Forte-ssimo
CarBuyer thinks that a new catchphrase ‘sell like Kia Koups’ will soon be invented
Gorgeous looks at a good price, great for families, too 
Engine could do with more power Kia’s Forte Koup has a good reason to be loud and proud – it doesn’t really have any rivals
By Andy Hum
THE FIRST TIME the Koup was shown to the world was as a concept car, just last year. It raised hundreds and thousands of eyebrows not just because it was sleek and handsome, but also because it was from Kia, which was then better known for producing everyday runabouts rather than drop-dead gorgeous coupes.
Everybody was leaning on the edges of their seats just before the production version was showcased and Kia faced the pressure from the world to make it look just like the concept. And thank goodness they have.
With the Koup, Kia has stepped into a segment where customers have yet to be blown off their feet for years – the good-looking, practical and affordable coupe territory.
The Forte Koup is based on the Cerato Forte’s platform, so even its wheelbase of 2,650mm remains the same as its bigger brother. It’s 60mm shorter in height (1,400mm) than the Cerato Forte, 10mm of which comes from its lowered suspension, so naturally climbing into the car feels a bit more coupe-like. With a width of 1,765mm, it’s narrower than the saloon by 10mm and also shorter in length by 50mm.
It is available in 1.6-litre SX and 2.0-litre SX trims, using the same engines as with the Cerato Forte. There’s also a choice of having a five-speed manual gearbox or the predictably more popular four-speed automatic.
To keep with the trends, Kia has added an engine starter button for the Koup (the newer Cerato Fortes in SX trim will also get it), so customers will no longer need to stay old-school and twist the key. One trend we won’t be missing, though, is the electrically-assisted steering. The local Forte Koups will come with good ol’ hydraulic steering instead of having Kia’s Motor-Driven Power Steering (MDPS).