Entry-Level Coupes

Kinja'd!!! "gmctavish needs more space" (gmctavish)
11/26/2015 at 21:04 • Filed to: None

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In the least practical, but arguably most stylish compact segment, which would you take?

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The Hyundai Elantra

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The Honda Civic

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Or the Kia Forte

Personally, I think I’d go with the Forte, but I’d cheat and get the first generation because I think they actually look fantastic, and I’ve never driven any of these so my opinion is mostly looks-based.

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DISCUSSION (31)


Kinja'd!!! scoob > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:07

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I thought this was a bad Photoshop at first. Didn’t know these existed.


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > scoob
11/26/2015 at 21:09

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They’re definitely uncommon. I’ve only seen couple on the road


Kinja'd!!! Bytemite > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:10

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Elantra Coupe was my first car. Definitely best looking of the 3. And it was fun as hell to drive.


Kinja'd!!! CB > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:10

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I’ll take a Forte Koup because why the fuck not.


Kinja'd!!! ranwhenparked > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:18

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Of the three, I think the current Civic is the most successful design. I generally like Kia’s styling, but that gunslit upper grille/giant lower grille look just isn’t working.


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > ranwhenparked
11/26/2015 at 21:20

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I don't know how I feel about the front end of any of them, but the back end of the Kia is my favourite


Kinja'd!!! Speed > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:22

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A friend of mine just picked up a Forte5 and I was surprised at how nice it is for the money. Turbo, flappy paddles, nice interior and a lot of features I’d expect on something considerably more expensive.

I wouldn’t buy any of these, but if someone was giving them away I might just take the Kia.


Kinja'd!!! Noah - Now with more boost. > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:23

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Forte. And I’m totally down for the first generation too, it does look great. I’ve driven a few modern civics on long drives - they’re atrocious.


Kinja'd!!! dogisbadob > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:25

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No TC? It has that awesome panoramic sunroof.

And the Elantra coupe has been killed off.

It’s also worth noting that a new Civic coupe will be out soon, and the outgoing one is fugly.


Kinja'd!!! FromCanadaWithLove > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:42

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VW had a concept for a Jetta coupe in 2010, and hot damn it looks good.


Kinja'd!!! The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:46

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According to the EPA, my 2010 Camaro is a compact...

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Kinja'd!!! Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:50

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I’m with you on first gen Forte. Koup in particular.

The 2nd gen is just blegh.


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > dogisbadob
11/26/2015 at 21:55

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I knew I was forgetting one, I was just thinking Toyota and forgot about Scion :p Oh it has? I did not know that.....this is true about the Civic, I was just trying to do what is available now. But that failed since the Hyundai isn’t a thing


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > Noah - Now with more boost.
11/26/2015 at 21:56

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That’s almost impressive that they've made it bad. I've driven a 1990 hatch, and a 2010 sedan. They were both perfectly good, too bad they got all weird after that generation


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > FromCanadaWithLove
11/26/2015 at 21:57

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Wow. They really should've made that


Kinja'd!!! LongbowMkII > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 21:59

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Scion tC.


Kinja'd!!! Svend > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:01

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We don’t think we get any of those in the U.K. so I nominate the Peugeot RCZ 1.6 THP GT.

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It’s one of about three (BMW 2 Series, Nissan 370Z) for £20-25,000 region as the Alfa 4C, BMWs (4, 6 and i8 Series) and Audis (A5, S5, RS5, TT, TTS and R8) are about £30,000+


Kinja'd!!! ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
11/26/2015 at 22:05

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Aren’t car class sizes calculated by interior volumes?

Thus something like the Bentley Brooklands is classified as a compact, despite it being so large that the rear quarter panel is the same length as a typical compact car.


Kinja'd!!! ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:07

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The Lexus RC 200T.

RWD. Turbo. Flappy-paddle-auto. Entry-level Lexus.


Kinja'd!!! The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/26/2015 at 22:08

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Pretty much... Seems silly, but you could park it in a compact spot out of spite for the people with Smart cars and Sonics.


Kinja'd!!! Noah - Now with more boost. > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:12

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Yeah I bet that 1990 was fun! Newer civics have come a long way, but I can’t give them a positive review. Dead GPS systems after 60k miles, cardboard seats, outrageous wind noise, and dampers that are so cheap, it feels like the car never stops vibrating between bumps. I know it’s an economy car, but it feels like Honda skimps on some things to accentuate how much nicer the Accord is (especially the new one, which I love)


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
11/26/2015 at 22:25

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I don't really see how that's an entry-level Lexus, but I cheated so I'll allow it


Kinja'd!!! Milky > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:27

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I don’t care for your rules.

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Kinja'd!!! Under_Score > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:45

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I was just thinking about compact coupes yesterday, and how one would be cool to have. The 2012 Scion tC Release Series (the yellow one) is definitely my favorite, but no backup camera and (from what I’ve read) limited headroom draw me away.

One of the Koreans, then. They’re pretty cheap used because of depreciation, and they look good.


Kinja'd!!! Jayhawk Jake > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:45

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I owned a first gen Forte Koup. It was a nice car and decently fun to drive.


Kinja'd!!! iSureWilll > gmctavish needs more space
11/26/2015 at 22:59

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I’ve never driven any of these either but based on looks, I would also go with the Kia Forte. Next choice would be the Hyundai Elantra because it’s like the curvy sister of the Forte. And last - The Honda Civic.


Kinja'd!!! iSureWilll > FromCanadaWithLove
11/26/2015 at 23:02

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As a Golf owner... I would actually use my money for that.


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > Milky
11/27/2015 at 00:22

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Such compact


Kinja'd!!! gmctavish needs more space > Under_Score
11/27/2015 at 00:23

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Yeah I was looking at the first gens because they've gotten quite cheap. But then I think, for that money I could get a showroom condition E30....


Kinja'd!!! 64C10 > gmctavish needs more space
11/27/2015 at 02:04

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The Kia, just with different (OEM) wheels. Dunno why, I just think it’s the best looking of the three. Hyundai 2nd, Civic last.


Kinja'd!!! Stapleface-Now Hyphenated! > gmctavish needs more space
11/27/2015 at 09:03

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The Honda. In fact, that’s the choice I made in February (although in sedan form). While the Kia and Hyundai are nice, I just preferred the Civic.

And, the 2016 Civic looks even better.