Hyundai Coupe (2002 - 2009) 2.0 SIII 3d (2007/07) Owner Review

What does this car say about you?

That we care about build quality, reliability and how good a car looks. Performance isn't everything, but we do appreciate excellent value-for-money; impressive equipment levels and reasonable running costs.

What do your friends / family / neighbours think of the car?

Don't know or care too much really. I think most will love the looks until they see the badge - the usual 'badge-snobbery'!

Would you buy this car again and why?

Yes. It really is just about the only option now that the Celica is no longer made and until the Scirocco comes down in price as a second hand car. The Mazda RX-8 is way too thirsty to be an option.

What are you likely to buy next?

VW Scirocco or (preferably) Audi TT

Type of dealer you bought from?

Independent

Did you buy this car new?

No

What price did you pay?

£8,750

When did you buy the car?

February 2009

Did you get a good deal and why?

Yes, we got an excellent deal. The trade-in price on our old Celica was okay, though not great (to be expected), though I was able to negotiate the advertised price down by a decent amount.

Is there any special reason why you bought this car?

We thought it represented excellent value for money; drove very well in the road test; looked superb and seemed very well built; was very well equipped and, of course, the 5 year warranty carried a lot of appeal.

What was the dealer like?

Excellent - really helpful and very well organised. This was especially appreciated, as the dealer was 100 miles away from where we live.

What's it like to drive?

Really easy to drive and much smoother with a more solid feel than I expected. It pulls really strongly in the mid-range too, especially compared to our lovely, but gutless, old Celica. Steering is heavy-ish at low speed, but lightens up nicely on A roads and motorways.

What's it like to park?

Not great rearward visibility, not surprisingly (it is a coupe!), though we are used to parking this type of car.

Have you had any problems with the car?

No, nothing to date, though we've not owned the car for very long (about a month!)

What's most practical about your car?

Having 2+2 seats is great and the boot is big, even without folding down the rear seats.

Favourite gadget, option or accessory?

Heated (and red leather) seats and electric sunroof are nice, though the climate control is the most important item. The trip computer is also handy.