As the Hyundai Genesis sedan marked the Korean company’s entrance to the rarefied luxury league, the Genesis Coupe shows the world that it can build a semi-exotic sport coupe that is the equal of all comers. From the Mitsubishi Eclipse to the Infiniti G37, the Genesis Coupe rips ’em up.

Hyundai’s next-generation Tiburon is rumored to be a fun little pocket rocket based on the Veloster concept from 2007, and may even be called something else entirely. It’s all OK because the Genesis Coupe will make you forget there ever was a Tiburon, no matter how good the front-drive GT has been all of these years.

Sharing a rear-drive platform with the award-winning Genesis Sedan, the coupe is tuned to be much sportier and more engaging for drivers. It rides on a four-wheel independent suspension system – five links in back like the Germans – that is firm and energetic, but not jarring. Our test car came with handsome 18″ alloy wheels, but 19″ rollers are optional. Four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes with plenty of surface area suck the car down from speed with confidence. Electronic brake force distribution, traction control, and stability control are available.

Genesis Sedan comes with a choice of V6 or V8 engines, however the coupe offers four- and six-cylinder units. I have no complaints with the verve generated by our 210-horsepower 2.0-litre Turbo-four that provides a unique combination of efficient power with rear-drive balance. Fuel economy is rated 21/30-MPG city/highway. Uplevel models use the sedan’s 3.6-litre DOHC V6, which generates 308 horsepower. Four-cylinder engines are matched with a 6-speed manual or 5-speed manumatic transmission; V6s make friends with a 6-speed manumatic.

A reasonably priced sport coupe with rear drive and ample power makes tuner kids giddy when they romp on the throttle in first gear and drive their tires into road goo. The pros will tell you that they think the Genesis Coupe is divinity when it comes to getting all greasy on the track. Fortunately, the same balanced chassis and quick wit that dances to rock is also a pro when it comes to attacking quick on-ramps, mountain passes, or just a favorite backroad.

Exterior styling is reminiscent of the Tiburon, but the car is noticeably larger in person – especially across the front where the car looks Corvette wide and from the rear where thoughts of Aston Martin come to the fore. Two-tier side surfacing, menacing air intakes, and a “Z profile” windowline leave their calling cards. The overall styling was developed during the past few years on auto show concept cars, but it also shares much with the Infiniti G37 and Lexus IS convertible – both intended competitors on the high end.

A twin-cockpit interior is right in line with the sport-luxury exterior styling. Available leather seats (we enjoyed a comfy checked cloth pattern), leather-wrapped sport steering wheel, Bluetooth, USB iPOD interface, keyless push button starting, and silver console surfaces not only look great but also put a stake in the future. Auto up/down power windows, deep cupholders, door cubbies, and a large dead pedal add convenience.

“We think our entry-level Genesis Coupe 2.0T, with its unique combination of rear-wheel drive and four-cylinder turbo power, offers an intriguing alternative to existing front-wheel drive sport coupes,” said John Krafcik, president and CEO, Hyundai Motor America. “The 3.8-litre version of Genesis Coupe takes driving to an even higher level, rivaling the capability of premium-performance coupes like the Infiniti G37.”

You would be hard pressed to tell the Genesis Sedan and Coupe share the same undercarriage and basic engineering, but it is easy to feel the premium genes that went into the coupe. It offers a firm, but comfortable and precise ride. As with the Genesis Sedan, Hyundai developed a world-class coupe that should make no excuses or apologies. It carries on Hyundai design tradition, including a fabulous 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, while aiming directly at Japanese luxury competitors – not to mention the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, and Dodge Challenger. Equipped with a four-cylinder engine, our test car retails for $22,875. Slide one while you can.

Hyundai’s Genesis Picks Up Where The Silvia Left Off

Can the new Hyundai Genesis coupe fill the shoes of the 240SX? While most of Japan is going green and discontinuing all the turbo and sport compacts cars, Hyundai comes out of left field to offer us the new Genesis Coupe. No it’s not a Tiburon, far from it. With the Silvia/240SX line coming to an end, Hyundai’s noticed that there was a huge following that is now left with no new car option. Silvias were great because they were an inexpensive sport compact, with a turbo 4-cylinder and rear-wheel-drive layout. Since then no manufacturers have been offering anything with all those characteristics. It’s about time someone offers an affordable turbo RWD car to the tuning breed like you and me. Just about any other affordable (under $25k) car is either FWD or just kind of `light on its feet’.

Although, Hyundai isn’t everyone’s top brand, it’s hard to ignore the potential of this car. With a $22k price tag, it’s hard to even consider a FF Civic or any other new car in that price range. It’s hard to even think of another RWD car from Asia at that price range (turbo or not).

So you’re wondering what’s the car actually like? Jon and Sean were lucky enough to be invited to Willow Springs Raceway to drive the Genesis at the launch event. Unfortunately for me, I was too sick to attend. But that didn’t stop Hyundai. I was even luckier, being flown to Vegas for another Genesis launch at Spring Mountain Raceway.

Although the car comes in at a pig weight of 3,300 pounds, on the track the power and weight was balanced so you don’t even feel the weight. I took the Genesis on the road course, autocross course, and was even allowed to practice drifting in it. This is definitely a fun car. The V6 version has a butt load more horsepower and it’s noticeably different, but I’d opt for the cheaper turbo four-cylinder version myself.

One of my favorite things about the car is the factory Brembo brakes (on track package vehicles). You know those Brembo brakes that come factory on the STI, Z33, and Evo? Well, those are the Brembo F40 and F50 calipers. That’s the old two-piece design. The newer ones on the Genesis are the Brembo monoblock M4 calipers made from one piece of metal. Two-piece calipers are made from two pieces and the bolted together. They have a higher tendency to flex under load. Moving back to rear, the Genesis is equipped with a 4-piston rear caliper. That’s something Nissan, Subaru, and Mitsubishi didn’t get from Brembo.

So I’ve heard lots of rumors that the Genesis was coming with the same 4B11 engine from the Mitsubishi Evo. Well, it’s time to put all those rumors away. The turbo 4-cylinder Genesis comes with the Theta engine (G4KC), not a 4B11. Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Chrysler joined forces to form GEMA (Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance), a shared engine manufacturer. Once the layout of the 4-cylinder engine was designed, each company tweaked with it to suit their own needs. Mitsubishi has the 4B11, Chrysler has The World Engine, and Hyundai has the Theta. So both the Theta and 4B11 come from the same group, and same bloodline, but they are two different engines. Furthermore, I talked to fabricator Gary Castillo of Design Craft Fabrication who’s already begun building both the V6 and the inline four engines. Gary assured me that although the 4B11 and Theta engines are similar, they are still quite different. Think of the two engines as more like brothers than twins. Not only are the manifold bolt patterns different, the head designs are completely different. But that’s not to say the Theta engine won’t have the same aftermarket support that the 4B11 is getting.

The fate and success of this car really comes down to the aftermarket support. Both show and and go parts are already in the works. HKS built a full car for the SEMA show last year and this year Rhys Millen is piloting a Genesis in the Formula Drift series.

Hyundai has been hard at work in the product-planning department, and is well aware of our community of tuners. In mid-2010 they will be releasing a Spec R version of the Genesis. It will come with track-tuned suspension, 19″ alloy wheels with performance summer tires, Brembo brakes, a Torsen limited-slip differential and R-Spec badging. To further reduce cost and weight, they should also come without back-up indicators in the rear bumper, Bluetooth, automatic headlights, cruise control, trip computer, chrome interior accents and steering wheel audio controls.

It’s hard not to appreciate the efforts Hyundai is making for everyone. With their ridiculously generous warranty, you don’t have too much to worry about with reliability, even with a turbocharged car. And since economic times are tough Hyundai is offering the Assurance Plan where they’ll pay three months car payments or buy your Genesis back, if you should lose your job. Now only if they would pay all the car payments, due to having a lousy paying job than that would be perfect for me.

Faster Facts
2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

The Sticker Starting at $22,000

The Power 210hp 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder; or 306hp 3.8L V6

Weight3,294 lbs. (4-cylinder turbo); 3,389 lbs. (V6)

Layout Front engine, rear wheel drive

Gearbox 6-speed manual or automatic with Shiftronic

Stiff Stuff MacPherson strut dual link with springs (front); five-link design with gas struts (rear)

Rollers 18″ alloy wheels; 19″ alloy wheels (on track model)

Stoppers 12.6″ (front) rotors and 12.4″ (rear) rotors; optional Brembo monoblock 4-piston calipers with 13.4″ (front) rotors and 13.0″ (rear) rotors

Efficiency 21/30mpg (4-cylinder turbo); 17/26mpg (V6)

The Pack Honda Civic, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Mitsubishi Lancer, and Nissan Altima

Deep Thoughts Forget Hyundai’s past; their future is now with the Genesis.

By Charles Trieu
Super Street Online

The development process behind an automobile differs slightly from company to company, but when it came time to render the 2010 Genesis Coupe 2.0T, it seems Hyundai engineers sat down with a Oujia board and channeled the spirit of Toyota’s old AE86 Corolla. Laugh all you want, but ask yourself–when’s the last time you’ve seen an affordable import sports coupe that didn’t send power to the front wheels?

While the six-cylinder Genesis Coupe may have premium GT aspirations (both the Infiniti G37 and BMW 3-series are benchmarks), we prefer the premise behind the entry-level 2.0T. Simply put, it’s a sharp, inexpensive, rear-wheel-drive coupe that, with a little work, can become whatever you want. Much like how the AE86 is still revered by track stars, gymkhana kings, and drift masters, Hyundai expects the Genesis Coupe to serve as a tuner’s blank slate.

With four variations of the four-cylinder car alone, Hyundai–which ironically code-named the Genesis Coupe “BK”–truly allows you to have it your way. Those on a shoestring budget obviously will look at the base 2.0T model, which carries an amazingly low price tag of $22,750, including destination. That price point throws it into the same arena as the Mitsubishi Eclipse ($20,249), Nissan Altima Coupe ($22,470), and, for a while anyway, the Pontiac G6 Coupe ($24,800). As always, the Hyundai comes with a long list of standard features (Bluetooth, satellite radio, and an USB audio input are but a sampling), but one–rear-wheel drive–remains unique.

Hyundai says that rear-wheel drive will become a hallmark of the Genesis “sub-brand,” but few components on the 2.0T model are shared with the luxury sedan, apart from the five-link independent rear suspension. The Coupe still uses a strut-type independent front suspension, but the dual-link design, reportedly lighter than the sedan’s five-link setup, is unique to the two-door.

So too is the exterior form, which is quite a departure from the conservative Genesis. Critics may deride the Genesis Coupe’s form as aping the new Nissan 370Z or Infiniti G37, but it actually draws most of its inspiration from the HCD-8 concept shown in 2004. In person, the Genesis Coupe looks wider and more emotive than its competitors, thanks to angular fenders and a unique drop-down window opening behind the doors. The interior’s design motif departs from the sedan’s as well. Although the dash pad may have a nice feel to it, the premium materials found in the Genesis sedan are used sparingly, if at all. We do, however, find the bucket seats nicely bolstered, and in certain models, nicely trimmed.

Motive power comes courtesy of an all-aluminum, 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 mounted just aft of the front axle. The engine produces 210 hp and 223 lb-ft at 2000 rpm. A Hyundai-developed six-speed manual transmission is standard, and the automatic option is an Aisin five-speed rather than the ZF six-speed in the six-cylinder Genesis Coupe 3.8.

The turbo-four provides a fair amount of power, but delivers it in a very sedate manner. Acceleration lags until the turbo spools, but even then, you’re not thrown into your seats by a wall of torque. Speed gradually accumulates until you reach the upper echelons of the tachometer, where the little engine that could runs out of steam. You’ll want to avoid those areas of the tach, as the engine grows buzzy and slightly coarse (our tester’s shift knob vibrated incessantly) as it nears redline.

Sadly, power doesn’t increase if you opt for the 2.0T Track model, but the ride stiffness does. Hyundai cranks up the front and rear spring rates by seven and eighteen percent, respectively, and adds a Torsen limited-slip differential. The only visible elements of the Track package are 19-inch aluminum wheels (with summer compound tires) in lieu of the standard 18-inch units; a rear-deck spoiler; and large, red, Brembo brake calipers.

All that hardcore equipment suggests the base car isn’t a handler, but that isn’t the case. The car remains sharp and taut through corners, although there’s little, if any, feedback given through the steering wheel. The ride is generally compliant over most broken road surfaces, but the car feels slightly harsh over expansion joints. Little wind noise permeates the Coupe’s cabin, although there is a surprising amount of road noise transmitted.

Still, we’re thinking additional sound insulation won’t be the first modification most buyers spring for. In fact, Hyundai’s offering a “tuner-ready” R-Spec model this summer that offers even less content. R-Spec cars will come with all the go-fast goodies offered on the Track, but won’t include things like fog lamps, Bluetooth, cruise control, and the trip computer. The R-spec’s $23,750 sticker is $3000 less than a 2.0T Track, leaving more room within a buyer’s budget for upgrades.

Regardless of which flavor you choose or modifications you install, there’s plenty about the Genesis Coupe to like. It’s an affordable, attractive sports coupe, with the unique appeal of rear-wheel drive. Only time will tell, but we imagine this Hyundai could someday be revered by the tuner crowd, much like the AE86.

By Evan McCausland
automobilemag.com

June 11 (Bloomberg) — So you’ve been window-shopping on Porsche’s Web site, eyeing a new 911. The Carrera S starts at $87,000 and you want it with the seven-speed double-clutch transmission, an additional $4,000. And how could you buy your dream car without the full interior leather package for $2,100?

Then you notice that unopened 401(k) statement on your desk and are reminded that, despite Porsche tastes, you’re on a Hyundai budget. That’s the sound of brakes screeching.

The good news is that, even if the financial markets aren’t cooperating, some carmakers are. For those yearning for a recession-priced plaything, a certain South Korean carmaker would like you to take note of its sub-$30,000 Genesis Coupe.

Hyundai’s new coupe, an offshoot of the $32,250 Genesis sedan (which won the 2009 North American Car of the Year award), promises attainable fun in lousy times.

This is Hyundai’s first attempt at a true-blue, rear-wheel- drive sports car, especially notable considering the carmaker once served as an automotive punch line along with Yugo and Lada. (The ugly, front-wheel-drive Tiburon/Tuscani impressed no one.)

The new coupe comes in two distinct varieties: the punchy 2.0T and the more powerful 3.8. The 210 horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder version has a basement price of $22,750. The 306-hp, 3.8-liter, V-6 tops out with extras around $31,000.

On a sun-flooded day in upstate New York, I took out a king-of-the-hill 3.8 Track model to see what the Koreans have wrought. Road-racing extras include a stiffer suspension, better-stopping Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential, a rear spoiler and 19-inch alloy wheels fitted with summer performance tires.

While available with a ZF six-speed automatic gearbox and paddle-shifters, I opted for a six-speed manual.

In the early 1990s, Hyundai hired outspoken basketball star Charles Barkley as its celebrity spokesman, but it’s clear from my first highway off-ramp that the cars can now speak for themselves.

The Genesis tips into the turn easily, feeling stable and well planted. Its inherent understeer is manageable even as the curve gradually tightens. Better, the tires lend plenty of grip and I never feel like the Genesis is going to suddenly spring an unpleasant surprise — the limits of its performance are easily identifiable.

While certainly not lazy, neither is it too sharp nor tightly wound — a good sports car for beginners. (Don’t buy into the word “Track” in the name. I doubt you’ll be taking it to the local road course to frolic with the Porsche GT3s and Dodge Vipers.)

Light Weight

Steering is tight and smartly responsive. The Genesis’s relatively light weight of fewer than 3,400 pounds helps it handle a series of S-turns with finesse.

I slam on the brakes in a straightaway, seeing how it would handle a panic-style stop. The pedal has a bit of extra give, yet a rubber-burning moment later, I’m at a full halt. Nice.

Next up, I rev the motor, dump the clutch and the car suddenly goes sluggish as a rear wheel slips. The car lurches down the road like a father-and-son team in a three-legged race.

Ah well, there’s a reason it’s not yet a Porsche contender.

The major fault seems to be an over-involved traction- control system, which gets awfully intrusive when it senses wheels not hooking up with the asphalt. I turned the system off by punching a button and achieved a better run, though the operation is still less than supple, as if the transmission and engine torque aren’t quite in agreement.

Hyundai says the Genesis will make zero to 60 miles per hour in a rather lackadaisical 5.5 seconds, but I don’t think I managed even that in my attempts.

Stretching Out

The short-throw manual is okay, but set too far back on the center console to shift naturally. Those who like to stretch out in the black leather seats will also note the lack of a telescoping steering wheel.

The standard amenities are generous for the price, and include automatic windows, Bluetooth, steering wheel controls and USB ports for digital music players.

Which brings us to styling: The Genesis is definitely a product of the East. Similar to its competitor the Nissan 370Z, the swooping headlights look vaguely weapon-like, like something you’d find on the belt of a ninja.

Globular Curves

Yet whereas the Nissan’s sloping roofline and various folds look purposeful, the Hyundai’s mix of globular curves and sharp creases read like a designer’s desperate search for an identity. It’s not a travesty, but it isn’t super cool either.

While Hyundai says it benchmarked the car against the Infiniti G37 and Mazda RX-8, the Nissan 370Z seems its most obvious head-to-head challenger. In that case, the Nissan is faster, has more horsepower and looks much hotter.

The most basic 370Z, however, is more than $30,000 before you’ve added a single option, right where the fastest Genesis Coupe tops out.

So, while it’s neither Carrera beautiful nor blistering fast, Hyundai’s latest is a pretty painless way to get into the sports-car game.

The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track at a Glance

Engine: 3.8-liter V-6 with 306 hp and 266 pound-feet of torque.

Transmission: Six-speed manual or six-speed automatic with paddle-shifters.

Speed: 0 to 60 in 5.5 seconds.

Gas mileage per gallon: 17 city; 27 highway.

Price as tested: $30,250.

Best features: Capable handling with lots of standard features.

Worst feature: Off-kilter styling.

Target buyer: The driver who wants Brembo brakes and 300- plus horsepower on a budget.

Jason H. Harper
Bloomberg News

As a rear-wheel-drive dedicated sports coupe, the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe occupies a unique position amongst current car models. The Nissan 370Z is its closest competitor, with the only other powerful rear-wheel-drive coupes being retro American muscle cars, such as the Ford Mustang, Dodge Challenger, and Chevrolet Camaro. Other rear-wheel-drive sport coupes tend to be sedans with the rear doors welded shut.

The Genesis Coupe, with its curvy body, looks nothing like a muscle car, but its power train feels as solid. Handling seems equivalent, if not better. Hyundai also uses the Genesis name for its luxury sedan, which is a strange marketing decision, as the coupe is built from the ground up to be a sports car. The Genesis Coupe offers some of the cabin tech found in the Genesis Sedan, although interior materials reflect its lower price point.

On the road
We tested a 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track model with a manual transmission, the highest-end version of the Genesis Couple available. At the low end is the Genesis Coupe 2.0T, using a smaller engine. The Track trim gives the Genesis Coupe a specially tuned suspension, Brembo brakes, and 19-inch wheels with summer tires.

A quick press on the start button gets the 3.8-liter V-6 burbling. Putting the car into first, the shifter for the six-speed manual and the clutch all feel particularly solid. Unlike the petite six-speed manual in the Honda Civic Si, which you can flick from gear to gear, the shifter in the Genesis Coupe requires a little determination.

The gas pedal also needs a firm push to get the car going. Its long amount of play gives room to modulate the power more finely. We quickly find the same is true for the brakes. Tapping them won’t stop the car–you can easily apply quarter or half braking power. These attributes help in sport or track driving but aren’t great for heavy traffic, where all that pedal work becomes tiresome.

Driving at speed down the freeway, the track-tuned suspension doesn’t prove too rigid for comfort. Fifth and sixth gear work well for cruising at speed, but fourth is geared low, making it useful for situations where power is required. Over an extended freeway cruise, we saw the trip computer go above 25 mpg, climbing toward the car’s 26 mpg highway rating.

But in city and mountain driving, fuel economy stayed between 18 and 19 mpg, closer to the car’s 17 mpg city rating. Blasting along winding roads, we found a lot of crossover between the second, third, and fourth gear power bands, giving a lot of flexibility in which gear we chose for any particular corner or stretch of road. Hitting the corners hard, traction control found many opportunities to intervene, and we got used to seeing it light up on the instrument panel.

We also had tested the Genesis Coupe at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to see if the Track model actually lives up to its namesake. The car remained flat and predictable in the corners, while the beefy Brembo brakes stood up to lap after lap of abuse without losing their great pedal feel and easy modulation.

Most impressive was how much the Genesis Coupe communicates with the driver. Through the steering wheel, the pedals, and the seat, the car keeps the driver in the loop on how the wheels are gripping and how the vehicle is responding to inputs without being jarringly rough.

Unencumbered by such banalities as speed limits, stop signs, and traction control, we were able to explore the limits of the 3.8-liter engine and found that the power plant was right at home on the track. The V-6’s flat torque curve offers plenty of power for blasting down straights and powering out of corners without constantly hunting for gears. Thanks to grip afforded by the wide summer tires and the Torsen limited-slip differential, the Genesis Coupe is able to put its power to the road early and often.

In the cabin
The cabin tech interface in the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe looks pretty conventional, with up/down buttons for selecting songs, tuning radio stations, and going through satellite radio categories or MP3 CD folders. These buttons surround a big volume knob topped by a power button. These buttons are supplemented by switchgear on the steering wheel that has a nice, solid feel.

The display is a simple monochrome LCD at the top of the stack, well-placed for the driver to glance at. A navigation system isn’t currently available, although we understand that Hyundai will make one optional later this year, and we assume it will be similar to that found in the Genesis Sedan.

A USB and iPod jack comes standard on all trim levels of the Genesis Coupe, an excellent move by Hyundai. But the interface for browsing music isn’t very intuitive. Pushing the Tuning button, on the far right, lets you choose to look at music by album, artist, genre, or playlist. Hit the enter button, and you drill down to lists of content on the iPod. If you have a lot of albums, you’ll spend a lot of time pushing that Tuning button to go through them all sequentially.

But our bigger complaint comes from how quickly the display reverts to showing the currently playing track. If you get interrupted for a second while trying to choose music, such as making a gear shift, the display will revert and you will have to drill down through menus again to find the music you want.

Satellite radio is easier to browse because the buttons seem more designed for it. Likewise, the buttons are fairly standard for controlling MP3 CDs, which the car’s six-disc changer can read.

We were really impressed by the 10-speaker Infinity audio system. It uses door tweeter and woofers, plus a subwoofer and center channel, to produce truly excellent audio. The clarity is outstanding, making all the subtle sounds you don’t normally hear on a song audible. The sound is extraordinarily clean, reproducing music without adding unnecessary effects.

Bluetooth mobile phone integration is also standard at all trim levels. We had no trouble pairing an iPhone to the system, and the sound quality was reasonable. It works with a voice command system, which does a good job of understanding spoken numbers, but it doesn’t make a phone’s contact list available through its interface.

Under the hood
The 3.8-liter V-6 powering the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track model uses a dual continuously variable valve timing system along with a variable intake system to optimize efficiency for low and high engine speeds. That gets it 306 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.

In practice, the low torque number limits theatrics off the line, while the low gearing ratios of the six-speed manual make the horsepower, which peaks at 6,400 rpm, more generally available, as high engine speeds are easily achieved. Hyundai claims a vague under 6 seconds to 60 mph, but other reviews have reached a more specific 5.5 seconds.

As we pointed out above, EPA fuel economy for the Genesis Coupe 3.8 is 17 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. Our average for a mix of driving came in at around 22 mpg. An emissions rating isn’t currently available for the Genesis Coupe.

The six-speed manual transmission is standard, but you can get a ZF six-speed automatic with manual gear selection. Given this car’s performance, we recommend the manual.

In sum
The base price of the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track model is a low $29,500. You have to pay an extra $30 for the iPod cable, otherwise you only have a USB port. Our car’s total, with a $750 destination charge, came out to $30,375, undercutting a similarly equipped Nissan 370Z by about $3,000.

In rating the Genesis Coupe 3.8, we give it high marks for performance. Handling is excellent, and the manual transmission gives you a good set of low gears for track driving. The engine strikes a good compromise between power and economy. For cabin tech, we like the inclusion of standard iPod connectivity, and that Infinity audio system really impressed us, but the Bluetooth support is only average and the current lack of navigation hurts it. Design is a mixed bag, as we didn’t particularly like the cabin interface, but the looks get it noticed. Our staff disagreed about the car’s exterior look, with some loving and some hating it, but that polarizing style gives it design credibility.

Wayne Cunningham
Antuan Goodwin
Cnet.com

Carmaker’s luxury vehicle surprises

I was a little surprised and quite a bit concerned when I heard Hyundai was coming out with a high-end luxury car, the Genesis.
Hyundai’s 2010 Genesis Coupe

“What was the carmaker thinking?” I said.

Hyundai has a lock on the market for inexpensive vehicles and it decided to make the leap to luxury. To my surprise, it worked and when it decided to roll out the Genesis Coupe I waited to see the finished product before I put my foot in my mouth.

The Coupe is now on the showroom floors. Once you slide behind the wheel of this 3.8-liter dual overhead camshaft 24-valve V6 you will be pleasantly surprised.

My tester from Drew Hyundai had the six-speed manual transmission, which I loved; smooth and very direct. The dash layout is simple but functional. You also get performance suspension, which includes a five-link rear suspension, a front tower brace for rigidity, 18-inch alloy wheels, and front-engine and rear-wheel drive.

The instrumentation includes auto temperature controls, keyless entry with an alarm and audio and cruise controls on the leather steering wheel. The sound system doesn’t skimp a bit; the AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 audio system with six speakers has the ability to hook up an iPod and comes equipped with a USB port too. You also get Bluetooth standard.

In terms of safety, the Hyundai Genesis offers the best out there; electronic stability control, traction control (which can be turned off), six air bags standard (front air bags, side air bags and curtain air bags), plus beams in the doors, crumple zones surrounding the occupants and active head restraint.

You have engine choices with the Genesis Coupe. You can choose the manual transmission 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder that delivers 210 horsepower, 223 pound foot of torque, and 21 city mpg and 30 mpg on the open road.

You lose one mile per gallon if you opt for the five- or six-speed automatic transmission, but if you choose the 3.8-liter V6 you will get 306 horsepower and 266 pound foot of torque. Mileage drops a little with the 3.8 V6; city ranges from 17 to 20 miles per gallon, and on the open road 26 to 30.

Car and Driver pitched the 2010 Camaro against the Genesis on a race track and the Camaro beat out the Genesis – just barely. The Hyundai turned heads with its styling and great looks. Pricing is comparable to the Camaro starting out at a low $22,000 and pushing upwards to around $31,000 plus tax and license.

And, if you’re a car enthusiast they have a car for you: the Track Version, which comes with a 3.8-liter V6 and choice of transmissions, but you get Brembo brakes, 19-inch alloy wheels, track-tuned suspension, Torsen limited slip differential, aluminum pedals, Aero wipers, a rear spoiler, and Hyundai eliminates the chrome lower fascia and the back-up warning system.

Check this sleeper out at your local Hyundai dealership today, and don’t forget there’s a great 10-year 100,000 mile warranty, and 5-year 60,000 bumper-to-bumper warranty. You can’t beat a company that believes in its product – the proof is the warranty.

In the 23 years since Hyundai first entered the U.S. market, the Korean automaker has come a long away. What began as a budget-oriented brand for those who couldn’t afford the higher-priced products from Japan has evolved into a credible contender in virtually every segment that it competes. In the early days, the primary emphasis was on affordable motoring, sometimes at the expense of long-term durability. Today, it’s a different story. From the Accent to the Genesis sedan, Hyundai still offers some of the most affordable products, but the decades-old connotations of “cheap” have been largely laid to rest.

With the introduction of the Tiburon, Hyundai finally dipped its toe into the sports-car segment, but as nice as it was, it simply didn’t have the chops to play with the big boys of the performance set. Enter the Genesis Coupe. Hyundai’s rear-wheel-drive two-door is the second salvo in the automaker’s bid to flesh-out its premium Genesis sub-brand, while at the same time taking direct aim at a field of established competitors ranging from the Ford Mustang to the Infiniti G37. Does the Genesis have what it takes to play the game? We spent a week with a 3.8-liter Track model to find out.

When the engineers at Hyundai decided to seriously tackle the performance coupe segment, they didn’t mess around. Although the Genesis coupe shares no resemblance to the similarly named sedan, many of the mechanical bits underneath carry over – and that’s a good start. The Coupe sports a fully independent suspension at each end, and in proper performance car form, the directional and tractive efforts are split between two axles. The front tires handle the steering duties while drive torque is transmitted to the rears. While our first opportunity to play with the coupe occurred at Spring Mountain this passed March, shortly thereafter, Hyundai dropped off the 3.8-liter Track variant for some more real-world evaluation.

The 3.8 Track sits at the top of the Genesis Coupe line-up and comes loaded with almost every available option. At this level, the only extras are carpeted floor mats, an iPod cable and the automatic transmission. Our Interlagos Yellow tester had everything but the self-shifting gearbox, and we were perfectly fine with that. The seats were covered in a surprisingly nice black leather, with the driver’s side sporting multiple power adjustments. The front seats of the coupe are perfectly suited to a performance car with substantial bolsters on the sides and adequate thigh support. The cushioning is firm and well shaped, with no odd protrusions to inflict discomfort.

As for the rear compartment, that’s another story. In typical sports coupe fashion, the back seats seem to be an afterthought. When we drove the Tiburon last year, the rear confines were totally inadequate for anyone over five-feet four-inches, requiring passengers relegated to the rear to crouch down in order to avoid bouncing their heads off the rear glass. While the Genesis is a substantially larger car, it threatens to inflict the same kind of head trauma. However, instead of the rear cushion sitting nearly flat with the floor like other coupes, the mounting position is quite high. If the roof wasn’t there, the rear wouldn’t be a bad place to be. But it is, and it is.

Regardless, given the Genesis Coupe’s reason for existence, the front seats are the place to be. The working space for the driver is well laid out and reasonably attractive. In fact, it’s quite upscale. The steering wheel features a thick rim that’s easy to grip and wrapped in the same leather as the seats and shift knob. In recent years Hyundai has made a habit of benchmarking cars one class up when developing new models (the Veracruz was pitted against the Lexus RX330, as an example), while still keeping the price in check. In the Genesis, it shows. Hyundai set its sights on the Infiniti G37 coupe, while aiming for a price-point competitive with the Mustang and Camaro. The downside of this low cost of entry are materials that don’t match their upscale appearance. Hard plastics dominate the dash, although the fit is tight and there are no noticeable squeaks or rattles on the pre-production sample we tested.

Of course, those materials don’t necessarily affect functionality. Among other things, opting for the Track version of the Genesis means the car rides on a set of attractive 19-inch alloys with Bridgestone Potenza RE050A rubber. With the available grip, it’s important for a driver to be able to sense what’s happening at the pavement during cornering and here, the hydraulically assisted rack and pinion steering comes through, providing good feedback and adequate feel. The only flaw we found with the steering was during a comparatively low-speed slalom run at the track. Because the 3.8-liter V6 features decent low-end torque, sometimes there’s no need to down-shift. However, the steering assist is engine-speed sensitive and if it’s lower than expected, a series of quick left-right-left maneuvers could result in running out of boost and a sudden increase in effort. Fortunately, this isn’t generally an issue out in the real world and it never manifested itself during our week with the Coupe.

The other major changes that come with the Track package are stiffer spring and damping rates, thicker anti-roll bars, a Torsen differential and the Brembo brake package. When we become King, all cars will come equipped from the factory with Brembos and the Genesis continues our lust for the throne. The four-piston mono-block calipers don’t flex under braking, so the primary source of mushiness we’ve experienced with other coupes is thankfully missing from the Hyundai.

Out in California or Nevada, where the roads are smooth and relatively free of frost heaves and pot-holes, the track suspension works great. In the North-East, it’s an issue. On neglected stretches of tarmac, the Track model will simply be too stiff for some as a comfortable daily driver. Every little (or enormous) imperfection is transmitted straight through to your body and even a simple run to the store can become tiresome. Unless you live somewhere with properly constructed roads, or plan to spend plenty of time driving at the track, opting for the base or grand touring models might be a better choice if the Genesis is going to be your only car. It’s just too bad that the Brembos aren’t available as a stand-alone option.

Aside from the Track edition’s ride, the Genesis is a more than credible competitor to other coupes in the $20,000 price bracket. It has aggressive styling that sets it apart from the traditional American coupes. Rear-wheel drive means pesky issues like torque steer don’t even enter into the discussion. The most glaring omission compared to the Mustang, Camaro and Challenger is a V8 engine. But from a performance perspective, the Genesis doesn’t really need a V8. At 3,389 pounds, the Coupe has a 400-pound advantage over the six-cylinder Camaro and a 500-pound edge on the V8 model. The V6 Mustang weighs about the same as the Genesis, but the power is only comparable to the turbo-four, so performance is similar on the small-engined models. The comparatively light weight means the Genesis has a nimble feel that you won’t find in the Camaro or Challenger, and the only downside is the Coupe’s lack of a throaty rumble that only a big bent-eight can provide.

Our maxed out 3.8 Track model priced out at a very reasonable $30,375, including delivery. That puts it right in the heart of its American V8 competitors and several thousand dollars less than a G37. Those who don’t need the full 306 hp provided by the V6 can opt for the 210-hp turbocharged four-cylinder and even less weight, and anyone who lives somewhere with questionable pavement might want to save $2,000 and skip the Track model. Put the extra cash towards an aftermarket set of Brembos or find a friendly Hyundai dealer to order the parts and you’re nearing perfection. And “nearing perfection” is where Hyundai’s first true effort in the segment lands. The Genesis Coupe delivers on nearly every conceivable level, blends an attractive exterior with a thoughtful interior, and does it all for a price that’s still easy on the wallet. Hyundai’s come a long way, and the Genesis coupe is the start of another great chapter.

AutoBlog.com

Few brands have made a more dramatic turnaround than Hyundai, the South Korean carmaker that, earlier this year, captured the coveted North American Car of the Year trophy with its first-ever luxury model, the Genesis sedan.

The powerful, lavishly equipped 4-door is a far cry from the cheap-and-cheerful models Hyundai was long known for – and the arrival of the Genesis Coupe should win a number of new converts to the Korean maker.

This is not simply a 2-door version of the sedan. The Coupe is a foot shorter and 500 pounds lighter – which makes a lot of sense if you’re targeting the sporty performance crowd.

Where the sedan’s styling is conservative, even derivative, there’s a bit of the bad boy in the Genesis Coupe.

With its short overhangs and relatively long hood, the second entry into the Genesis line has the classic, overall dimensions of a sporty, rear-wheel-drive sedan. From the side, Hyundai designers developed a bit of a Coke bottle shape, with an accent line rising from nose to the slightly flared rear fenders. One of the defining features is the reverse kick of the small rear side windows, a detail that generated a lot of excitement when the original concept coupe appeared a few years ago.

Inside, the styling is equally crisp and sporty, with a cockpit-style layout that nicely complements the exterior and generally matches the Genesis Coupe’s sporty aspirations. Visibility is great, particularly for a coupe. Even the base car is well executed, while the trim on the top-line 3.8 Grand Tourer is especially well done — gaining such niceties as heated leather seats and an audiophile-level Infinity 360-watt, 10-speaker sound system.

Hyundai is offering two engine options. The base 2.0-liter I-4, with its intercooled turbo, pumps out a solid 210 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque, with only the most moderate amount of turbo lag. The bigger, 3.8-liter V-6 makes a hefty 306 hp and 266 lb-f, 16 horsepower and 2 pound-feet more than the six-banger generates in the Genesis sedan.

We tested both models on-track and off, and we were impressed with not just the power – 0 to 60 times of 5.5 seconds with the V-6 — but also the surprisingly refined handling.

Some nits to pick? Yes: We’d like a telescoping steering wheel, and the 6-speed manual needs a bit of work. But on the whole, the Genesis Coupe is yet another reason skeptics need to take a new look at Hyundai.

2010 HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE

MPG: 21 city/30 highway for turbo 2.0-liter I-4; 17/26 for 3.8-liter V-6.

Engine options: Turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 210 horsepower/223 pound-feet torque, ornormally-aspirated 3.8-liter V-6, 306 hp, 266 lb-ft.

Manufacturer’s suggested retail price (base): $22,000.

Cost fully loaded: $35,000.

By Paul A. Eisenstein
GateHouse News Service
Holland Sentinel

Six Shooters: We Find the King of the Affordable V-6 Coupes

From virtually every angle, the 2010 Chevrolet Camaro is a gorgeous car. Its C-pillar, in coke-bottle profile, looks even more rakish than that of the 1969 Camaro, which served as its designers’ inspiration. Its deep grille is like a fierce smile and the rear-view accents huge rear quarter-panels and extreme tumblehome — the way those quarter panels flare out from the greenhouse. It’s more than a retro reference to the original Camaro. It’s an homage to the Bill Mitchell era of exuberant styling, when General Motors divisions needn’t be bothered with outside competition. They competed with each other to dominate the North American market.

Subjectively, the 2010 Camaro is the best-looking new model of this old breed of pony/musclecar. And in V-8 form, it beat the updated Ford Mustang and Dodge Challenger in our June cover story comparison.

Taking the more economical V-6 is no penalty. The 3.6-liter gas direct-injection DOHC engine makes just 11 fewer ponies than the Mustang GT’s aging 24-valve, 4.6-liter V-8, though the Camaro carries the burden of a couple hundred extra pounds. Considering the ill timing of launching a new, large coupe as its maker is on the ropes for more government loan guarantees, and as consumers pay more attention to emissions, fuel-price swings and their pocketbooks, the Camaro V-6 stands a better chance of becoming a sales success than does its more powerful and more expensive SS V-8 sibling. Ford traditionally sells a lot of V-6 Mustangs based on style and image rather than on performance. The six-cylinder Camaro, available well equipped for under $30K (higher, with the RS package) should rival the V-6 Mustang in popularity.

Enter the spoiler. In the 1970s, the four-cylinder, rear-drive Toyota Celica forced its way into the Mustang/Camaro/Firebird/Challenger/Cuda sandbox just as insurance companies, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries choked our V-8s below 200 horsepower.

Today’s spoiler comes from South Korea, not Japan. The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe, with rear drive and turbo-four or V-6 power, is about eight inches shorter than the Camaro, or half a foot shorter than the Mustang. Although it shares components with the Genesis sedan, it’s been designed specifically to be too small to take the sedan’s optional 4.6-liter Tau V-8 in its engine bay. Like the Celica of a generation back, the Genesis Coupe is meant to dazzle musclecar fans with fancy footwork its bigger, heavier competitors can’t match.

Nevertheless, Camaro and Genesis Coupe appeal to similar buyers, those who value style and the ability to drive stylishly fast over a useful back seat or trunk space, with gas mileage that won’t embarrass those owners. The Genesis V-6 with six-speed manual gets a manufacturer’s estimated 17/26 mpg, while the Camaro V-6/six-speed manual combo manages 17/29 mpg.

Asking for V-6/manuals landed us a Track Package version of the Genesis Coupe and a preproduction, non-RS Camaro with the 2LT package, shod with 19-inch all-season performance tires. The Camaro came with the Inferno Orange interior package, handsome polished five-spoke wheels, and a sticker a couple of grand off the Hyundai’s.

Even on metro Detroit’s war-zonelike roads, the Hyundai’s track package suspension wasn’t overly stiff. It’s busy on expansion-strip pavement, but doesn’t crash over bumps and potholes like some extreme sports cars. The two cars scored similar numbers for our track testing, but achieved them in very different ways.

“The Camaro feels way heavier,” tester Markus writes. “It reached a higher top speed on the figure-eight, but clocked a slower overall time, thanks to the Genesis’s slightly better transition cornering and the Camaro’s stronger acceleration. Its 7000-rpm redline and taller gearing means no 2-3 upshift, or 3-2 downshift was necessary.”

On the highway, the Genesis Coupe’s way shorter top gear ratio translated into higher revs at cruising speeds, helping explain lower highway fuel mileage.

Reality bit the Camaro in acceleration testing at Chrysler’s Chelsea Proving Grounds. It kept up with the Genesis to 50 mph, then needed an extra tenth of a second to make 60 mph. By the quarter mile, the heavy Chevy was 0.2 second off at a trap speed of 98.3 mph, versus 99.8 mph for the Hyundai. The Camaro’s mushy-feeling, single-piston caliper disc brakes surprised us, too. In the 60-to-0-mph test, its 107-foot stop beat the Genesis by seven feet. Markus remarked that, on Chelsea’s road handling course, “both cars are fun to drive, easy to slide around in the tightest twisty turns. But the Hyundai bites harder on initial turn in and rotates a bit more eagerly.”

The dynamic subtleties amplify in real-world driving, where runoffs consist of curbs, ditches, trees, and hills. The gearbox in our bright-yellow Genesis coupe feels fairly slick and positive, although every near-redline upshift in the acceleration testing was attended by a big belt squeak, the type an air conditioning compressor often triggers, even with the A/C off.

The Camaro’s shifter feels clunkier, with too vague a detent for reverse. Both tackle the “oops, that’s reverse, not first” problem, with the Camaro’s digital message center registering a big “R” and the Genesis letting out a beep. Chevy equips the Camaro with a proper handbrake, a rare thing in a GM car these days, but the handle is long and you have to pull it up, hard, to engage the parking brake. It may seem picky, but a shorter, better-feeling handbrake is one of the refinements Ford boasts about with its 2010 Mustang. And the Camaro’s dead pedal is poorly positioned in relation to the working pedals. The Genesis’s dead pedal has a good spatial relationship to the clutch pedal, and the pedals are easier to heel-and-toe than in the Camaro’s.

Finally, the Camaro’s bucket seats are too wide between bolsters. Anyone under 250 pounds will find his back sliding across the seatback in esses. (Does Chevy know its customers too well?) The Camaro offers a much more entertaining view from the driver’s seat, though. The Hyundai is all function over form, with a bland, but well-built black interior featuring decent midlevel materials and good fit and finish. Unlike in the Camaro, you won’t slide around in the seat while cornering fast. And you can easily see the road ahead from its sloping hoodline, whereas the Camaro has acres of long, flat bi-level hood in the view ahead.

On our road test loop in Ohio’s Hocking Hills, both the Camaro and Genesis were fun to drive. “Surprisingly confident for such a big car on all-season tires,” Markus says of the Camaro. Drive the Genesis second and it’s like discovering smaller, foreign-car handling in the ’70s after driving late-’60s musclecars.

“Feels much more geared to the road,” Markus says of the Hyundai. “Lighter steering feel, crisper turn-in, great power.”

The Genesis has poor on-center steering feel, which drains confidence a bit in left-right-left transitions. You’ll forgive that if you drive the Camaro afterward. Steering is far too numb lock to lock, as if engineers chose the 1969 Camaro as its model for that component, too — the last thing you want when you’re trying to hustle a 3800-pound coupe this large around a two-lane with trees in the “runoff.”

While the Camaro doesn’t have excessive understeer, it’s the kind of car that seems to be waiting for a break in the curves so it can be run up through the gears on a long straight. The Genesis wants to play. Even with electronic stability control on, you can feel the rear tires on the Hyundai give up some lateral grip to the throttle. It’s rewarding when you reach past its limits, where the Camaro can feel a bit scary.

The Coupe’s big half brother, the Genesis sedan, came to North America last year with compromised chassis tuning to try and overcome its home market’s predilection for soft, cushy sedans. This made us wonder whether Hyundai had it in itself to make a real, enthusiast’s car. Wonder no longer: The Genesis Coupe — at least with the Track Package — while not perfect, proves Hyundai can do it.

Your humble Detroit bureau’s predilection was to give the new Chevy Camaro the benefit of the doubt. It has far more visual appeal than the Hyundai Genesis, and that’s why people buy sport coupes. Meanwhile, GM has downsized itself into underdog status. The Camaro’s sibling, the Pontiac G8, ends production this year. That makes the Camaro GM’s only North American-market Zeta-platform car. It’s a pre-reorganization present to baby-boomers who’ve been waiting seven years since the demise of the F-Body. After a five- or six-year run, GM’s rear-drive business likely will revert to Cadillac and Corvette.

The Hyundai Genesis, sedan and coupe, look ready to thrive, if only in low volume in light of fuel economy and emissions regulations. While the Camaro scored slightly higher real-world fuel economy than the Genesis, Hyundai’s numbers will get better when it adds such technology as gas direct-injection. The 2010 Chevy Camaro is a beautiful tribute to our automotive past. If there is a future for rear-drive sport coupes, it’s in a car like the Hyundai Genesis.

FIRST PLACE: Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Best viewed from behind the wheel, where it handles entertaining roads more like a sports car than a pony- or musclecar.

SECOND PLACE: Chevrolet Camaro
Powerful, refined V-6 and enough style to lend some to Hyundai, its weight and size make it less entertaining on second- and third-gear roads.

By Todd Lassa
MotorTrend.com