2003 Hyundai Coupe 2.0 FX review from UK and Ireland

Where do I start? Is the Hyundai Coupe a good car or a waste of precious metal?

Is it a budget Ferrari or hairdressers Porsche?

The answer to that depends on which model you buy. I am on my second coupe in the space of 12 months. I bought a 1.6 coupe last year, and was plagued with annoying little problems from day one:

Noisy clutch, engine warning light flashing on start-up for a good 20 – 30 seconds and a tapping in my engine due to the lack of oil circulating from a cold start.

That and a rattling hatch drove me insane.

All “natural occurrences” according to the dealer!

As for the car itself, it has very comfortable bucket seats. A bland, but somewhat stylish interior, a very attractive design and high equipment levels make it an attractive buy for the average buyer.

I sold my 1.6 for a 2.0 coupe. This car is in a different class to the 1.6. Yes, it’s the same car with the same excellent handling and brakes. But both inside and under the bonnet, it’s a different machine altogether… it’s a proper coupe!

Even the build quality of the 2.0 seems far superior. Maybe because I bought a dud the first time round, but this time there are no rattles, no tapping (except my fingers to the sound of the 6 speaker stereo system) and a whole lot more power. There’s enough acceleration to stick you to the all leather seats and the braking power to tear you right back off them!

Climate control and air con are another bonus not included with the sluggish, overweight 1.6.

Verdict:

If it’s a no frills, no-go glam car you want, get a 1.6 coupe. It’s cheap and it looks good. Personally, I wouldn’t make the same mistake again. I wanted a proper sports car, which is what I’ve got now with the 2.0. (I have even put a few BMW’s & Mercedes to shame when it came to a traffic light show-down).