Metaphorically speaking, if you close your eyes and drive this car, you’d have a hard time telling where this car is from. You see, every car out there, no matter the brand, hints at the country in which it came from.
For example, the interiors of Japanese cars usually feel bright, filled with synthetic materials, rides on the softer side, have good handling and are more reserved with the steering. German cars, on the other hand, are over-wrapped in skin and loaded with buttons placed in a very organised manner. Cars from Deutschland ride firmly, have excellent handling and the steering is always full of banter.
And Korean cars, well, they were lacking ideas in every department. In recent years though, they have proved that they can pull up their socks and make a car loaded with features, enjoyable to drive and with a head-turning design. The difference between then and now is really night and day. They have, somehow, integrated the cost-friendliness of the Japanese with the driving dynamics of the Germans. It’s not perfect but it all signs are pointing in the right direction.
This brings me to the car here: the Kia Forte Koup, which was launched in Malaysia sometime late last year with a price of RM115,800 on-the-road with insurance. Finally a two-door coupe that does not cost both kidneys, and it has good value too.
At this point, you might expect me to somehow tie in Peter Schreyer but I am not going to. I leave its design to your own mind and judgment. Personally, I think that the loss of two rear doors, the lowered roof and the redesigned bumpers make the car look appropriately aggressive; bigger wheels might even give it more street cred. The dimensions of the Koup is made tauter too – 4,480 mm in length, 1,765 mm in width and 1,400 mm in height – compared to its four-door sibling.
As for the interior, well, I leave that to you as well. The point of contention here is the red two-colour interior. Some have warmed to red-accented dashboard you see in the pictures while others run the other way.
Besides the colour scheme, the interior does lean toward the Japanese. The whole catalog of interior plastics is here – from the soft and malleable to the hard and shiny. What’s more important is that these plastics are put into their appropriate place following function.
The centre console is not outfitted with tons of buttons either. It hosts the usual climate control and stereo system. Above the disc slot is the ‘hazard lights’ button. It is the only button there, thus, you’ll never miss hitting it when the situation calls for it.
There is also a feature called the Speaker Control Switch that does not control the volume of the speakers at all. Instead, it surrounds the front speakers with a ring of light, which also let you make it pulsate according to the beat of the song. Rounding up the electronic gadgetry are cruise control, engine start/stop button and the smart key.
Both front seats are bucket type and have adequate thigh and body support. Sitting in the driver’s seat, I can tell that there has been some thought that went into the ergonomics. All buttons are easy to reach and those that are further than my finger can be controlled from the steering. The steering feels thick and substantial. The meter cluster is huge; speedo is in the middle, rev meter flanks the left and the fuel gauge is on the right.
A surprising thing to note about the interior is its spaciousness and I don’t mean the space in the front. What is quite unexpected is the legroom at the back. The Koup’s wheelbase of 2,650 mm matches that of its four-door sibling. This also means that you’ll be able to fit two full-sized adults in the rear without the need to detach their legs. But the getting-into will be tight head-wise; the Koup loses 60 mm of headroom due to the sloping roof.
But enough of measurements and design and spaciousness… what you are really here for is to know how the Koup drives.
Under the bonnet is a 2.0 litre THETA II engine with CVVT that generates 156 PS (or about 154 hp) at 6,200 rpm and 194 Nm at 4,300 rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed torque-converter automatic transmission that allows for manual shifting of the gears that drive the front wheels. However, if you’re hankering for earth-burning acceleration, don’t. The partnership does not make the car quick.
Given the natural-aspiration nature of the engine, most of the power lives in the median of the rev range. Not to say that the Koup is a slouch, it is just that you need to spur the Koup into the middle rev range before things get really exciting. The challenge then becomes a game of keeping the revs in the sweet spot, which can be achieved with surprising ease. The manual shifter is snappy and locks in the gears with minimal delay and all you really need to do is to hold the throttle. Done.
Although the Koup is not quick getting to 100 km/h, it does have the legs to run once you settle in. And when the urge to get ahead of the car in front overwhelms, the Koup proves that it has still plenty of fire in its belly to complete the mission. Hitting near double-century figures on the speedo becomes all too easy.
At speed, the Koup shows its worth. It is also where the Koup feels like a car from continental Europe. Armed with MacPherson struts at the front and a coupled torsion beam axle at the rear, the Koup dispatches high-speed sweepers with a predictably flat and stable behavior that simply builds confidence to get from apex to apex until the tyres start talking back. The steering feels properly weighted and alert so it is easy to keep the car tracking the way you want it to.
Find yourself understeering? Not a problem, feed the steering a bit more turn, just lift off the throttle for a bit and let the Koup’s weight, grip and the electronic stability program keep you on the black stuff.
The trade-off with the brilliant handling is that the Koup gets a rather unyielding ride. You will feel every inch of the road, flat or otherwise, yet it is not hard enough that it crashes into every hole it rolls over.
When everything is taken into consideration, the Koup drives as how a sporty coupe should. I do think the Koup is less of a road warrior and more of a long-distance B-road runner. If you’re not packing to much people for a weekend, here’s the ride you should take.
So, if you’re looking for a reasonably priced car that hasn’t got too many doors, strides well in the city and have the endurance to go interstate, then say hello to the Kia Forte Koup.
Photos: H.T Production
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Preve can smoke this car anytime!
The interior looks kinda ugly but the exterior is nice…if i have two choices ‘ Neo R3 or this Kia Forte Koup then i’ll rather get a Polo 1.2 TSI or pay a little more to get a Polo GTI or a Mazda 3 2.0 ! nothing to says about it…the standard brands and the quality win !
Do you forte enough?..what do you want to preve!..wanna start a saga here. Dont be pajero ok. Im grandeur guy.haha
Preve is about 10seconds 0-100km/h.
My forte Koup = above 10seconds.
loosing to Preve of all kind of version, either iafm+ or CFE.
Production car note even launch, how can u judge it?
By feeling? Prifff…….
White smoke? Did you mean Preves all come with worn piston rings?
i support national car project, but that was not a good way to give a comment…
Nah, test drove this car b4. Looks fast but in actual fact hardly has any power.. Steering feel is weird. Not solid at all at high speeds
Nah, a Korean car basher test drive Korea car and give unprofessional comment is not convincing at all…
hahaha
Tis guy is the same guy hu said the new T.Camry was good an all other D segment was lousy……again Toyota Fanboy
nice review chris! sweet looking, only if the price is lower
For that price, i rather take CR-Z.
I really really wan to know How this car compared against the CRZ in the handling department, Both costs roughly the same…
How low you want it to be? 80k? then Proton can pack and go home.
already in kampung, go wat home?
Same price tag with Satria Neo R3 Lotus Edition…….
thumbs up if u if like the Neo better than this :D
nice review,,,at 115,000 u get more specs n functions then the so call new camry,,,,
u’d be better off with a normal kia forte….this one just looks better and that\s all. no other significant advantages.
Good exterior design but interior look so dull and ugly.
Test drove before, I must say no expected power that Kia Koup should deliver, the handling is so so only.
I noe people will F**K me if i compare this car with CRZ due to different class ….. but it cost the same !!! I will take CRZ due to 6 speed manual =)
well, this looks good and seats four. the crz looks good but seats only 2. anyway, your choice mate. some can’t stand autos. some just love them.
CRZ is a 4 seater dude!
Yeah, but its almost impossible to sit at the back. You have to tilt your head for as long as the journey.
Koup has 6speed auto with manual paddle shift~
Forgte to ask, where de route in tat pic ??
I tink most ppl get dis for da looks n package rather dan its a drivers car…
Weird ting is y only now got test drive almost 6mnths after launch
The car is quite disappointing in real-life.. strangely the Singaporeans seem to love it.
the price those kiasu pay for cars, it amazing they can still afford to buy a kia.
It will be more strange if they love our beloved protong with tainted reliability reputation
nice picture!
if u want real coupe feel… those with affordable price, go for nissan brand or chevy brand.. others, hmmmm… trying hard to meet that level.. kenot go wei…
enlighten me. any nissan coupes that cost 120k.
interior exactly same like rm70k kia forte 1.6 low spec…..wtf…..
so what? All the satria neo be it basic spec or the lotus spec or what soever all looked the same, no?
Previous Wira derived models, putra, satria, aeroback, jumback also have same interior, you dont make noise meh?
ya, thats why satria neo is same price like gen2 persona.
and R3 is all about power and handling, just like civic type R is same interior like civic .
but……but this is a 2 door koup.
it makes buying rm115k not so worth.
might as well buy rm70k or rm95k (4 door) .
but then, do you have one? wait….u must be driving the used rm10k car ,dreaming to get a korean car to elevate your status….. -.-||
hahaha…i doubt by driving a korean marque will make u feel elevated status bro! LOL. IMHO, Korean are starting to think they are on same par level as the japs. They sell just because of their design & spec, engineering & workmanship wise still a questions!? For those who always try to condemn jap’s car, pls look at 1 simple facts, at least they put in a lot R&D & enter GT & even F1 race. Korean? LOL. Good engineering tech is not as easy as designing the overall look of the car. For me, i’ll not just choose a marque that they think they are cool jz becuz of the shape. Buying car is about both the shape & establish engineering. ^_^
seem u r a hardcore fanboy..haha..
The new facelift Koup recently has upgraded its center console with LCD touch screen. As you can see from the above photos, it has 2tones leather dashboard, sunroof, full leather seats, etc… which makes it even stand out more from the normal sedan
come on la, u think what , even VW also look the same !! what are you talking ?? haih…..some ppl make some silly comments ……
hmmmmm,,,the review is quite short and it is missing few important details such as nvh level of this car or overall built quality of the car and how does this car fair up with the civic and other c class segment car?and if possible can u include review about the sound system for upcoming reviews because i do consider the quality of the sound system when buying a car
The sound system is more than decent enough. Its much better than the system in a Sylphy. I reckon it sounds better than the system in the Civic. But some will disagree. Best way is to bring your fav CD to the dealership to try.
NVH is alright. Drove this all the way to Kedah from KL. Not bad at all.
One thing that impressed me was the way this car corners. Very flat and composed. Ride is firm though. Most of the problems highlighted by the ppl here can be fixed by changing the standard issue kumho to a decent set of Michelins or Continentals. For some reason, the Kumhos that came with this car are really bad noise wise and handling wise. The car transformed completely on a decent set of tires.
Handling wise compared to the other C segment cars? My opinions would cause a storm here among the highly opinionated PT readers and i will keep them to myself. Test drive is the way forward my friend.
Even at the engine also got a cup holder ;)
by the way how come there is no article about cars in the new york auto shows????there are many cars introduced and none can be found in this blog 0.o
Nice poseur sitting pretty car. Most people would love it until they get overtaken by a 80K R3.
Most ppl driving this car couldn’t care one bit if they were to be overtaken by anybody. This car is not meant for boy racers, but the majority of posters on PT.com are boy racers.
Yes, its a poseur car. A car that looks great, drives well enough, has enough power to hit 200 and lots more. Its not a skyline, its not a Bimmer, and it doesnt cost as much to buy and run as a skyline nor a Bimmer ( Brand new, 2nd hand and recon is not really a direct comparison ). The closest competitor in the market is perhaps a 320i coupe but that costs much more. A prereg 320i coupe is going for RM 250k the last time i check. And a BMW will handle better.
The CRZ is a great car too, but its designed differently catering to a different set of buyers. PLus the CRZ is tax exempted due to the fact that its a Hybrid, distorting the comparison somewhat.
Due to tax advantages that Protons have, Protons will always be cheaper than Kias, Hondas, Toyotas, Bimmers, etc. Saying a Satria R3 can smoke this car is a moot point, cause that R3 will smoke most cars on the road in a winding road costing below 150k incl civics 2.0. Satria R3 is really really good.
PS: From the real Turboman. Some1 has been faking my name recently.
can r3 smoke 25 year old ae86?
TO you, the only thing that matters is who smokes who.
That said, this car is not for u and never for u. Enjoy your AE86 though.
so stop comparing this car with r3…it is not in the same category…
Now we a talking abt new 86 or Gt-86 or even Subaru BRZ not AE86 anymore la bro..too old car, technology
Proton cars are taxed the same as those CKD or ASEAN-produced cars
yes they did…. but local car manufacturer escaped 25% import tax…..
Thanks Turboman!!! At least some people here understand… If you look at the demographics of a would be buyer, there is limited volume of people wanting 2 door cars.
If you spread that number across different income groups, you will see that more tend to be on the bottom end of the income scale. These are either college students, 20 to 30 mostly single. Only 1% of them are above 30 and are enthusiasts. Sample taken from existing R3 owners.
A Koup target market seems different; mostly working adults with a good paycheck and higher disposable income. It would still need to appeal to the enthusiast and style conscious. The other models range from Pug 308CC to Scirocco. If you put the Koup in those lineup; it would be the cheapest. The problem with brand conscious Malaysia in this demographic area is that they tend to look more at styling. Unfortunately its not the best in terms of its offering design-wise or technical wise.
A Coupe design should have better aerodynamics due to the sloping back. Whereas a hatch is not. The spoiler at the rear doesn’t help too. Its only 100kg heavier than the R3. But the Theta II has more ponies and pull albeit mated to an auto. Whereas the Theta II works on the old MAP sensor, the CPS has a variable intake runners. So in terms of performance it should level out. But it doesn’t.
aiyyo..pls la..u sit inside r3 and see the interior quality difference. even 1.8m person cant sit properly inside neo. nway, neo and koup served different market…i have to agree tht neo can smoke koup anytime..but this car is not for smoking others. just chill around. u cant do that in neo.
i always smoke BMW e90 all the time with this Koup…townroad/highway…
“i always smoke BMW e90 all the time”
dont race la bro on the streets..hehe..the e90 is not playing with u actually…maybe u are in your own world…
not to say 325i or 328i, but 320i can leave u alone at the back..
sorry bro, your koup does not design for racing..its just looks fast, but it doesnt really.. to be true, its not a real mens car..
stupid pride..u are in your own world..
koup is not a real mens car..enough said..furthermore, its not racing car that races with e90..go get maybe honda city or vios…that is your competitor..but then again, do not race on the streets..
in fact dont play around with neo cps or r3..it has some serious horses under the hood..dont trust me? try it..
well, if u said less head room in lower spec Satria Neo, theanswer is yes. but in Satria Neo r3.. the red one – easily fit 6+ ft man.
Not everyone buy car for illegal street race….this car is not slow though. And the build up is more solid then the potong car….all milo tin and rattle noise…..
I thought the rear suspension is torsion beam rather than multi-link as writen?
yeah i thought it is torsion beam also, check at KIA website also written that.. so Chris any comment on this?
I’m sorry about the mix-up. Yes, it is a torsion beam instead of a multilink setup. Again, I’m really sorry for the mix-up. :(
facepalm.jpg
thinkin bout Preve eh??
great looks! where is it tested? nice corner :D
I think that was the Batang Kali – Genting cable car station route -> twisting and narrow road. Really fun to drive if you have a powerful car with great handling and fresh gripping tyres!
it’s a bit late to come up test drive report for this isn’t it Chris?
We were only offered the car a few weeks ago.
End of life soon. Koup launched in S’pore 3 years ago…
Better than nothing
Hi Chris,
First of all, fantastic review. Love the composition and transition of your points. Many people simply don’t realise how difficult it is to come up with an article that’s entertaining yet informative at the same time. Not to mention to write under a tight deadline. I must say the pictures look the part in complimenting your points. I get the same sense of flow in the words just as it is in the car when navigating those B roads you so mentioned. Keep up the good work!
Yes Chris.
U the man. Very well written.
Where did you guys test this car? Lovely curves…Photos are nicely shot. Well done, PaulTan gang…
judging from the pic 031..must be Genting Highland kn..
my comment is: this review is not comprehensive enough.. a lot of consumers-want-to-know were not mentioned (i.e. fuel consumption, audio system, special features). it is true that this car is kinda old and we cam easily get the full articles on it elsewhere. but since chris u already did a review, kindly give us a full review, because a lot of readers only read paultan.org.
unless you wanna be special and/or don’t bother to write more…..
should also mention about performance such as acceleration from 0-100kmh and top speed even if this car is not really a performance car
better get urself proton putra.dis thing call 115k pieces will cost only 15k after 5 years
a little too late, paul….=.=
Why test this car? Please write a review on optima, I know its from a different class… But m sure a lot of people are anticipating for the same…
Seems that a lot of ppl are giving negative comments for this car but I guess its mostly true because its really hard to spot this car on the road. I’ve only seen this car…..twice since its launch on the road.
Any how great write up on this and NAZA KIA, if you’re reading this, please send a test unit to Paul just after its launch and not a year later. Same goes for all the other manufacturers in Malaysia!
At the same price, i would definitely take this over the less powerful Honda CR-Z.
Bro,
CRZ is hybrid la. Total different segment.
It does not really matter whether it is a hybrid or not. You are still getting less of a car. Less power, less practicality. But of course the CR-Z will stand out more.
good car for daily drive. plus enough leg room for rear passenger. boot enough for golf set. just my 2 cent.
daily car when you driving alone and you are alone then ok lah..if you with family and you used it as daily car… it can be frustrated
i go to work alone daily..when with family i drive my good old trusted mitsubishi space wagon.
then read back your first statement… change so fast lor.. first said good daily car.. if a good daily car.. it should be driven 7 days a week… with or without family.. thats what i know as a daily car..
Torsion beam??? for a sport looking car…hahaha
How come i didnt see your name in Megane RS post?
Tell that to Renault and they’ll just scoff at you..
anyway this car is for show and gaya only. it looks very nice on the road. that’s about it.
ya, when we talk about torsion beam, its renault megane RS.
when we talk about multilink, we think of lotus elise.
so, forte= megane RS handling?
any multilink car= lotus handling?
not liddat wan.. renault has proved that they can make good handling cars even with torsion beam rear suspension system.. while others need to use the more expensive setup to produce good handling cars.
theoretically, TB suspension is inferior. but it depends on tuner/manufacturer. the only thing that we can complaint is we know that TB is cheaper & easier to produce..so expensive car why use TB. hahahaha.
Lotus not multilink, it is double wishbone for both front and rear.
the leather looks a little “cheap”
a little u say.. haha
It’s just a bloody slow car but designed to look like a fast car. Apart from that, no second hand value for the first few years so if you want to buy this, make sure you drive at least 10 years.
I thought the review was quite decent, a little different that the usual very technical Paultan review.
Tested the car and have no interest with it whatsoever so I will reserve my comments but one thing I noticed is improvements in term of photography quality. Got some nice HDR shots there. Kudos.
Do you people even know what HDR is?.. No one can tell by just looking a photo whether its a hdr or not. Nice picture, thats it. Enough with this HDR crap already.
I am not bias to any brand.. more to car design… but this i would say it is out of proportion. but from the half end, its look like the rear end doesn’t belong there. it doesnt coupe enough. Not blaming the korean since they need to compromise the head room at the back, but what is the point having coupe without the slop and fluid rear end….
this is just a 2 door version of forte 4 door rite? engine’s the same. so its not really meant to drive fast.
Ah nope. The Koup is tuning for tighter and sportier drive. The track is noticably wider. Park the Forte sedan and Koup side by side and you can see the difference.
The shocks are stiffer and the springs are of higher rate.
Front disc rotors are bigger than the Forte 2L sedan too
Well Paul Tan, its kinda late to review the Koup right? LOL :) The next gen Forte is just round the corner and will be introduced at the end of the yr as a 2013 model
Anyway, the Koup is a great car to have, esp considering the price Kia sells in SG.. when COE was in more sane levels, for Vios E kind of $$, you can get the 1.6SX 6MT Koup here in SG… and if you pay an extra $3000 or so, you can get the same 2L Koup here in SG as well. :)
Too bad Malaysian market Koups has no 6MT version… we have the 2L 6MT version in SG :) Century sprint in about 8 secs only :)
bro, care to suggest any particular route we can sprint this mean machine in singapore??? hehehe..
p/s : some said this is a perfect drive for a gay guy..hahaha i don’t know, im not one of em’, what do u think all gaylords???
with ur 2L 6MT tat kind of price tag, I can buy 3x 2L 6AT here. I dun mind the 6AT though slower…
nice review and nice pics. its always good to get a ‘local’ perspective from car reviews. i saw one this morning on the way to work (blue with aftermarket gunmetal coloured rims), and i’ll have to say, it looks pretty darn good. It might not have plenty of “GO”, but it’ll satisfy those who wants the looks. anyways.. how many “real coupes” are there in malaysia at this price range? 2 door hatches dont count.
Sales must quite sluggish, KIA Koup already in the market for some time, now only “Re-Test” to promote, come on even Veloster is launching soon.
What with “RED” colour face plat on the dashboard, Yaarrkkss…
Torsion Beam on Sport Coupe, for bigger boot space ? :-)
no money no talk
Veloster launching soon? Since when? Confirmed to be launched by Q1 2012 but no car in sight even in now.
Guys, you’re missing the point with this car, it’s never meant to be a race car, it’s more towards a cruiser, soak up the highway, enjoy-the-ride kind of car. A car for you to ride up Genting, or to visit Penang for a weekend holiday. Power is there (not earth shattering but it’s more than enough), audio is good, interior is very comfortable, rear seat is surprisingly good, boot space is more than adequate, and it looks good too.
Some variant comes with single tone interior, for those who can’t stand the 2-tone interior.
i owned 1…and it is fun to drive it…0 – 220 with no problem at all..the smooth is better than my 2.4 accord..maybe due to the 6speed shift…anyway, this car is chicks magnet i can tell you..hihiii…
Maybe it’s good for you to pick-up pros and ladyboys. Don’t expect the rest of the readers here to follow your footstep. Preve is definitely better than this junk.
Ok we have one blind and hardcore Proton supporter here. sigh…
Vios handles better than the Forte? You butt got problem izzit? haha:D
how vios comes into equation?
I was intrigued by Korean scenery, not the car, man.
the test drive in korea? no wonder la…i was thinking which road in malaysia is that ^^
I think the road to/fro Chin Swee Temple, Genting Highland. Please enlarge the first picture
that’s not korea lah..
open speaking as I am driver of Forte Sedan 1.6.
In term of spec and price, this kia forte koup is worth of money because it was “completely” built from Korea. CRZ is built from Japan and sell at RM115 is because of tax waiver for hybrid car.
I tested the 2.0 forte sedan, the power is not bad. in fact, forte 2.0 0-100km/h is around 9.3 – 9.8sec only. of course the sporty look of koup the power isn’t great, but consider the price is RM 115k it sound not bad.
in term of handling, I admit my previous gen2 having greater handling than forte. but I drove my friend new city and new altis, the handling is lousier than forte. you may try it out yourself to prove. I believe Koup having lower height, it should give more confident on the grip.
I have smoked this car to dust with my Ford Focus TDCI . This car only for pretenders – pretend to be cool but cheap in mentality. Should rename the car to Kia Kote not Forte. Hahaha….LMFAO. Perve also definitely can smoke this car.
you are right…. i think you Focus can smoke a Ferrari or Lamborghini too. can even see the dust… great car
how many hours meeting and how many biscuits they ordered for the meeting
to decide RED is a good meter colours?
last time waja meter dail and digitals coloured red and i am pretty sure the same people lauding Koup’s red meter digitals now, bashed waja kaw kaw last time
so now i know it wasnt about the colour of the digitals, or dials. it was the bloody hatred. nevermind. its all in the past. i just want to point out sometimes, so many people are cheap.
as for the car, good work Kia is doing. but again they can try so hard to try to change peoples perception on the car. many still haunted by the terrible of the yesteryears. spectras. Rios, accents. Carnivals.
they realized that people despised their brand because of their sheer stupidiy and mistakes. and their (Kia) mistakes alone. at those time, u would be monumentally stupid and had no living purpose at all if u choose Kia. or hyundai for that matter.now u would be stupid without border if u choose china made cars.
thats not i am saying. i just say what were written all over the pages.
so yes Kia u are doing a good job. but doing a good job is just a tiny part of the equation. sustaining it, needs much bigger stronger effort. and people will definitely get back to u. now i let u into a secret, kia. these people who bought Kia, are ur lab rats. they are your informal brand embassies. they are the ones spread around to the roots whether their Kias are good or …. pretending to be good. and with the flip of the same coin, they will be the ones to tell people how still shitty ur products are.
in short, greatest conclusion since siderius nuncius by galileo, they are lab rats. and u, Kia should pamper these rats with comfort.
Test drove a Kia Forte recently ( 4 door ).
I was expecting something decent what with all the hype.
But honestly, the ride quality sucked.
Fabric seats didn’t help either, in fact they were appalling!
Felt like those cheap nylon stuffed mattresses you find in pasar malam.
Total lack of back support.
Well I’m used to comfy cars like mercs, beemers, toyota’s (alphard, wish), mitsi’s (lancer), suzuki swift, etc.
This could be one of the reasons why I feel it sucks, but then again I can’t be the only one.
Heck a Vios rides better.
I’m beginning to think Kia is all hype and no substance.
I agree with you. Preve is better in all aspects compared to this junk.
So tell me, if the Forte is junk as you claim, then it wouldn’t be even selling globally, right? Get your facts right before you bash.
David, i think that guy u refer too don’t own a car. People who comment which own lotsa luxuries cars most probably end up with a motorcycle (kapcai) as a the only transportation that he ever own. If the car he droves were so sucked up, he should sold his sucked up car….. maybe he does have a sucked up life & thats why he is still keeping it. Rich people don’t tell they own lotsa car / money cause they might be robbed. Only poor people will announced they have tons of cars / money as they afraid others know that he is a poor guy.
Next time dont waste time replying sucked up ppl comment…. thats why now i am replying yours…..not his…
That’s the thing, I’m not trying to be too negative, but that’s the impression I got of the car.
Maybe I’m being a bit ‘controversial’ just to get some attention and hopefully feedback.
My main question is, there’s all the glitzy marketing, but does the car really live up to it?
How many of you here have test drove / own a Forte?
Have you tried sitting in an old Peugeot 406? Now thats comfort!
Kinda agree with u until that vios statement.
If you used to be driving Merc, BMW and so on. Why thinking of this cheap sucked up car. dont be fooling around here bro. If im driving BMW i will not compare with KIA ….. make your mind clear please .
another silly comments by others !!!!!
WAKE UP !!!!
I notice that the tail lamp in the photo is on LED.. If not mistaken, Malaysia version doesn’t come with LED tail lamp right?
with the Koup, it does.
but base on its website, it seems like not LED. that day i also been in the showroom but didnt notice about this..it look nicer with this LED tail lamp.
http://www.nazakia.com.my/sedans/forte-koup/forte-koup-gallery-exterior
where are these pictures taken? the scenery seems nice ! Zzz
Meh, still a weak car.
Based on those comments, most of em can’t accept the fact or too envy with wat KIA superb transformation, from zero to hero wat we called. As the owner of koup, a very thankful to KIA for this superb value for money coupe, ever since proton putra back in 1998, great potential, handsome looking, ample behind passenger seats, cool rear lights to name few, absolutely the best bargain in the market right now, enuff said!!!!
And now i am sitting on my comfy sofa and waiting for the Preve Coupe.
Now I am sitting on my comfy sofa and waiting for the Preve coupe.
Waiting…..
waiting…..
waiting…..
no money no talk
SoOoo sad..this car came to Malaysian market too late already..when I first time saw this car when I was in Brunei 2 years ago(2010)..fall in love with it..and its called Cerato Koup over there..
After asking the price via a Bruneian friend..I thought when it come to Malaysian market the price will be less than RM100k because in Brunei, monthly installment not more than B$400/month with between 5%-7% bank interest for 7 years..further more, it’s only a Kia..not mitsu, toyota or honda..sadly, the price is higher than what I’ve expected..adoi..like most of good people comment above, better go for CRZ..or just stick with my Honda City 2010 and Persona SE..hahahaha
Just bought a white Kia koup and drove it with no problem. Very stable especially at above 80 km. Car looks sporty when install 19″ rims. Guess a bit bumper, pick-up wise better than a 2L civic.
This is true. 2.0civic auto is not as fast as this koup….I hate people compare apple to orange….do u know that this car been selling worldwide like hot cake???I guess the world dobt even hear of R3 or preve…not to say our national car is no good at all but kia simply make more satisfy and better comfortable car that value for money…if u want me to invest rm80k for a proton r3, I would rather buy a used forte koup with the same price…its better in interior and rugged at exterior. Those kimchi tech even had advance to making new 1.6 litre but 201 hp kia forte koup..look at our campro engine.even with turbo…its hardly achieve 150 hp..sad to say but its true….the handling of the rear of kia forte or koup is the weakness point but can easily finetune with sway bar and lowered spring plus better tyre like michelin or toyo….the ori silverstone tyre given by naza when u buy this car is way too lousy and bad road gripping that make the bad impression of most user..mine one fully modified and now it run 190km plus without much vibration yet stable….if only the kia can give a much better responsive auto gearbox like its sibling hyundai that would be a best overall car for sure…
For those who thinks Korean cars are not to spec. Did you guys knew that Kia Koup was out of stock in Brunei for couple of months and Kia Sportage is out of stock in the world?
What a bunch of plonkers! I have owned several BMWs’, including 2 M3’s and an M5, a Subaru WRX and Opel 200TS. I am a petrolhead, and love good cars. Recent financial pressures have forced buyers to reconsider their options, and with rising fule costs, those of us that do mileage have to take this into account. I have recently purchased a 2.0 Koup 6Speed AT, and I am blown away by the value for money and features. In South Africa this car is 60% less expensive than a BMW 320i with more features, leather and a bettre looking car by some margin too. If money is not an issue, then buy what best suits your poicket, but, like many others, cars like the Kia Koup are fast becoming a serious consideration for those that want more for less.
If one is to compare cars, there are a number of elements that come into play, and performance is only one factor. I would rather drive a car that let’s me enjoy my value for money, whilst I am quite willing to concedee that it is not all things to all men. At the price, and with very serious consideration, there was quite frankly no competition when I made the decision.
If youy prefer another car, then stop whiniung about “smoking” it against the Koup, if that’s all you canb do to make yourself feel better about the ugly scrap that you have chosen. I would also rtather drive a Ferarri 458, but being “smoked” by a Turbo Nitrous Nissan Van would not bother me in the least. The fact is that the Koup is a real looker, and I will ake the Koup faster in due coures, by which time I will have a package, and you will still only have a mid level ugly piece of scrap. Most people would ratehr have a great looking car than a trumped-up tyre-smoking dungheap.
Next time you’re “smoking,” whatever it is that you smoke, us Koup owners will be wonderfully satisfied with what we have to step into, admired by onlookers too! Smoke on, you bunch of tonsils, console yourselves with what alternative poor choice you have made, and rant on another site about your poor diagnosis and opinion. Perhaps you should rather buy a 20 year old Golf, whack in a 2.2 Turbo, and strip it down, and then you will have a dime-a-dozen quick car that looks like crap, has no reliability and “smokes” the opposition – When it’s running, of course.
Great thanks with further detailed comments… It’s helpful rather than reading all irrelevant bashed-up comments…
I fall in love with Koup when I first test drive it… After that I went to test a Mazda3 & Peugeot308T… Mazda is far to compare in terms of outlook, interior & accessories. Peugeot has kinda lose my favor score in term of outlook. I call my friend to make a booking directly!
By the way Billy Boy, your Koup doesn’t come with LCD touch screen as the current model has it, right?
Do you mind to share a little more about its fuel consumption & spare part costs?
I now own a 1.6sx version of the Forte 4 door (that comes with full specs, touch screen hd) and I must say that overall the car performs rather well. What it lacks in refinement, it makes up with style and practicality in design and performance.One must remember what you are paying for and not to compare with more luxurious brands or makes.
I’ve previously owned quite a few cars over the years ranging from Japs, Contis and Koreans models.
My point of view of these brands are as follows:
1) For best in driving pleasure – BMW
2) For best in cruising and long distance comfort – MERCS
3) For best handling, fuel efficient and daily commuting comfort – CITROEN
4) For best on the limit driving and handling – FIAT and ALFA ROMEO
5) For best in trouble free vehicle ownership – HONDA and TOYOTA
6) For overall best of both worlds experience( Japs and Contis ) – HYUNDAI and KIA
7) For economical drive and vehicle ownership – PERODUA
Just my honest 2 cents from my previous vehicle ownership experience.
I must say that I am very impressed with the headways Korean makes have made recently and would advise those who are in the market for a new vehicle to test and compare them to popular makes before placing a deposit.
Happy motoring motorheads!
Kimchi…