ConceptVBS
Been here awhile...
http://www.clublexus.com/forums/car-chat/413988-review-hyundai-genesis-coupe-3-8-track.html
.By multiple CL member request, a Review of the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track.
http://www.hyundaigenesis.com/coupe/
In a Nutshell: An superb-driving sports-coupe and serious BMW-fighter, but saddled with some cheap interior and trim materials.
There seems to be widespread CL interest in the new Hyundai Genesis coupe, and I received several requests from CL members for a full-length review. Why Hyundai did not bring a regular, street-version Genesis Coupe to the D.C. Auto Show last month beats me. The car was very soon to be introduced at local dealerships (they just started coming in a few days ago), and, IMO, Hyundai should have had a normal, production model on the floor, unlocked. Normally, Hyundai is one of the best auto companies in the buisness at displaying new models for public access at auto shows without restrictions, but not this time. All they had was a Coupe painted an odd, military-style, gray/green camoflauge....up on a stand, and locked. Go Figure.
Well, no matter. The Coupe is now at Washington-area dealerships, ready to go, but not in large numbers. Most local Hyundai shops only have one or two in stock right now, but more are on the way. Still, even in the tight auto-buying market right now, I would only expect minor discounts for new Genesis coupes....and that's with some bargaining. Often, new sport-coupes and sports-cars can command a mark-up, and the Genesis coupe probably would too, if there were normal auto-buying times. But this year is clearly NOT buisness as usual. Dealerships will HAVE to discount and/or offer credit if they want to sell cars this year, but with the strong public and auto-press interest in this car, there still are not a lot of incentives for heavy discounts.
Hyundai is introducing the Genesis Coupe as a sequel to the Genesis sedan, but the two models, in my view, couldn't be further apart. About all they share is the Hyundai badge on the grille and the 3.8L V6 engine block (a 4.6L V8 is optional on the sedan). Not only the exteriors, but the interiors are radically different as well. I was very impressed with the Genesis sedan's interior, but far less impressed with the Coupe's, which seemed much more cheaply-done (more on that below). But the coupe makes up for it, at least in the 3.8 Track version, by being an superb-driving sport-coupe...one of the best moderately-priced Drivers' cars I've seen outside of BMW (also more on that below).
6 different Genesis Coupe models are offered, for now (or will be offered), in the American market. These include the 2.0T, 2.0T Premium, 2.0T Track, 3.8, 3.8 Grand Touring, and 3.8 Track. All 2.0T models come with a turbo 2.0L four, with 210 HP and 223 Ft-lbs. of torque....it is somewhat similiar to the one that VW/Audi uses with the same displacement. The 2.0T and 2.0T Premium come with a choice of a close-ratio, 6-speed manual transmission or a 5-speed paddle-shift Shiftronic automatic; the 2.0T Track comes only with the manual. All 3.8 versions, including the Track, come with a 3.8L V6 with 306 HP and 266 Ft-lbs. of torque, and the choice of the 6-speed manual or a 6-speed ZF paddle-shift Shiftronic automatic. Both the 2.0T and 3.8 Track versions also include a Torsen limited-slip differential.
As I mentioned above, not many Genesis Coupes are in stock right now. A Hyundai shop fairly close to my house had an automatic, silver/Black leather, 3.8 Track model ready to go, and offered a solo test-drive, without a salesman riding along, so I jumped at the chance (I knew a number of several CL members were waiting for a review).
I really enjoyed this test-drive....as much as I do with BMWs (and the controls on this car were far less complex than many BMWs). The 3.8 Track is an absolute blast behind the wheel, although, of course, as a responsible driver, I didn't abuse it, or red-line the engine.
So, what is this remarkable (for the price) sport-coupe really like? Coming right up.
Model Reviewed: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track Automatic.
Base Price: $31,000
Options:
Carpet Mats: $95
I-Pod Cable: $30
Destination/Freight: $750
List Price as Reviewed: $31,875
Drivetrain: RWD, Longitudionally-mounted, Dual-CVVT, 3.8L V6, 306 HP @ 6300 RPM, Torque 266 ft-lbs. @ 4700 RPM, ZF 6-speed paddle-SHIFTRONIC automatic transmission, Torsen Limited-slip differential.
EPA Mileage Rating: 17 City, 27 Highway,
Exterior Color: Silverstone
Interior: Black Leather
PLUSSES:
Smooth, torquey V6 gives good throttle-response.
Superlative Brembo brake package approaches perfection.
Heavy-Firm, smooth steering feel approxomates that of BMW.
Right-Now steering/handling response with super-flat cornering.
Firm, but not harsh, ride quality.
Fairly short turning radius.
Handsome (IMO) exterior styling.
Excellent silver paint job.
Good rear visibility by coupe standards.
Reasonably solid doors.
Rock-solid hood.
Excellent underhood layout.
Superb-quality exterior mirrors.
Well-finished trunk.
Insulation pad for the under-trunk-lid.
Remote, trunk-accesable, rear-seat release.
Nicely-shaped, well-contoured, comfortable front seats.
Well-done, clear, easy-to-read gauges.
Nice-sounding Infinity stereo.
Reasonably good interior hardware.
Fairly nice interior metallic and chrome trim.
Good front head/room/legroom if seats are adjusted low.
Tight, solid parking-brake handle/cable.
Comfortable-to-hold steering wheel.
Nice engine start/stop button.
Generally well-designed buttons/controls.
Nicely-done headliner and sun visors.
Excellent paint-color choice.
Excellent Hyundai warranty, but with limited transferability.
MINUSES:
Cheap-feeling, uncomfortable plastic door panels/armrests.
Cheap-looking upper-dash and instrument-bin panels.
Relatively flimsy vent adjusters.
Awkwardly-mounted power mirror/window/lock switches.
Annoying, zig-zag shift lever motion in full-automatic mode.
Awkwardly-hinged shift paddles on the steering column.
Unimpressive perforated seat leather.
NAV not (?) offered.
Very tight rear headroom/legroom typical of many coupes.
Temporary spare tire unworthy of this vehicle class.
Very small trunk opening for loading.
Trunk-lid sheet metal not as solid-feeling as doors/hood.
Tacky plastic spoiler on trunk lid.
Shallow trunk space.
Brake/gas pedals not particularly well-placed for large feet.
No underhood insulation pad.
Somewhat weak-feeling, single underhood gas-strut.
Cheap-looking, flat-black outside window moldings and lower front/rear trim.
Low-contrast, rather hard-to-read shift-indicator and odometers.
Long (and limited) Hyundai warranty not transferable outside of immediate family.
10/100 drivetrain warranty only good on Hyundai-sourced parts, rest get 5/60.
EXTERIOR:
The first impression of the Coupe, as you walk up to it, of course, is that of a totally different vehicle than the Genesis sedan.....which, of course, it is. The general exterior styling is that of a somewhat larger, cat-eyed, swept-up-beltline Tiburon, the smaller coupe in the Hyundai family. I generally liked the look and found it handsome, though I didn't care for the interupted, double-beltline look just above the two door handles. Still, it is stylish enough to look sporty, and conservative enough not to look outlandish....an ideal combination, IMO, for a sports-coupe. The silver paint job on my test car was extremely well done, with no visible orange peel; it reminded me of some of the classic Silver Mercedes paint jobs I've seen. The sheet-metal feel and quality was rock-solid on the hood, generally solid on the doors, and noticeably less solid for the trunk lid. The big, plastic spoiler on the trunk lid was rather tacky, and, of course, it makes the trunk lid more difficult to wash and dry. The allow wheels, IMO, are generally good-looking, although the 5-split-spoke design is not one of my favorites. I generally prefer the classic 5-spoke mag design. The two outside mirrors were extremely well-done (some of the best I've seen), with a good square shape, adequate viewing area, integrated turn signals, and a DURABLE housing. They also snap/swivel and lock very firmly, without any of the cheapness/looseness found in many domestic vehicles and some non-domestics as well.
Also unlike many other vehicles today, the paint-color choice is excellent....though, of course, I had to judge mostly from the paint-chip colors and not on the vehicles themselves, as few if any other Coupes were in stock. In addition to the usual (and expected) white, silver, gray, and black, the Coupe offers a number of colors that don't look like Harold's Mortuary and actually keep you awake.....Bright yellow (3.8 Track only), bright red, lime green, and bright blue. A lighter, attractive, silvery blue is also offered. A big flaw, though, IMO, on the exterior (and perhaps due to cost-cutting), is the cheap-looking and cheap-feeling flat-black plastic window mouldings and the equally cheap looking/feeling flat-black plastic panels under both the grille and rear-bumper. Hyundai, up to now, had been using better and better-quality trim with each succeding new model, but (maybe?) corporate money is getting as tight in Korea now as it is here in the U.S.
UNDERHOOD:
Open the solid hood, and there is some more evidence of cost-cutting, as only one large gas strut, on the right side, instead of two smaller ones, holds the hood up. There is no underhood insulation pad (a feature found in some econocars)...only bare sheet metal. The single gas strut works adequately, but feels somewhat weaker and more wobbly than the two normal struts. Under the hood, however, there is little to complain about....the general layout and design is excellent. The fore/aft mounted 3.8L V6 fits in well enough to allow access to most of the upper components on each side of the block, and a few of the lower ones a well. There is no big plastic engine cover on top like there is in the Genesis sedan, so most of the things on top of the engine can be reached as well. The battery is in back, uncovered, on the left side of the engine. All dipsticks (yes, a real oil DIPSTICK, none of that computer oil-monitoring stuff), are easily accessable, as are the filler caps and fluid reserviors. HERE is the way an upmarket car should be laid out under the hood....BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Audi, Mercedes, etc.....are you listening?
INTERIOR:
In general, I wasn't impressed with the Coupe's interior (far less so than with the much more plush interior of the Genesis sedan), though, admittedly, there were some nice things inside......I'll cover those now. The front seats were comfortable and well-bolstered, and guys like me with big rears, legs, and torsos had no problem fitting in. The two primary gauges are clear and easily-read, with the now-traditional red/white/blue markings. The steering wheel was comfortable to hold, wih flat leather stitching. The glove box and console-compartment lid had good snap-lock hardware....weak points in many vehicles. The stereo/climate buttons/knobs were generally well-done and easy to use, though I didn't like the read outs separate at the top of the dash. The Infinity stereo had nice sound quality (it was nice to hear Alice Cooper do "School's Out" again...hadn't heard that one for awhile). The chrome and siver-metallic trim on the steering wheel, door handles, and upper-console, though painted-plastic, seemed to be well-done. Visibility out the back, from the drivers' seat, beacuse of way the rear window, C-pillar, and rear quarter windows are designed, is quite good by coupe standards.....I could easily watch for cops behind me (just kidding). The headliner, sun-visors, and sunroof pull-cover all had nice, plush-feeling cover material. And, under the headliner, front seat headroom is OK for tall drivers if you adjust the seat cushion way down.
But the rest of the interior, IMO, was not one of my favorites. The blue/black readouts for the odometer, shift indicator, and stereo/climate readouts were not particularly easy to read at a glance. The vent-control fins and thumbwheels have a flimsy, cheap feel to them. The shift lever for the transmission has the common (and annoying) zig-zag feature in the non-Sport mode. The power-mirror, power door-lock, and power-window switches are mounted vertically on the door panels instead of the more common horizontal mode on the arm rests.....that makes tham somewhat awkward to use at first. The door arm rests themselves are uncomfortable and have apairly hard-plastic surface. The door panels are done in big pieces of cheap, flat-black plastic. The upper-dash panel and upper-instrument bin cover, also flat-black plastic, are also rather cheap-feeling and, IMO, not very pleasant to look at.....though the dash cover's knitted-grain feature is not bad. The front seat cushions have nice power controls, but the seat backs have a cheap-feeling, flimsy, twist-lever for rake adjustment. I'm not a NAV fan and don't particularly care myself, but for those who DO want a NAV, it does not seem to be offered as an option..........my test car didn't have it, and I couldn't find the option in the brochure, though the usual I-Pod, XM, MP3, Bluetooth, etc......are all there as usual. Like with many cars nowadays, I wasn't impressed with the look or feel of the perforated leather on the seats, though I've seen worse, even on vehicles that cost twice as much. And, of course, being essentially a mid-sized coupe (markedly smaller than the Genesis sedan), and having a sharply-raked rear roofline, the rear seats are very tight on both head and legroom for normal-sized adults (not to mention being hard to enter/exit). Consider this car, like many coupes, a 2+2....the rear seats for occasional use by children or very short adults.
I also felt that the mostly all-black leather interior, broken only by some chrome/metallic trim here and there, was a little too much like a coal mine for me, but two-tone black/red and black/brown interiors are offered (depending on exterior color) for a little more spruce inside.
