Coupe Review

Coupes are two-door cars that span the gap between four-door sedans built for practicality and two-door sports cars and roadsters that prioritize style and performance at the expense of day-to-day comfort. The coupes we discuss here are typically more practical for everyday use. They offer more forgiving rides, a modicum of storage space and back seats that adults can actually use (though some might not be particularly comfortable doing so). If you're interested in coupes that provide the maximum in sports car handling and performance, check out the ConsumerSearch report on sports cars. For affordable three-door hatchbacks, see our report on economy cars.

While a lot of the flash and sizzle is in performance or luxury coupes, there are a number of entry-level coupes designed to provide basic transportation that's sportier and more stylish than the common sedan. The popular Scion tC (*Est. $15,970 to $17,800) gets its fair share of accolades for youthful style at an affordable price. One economy choice -- the two-door version of the Honda Civic (*Est. $15,480 to $18,230) -- is by far the most recommended low-priced coupe, though some of that is on the strength of its costlier, sport-focused Si variant. The high cost of fuel is also helping to drive the interest in economy coupes, as many offer above-average or better gas mileage.

Not all budget-priced coupes hit the mark, however. The Chevrolet Cobalt Coupe (*Est. $15,070 to $22,995) is a popular choice among first-time car buyers, but it gets little respect from auto reviewers. The Cobalt coupe comes in a variety of trim levels with three 4-cylinder engine choices. Critics who point out the relatively recent improvements that GM has made in many of its car lines say that the Cobalt remains stuck in GM's past.

Edmunds.com gives the Chevy Cobalt credit for its smooth ride and ample power, but says that the car's handling, "bargain-bin interior materials," seat comfort and general level of refinement fall below most competitors. They say, "Quite simply, the Cobalt cannot challenge the compact car segment leaders, including a certain Astra-nomical new entry from GM's own Saturn brand." In addition to the Saturn Astra three- and five-door hatchback (*Est. $15,875 to $18,995), Edmunds.com recommends that shoppers look at the Honda Civic coupe, Ford Focus coupe (*Est. $14,695 to $16,695), Scion tC and several others. One bright spot for performance enthusiasts is the more expensive new Cobalt SS coupe (*Est. $22,995) with a 260-hp turbo 4-cylinder engine. Car and Driver calls the SS "shockingly good," with compliments for its performance, handling and comfort of its bolstered sport seats.

Credible reviews of coupes for this update were plentiful, including single-car evaluations and head-to-head comparisons. Edmunds.com has extensive experience reviewing cars, and it shows in its well done, complete reporting. Editors clearly identify which cars they believe are best by segment -- including one for coupes -- and readers can rate cars and share their opinions as well. Consumer Reports is shorter on discussion, but provides long-term reliability data on cars that's hard to find anywhere else. Consumer Guide provides objective ratings in a number of critical areas and lets readers know how those ratings stack up against similar cars. Car and Driver and Motor Trend magazines provide details and first-person reporting that's unmatched by most other reviewers, but don't do as complete a job of providing rankings for coupes and tend to concentrate more on higher-end performance and luxury coupes.