Hyundai Scoupe
The Scoupe was a two-door coupe technically related to the Hyundai Excel. It was sold in the United States from 1990 to 1995 and was the brand’s third model in this market, after the Excel and the Sonata, which was introduced one year earlier. It competed with the Honda Del Sol and Toyota Paseo. It was replaced in 1996 by the Hyundai Tiburon.
Hyundai Scoupe Overview
The Hyundai Scoupe was a compact, front-wheel-drive sports coupe produced by the South Korean automaker Hyundai. The name “Scoupe” is a portmanteau of “sporty” and “coupe,” indicating its intended market positioning. The Scoupe was based on the Hyundai Excel platform, sharing several components but offering a more sporty design. As the name suggests, it was designed as a 2-door coupe.
Initially, the Scoupe was powered by a 1.5-liter Mitsubishi-designed inline-four engine. In 1993, Hyundai introduced their own 1.5-liter Alpha series engines. A turbocharged version of the Alpha engine was also available, offering better performance. It came with a choice between a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission.
The Scoupe was Hyundai’s first attempt at entering the sports coupe market, aiming to offer a sporty driving experience at a more affordable price than many competitors. The car was generally appreciated for its affordability. However, being one of Hyundai’s early forays into the automotive market, it was sometimes criticized for aspects related to build quality and refinement, issues the company would vastly improve upon in subsequent models and years.
The Scoupe was succeeded by the Hyundai Tiburon (also known as the Hyundai Coupe in some markets) in 1996. The Tiburon was a more refined and well-rounded vehicle, representing Hyundai’s growing prowess in automotive design and engineering.
Hyundai Scoupe Sales Figures
The Scoupe is an important vehicle in Hyundai’s history as it marked the company’s ambition to expand beyond economy cars and into more specialized markets like sports coupes. While it might not have achieved significant success in terms of performance or sales, it laid the groundwork for Hyundai’s future sporty models.
Hyundai Scoupe U.S Sales Data & Charts
US Annual Sales
| Year | Sales Units |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 7,018 |
| 1991 | 26,421 |
| 1992 | 17,196 |
| 1993 | 15,420 |
| 1994 | 15,365 |
| 1995 | 4,780 |
| 1996 | 458 |
| 1997 | 9 |
