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| | | 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe The 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe shares its name with the Genesis sedan, but that's effectively where the sharing stops. Yes, the Coupe's uplevel 3.8-liter V6 is similar (though not identical) to the sedan's base engine, and yes, the cars roll on the same basic platform. Drive them back to back, though, and you'll think they might as well be from different planets. While the Coupe is laudably comfortable and refined, it has none of the sedan's plush, isolated character. It's a genuinely sporting car that can run with its benchmark, the Infiniti G37 coupe, in all respects save straight-line acceleration. If you're looking for a stylish coupe with serious performance, the Genesis Coupe is one of the best deals on the market. The Genesis Coupe's 2.0T trim levels come with a 210-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Considering the car's affordable base price and the presumptive ease with which horsepower can be increased by aftermarket tuners, the 2.0T will likely be the trim of choice for young hot-rodders. Should you wish to keep your Genesis' warranty intact, the turbo-4 is adequate right out of the box, and the uplevel 3.8-liter V6 provides burly acceleration with an exhaust note to match. There's very little wrong with the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe from a style or design perspective. The exterior sheet metal is handsome and sporty -- calling the coupe the best-looking Hyundai ever would be a perfectly reasonable statement. The cabin is particularly impressive, boasting an enveloping cockpit-like environment. The rear seat is useless for adults, but you can fit a couple kids back there in a pinch. We've often said that Hyundai's models are "nice for the price," but the Genesis Coupe is just a nice car, period. Not too long ago, you could get a coupe that was reliable, efficient and, best of all, knew how to have a good time. Then, almost imperceptibly, car companies let the affordable sports coupe die. Most of today’s affordable two-doors are uninspired and boring. Others can accelerate but don’t handle well or vice versa. Where’s the fun in that? Price tags on sports coupes have soared, with refinement becoming an afterthought. Want a fun coupe you can drive daily? You’d better have deep pockets and a good chiropractor. The Hyundai Genesis Coupe marks a triumphant return to true coupe form. A sports coupe that will remind us that every mile should be savored, yet that is also refined and roomy enough to be driven every day. A coupe that’s as capable at sailing around corners as it is leaping away from stoplights. With a choice of engines that make more power from less fuel and a range of models that suit almost any personality (there’s even a nearly race-ready Track model), the Genesis is dripping with the character and style of a classic coupe, yet is packed with all the technology and safety you expect of a modern car. The Genesis Coupe represents the same value you expect from Hyundai, applied to a category you might not expect Hyundai to compete in. The Genesis Coupe’s performance breeding is immediately apparent in its proportions: a wide track for stability, a short front overhang for agility, and a wedge-like profile for optimal aerodynamics. Yet its thoughtful design details make it better suited for day-to-day use than the chiseled styling might suggest. Our California-based design team evolved the Coupe’s styling over time, looking to the HCD8 and HCD9 concept cars for inspiration. Their goal: to create a distinctive shape that would hint at the muscle beneath the surface. The bodyside lines intertwine then boldly highlight the rear fenders to make it immediately clear that this is not merely a front-wheel drive family sedan in disguise. But the design flourishes aren’t just cosmetic; the drop-beltline side windows also enhance the driver’s over-the-shoulder view while also giving rear passengers a better view than most other coupes. The wedge-like profile’s aerodynamic properties were tuned with the vehicle’s high-speed stability in mind and are meant to suggest a predatory animal, coiled on it haunches and ready to strike. BARK TO MATCH ITS BITE. The Genesis Coupe’s asymmetric exhaust outlets have been devised to make the kinds of sounds you’d hope to hear from a sports coupe. The 2.0T has a signature howl you might not expect, given the engine’s efficiency; while the 3.8 carries a deep authorative rumble that will leave other car owners and engineers green with envy. SEE WHAT COMES NEXT.The HID Xenon headlights on the Genesis Coupe cast a pure white light farther down the road, enhancing contrast and visibility while reducing eyestrain. A self-leveling feature maintains the lights’ optimal positioning, depending on the weight of passengers and luggage, so oncoming traffic won’t be distracted by their intensity. And with no physical filament to burn out, HID units last longer than conventional bulbs. WHY SHOULDN’T YOUR CAR RECOGNIZE YOU?
It’s the kind of feature you never knew you needed, until you experience it and wonder how you ever lived without it. Smart Key allows you to enter and operate the car without even removing the key from your pocket: just open the door, push the start button, and go. And because the transponder-based system knows exactly where the key is, it won’t let you lock the doors with the key still in the car
DRIVEN BY DESIGN. DESIGNED TO BE DRIVEN. Reflection-minimizing recessed gauges, generous side bolsters, and a chunky shift knob deftly marry form and function, while the cockpit-like sweep of the dashboard puts everything close at hand so you can keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. Conveniences like an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Bluetooth®, automatic climate control and steering wheel-mounted audio controls aren’t just luxuries—they help you stay focused on the road ahead. The Genesis Coupe’s AM/FM/CD player includes XM® Satellite Radio hardware, as well as iPod®/USB and auxiliary input jacks standard. Controls are placed within easy reach and the system’s display is high on the dash to reduce distraction and eyestrain. Optional audio by Infinity® includes an external amplifier and subwoofer for clean, punchy sound even at high volumes. EFFICIENT PERFORMANCE. The standard engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter with Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing. Its turbocharged design allows for high efficiency in everyday driving with deep reserves of torque just an ankle flex away. And unlike traditional turbo engines, this one does its best work at everyday driving speeds and is designed to run on regular unleaded. The oversized 3.8-liter V6 has big lungs and advanced technologies like Dual Continuously Variable Valve Timing and a Variable Intake System to give the motor an uncanny balance of low-end torque and high-end power. This version of the 3.8 is specific to the Coupe, boasting larger intake and exhaust systems and throttle body. The result: more power at all engine speeds and the eagerness to rev befitting a performance car. And it sounds good doing so: the rush of acceleration and the accompanying wail as the tachometer sweeps past 4,000 rpm will turn any driver into an enthusiast. We scrutinized some of the world’s finest coupes, including the iconic ones created by BMW and Porsche before developing the Genesis Coupe’s suspension system. All models feature a dual-pivot front strut suspension for more precise steering, and a five-link rear suspension for more consistent traction over uneven surfaces and during extreme lateral loads. Gas-pressurized shock absorbers are employed for firm, consistent control of the Coupe’s wheel and body motions, especially over bumpy road surfaces. Firm but yielding sport tuning and generous 18-inch performance tires are standard on most models. The Track and R-Spec models feature track-developed spring, shock absorber, and sway bar settings that are specific to the North American market and that cater to enthusiast drivers. Track models also feature higher performance Brembo® brakes, a Torsen® limited-slip differential for better acceleration out of corners, and a strut-tower brace to ensure consistent traction from the sticky summer compound performance tire on 19-inch alloy wheels. The tires improve upon the steering response of a tire favored by the world’s leading performance car engineers. Knowing that the Genesis Coupe would be used daily, our engineers paid particular attention to what’s referred to as “streetability,” which ensures, for example, the clearance of the front bumper when pulling into parking spaces or steep driveways. They wanted to flatter the average driver but not bore the advanced one. And last, they wanted to be certain the Coupe would perform on the road, not just in magazine road tests. |
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