2014 Kia Forte Koup SX Turbo Manual

Like its Forte5 hatchback sibling, Kia’s Forte Koup was restyled and got a newsworthy power upgrade this year in the form of a direct-injected, 1.6-liter turbocharged four cranking out 201 horsepower; the prerefresh car settled for 173 ponies from a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter. Like the hatch, the Koup shares the turboed mill with Hyundai’s funky-doored Veloster pseudo-coupe. 

Intentionally misspelled name aside, Kia takes the more conservative approach in this segment, dealing its Koup some added rear leg- and headroom over the previous edition’s while keeping the exterior design more conventional than that of the Veloster. Aesthetically, it’s more in line with what you see from the Honda Civic and Scion tC coupes. 

That’s not to say the Koup isn’t a handsome little thing, turned out in this case in bright Racing Red and carrying the high feature content and competitive pricing we’ve come to expect from Kia. The front fenders and the hood are shared with the hatchback and sedan Forte models, and all ride on the same wheelbase and deliver much the same driving experience. 

The Koup’s hot engine comes with the top-spec SX trim; you get similar looks but a 173-hp 2.0-liter and a lower price in the EX. Parsing details for those who might have decided on a Forte but are still debating the body style and transmission choices, this loaded-up manual-transmission SX did the run to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds, about half a second quicker than the 2014 Forte5 we tested with the same engine and gearbox.

The two-door tipped our scales at 2964 pounds, 54 lighter than the Forte5 we weighed. As tested, the Koup packed the full boat of options, which means two packages. The Premium bundle brings a power sunroof, leather upholstery, heated seats (plus cooling for the driver), a heated steering wheel, and a couple of other items. The Technology package, which requires the Premium kit, adds navigation, a high-res driver’s info screen, dual-zone climate control, and HID headlamps. Each package costs $1800. Add in accessories like a bumper appliqué, cargo mat, and floor mats, and our vehicle’s as-tested was $25,285. We got 21 mpg from the hatchback but managed to finesse 27 mpg from the Koup, which is sort of amazing for our lead-footed crew. But at 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway (the automatic turbo model is rated for 30 highway), this is no one’s idea of a fuel-economy special. 

As in other Fortes, the adjustable-assist electric steering—altered via an easily thumbed button on the steering-wheel spoke—varies effort from board-game spinner to cement-stirring paddle without adding anything that resembles feel or feedback. It’s responsive, though, being sharp enough at turn-in and offering progressive operation. 

The 0.85 g of grip we recorded on the skidpad is pretty good, but we noted more understeer than in the manual hatchback. This is probably attributable to the Koup’s carrying a greater proportion of its mass over the front axle (61.5 percent versus 60.4). The two-door doesn’t encourage outrageous freeway on-ramp behavior, but the handling balance is entertaining enough. 

For the price, however, the Mazda 3 2.0-liter hatchback delivers a more engaging driving experience and a richer-looking cabin environment, albeit with substantially less power—it’s a full second behind on the run to 60 mph—and not quite as many features. Of course, it’s also a five-door. So if what you’re seeking is sub-seven-second thrust, the spiffy looks of a coupe, and a bunch of small car for the money, the Forte Koup merits a look. View Photo Gallery

Source:  KEVIN A. WILSON | July 2014