Traditionally – well, in recent history, at least – small, sporty, two-door cars have been mainly bought by people over 40, with at least half of them being of the female persuasion.
That was, of course, until the Toyota 86 came along and dared to attract a whole bunch of young males to a market segment that had become more used to cup holders and handbag hooks than strut braces and aftermarket exhausts.
Well, now the new-generation Kia Cerato Koup is landing in the same segment, and it looks to try and set things straight again by appealing to… well, 40ish females.
What is it?
Despite its two-door coupe-ish similarities, most certainly not a Toyota 86.
Kia NZ boss Todd McDonald even acknowledges this, stating that the 86 skews the numbers so badly that it is, in fact, the odd one out in the segment. By being actually sporty and uncompromising in a segment that has become far more domesticated as of late.
What the Cerato Koup is, however, is a genuine rude gesture to parent company Hyundai’s Veloster coupe, boasting, as it does, the same 150kW/265Nm 1.6-litre turbo-charged petrol engine and arguably better looks than the oddball Veloster.
The Koup lands in New Zealand as a single model equipped with the 1.6-litre turbo engine hooked up to a six-speed automatic transmission, although a six-speed manual is available on indent order.
Dropping in at $42,490 the Koup comes standard with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, remote keyless entry, an alarm, power windows, power/heated door mirrors with puddle lamps, front and rear parking sensors with camera display, steering wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls, a 6-speaker audio system with Bluetooth, a multifunction trip computer, leather upholstery, dual zone climate control, a drinks cooler in the glovebox, xenon headlights, LED daytime driving lights with front fog lamps, 18-inch alloy wheels and a sat nav unit that features a 7-inch screen and SUNA Live Traffic Update technology, providing real-time traffic information for drivers in the Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga, Wellington and Christchurch regions.
What’s it like?
Despite the new engine, the Koup feels very much like the Cerato it is based on.
That is not to say the extra grunt isn’t noticeable – it very much is – it is more that the very character of the Koup is strikingly similar to its sedan and hatch siblings. Which is actually a compliment.
That means predictable handling and more than acceptable ride for a sporty (ish) car riding on 18-inch wheels.
While our launch drive was an exercise in frustration, with a blast up one of Oversteer’s favourite driving roads hampered by an incredibly slow-moving Suzuki, what we did learn about the Koup’s dynamics was more than acceptable.
There is the expected tendency towards understeer when pushed optimistically into a corner, but generally it sits on the road in a pleasing fashion. The steering is decently sharp, but has an artificial feel to the weighting in all three settings.
The engine is strong, but never feels particularly eager. It does a good job of propelling the Koup along, but never sounds or feels that excited about the idea.
What’s good about it?
The Koup is well-built, well-specced and attractive to look at. The extra power from the new engine is appreciated and the six-speed auto transmission is well-suited to the engine’s power-band.
What’s not so good?
It still falls short of being a genuinely fun car by a small margin. But when the benchmark in the segment is as good as the Toyota 86, then even a slim margin makes a huge difference.
First impressions?
Comparisons to the Toyota 86 are as inevitable as they are unfair, simply because the Cerato Koup has two doors, sporty pretensions and is price exactly in the 86’s ballpark.
But the Koup is not the same sort of car as the 86 and it would be very easy to argue that, for the type of person the Koup is aimed at, it is a far better choice than the sporty Toyota.
The Koup looks sporty, goes well and never threatens to upset the balance of things. You could live with it on a daily basis as easily as you could with its hatch or sedan siblings and it will always be pleasant, comfortable transport, with a small sporty streak when you feel like it.
Specifications
Models/prices
Cerato Koup – $42,490
Powertrain
1.6-litre inline four-cylinder petrol turbo producing 150kW/265Nm; six-speed automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Fuel consumption: 8.0l/100km
CO2 emissions: 190g/km
Safety
ANCAP/EuroNCAP rating: n/a
Air bags: 6
Stability control: yes
Lap/diagonal belts: 5
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