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The first impression

Value, style, pace and two doors, can you guess what car I’m referring to? The Kia Koup with a 1.6T engine is what I’m talking about! It’s priced at R334 995, you may be thinking that it doesn’t sound that cheap, especially if we are referring to a Kia, right?  But wait, I’ll explain my brainwave and use of carefully selected adjectives in a minute. This is the second version of Kia’s two door Cerato Koup. The Cerato is Kia’s medium sized sedan and hatchback combo, with the Koup being the sexy sister in this family of non-identical triplets.

Kia has been making steady and consistent headway in the automotive industry. They have a youthful and almost non-Asian way about their designs. Presumably their goal is to attract loyal customers of other brands, attracting those who find the Germanic brands retail prices rather lofty. Not only are they after the Germans, but more obviously they have nicked sales from their Japanese competition. Quite cleverly in 2006, Kia hired Peter Schreyer to design their cars. His background originating in Germany was with the VW Group. His most acclaimed design was Audi’s iconic first TT. He went on to design a host of Audi’s like the A3, A4, A6 and second generation Beetle from the late 90’s.

By allowing Peter to pen Kia’s future, they have reinvented their brand. Visually Kia makes arguably the best looking cars to come out of Asia, and debatably within their category. The Sportage which Peter designed is an outstanding example of that.

The Koup’s styling is sharp and angular, featuring the same handsome face as its siblings throughout the Cerato range. Where the Koup separates the boys from the men is in its expressive profile and aggressive rear end. The Koup features two large and solid doors that feature rimless windows. The back end of the car is the end most will see, as the Koup is rather quick. The highlight is two rather prominent tailpipes wrapped in a Kevlar-looking sport bumper housing.

On the road

Drive the Kia and you can feel that the Koup has been honed. It may look related to its Cerato siblings, but its tuned 1.6T engine gives this car a totally unique driving experience. It’s quick; so much so that it leaves you pondering the question, is this really just a 1.6T?  In fact, this engine is the most powerful 1.6T on the South African market at 152kW on tap.

The engine really is the heart of this car. Its handling abilities are less potent, being based off its siblings’ DNA. It is more of a brisk cruiser rather than a hard cornering bruiser. Think of it as a fast paced well-dressed executive in Nike trainers.

The Kia has a super slick manual gearbox that encourages quick up and down shifting; it awakens the driver and stimulates a playful and dynamic relationship between machine and driver. The suspension is pretty standard and as per the rest of the Cerato sedans and hatches, so is predisposed to an overall comforting nature, making city traffic a comfortable one.

The interior is modern and simple, featuring above average leaves of standard equipment. A combination of quality leather and a faux Kevlar like material, which makes for a playfully sporty marriage. 

What I liked

• Engine – most powerful 1.6T on the SA market
• Gearbox
• Quality and overall fit and finish
• Comfortable interior with proper rear accommodation for two adults
• Good levels of standard equipment

What I’m not mad about

• Heavy doors
• Lazy breaks

The figures

The other stuff

All Kia Cerato’s including the Koup come standard with a 5yr/90 000km service plan.

The verdict

It’s hard not to like this car. As I said above, three adjectives aptly describe the Koup – value, style and pace.

Coupés are not everyone’s cup of tea, and reserved for those who buy into the sexiness of a two door car. At the price the Koup offers good value, but so do the handful of the other cars listed above and now below as potential competitors.

The Merc has an extra two doors, but its rear seats offer less leg and headroom than the Koup. With its only real advantage being the heritage that comes with German brand.

The A3 sedan is a fantastic vehicle. The A3 family of vehicles recently won the World Car of the Year. The sedan is arguably the most attractive of all A3’s too. It is beautifully built and a dynamic performer.

The Toyota is the most dynamic car of this bunch. It exciting to drive, and puts a smile on all that drive it. It is the true driver’s car of this group, though it is also the least practical.

The BMW is the closest rival to the 86 in this circle of friends. It’s a fun to drive, well-built and has fair punch from its 2.0 twin scroll turbo engine. Like the Merc, it also has limited rear space.

So which one are you going to pick? I know which one I’ll have!

Link to Kia Koup site