You don’t see many entry-level compact coupes these days.  They were popular for about fifteen minutes a few years ago, and then the market got all sensible with crossover vehicles and hatchbacks again.  High-end two-doors are common enough, and the new muscle car war has plenty of big-engined coupes leaping into the fray.  But if you’re looking for a trunk-backed coupe at the sub-$20,000 end of the market, what do you have?  There’s the Scion tC, of course, and the Honda Civic coupe.  Ford’s Focus will be available as a two-door coupe for the rest of 2010 at least, but it’s gone once the next-generation Focus arrives in early 2011.  The Chevrolet Cobalt coupe is going the same way; its replacement, the Cruze, won’t have a two-door model.

This lack of immediate, obvious competition puts the Kia Forte Koup in a convenient place.  Not only does the car benefit from Kia’s ongoing crusade to make entry-level cars that a delight to own, but it doesn’t have many direct competitors.  As a sport-ified, more eyecatching version of the handsome new Forte sedan, the Koup is a distinct new model for Kia, and presents an interesting personal-coupe counterpoint to the boxy but equally hip Soul.

Even if there were a gaggle of competing vehicles waiting in the wings, the Koup’s chances of standing out in the crowd would be good.  The Forte’s strong design has been made more aggressive in this car.  Kia’s new family grille is bolder, mesh-clad and blacked out on the Koup, and a prominent lower intake matches it.  The Koup’s short greenhouse is made sleeker by frameless doors and a strong C-pillar.  A high trunk gives the car a sporty silhouette, and distinctive silver and black seventeen-inch wheels are available to fill out the fenders.   At the rear, dual exhaust outlets and a diffuser under the rear bumper complete the sporty look.

The Forte Koup is designed to be an affordable car that new owners will be proud of, so the interior is outfitted with rich-feeling materials and an eyecatching design.  The cloth seats have strong yet soft bolsters that grip during cornering but won’t pinch larger bodies.  The monochromatic dash is broken up by varied textures, so it doesn’t look like a low-cost afterthought.  Kia’s included the sound system “mood lighting” featured in the Soul on the options list as well, for buyers who want to have “light-switch raves” when the sun goes down.  Satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity are standard, and the standard six-speaker sound system pumps out ample tunes.  Because the Forte Koup lives in the real world, there’s a 12.6 cubic-foot trunk for hauling groceries and other necessities as well.  My tester was a sporty Forte Koup SX, with special red-stitched seats, a standard trip-computer display and aluminum trim inside.

Basic power is provided by a 2.0 liter four cylinder with continuously variable valve timing.  The Forte Koup makes 156 horsepower in base form.  The sportier Forte Koup SX gets a bigger 2.4 liter four that raises the ante to 174 horsepower and offers more grunt than any of its competitors.  This car is powerful enough to feel confident in traffic without being overwhelming to drive.   The power is confidence-boosting but it’s not going to trigger your Inner Drag Racer.  Four gearboxes are offered; a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic on the base model, and a six-speed manual and five-speed autobox for the Forte Koup SX.  The six-speed manual is blessed with a light but grabby clutch, similar to other Kia products I’ve driven.

The Forte Koup shares its MacPherson struts with the rest of the lineup, but the track has been widened and the suspension tuned for tighter handling.   The Koup rides about two and a half inches lower than the Forte sedan, contributing to a more planted feel during hard left-right maneuvers.  The tradeoff is that up-down motions aren’t well controlled, and the Koup really doesn’t like potholes–some bumps led us to fear that we’d shattered one of those handsome wheels!   On the plus side, the interior is reasonably quiet at freeway speeds.  The four-wheel disc brakes are adequate, though the ABS is easily triggered by rough pavement.  Traction control and stability control are standard equipment.

At the end of the day, the Forte Koup stands out nicely, whether it’s compared to the other small coupes in its class or even to some hatchbacks.  Eye-catching styling (especially when the car is painted in the brilliant orange hue Kia calls “Copperhead”) is paired with friendly around-town manners and decent economy into a winning package.  Kia’s outstanding warranty coverage doesn’t hurt, either.  Forte Koup pricing starts at $16,595.  The fun money is on the Koup SX, whose sticker starts at $17,695 for a manual transmission.

All specs are for the 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX.

Length:  176.4 in.
Width:  69.5 in.
Height:     55.1 in.
Wheelbase:  104.3 in.
Curb weight:   2859 lb.
Cargo space:   12.6 cu.ft.
Base price:  $18,695
Engine:  2.4 liter inline four-cylinder engine
Drivetrain:  six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive
Horsepower:  173 @ 6000
Torque:  168 @ 4000
Est. mileage:   22/32

2010 Kia Forte Koup SX

You don’t see many entry-level compact coupes these days. They were popular for about fifteen minutes a few years ago, and then the market got all sensible with crossover vehicles and hatchbacks again. High-end two-doors are common enough, and the new muscle car war has plenty of big-engined coupes leaping into the fray. But if you’re looking for a trunk-backed coupe at the sub-$20,000 end of the market, what do you have? There’s the Scion tC, of course, and the Honda Civic coupe. Ford’s Focus will be available as a two-door coupe for the rest of 2010 at least, but it’s gone once the next-generation Focus arrives in early 2011. The Chevrolet Cobalt coupe is going the same way; its replacement, the Cruze, won’t have a two-door model.

This lack of immediate, obvious competition puts the Kia Forte Koup in a convenient place. Not only does the car benefit from Kia’s ongoing crusade to make entry-level cars that a delight to own, but it doesn’t have many direct competitors. As a sport-ified, more eyecatching version of the handsome new Forte sedan, the Koup is a distinct new model for Kia, and presents an interesting personal-coupe counterpoint to the boxy but equally hip Soul.

Even if there were a gaggle of competing vehicles waiting in the wings, the Koup’s chances of standing out in the crowd would be good. The Forte’s strong design has been made more aggressive in this car. Kia’s new family grille is bolder, mesh-clad and blacked out on the Koup, and a prominent lower intake matches it. The Koup’s short greenhouse is made sleeker by frameless doors and a strong C-pillar. A high trunk gives the car a sporty silhouette, and distinctive silver and black seventeen-inch wheels are available to fill out the fenders. At the rear, dual exhaust outlets and a diffuser under the rear bumper complete the sporty look.

The Forte Koup is designed to be an affordable car that new owners will be proud of, so the interior is outfitted with rich-feeling materials and an eyecatching design. The cloth seats have strong yet soft bolsters that grip during cornering but won’t pinch larger bodies. The monochromatic dash is broken up by varied textures, so it doesn’t look like a low-cost afterthought. Kia’s included the sound system “mood lighting” featured in the Soul on the options list as well, for buyers who want to have “light-switch raves” when the sun goes down. Satellite radio and Bluetooth connectivity are standard, and the standard six-speaker sound system pumps out ample tunes. Because the Forte Koup lives in the real world, there’s a 12.6 cubic-foot trunk for hauling groceries and other necessities as well. My tester was a sporty Forte Koup SX, with special red-stitched seats, a standard trip-computer display and aluminum trim inside.

Basic power is provided by a 2.0 liter four cylinder with continuously variable valve timing. The Forte Koup makes 156 horsepower in base form. The sportier Forte Koup SX gets a bigger 2.4 liter four that raises the ante to 174 horsepower and offers more grunt than any of its competitors. This car is powerful enough to feel confident in traffic without being overwhelming to drive. The power is confidence-boosting but it’s not going to trigger your Inner Drag Racer. Four gearboxes are offered; a five-speed manual and four-speed automatic on the base model, and a six-speed manual and five-speed autobox for the Forte Koup SX. The six-speed manual is blessed with a light but grabby clutch, similar to other Kia products I’ve driven.

The Forte Koup shares its MacPherson struts with the rest of the lineup, but the track has been widened and the suspension tuned for tighter handling. The Koup rides about two and a half inches lower than the Forte sedan, contributing to a more planted feel during hard left-right maneuvers. The tradeoff is that up-down motions aren’t well controlled, and the Koup really doesn’t like potholes–some bumps led us to fear that we’d shattered one of those handsome wheels! On the plus side, the interior is reasonably quiet at freeway speeds. The four-wheel disc brakes are adequate, though the ABS is easily triggered by rough pavement. Traction control and stability control are standard equipment.

At the end of the day, the Forte Koup stands out nicely, whether it’s compared to the other small coupes in its class or even to some hatchbacks. Eye-catching styling (especially when the car is painted in the brilliant orange hue Kia calls “Copperhead”) is paired with friendly around-town manners and decent economy into a winning package. Kia’s outstanding warranty coverage doesn’t hurt, either. Forte Koup pricing starts at $16,595. The fun money is on the Koup SX, whose sticker starts at $17,695 for a manual transmission.

All specs are for the 2010 Kia Forte Koup SX

Length: 176.4 in.

Width: 69.5 in.

Height: 55.1 in.

Wheelbase: 104.3 in.

Curb weight: 2859 lb.

Cargo space: 12.6 cu.ft.

Base price: $18,695

Engine: 2.4 liter inline four-cylinder engine

Drivetrain: six-speed manual transmission, front-wheel drive

Horsepower: 173 @ 6000

Torque: 168 @ 4000

Est. mileage: 22/32

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