1998 Hyundai Coupe FX review from Czech Republic

I've inherited one or two minor problems that seem to have little to do with the competence of the Hyundai guys.

The only thing has been the paint job. There are minor scratches which, upon close inspection, appear - otherwise one wouldn't notice.

Having been disappointed with my previous Renault Megane and Golf - believe you me - I was more than used to being beaten from the lights, treated with annoyance at the local garage, and not even attracting an occasional glance from an adrenaline- hungry teenager.

Then one day I saw a Hyundai coupe parked, gracefully posing by the pavement while waiting for its master. And then I saw the truth. Even now I cannot believe the looks this baby gets from the plebs at the bus-stop. I am hesitant- neigh - not worthy, of the power under these pedals - willing to waste far more costly pretenders to the value-for-money coupe.

The Porsche developed suspension deals with ease the harsh cobbles of central Europe that play havoc with most suspension systems, while 2.0 litres gets the instant respect other car owners either crave, or spend most of the time filling up at the petrol station, to earn.

If anything goes wrong with it, I won't be all that bothered because it only cost 3500 pounds. Having said that, after scouring the www for 2 weeks, I could only find good things said about the reliability of the Hyundai coupe.

The boot is larger than you'd expect- more than enough space for most purposes. The rear seats come down to whether you are a 'the glass is half full of half empty' kind of person. I for one am not planning on driving any arthritic old-age pensioners around in the back with my girlfriend in the front, the leg room is an irrelevance. Any more leg room in the back, and it would defeat the whole point of the Hyundai Coupe - style and dynamism for the kind of person who wants to stand out from the rest!