Since the new look is thanks to a stellar design team directed by Peter Schreyer, Kia's chief design officer, and headed by Tom Kearns, chief designer of Kia Motors America, the third generation Cerato Koup shows off some serious European-inspired style - just like some European divas who made serious inroads on the Hollywood scene when movies were still mostly about glamour.
HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU
All exterior panels on the car are new, except for the hood and front fenders. Seen from the front, the Koup's stance is bold and athletic. The slimmer front grille with wider and lower air intake, together with the voluminous bumper design, gives this model a memorable look.
The Koup also follows the latest Eruopean trend with contrasts in colour on the trim including a dark chrome front grille and carbon-look bumper finish.
The Koup's rear view is simple and modern, but by no means neglected in design. The two-tone bumper features a carbon-look diffuser with dual exhaust pipes. The trunk lid is shaped to reduce aerodynamic drag and the LED rear combination lamps smooth the airflow while also reinforcing the Koup's confidence with its wide road stance.
The profile of the new Koup is enhanced by frameless doors, flush side glazing and black-gloss door mirrors - again in contrasting colour as per the latest fashion demand.
The door handles have chrome inserts, although the side-sill mouldings are in matching colour to the body work. The neat and sporty side look is finished off with 18" alloy wheels that give the car an extra touch of glamour.
PEEL ME A GRAPE, BEULAH
Comfort is sometimes sacrificed in a sports car, but during our drive at the launch the automatic made every task easy. The driver-focused cockpit places all controls within easy reach, while the sweeping curve of the centre stack creates a voluminous feeling, adding to a feeling of wellbeing and being in control.
Another comfort aspect is the new Koup being wider and higher than before, which converts to generous space for passengers and cargo.
The front seats offer excellent comfort, and space in the rear of the cabin is improved with increased headroom (up 28mm), legroom (up 51mm) and shoulder room (up 15mm).
Both Koup front seat occupants will enjoy the wider seats and deeper bolsters on both cushion and backrest for increased support and comfort.
SHAKEN, NOT STIRRED
Regarding elegance and the good life, the new Koup features plush leather seats, while soft-touch materials are applied to the upper door trims, dashboard, door armrests, door centre trim panels and the centre console.
Driver comfort in the Koup has been enhanced by fitting an accelerator pedal, which more closely follows the natural movement of the user's foot, while the steering wheel features tilt and telescopic adjustment.
The turning circle (with the 50mm longer wheelbase) is still compact, measuring 10,6m and requiring just 2,96 turns of the wheel lock-to-lock. With a responsive steering feel and precise vehicle control, the Koup comes standard with Kia's Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) system.
IT'S ALIVE!
The Koup is manufactured in Korea and features the new high-performance 152kW turbocharged 1,6-litre Gamma T-GDI engine. The exhaust sound is tuned to produce an especially sporty tone between 1 000 and 4 000rpm.
The Cerato Koup model will feature a six-speed transmission. Drivers are offered a choice of manual or multi-mode automatic gearboxes. We drove an effortless automatic version with a published acceleration time from 0 to 100km/h of 7,7 seconds and a top speed of 222km/h.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS
For maximum stopping power, new Koup models are equipped with an all-disc braking system featuring large diameter ventilated front discs (300mm) and 262mm solid discs at the rear. This is backed up by Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with built-in Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD). The torsional rigidity of the new Koup body shell is increased by 37%, adding more refinement and creating a stronger foundation for the suspension and steering which also enhances ride comfort and steering precision.
At the front, new 'crash boxes' are fitted to the longitudinal engine bay side members, reducing low-speed impact damage and the rear chassis side members are strengthened – minimising distortion and reducing repair costs. At the rear, an additional benefit of the CTBA rear suspension layout is that its robust structure provides the under-seat fuel tank with added protection during a rear impact.
Active safety technologies standard on the new Koup include active headrests, Isofix child seat anchors, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill-start Assist Control (HAC), Vehicle Stability Management (VSM), front and rear parking sensors, High Intensity Discharge (HID) Xenon headlamps with built-in LED daytime running lights and front LED bordered fog lamps.
The new Koup is equipped with six airbags: dual front, side and curtain airbags. Active headrests are standard on the driver and front passenger seats.
AN OFFER YOU CAN'T REFUSE
The Kia Cerato Koup comes in a range of eight exterior colours, including: Clear White and Racing Red (solid), Snow White and Aurora Black (pearl), plus Bright Silver, Metal Stream, Planet Blue and Abyss Blue (metallic).
Rear seats have a centre folding armrest, cup holders in the side panel trim and a 60/40 spilt folding backrest.
The glove box is bigger, both front door pockets holds a 700ml bottle, while a cup holder is built into the rear side trim of the cabin. Along the car's centre line, there is a sunglasses holder, a covered 2-litre console multi-box ahead of the gear lever, twin cup holders behind the gear lever and a 5,6-litre centre console box between the front seats.
The price starts at R334 995 and a first-ever Kia warranty of five years or 150 000km is included, as well as a service plan of five years or 90 000km and unlimited roadside assistance for three years.
View more photos here.
The driver-focused cockpit places all controls within easy reach.
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