2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Wednesday, December 2, 2009 at 07:24PM By Nick Yost
If an automaker wants to build a successful sports car or sporty coupe, there are three important targets to hit – price, performance and presence.
The Genesis Coupe, latest entry in the upwardly mobile product portfolio of South Korean manufacturer Hyundai, pretty much scores a bull’s eye in each category.
The pricing starts at $22,750 for a generously equipped coupe powered by a turbocharged 210-horsepower, four-cylinder engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission.
The most-expensive, 306-horsepower V-6 model with all available options won’t reach $35,000.
The coupe’s performance credentials are verified with rear-wheel-drive, four-wheel independent suspension, communicative steering and the availability of sport-tuned suspension settings and Brembo disc brakes.
The four-cylinder engine won’t press anyone’s back into the seat, but it has plenty of potential for owner upgrading, being a close relative to the 291-horsepower powerplant in Mitsubishi’s exciting Lancer Evolution.
Those looking for out-of the-box performance will likely opt for the V-6 engine, which combines 266 pound-feet of torque with its 306 horsepower to power the coupe from a stop to 60 mph in less than 6 seconds.
As for presence, the Genesis coupe attracted more comment, most of it favorable, than any other car I have driven in quite a while. From every angle, its lines draw an aggressive picture that says the Genesis was conceived primarily for the enthusiast. Even the few who were not smitten agreed the Genesis’ styling makes it stand apart from the crowd.
The coupe presented for my inspection was a brilliant Tsukuba red 2010 Track edition equipped with the V-6 engine, sport-tuned suspension and six-speed automatic transmission.
The combination really didn’t do the coupe justice. It somehow brought to mind my granddaughter when she was about 4. Allowed to pick out her own outfit, she donned her favorite top and pants. She couldn’t have been happier, but the mix of colors and fabrics was, to put it mildly, less than harmonious.
Same thing is true with the Hyundai. The track suspension offered superior controllability at the expense of a comfortable ride. The automatic transmission offered the ease of drivability at the expense of controllability. Like my granddaughter’s clothing, the mix was less than ideal.
Yes, there were paddle shifters attached to the steering wheel and the gears could also be changed manually using the console-mounted shift lever. But, there was no rev matching and gear selection was available only on a limited part of the paddles.
Besides, the transmission overruled the shifter if it decided the engine was about to be abused or if it simply decided a higher gear was in order.
To be fair, the bulk of auto/manual transmissions work that way. The only real use I have found for one is that the driver can lock in a gear for such chores as towing, descending steep hills or navigating slippery roads.
If a driver wants the convenience of an automatic transmission and the rear-world control of a manual shifter the car needs to be equipped with a double-clutch transmission. Unfortunately, Hyundai doesn’t offer one on the Genesis coupe.
Bottom line: If you want an automatic transmission, forget the Track edition. If you want to unleash the inner Andretti from time to time, get the Track edition and the manual transmission.
All of that said, the V-6 engine’s ample power made passing and merging into traffic a simple matter. The engine runs strong throughout its power band and the sport-tuned exhaust complements the car’s aggressive demeanor.
It also returns respectable fuel mileage using regular gas. The EPA rates the coupe at 17 mpg city/27 mpg highway. I averaged 20 miles per gallon in mostly suburban driving and 27 mpg on the open road.
The coupe will hold four passengers, but entry for the rear two is awkward and the seats will be comfortable only for people less than six feet tall.
On the other hand, the rear seatbacks fold forward to significantly expand the cargo area. The coupe could easily accommodate the luggage of two people on a vacation trip.
In the front, the short passenger is at a disadvantage, at least in the car I tested. Like most highly stylized modern coupes, the Hyundai has a high belt line. The driver has a power adjuster to raise and lower the seats so that a commanding view is easily obtained.
There was no height adjustment for the passenger’s bucket seat, so a short passenger -- that would be my wife -- was stuck staring at the glove compartment. It seems like that would be an easy problem to correct.
Base price of the car I drove is $31,750 and that includes a comprehensive list of safety equipment, as well as numerous comfort and convenience features.
Included were leather seats, power sunroof, Xenon headlights, fog lights, automatic climate control, keyless locking, push-button ignition, Ipod connectivity, Bluetooth hands-free technology and 10-speaker sound system.
A touch-screen navigation system with multi-gauge information display has been added to the option list on 2010 models, but the car I drove didn’t have it.
In fact, the only options on the car were floor mats for $95 and an Ipod cable for $30. With the $750 delivery fee, the total came to $32,625.
The Hyundai Genesis coupe is luxurious, sporty and a lot of fun. Properly equipped it will suit the needs of the enthusiast or a casual driver who wants a car with an air of excitement.
Read all of Nick Yost’s automotive news and reviews at http://www.examiner.com/x-2270-NY-Autos-Examiner