Hyundai S Coupe MVTi
Driving is not a lot of fun these days.
Our roads are too crowded for a start, but modern cars are also to blame – they’re just too good at what they do.
Give me a car with a quirk and you’ll bring a smile to my face. Can anyone remember the special skills required to get the best from a Mini Cooper on crossply tyres? Or Ford’s amazing 3-litre Capri with so much oversteer you could almost reverse out of a corner?
Any minute now I’m going to say something about cars being cars and men being men. I’m much too old to be a boy racer, but now and again, on a quiet stretch of twisty road, I like to put my foot down. In something like a Calibra Coupe, you’d need to be on a racetrack to explore its limits.
On the road, it’s so precise and predictable and grip is so good that it’s not going to start to slide until you’re well over the speed limit and at speeds where, quite frankly, I wouldn’t want it to slide!
So where do you find quirks or character, call it what you will. The Hyundai S Coupe is a car which might fit the bill. Unlike the current Hyundai Coupe, this model (sold between 1992 and 1995) does get exciting at speeds where you feel that if you lost it you’d be unlikely to do any major damage to yourself or the car.
The MVTi was an pounds 11,000 car when new, but you’ll pick one up now for between pounds 3,750 and pounds 6,000. Built in Korea, the Hyundai S Coupe was the first car to be entirely designed and built by Hyundai (others used Japanese engine designs).
With a 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, it has a potential of 121mph and 0-62mph in a most respectable 9.2 seconds. Engine is very harsh and low geared, but it really storms when it gets on boost and even fifth-gear performance is quite staggering for a relatively small unit.
There’s excellent throttle response and a smooth build up of power, with little torque steer. On the motorway it’s stable, but high engine speeds mean there’s a shade too much vibration.
The car gets interesting to drive when you corner it. There’s a swing from understeer to oversteer that’s tricky to balance, but you get used to it and learn to use it for your own enjoyment. Grip is a little suspect on bumpy roads and that adds to the fun. I don’t want to suggest the car is dangerous. But it will misbehave at much lower speeds than other sports coupes on the market and, for driving pleasure, I reckon that’s no bad thing. I should also say that it’s a fast car and it can certainly be driven fast.
Style-wise, the Hyundai S Coupe has quite a long tail and a traditional boot with good capacity. There’s a discreet spoiler and colour-keyed bumpers, but nothing too OTT about it.
Interior space is good in the front, a little tight in the back, but all right for children. Equipment levels are excellent, with electric windows, central locking and a decent alarm system.
Verdict: brings the fun back into motoring.
Technical Details
Model: Hyundai S Coupe MVTi, pay from pounds 3,750.
Engine: four-cylinder fuel-injected turbocharged engine with three valves per cylinder (two inlet). Maximum power 114bhp at 5,500rpm.
Transmission: front-wheel drive through five-speed gearbox.
Brakes: ventilated discs front, drums rear.
Performance: maximum speed 121mph; 0-62mph 9.2 seconds.
Economy: 24.4mpg on the urban cycle; 45.6mpg at a constant 56mph; 33.6mpg at a constant 75mph. Test average 32.6mpg. Fuel capacity 45 litres (9.9 gallons).
Model history
1990 Jul: Hyundai S Coupe introduced with 1.5-litre engine sourced from Mitsubishi.
1992 Oct: 1.5 MVi (87bhp) and MVTi (114bhp) introduced using Hyundai’s own engines.
1995 Mar: SE version of MVTi introduced with alloy wheels, lowered suspension and ABS.
1996 Sep: New Hyundai Coupe launched.
