Stylin’ with the Hyundai Coupe

Any guy buying a coupé, any coupé, wants to earn pogi points. Sure, practical considerations like ease of maintenance, interior spaciousness or fuel economy are considered, but they’re generally down there on the list together with "location of ashtray" in terms of importance.

Want space? Buy a van or an SUV. Fuel efficiency? Then get a diesel truck or a gasoline-engined compact. But if you want head-turning style but just don’t have the bucks to cough up for a Porsche, a Mercedes SLK or a BMW Z4, then a coupé would do nicely, thank you.

Unfortunately, Mitsubishi has stopped importing the Eclipse and no other manufacturer seems eager to take up the cudgels — except for Hyundai. Thankfully, the Korean car-making giant has a car that solves the problem of style-challenged motorists easily. It’s called the Hyundai Coupé and it’s actually the second version of this model to hit local shores.

And what a looker it is. Take a look at the car in the picture and then Google "Ferrari 456" and see the uncanny resemblance between the two. The racy fuel filler lid, the shark-inspired gills on the front fenders and the mean-looking rear wing all underscore the look of performance. Of course, cars that look like scaled down Italian exotics are expected to run like thoroughbreds, as I experienced regularly while driving the Coupé for a week. Find an open road, downshift (the Coupé has Hyundai’s H-Matic automatic gearbox that allows manual shifts just like Porsche’s Tiptronic or BMW’s Steptronic automatic transmissions) and accelerate…then look behind you and count the number of smart alecs trying to catch you.

And some of them just might, as the Coupé doesn’t exactly have the most powerful engine out there. Its 2.0-liter variable valve timing twin-cam 16-valve EFI motor produces 141 bhp at 6000 rpm with 186 Nm of torque — adequate, certainly, but not awe-inspiring. It’s a docile powerplant in everyday driving, emitting a smooth, if not exactly spine-tingling roar as the revs climb. I’d estimate acceleration times to 100 kph from a standstill at around 8.5 seconds. Top speed should be around 210 kph. Plenty quick.

But looking good and going fast in a straight line are just the tips of the iceberg. Attack a corner — or better yet, one of those U-turn slots when there is no oncoming traffic — and marvel at the way the Coupé sticks to the curve. Handling is flat, almost go-kart-like, with little body roll and even less tire squeal. Braking is a strong point, too, with powerful four-wheel-discs (with ABS) that are easy to modulate. Given the shortish wheelbase and the responsive handling, you’d expect a harsh ride on rough roads but there is none. Potholes and humps are shrugged off almost as well as in a compact sedan. Obviously, Hyundai took a good look at some of the more accomplished small coupés out there (Celica, Eclipse, etc.) and produced a surprisingly sophisticated little coupé.

Inside, it’s a true driver’s cockpit, with well-bolstered seats, a handsome and functional dashboard and a serious-looking steering wheel. Space for the front is relatively generous, although the rear seats are best left for vertically challenged adults or for short hops.