2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Better than: Hyundai Tiburon
But not as good as: BMW 335i
GRM Bang For The Buck Index: 96.60

In case you haven’t heard, Hyundai is on a roll these days with their Genesis Sedan and Coupe. We were already won over by the Genesis Sedan, so we were anxiously looking forward to the Coupe. And we weren’t disappointed.

The Sedan and Coupe are positioned and marketed differently, but underneath they have a lot in common—in particular, the Genesis rear-wheel-drive platform, V6 engine and much of the suspension. This is not a bad thing. In both V6 and 2.0-liter turbo forms, we think Hyundai has a winner on their hands with the Genesis Coupe.

The Coupe certainly looks—and acts—the part, with attractive and aggressive styling and performance to match. Our V6 test car offered strong acceleration with a pleasant growl. However, with 3400 pounds of ground-hugging weight and tall gearing, the Coupe doesn’t offer the violent shove you’d find in a V8 Mustang or 370Z. Still, Hyundai claims a 5.5-second zero-to-60 time, which isn’t too shabby.

Inside, you’ll find pleasant ergonomics, supportive seats and feel-good controls. The materials may be a bit on the cheap side for a car nudging 30 large, but the details are right. Visibility is good, too—something many of the Coupe’s competitors can’t claim.

The Coupe feels very stable, with good grip from the Bridgestones and nicely weighted steering. The overall driving experience is one of smooth competence—much like the Genesis Sedan, only sportier.

Hyundai sees this car as more of the Infiniti G37 mole than a V8 Mustang or Camaro competitor. After spending a bit of time with the car, we’d have to agree. The V6 Coupe is a composed, sporting GT machine. The 2.0T R-Spec version appears poised to be Hyundai’s track monster. Stay tuned for a full track workout in an upcoming issue.

Other staff views:

Tom Heath Webmaster:

I liked the Genesis Coupe a lot; it was surprisingly comfortable as a highway cruiser and the rear seats seemed genuinely usable. The V-6 model was pretty fast, and I think we’ll be seeing lots of them at track days and autocross events. I don’t consider any aspect of the Genesis to be necessarily class-leading, but the combination of capability, comfort, and cost seem like a good solution for new car buyers.

The R-Spec car is very intriguing; the Genesis Coupe is very capable for a sporty drive with a smooth suspension tune, so a more aggressive setup with a bit less weight should be a lot of fun to drive, and it should be pretty easy to develop more power from the turbocharged four-cylinder.

Tommy Suddard SonDork:

I liked the Hyundai. It had more than ample power, was comfortable inside, and handled real well. It also had a decent trunk to boot zing I would buy it before a G37, even at the same price point. The only problem with this car is the rear seat, which is fine for occasional use, but not for everyday. My head hit the roof.

David S. Wallens Editorial Director:

Color me impressed. Good power, nice styling and a really good seating position. Unlike so many other sporty coupes out there, I didn’t feel like I was driving a bathtub. It was also quiet and comfortable on the highway yet had plenty of zip where needed. Nice gauges, good interior details.

My biggest gripe was the steering wheel. I know I have complained about sub-standard wheels before, but this one really let me down—really, really cheap-feeling plastic. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and this one said, Hi, we cut some corners here. Here, have a taco.

I have only driven the V6 car, but I’m really eager to try the turbo four. Sure, it gives up some power, but giving up some weight should really help the chassis come alive. Now that people are buying new cars again, hopefully we’ll see a few more Genesis Coupes out there.

Scott Lear Production Editor:

Although it’s a bit bigger overall than I was hoping for, the Genesis Coupe is a pretty stellar achievement for Hyundai. My wife Ashley isn’t very car oriented, so I like using her for baseline responses on cars: When I took the Genesis Coupe home and asked her what was parked in the driveway, she said, “An Infiniti?” Somewhere, a Hyundai executive got his wings.

It’s well screwed together, drives nicely, sounds better than a 350Z to my ears, had a very capable automatic (although naturally we’d have preferred a stick), and was every bit as good as the buzz surrounding it. Joe’s review in the magazine commented that the displays were hard to read, and I have to agree with him, at least at night: unlike the Honda Civic’s neon blue background with white letters, the Genesis gets a similar neon blue background but with black LED digits, and they don’t exactly jump out at you. I’m even more eager to get my hands on a turbo four Genesis now having had a taste of the more cruiser-oriented V6.