1999 Hyundai Coupe F2 Evolution from UK and Ireland - Comments

There has been an intermittent fault with the cruise control. On occasions it has not been possible to apply the cruise control.

The car in standard form looks fantastic. Mine is in Cobalt Mica Blue. The only aspect of the original car I have changed are the alloy wheels. I have replaced the F2 16 inch alloys with 17 inch TSW Imolas and 205 40 17 tyres, which look awesome.

The car is deceptively quick, and handles extremely well. Cruising on motorways is dangerously easy especially on cruise control.

The air conditioning is excellent for both hot summer days and misty cold mornings.

I enjoy the attention and the exclusivity. Not many F2 Evos on the UK roads.

Am I alone in thinking that the new style Coupes have lost much of the originality and style of the 96-99 cars?

Hmmmm. Personally I think the latest shape coupe is an improvement, I think some of the original cars owners were a bit jealous when they saw the new model for 2000. The rear end of the old model looked very Korean. The new shape looks more european. It takes a while to adjust to the front lights being the wrong way round, but you can only copy the Toyota Celica so many times! The new starfish alloys are also much nicer than the old wheels.

Refinement and handling are also improved, the steering doesn't self centre fiercely like the old model, and the gearchange is better. Don't just criticise it because you can't afford a new one!

Firstly I would like to say that I totally agree with the review of the F2 Evo, I've owned a 98 Coupe SE and then bought a F2 Evolution in silver.

The 2.0 SE was a good car, but the F2 evolution improved on it greatly, the redesign of the front air dam and rear spoiler by Peter Stevens improved the looks of the car greatly.

The extra 17bhp provided by the modifications by MSD drives the power output up to 154bhp from the standard 137bhp. I particularly like the increased acceleration as a result.

The handling has improved, getting fantastic feedback from the road with the 16 inch alloys and the low profile Yokohama A520 tyres, although I found the A539's to be an improvement.

The cruise control button is as you say a little hit and miss on occasions, as it seems to stick when pressed, but in the great scheme of things it is not a big deal.

Secondly I would like to applaud the author of the first comment, they obviously love their 2000 Coupe, however it doesn't justify the harsh reply.

The F2 evolution was a limited edition of 1500 cars and came out with a price tag of around £19299, which a lot of us paid. It was worth considering this when you typed "Don't just criticise it because you can't afford a new one!". I believe the current price tag for a new 2.0 SE coupe is around £16299.

The two cars are very similar and personally I agree, I don't like the 2000 design as much as the 96 - 99. In fact rather than being jealous I agreed with many of the media write-ups when they expressed their concern regarding the Korean change to the original US design, but that is my personal opinion and not a personal attack on every 2000 Coupe owner!

Bottom line, regardless of which design, the Hyundai Coupe is a very exciting car, which has impressed me with its drivability and reliability over many years. And I am yet to understand why some motoring magazines put the Ford Puma above it.

I'm picking up my T reg 16,000 mile Evolution next week. I was glad to find your website and read the driver's comments (very informative - I'll watch out for that cruise control!)

I'll let you know what I think when I've been let loose on the road!

Written by Gregor Mactaggart 8.1.02.

I have just purchased a W reg Hyundai coupe F2 Evolution. I am so pleased with it! All the little extras like the drinks and glasses holders are excellent. It certainly is an eye-catcher, people from the bus stop are gawking! Good luck to all F2 drivers.

Thanks for your informative reviews.

I am picking up an S registration F2 tomorrow and I can't wait!!

Does anybody know of any issues with the Hyundai? I have heard nothing, but good things about their reliability, but no car is perfect... or is it?

I am picking my powder blue Hyundai coupe F2 up on Wednesday 2nd June, It's going to make me feel younger as I am about to turn 40!!!

It is a beautiful looking car and I am so excited, I want to fetch it today!

I am going all the way to Norwich from Nottingham to get it.

Enjoyed reading the informative reviews.

Penny.

I have owned my F2 Evolution Coupe for nearly one year and have enjoyed driving every mile. It has always been reliable and never let me down. Heads still turn as I pass by. Personally I prefer the Mark One to any of the later models. It`s more curvy and sexy. I have just found a web site that supplies performance parts for these cars so I may just add a few tweaks to enhance the already good performance.

Hello - I'm also off to buy my hyundai coupe F2 this weekend and I was interested if the author of the last comment could tell me where he saw the website with the performance parts on it?

Many thanks.

http://www.zyworld.com/hyamsy/Mainpage.htm

This is the web page for the performance parts for the coupe.It`s nothing to do with me so I`m not advertising it.

I recently brought an f2,and was wondering if theirs an f2 members club?i have thought about tweaking it a little, has anyone done this?what were the results,?mine has a noisy cam belt apart from that it's great, anyone knows roughly how much a service cost?my f2 has done 39153 on a t plate.

The newer models (2000 and over) no way look as good as the older f2 models. when I first saw the new models, me and my friends laughed at the new appearance and wondered why they made so ugly from being a great looking car.

I've just bought my V-reg F2 Evolution and it is fantastic. Only 7000 genuine miles and mint condition! Feels like owning a brand new car which is what lots of people think it is. My neighbour has a Porsche GT3 and I can honestly say my Evo looks great next to it!!

I got my F2 silver hyundi in 2001.When It had less than 30,000 on the clock I had to replace my first set of rear bearings at a cost of over 300 pounds per bearing I was not amused!.Then a year later I was billed for the second set of rear bearings at a similar price. I was similarly not amused. Now this year, I was faced with the expence of a rear brake caliper that had totally seized, at a cost of 300 pounds + to repair and to really REALLY make me feel ****** I have now been told that that front disc is warped!! (NO, I am not brake happy, I have yet to have to replce any brake pads on my car) not to mention cracked through and needs to have both replaced at the cost to myself of a further 500 pounds +, then to rub salt into the wound the ABS CABLES ALSO HAVE CORRODED!, at a further cost of £252.50 for the parts (which 6 days later after paying for them, I am still waiting, + the garage is waiting to fit then, not to mention the loss of revenue the garage is having to absorb due to the cost of a bay the car is occupimg).I travelled to the city dealer to pick the parts up, and yes you guessed the parts did not arrive, now, after many lame excuses I can honestly say a car that I loved! for years has now become a laughing stock amongst my friends and I can no longer come up with any more excuses for the cost of the parts that the 'wheels' seem to endlessly require I can honestly say I will be selling my F2 (for those of you that are interested in buying one) and I am going to buy a vauxhall vectra!

I bought my Coupe F2 in 1998 brand new after seeing it in a garage I happened to pass. I didn't even take it for test drive it looked that aw-some. The day I picked it up it was parked next to a brand new Lotus Esprit Turbo waiting to be picked up and I would say it held its own against the Lotus in looks. I love its looks to bits and its colour (blue). Unfortunatly since then I have had to replace one front passenger wheel bearing and discs, three front drivers wheel bearings and disc as well as rear right wheel bearing and discs and discs on rear left all at considerable expense. When I call Hyundai UK I was told there was not a problem with wheel bearings, but I recently met a fereind in a supermarket carpark who I had not seen for years. He knew I had a Coupe F2 and the first thing he mentioned to me was "have you had a problem with wheel bearings"? Turns out that he too has replaced 5 wheel bearings!!! Should be noted I am not an aggressive driver and pretty light on the brakes, most of my 50,000 miles to date are motorway miles. I have to say the 1998 Coupe F2 looks awsome in blue, but the edge is somewhat taken off the experience with it constantly being in the shop for wheel bearings, enough to make sure I don't buy another one. Beautiful car, engineering needs looked at as does Hyundai's customers services as there is obviously a problem with wheel bearings and they are in denial about it.

I've had my '99 V-reg F2 for just over 6 years now. It's got 153,000 miles on the clock, and it pains me to think I'm going to have to give it up. It still drives beautifully, even if it's a little slow to get going on cold mornings.

I'm looking at a change now to a diesel, given the miles I do. But I'll be giving the F2 to my sister, confident that despite it's high mileage, she's getting a great car.

Only signs of age are slight rusting over a wheel well, and slightly worn leather seats. Otherwise, very, very reliable. And given most of my driving is on the motorway, I've had none of the aforementioned cruise-control problems.

As an aside, although Hyundai servicing has been pretty expensive, their customer service has been second-to-none.