HYUNDAI COUPE 2002-2006 Review
Good Points
- Stylish looks
- Comes well kitted out
Bad Points
- Cramped interior
- Performance doesn't live up to its looks
Engines
There are three petrol engines available in the Coupe that start off with the entry level 1.6-litre producing 103bhp followed by a 2.0-litre with 141bhp and finally a 162bhp 2.7-litre V6. The 1.6 and 2.0-litre engines come with a five speed manual gearbox as standard whilst the V6 has a six speed automatic gearbox. The 2.0 also comes with an optional 4 speed automatic.
Performance & Economy
The entry level 1.6-litre is fairly underpowered and as a result feels sluggish which can be seen in its 11.5 seconds that it takes to get from 0-60mph. It is the most fuel efficient in the range though managing 37mpg. The 2.0-litre is a much more capable engine being two and a half seconds faster than the 1.6-litre and doesn't suffer too much economically achieving 35mpg. It does still need to be worked fairly hard though to get any meaningful sort of pace out of it. The 2.7-litre V6 is unfortunately a disappointment being less than a second quicker than the smaller 2.0-litre and doesn't deliver the quicker speed that it showed promises of. All of the standard gearboxes perform fairly well, but avoid the four-speed automatic that is an option on the 2.0-litre as it is sluggish and ruins the fuel efficiency and performance. The 1.6-litre sits in group 8 for insurance purposes followed by the 2.0-litre in group ten and finally the 2.7-litre in group 14.
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Introduction
The Hyundai Coupe is a good looking coupe with its sleek and stylish design. It is surprisingly spacious inside as well with plenty of room in the back seats and a large boot that competes with the best in this category. The handling and ride doesn't really live up to expectations though as the engines all feel underpowered, even the V6. The steering lacks feel and the stiff suspension proves extremely uncomfortable around town.
Exterior & Interior
The Coupe is a sleek and stylish looking coupe with hints of the Ford Mustang and various Ferrari's in the body work. The interior is quite cramped, but the back seats do come with a surprising amount of room for a two door car. The boot is also quite large coming in at 400litres, which is bigger than most other coupes and it also comes with the option of folding flat the rear seats. The driving position isn't very good though with the seat being very low and doesn't come with any height adjustments. The steering wheel also lacks reach adjustment making it hard to reach for taller drivers. The headroom is limited some what in the 2.0-litre and V6 due to the sunroof that comes with them as standard. The interior is well built, but the materials are slightly on the cheap side especially in early models before any of the facelifts took place.
Each engine comes with its own list of kit as standard with the 1.6-litre coming with a CD stereo, air-con, electric windows, 16 inch alloys, part leather trim and an iPod connector. The 2.0-litre added a sunroof, cruise control and leather seats with the V6 coming with 17 inch alloys and traction control.
Drive
Unfortunately the cars handling isn't quite as head turning as its looks with the engines all being underpowered for such a sporty looking car. Unfortunately, the Hyundai Coupe is a car that promises so much, but ultimately doesn't quite deliver. The handling and ride is stiff and extremely uncomfortable on rougher roads. Around town and the handling feels vague and lacks feel. It is good for cruising down the motorway, but it's never really going to get your heart racing which is extremely disappointing.
Faults & Repairs
The Coupe has suffered very few faults over its lifetime with the mechanicals proving to be tough and durable. The electrics do let it down on some occasions with drivers complaining about their electric windows not working, warning lights on the dash coming on for no particular reason and the sunroof has a tendency to stick. If buying a second hand Hyundai Coupe you should make sure that it has undergone all the necessary services over the years and it has been well looked after. There should be no reason why it shouldn't have been either as Hyundai's service and repair costs are among the lowest in the business.
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