Faults:

Eats brake discs.

Front suspension bushes needed replacing at 60000.

Otherwise, it has barely been off the road.

General Comments:

My beloved Hyundai got written off over Xmas 2009 - I drove into deep water and didn't make it out the other side), and I'm actively looking for a replacement: another Hyundai Coupe!

I have had a permagrin for almost 4 years now! Everyone who has ever ridden in it has loved the experience, and it has fantastic kerb appeal.

What can I say - I fell in love with it while driving past the dealer (I didn't even know what it was - I just caught sight of it and decided I HAD to have it!), and the affair has continued since then.

Acceleration is great on slip roads, the ride is smooth - if a little stiff on the suspension - and for a car this size, fuel economy is great. I've managed to get about 33 mpg average, regardless of what the manufacturer says.

Faults:

Driver's side headlight has blown.

The rear windscreen demister no longer works properly.

General Comments:

Overall, the ride in the Coupe is excellent, provided you're on motorways or good, well maintained roads with decent surfaces.

Unfortunately, as soon as you're on anything with a minor bump, it feels as though the car's going to rattle itself apart. Yes, I know it's a 'sports car' and the suspension is harder than normal, however it still makes for a very uncomfortable ride on anything, but the best roads.

As a result, it has developed a number of very annoying rattles; in particular a knocking within the passenger's side dash (and no it's not in the glove box), as well as an undetermined rattle in the boot (and no it's not the tools to change the tyres with).

It handles well, especially on corners, and acceleration is fine.

I find the seats very comfortable, holding you in place well; again with the caveat that you're driving on decent roads.

I don't think I would buy another one unless the ride could be improved considerably.

Faults:

Sunroof inner cover failed to open; that's it.

General Comments:

A good overall shape, but poorly finished, and the design of details such as the lights, mirrors and wipers give away the fact that this is a budget make car. Fact is, to some, it will make a great value car, but personally I'd rather buy something smaller and less "sporty" from a decent manufacturer.

From a driving perspective, it's quick round the corners (very), but it's not fun. You can take some fun in knowing that you can approach a rounderbout at a stupidly high speed and get round OK, the tyres just squealing every now and then to let you know it's near the limit. However, there is no real involvement, with the steering assistance tightening up round the corners, but only to a point, and then extra speed or cornering force makes no difference to the centering force, which isn't like anything I've ever experienced before, and can make on edge cornering feel quite unsafe.

The engine, quite frankly, is rubbish. I've not been able to find any reviews that are negative about the engine, so maybe this one has something wrong with it? I've come from a 20 year old 1.9 Citroen BX with carburettor engine, and that could easily out accelerate this Hyundai, which supposedly has a lot more BHP (can't remember the figure, but the BX is 105 and does 0-60 in 9.2). I know the Hyundai is suppose to be 8.8, but this one is taking over 11 I'm sure. Gutless.

You feel like you're driving a sports car, the suspension is uncomfortably hard, the interior claustraphobic, the brakes very good, but then imagine this: On the motorway, you may be stuck behind a lorry, you want to pull onto the middle lane, what do you do? Well with a modern 2 litre engine, you'd expect to be able to floor it and get a response; nothing!! You have to drop it to 3rd, and it's then then you realise that this engine is either an old design, or is very poorly developed. It sounds like an asthmatic old Cavalier engine, and it doesn't exactly impress at high revs either.

In my Citroen BX (20 years older!), I'd just drop the accelerator to the floor in 5th and within a few seconds I'd be in the middle lane doing 75/80 no problem.

The engine management is to blame for the lack of punch I feel, as sometimes, just sometimes, you can catch the engine just right, if you ease off the throttle at high revs and then gently increase the throttle, but by the time you've done that, it's almost time to change gear!