TEST DRIVE: 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe (3.8L V6 6-speed man)

Art of marketing
by: Andy Mok


Despite the fact that a lot of people bash on Hyundai for it being a Hyundai, Hyundai is doing quite well. Its sales in March went up roughly 35% from last year. Hyundai also manages to outsell Toyota in Europe, and is now the biggest player in the midsize sedan competition (Sonata outsold Ford Fusion, and Nissan Altima). This year, they are looking to achieve the unprecedented sales of more than 500,000 units.


Perfect time then, for a car like Genesis coupe to play the pivotal role of enhancing the brands' image, and the timing could not have been better when the major players in Japan were caught sleeping after perfecting their next hybrids and plug-in concepts. We`ve also received the Mustang and the Camaro, and while they are fantastic to look at and ooze heritage inside out, the Gen coupe is targeted for a much narrower niche market, for the ones that know what camber and caster means. 


I had a chance to hop on the 2.0L turbo, 3.8L track, and 3.8L grand touring models in a manual tranny. At this point I will simply describe the turbo model in one word and move onto the 6-cylinder models. The turbo model as it comes from the factory is 'trash', and I hope I saved you time, but if you must, go drive it for yourself to really see what I mean. Perhaps I will get the chance to drive a modified one to change my mind but that is not what these reviews are about.


So as I gently push on the go pedal of the grand touring, the engine revs swiftly with effortless torque and smooth power delivery. The exhaust note mimics that similar howl from the Nissan 370z, if not with a even deeper tone. The seats are sculpted in a way so it does a decent job at bolstering your body without feeling constrained all the time. When you start to push the car towards its lmit, you start to notice the small details like the soft springs at the front which takes away a bit of eagerness to tuck in towards the apex, clunky gear changes due to the engagement point on the clutch (in this case, too high), and the traction control that just simply cuts power off rather than allowing some slippage. But all these are a very small sacrifice, especially considering its supple ride quality. It's a typical car that Koreans would build; quiet, safe, and comfortable but leaves you wanting for more in the fun department.


 Now, I was not able to drive the track edition right after, so I was itching to go back and get my hands on it as soon as possible, because I was quite impressed about the grand touring model and thought the track model would only be better. Regrettably, thats when this coupe starts to show its weakness and finally reveals its identity.


On paper, the track model seems to have all the right bells and whistles for a sports coupe, with features such as limited-slip diff, brembo brakes, stiffer suspension, and the 19-inch wheels. However, when you really drive this car, the brembo brakes are too touchy in the slow speed and not all that much better in the fast speed than the grand touring, making it difficult to drive smoothly, and no matter what they claim, the suspension feels like the only noticeable upgrade is the dampers which feel terribly stiff, especially paired up with those glamorous 19"s.  On the track it may be just a bit faster, but on the streets the grand touring with its longer suspension travel will be faster for its ability to soak up undulations on the road better.  


Along with the obvious let downs on the mechanical side, the idiotic safety feature of not letting you shift at redline makes it not very 'track'-oriented (Hyundai claims to have fixed this), and the surprisingly high seating position will confirm that this car is made to be a cruiser more than an all-out sportscar.


Did Hyundai finally create a sportscar with RWD architecture and the necessary hardwares?  Its marketing team is surely convinced and wants you to join them :)