- Competes with: Honda Civic coupe, Ford Focus coupe, Chevy Cobalt coupe
- Looks like: Kia is going to be a real player in the compact segment
- Drive train: 156-hp, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with CVT, or 173-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder with six-speed manual or five-speed automatic
- Hits dealerships: Late 2009
| Kia debuted its new Forte sedan at February's Chicago auto show, and we knew a two-door variant was on the way. Today, the company unveiled that coupe, calling it the Forte Koup. We're not sure why automakers feel the need to mess with the English language, but considering the trim levels of the Kia Soul use "!" and "+" in their names, this isn't quite as annoying. The bigger news is that the base engine gets 25/34 mpg city/highway, which is similar to the Focus' mileage and 1 mpg less than the Civic coupe's 26/34 mpg. However, the Kia has at least 10 more horsepower than either. There are just two trim levels: the EX and the SX, which adds a more powerful engine and returns 22/32 mpg with a manual transmission and 23/31 mpg with an automatic. Standard equipment on all Forte Koups include 16-inch alloy wheels, stability control, height adjustment for the driver's seat, cruise control, a six-speaker sound system, Sirius Satellite Radio, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, USB and standard auxiliary audio inputs, and Bluetooth hands-free phone connection. Price will play a big factor in determining the Forte Koup's value, but if recent releases like the affordable Soul are any indication, we'd guess the Forte Koup will be competitive. |
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