Kia has been trying to position itself as the "sporty" brand from Korea for years. The only problem? It's lineup wasn't all that sporty. With the introduction of the 2010 Kia Forte Koup, the company finally has a vehicle that can legitimately call itself sporty, maybe even fun.
Engineering editor Jay Kavanagh went to Korea to find out if the Koup lives up to the promise of its attractive exterior styling. The weather gods didn't exactly help Kia's case, but Jay still got enough seat time to realize that the Koup is a good starting point for a true sport coupe. Get all the details in our latest first drive from Seoul.
First Drive: 2010 Kia Forte Koup
felonious says:
07:35 AM, 07/15/09
That's a pretty good lookin' vehicle, there. I see 80% Honda and 20% Mazda in it.
firstwagon says:
07:44 AM, 07/15/09
I like it but would still choose the Kia Soul over the Koupe.
Same price range and more style (and space).
bc1960 says:
08:11 AM, 07/15/09
Even if you like the Soul's "styling", the fuel economy stinks compared to the Forte SX with a more powerful engine, let alone the Forte EX with the same powertrain. Pushing a tall box through the air just takes more energy. But it will be tragic if Kia does not provide a real replacement for the Spectra5 and Rio5, and only sell's tiny-trunked sedans and tinier-trunked coupes with narrow, short passthroughs.
hondacura4 says:
08:13 AM, 07/15/09
After seeing the sedan in person I just didn't feel like the Forte belonged in the same segment (in terms of material selection, presentation and layout) as the Civic or Mazda 3 as it seemed more inline with the Soul and like competitors. In other words, it felt like an econobox unlike the Mazda3, Civic and most others in the segment. Cheap interior doesn't exactly express what I felt with this car.......
In essence, I think Kia missed the mark in terms of presentation and expectations of the consumer, especially with competition like the Mazda3 and Civic.
brian55 says:
08:24 AM, 07/15/09
No hatchback = No Sale!
firstwagon says:
08:28 AM, 07/15/09
bc1960
While I can't comment on real world numbers, the posted mpg figures aren't much different.
When both are equiped with the 2.0 and a 5 speed manual...
The Forte get 5.8L/100 km Hwy and 8.3L/100 city.
The Soul get 6.5L/100 km Hwy and 8.6L/100 km city.
The Forte does a little better on the Hwy for the reasons you mentioned but city figures are almost the same.
And you get far more space in the Soul for a couple bucks extra a week in gas.
bepperb says:
08:45 AM, 07/15/09
5.8l/100km = 40.55mpg
6.5........= 36.19
That's a 10% difference. That's pretty significant to anyone who pays attention to these things.
firstwagon says:
08:50 AM, 07/15/09
That's only if you do long hwy trips. The combined number will be less of a difference.
Look at cargo space. The Soul has a max of 53.4 cubic feet while the Forte only has 14.7.
Now that's significant to those who pay attention to those things (and I have 2 kids so I do).
hondacura4 says:
11:17 AM, 07/15/09
What few people realize is the higher number doesn't always equal more real world space. I'm not suggesting that applies to the Soul vs Forte comparison but it can be applied to many comparisons. Usable space cannot always be identified by numbers alone.
firstwagon says:
11:38 AM, 07/15/09
hondacura4
I agree. That's why I like boxes. I've had sedans that on paper have a lot of space but when you try to put something large inside, it just doesn't fit.
When you can get a box that looks as cool as the Soul, all the better.
I like the looks of the Forte but to me coupes are for single people who live in a condo downtown. It should do well though in it's market.
orangutan says:
11:45 AM, 07/15/09
I'd like to see the Soul offered with the five-speed automatic and the 2.4 I4 engine. Hell, I'd like to see the five-speed automatic with the 2.0 I4, too.
fuhteng says:
01:24 PM, 07/15/09
I like the idea of this little thing with that 200hp engine. I still don't get why you shrink the engine to add a turbo and DI, but hey, however you get to 200 hp works for me.
arumage says:
01:48 PM, 07/15/09
The Soul will probably get the Forte's engine in a year or two. It just wasn't ready for the Soul's release.
bankerdanny says:
03:05 PM, 07/15/09
I do wonder how well the car would sell if it were a hatchback ala the old Nissan Pulsar NX, which had a similar shape.
I know that the large rear opening compromises rigidity and probably adds cost. But my old Saab 900 Turbo hatchback was incredibly versitile. I stuffed a love seat sized sofa bed in the back (rear seat down of course) and came within an inch of closing the hatch.
My '87 Mustang and '86 Dodge Charger 2.2 HB's were less generous, but still it's hard to beat the access provided by a hatch.
1autobroker says:
08:09 AM, 07/16/09
From the above blue picture, the look of the right front fender reminds me of a Honda Civic, and the rear passenger side window reminds me of a Audi A5. Doesn't look too bad for the money.