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Koup d'état

Koup d'état

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I took a Koup out for a test drive yesterday and I liked it a lot. It was just a quick one around the block so I didn't get to really push it but I liked what I saw in the limited time I had. I do have one question though, why is the steering so tight? I've never driven a new car so I don't know if maybe that's it, but I currently own a Dodge Charger and the wheel is so easy to turn and I love it. I was just wondering if this is actually how the wheel always is, or is it because it's brand new.

And by tight steering I mean it was hard to turn the wheel, I felt like the car was fighting me. lol
 
Rack and Pinion steering.
Makes for a sporty feel rather than a luxury car
I just turned in my caddy...easy to palm the wheel and turn...this reminds me of when I had my C5. Downsizing nowadays...you get use to the steering...car really tracks well and holds its grip...it's fun.
 
Yea I guess. Not sure how much I like it. I gotta take the car for another longer test drive to really get a feel for it. We'll see.

Just so used to my Charger. Being high up there, and feeling big(for a car). Lol, it's a huge change but one I'm willing to make.
 
much of this feel is in the suspension. remember it is a sports car(if anyone wishes to argue that, remember that this is a tuner's wet dream, I'll be turning out 250hp and 230 lb/ft before i'm done) this is one area where most reviewers agreed. that in the slalom the car performed like a dream (67.6mph). performing just as well as the civic si(67.4) and the mazda3(68.4) many are just being assholes about the new kia on the block and don't like their favorites being smacked. it's just waiting to be opened up, with intake and exhaust it should become an animal. as for comparing it with your charger, that car is much larger, 4260 lbs compared to 2875 lbs. that is a MASSIVE difference. they cannot be compared evenly. though maybe you need a hyundai sonota if it's too much for you, my loaner felt like a boat :p
 
Wow, you're hoping to get 250 HP out of the Koup? I look forward to keeping track of your mods in the future, I'd be very interested in getting my Koup up there.

Yea the Charger is completely different. Especially since I only have the 6 cyl, the Forte is so much quicker. Not too mention the FWD/RWD difference, just feels completely different.

I've told so many people about me looking at a Kia, and everyone, I mean everyone is screaming at me telling me not to get it. I never realized how bad the rep really was. It's a good thing I buy the car for me. :) Maybe I'll get everyone to change their mind when they see mine.
 
now that I think about it, I am probably aiming for 220hp and 210 lb/ft because i want to keep it naturally aspirated and avoid a turbo. just check out kinetic's koup from sema, it's what they have done and is basically what i'm going for. if eventually I add the turbo, that number should easily boost to the 250 i mentioned. hell, i just went to my buddy's shop and looked at the dodge neon he's working on, it's a 4 banger producing 558hp and 492lb/ft of torque, though it drives like crap at anything under 40mph.

the fwd is definitely a change as well, if you check out some of the more detailed and performance oriented reviews you will see them talking about the torque oversteer that most feel was handled well in the koup. i can feel it pull/grab/tug/yank even away from me if i throttle into a curve, but i just feel my way and adapt, and i've done a full 90 degrees at 35mph. same idea goes for the rear end getting loose if you speed up too much through a turn in a rwd. both have their strengths and weaknesses. if you have ever completely lost your ass in a high speed turn with a rwd(i had a 94 mercury cougar xr7 with a mustang cobra intake/exhaust) you'll start to think twice about which you like better.
 
Lol, I know what you mean. I've done that plenty of times, mostly on purpose though.

Last winter though, I had to work the overnight shift once, and of course the night I work we get slammed with snow. So I'm driving home at 430 AM and the plows haven't been out yet. God damn was I a mess. I have the base model Charger so none of the fancy traction control or ESP. Lol. I couldn't get any traction at all, I was driving 5 MPH and the back was kicking out all over the place, it's amazing I didn't crash. It's all city driving home from work so there were parked cars everywhere that I was just missing. Very scary. Lol.

Another reason I'm looking at the Forte Koup. :)
 
if you really want to play with your salesperson, look to the left of your steering wheel and push that traction control button! it's got your car with some curvy tire marks behind it, turn that off and freak em out. what's great is you know they don't want to say anything to you, they just want you to be happy and buy the car. i did that when i tested the genesis coupe 3.8 and had that sales girl squeaking, it was hilarious, we hit 100mph and she didn't know what to say, it was great.

as far as control goes, don't fwd cars handling snow and ice better than rwd? i think the idea is that the weight of the engine is on the front wheels and helps with traction.
 
Yup FWD is much better than RWD in the snow. That's what I meant when I said it was another factor in me switching to the Koup.
 
To the original poster,

Your charger has power assisted electric steering. The Koup, if I'm not mistaken, has hydrolic power assisted steering which uses the power of the engine to do the steering for you. The latter has better feel and feedback during "performance" driving. Electric steering feels the same whether going 2 mph or 100 mph. It may make the car easier to turn, in say the parking lots, but during performance driving you cant really tell where the wheels are turned or how the road conditions are. It easy to go past the limit and jeapordize the car.

Personally, I like the feel of heavy steering with hydrolic power assist. Most enthusiast will tell you the same. However, due to fuel efficiency conscious consumers, electric steering is slowly taking over. Its a sad sad day.
 
Nice comment ConceptVBS. I agree wholeheartedly about the power-assisted steering over electric. Most of the "big boat" cars have electric steering because they are supposed to have a luxurious feel and are so heavy that when they are driving slowly, they need lighter steering. The Kia is definitely aiming to please sport enthusiasts with their steering.

Koup d said:
I've told so many people about me looking at a Kia, and everyone, I mean everyone is screaming at me telling me not to get it. I never realized how bad the rep really was. It's a good thing I buy the car for me. :) Maybe I'll get everyone to change their mind when they see mine.
Click to expand...

As for the number of people that hate on Kia, I got a lot of that too. I was also a hater but really changed my tune after test driving the Forte SX and reading a few reviews of the car. Since Hyundai became 40% owner of Kia, they have really helped in co-designing new models and pushing their fantastic build quality and warranties across both companies and their products. Hyundai has moved into the top 5 car companies for reliability and workmanship and since they are steering Kia's ship now, it won't be long before Kia is there too. The fact that the Forte's engine is being used in Mitsubishi and Chrysler products should say something for Kia. Both the Forte and the Soul are nominees for the 2010 Car of the Year award from Car and Driver!

I think we all know someone or have heard a story about someone that had an older Kia, a Rio, Sportage, Magentis, whatever, and hated it or found the quality to be lacking. Those are older 2000-2007 vehicles, not new Kias. Things have changed and Kia will be recognized as an industry leader soon.

Sorry for the rant, but don't make a decision because of what others say/think about Kia. They obviously haven't driven a new one or read up on what the experts are saying.
 
i didn't know the charger had electric power steering. I hate that, drove a forte ex with fuel package as a loaner and couldn't stand the way it handled. all fortes except that particular pkg have hydraulic pwr steering.
 
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