In 2013, Kia launched the second generation of its compact coupe named Koup. It is based on the Forte and it lost two doors on the way. It is a car addressed to younger people. It has two doors and five seats.
The Koup entered in the sport-compact coupe vehicles, to get a slice of the market share. It used the same recipe as with other models: low price, good equipment, and decent performance. It wasn't up to pace with other vehicles in the segment, but it was close. The design team led by Peter Schreyer did a good job. This segment is very weak in offers, and most of the competitors were hatchbacks, not coupes. But this was also a drawback since the headroom was not that great.
Inside the cabin, the driver could get heated steering wheel, heated and cooled seats, a 7” touchscreen infotainment system and some sporty details such as the aluminum pedals and paddle-shifters for the 6-speed automatic gearbox.
From the technical point of view, the Koup was available with two engine choices. A 2.4-liter naturally aspirated and a 1.6-liter turbo. Both featured direct injection. The available transmission was either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed automatic. The four-wheel independent suspension provided good cornering abilities and enough comfort.
In 2009, Kia revealed its first two-door coupe at the New York International Auto Show, the Forte Koup. The car looks appealing, having a sporty and aggressive design due to the air intakes and its lower stance. It comes in two trim levels, EX and SX, the SX offering 17-inch alloy wheels instead of the standard of 16-inch.
The Koup is shorter in both length and height than the sedan, but still has 5 passenger seats. The Forte EX is driven by a 2.0L DOHC engine with 156HP,while the SX comes with a 2.4L engine with 173HP. For this model, two transmission options are available: a standard 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic (for the EX). The SX offers two options, a 6-speed manual and a 5-speed automatic.
This car is quipped with sport seats and both variants offer an optional power moonroof. A leather package is also available for the two, which adds heated seats and leather steering wheel and shift knob. For a friendlier experience, the standard trim level comes with steering wheel-mounted audio controls. It is also equipped with an USB and auxiliary input jacks and customers can easily connect through bluetooth for hands-free operation.
The Forte Koup is a class-leading car when it comes to safety. It has dual front advanced airbags, front seat-mounted and side curtain airbags, ABS, ESC and TPMS. Kia already got us used to its long-term reliable warranty:10-year/100.000-mile powertrain warranty, 5-year/60.000-mile basic warranty and 5-year or 100.000-mile anti-perforation warranty.