautiful alloy wheels, good sound (USB, BT, sat), telescoping steering wheel and most of all enough room both front and rear seats, the basketball players go in the front please. Here are some things that could've been better - 6-th speed is not achieving as low rpm as the engine allows at 75 mph, although the 38 mpg I get on cruise control at 70 mph make me content. The other small negatives are related to the hard plastic on the door where my left elbow hangs and the dashboard buzzing from time to time in response to particular engine modes. Driving this car 3-4 hours a day is not tiring but if one commutes in heavy traffic the 6 speed automatic should be the choice....more
looks, acceleration, fuel economy, comfy seats
hard plastics
I've driven my Koup for about 3600 miles now and I have a few things to say about how it is holding up. I replaced a 2002 Honda Civic EX for the Forte Koup because the body styling was appealing to me and the Optima was a tad out of my price range. What I've noticed with this model is great acceleration from it's 2.0 liter engine but it rides pretty rough on some pitted city streets. Sometimes the ride can be jarring but I blame it mostly on the low profile tires and large 17 inch factory rims (swapped them from the 16 inch rims it initially came with in my purchase agreement). The steering wheel is quick and responsive and I generally have fun driving it as my daily vehicle. Braking is good with 4X ABS disc brakes and the Forte handled the snow a tad better then the Civic due to the Electronic Stability Control.
The C Pillars can be difficult to see around during highway lane changing. I've noticed they create a large blind spot where entire vehicles can be hidden from view when passing another vehicle or negotiating a lane change. The seat material appears to be thin and of low quality and my front passenger seat back cushion has already had a seam split which is scheduled for a repair. The dash is well thought out and every control is within in reach. The steering wheel has controls for the radio and cruise control. The cruise control has to be manually clicked on to operate each time you turn the vehicle on. The Honda Civic had a toggle switch that left cruise on or off. You cannot set your cruise until you toggle this switch it on which is annoying for those who would like it to just stay on all the time. I'm not overly fond of the placement of the vents and the limited control of air flow they offer. One thing I did notice is there is no engine temperature gauge, just a warning light that may pop on if the engine overheats.
For navigation and sunroof you need to step up to a higher package which I opted not to, so I cannot review those features. The backseats are roomy enough for a Koup but it is a chore to put a car seat back there. Opt for the 4 door if that's a need. Trunk storage is not very deep but it is aided by the 60/40 rear folding seats and is acceptable. Most of Kia's newer car models are not fitted with a spare tire int he trunk. They are replacing the spare tire for an emergency tire patch/inflation kit. This is to reduce vehicle weight for fuel economy. Kia expects people to utilize the road side assistance they offer anyways.
In all I'm having fun driving this car around. It's sporty, quick, and agile. I feel good about my purchase but I'm a tad disappointed in some of the things I mentioned above. Will I trade it in tomorrow? No, not likely..I like enough that I can live with the drawbacks....more
looks, acceleration, fuel economy, comfy seats
hard plastics
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