Try to name a rear-drive, turbocharged coupe sold in North America for less than 30K.
Not too many are there?
An awful lot of people who have written about this car never actually drove the thing. Seriously! Not to worry, I drove the crap out of my tester and have the smile-lines (and photos) to prove it.
This
is a fantastic bargain considering what you truly get. Staring in the
low 20K region, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T starts life as a fun 2+2
seater with a turbocharged 210 horsepower (making 223 lbs feet of
torque) 2 liter, 4-cylinder engine. Add to that a well made interior,
sleek body lines (which look better in person) and a sporty chassis and
the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T is a great bargain. Sticky rubber and
larger wheels come in the track package (19 X 8 inches front and 19 X 8
½ inch rear). Now, add to that a beefier suspension, 13.4” ventilated
front disc with 4 piston fixed calipers and 13.0-inch ventilated rear
disc, with 4 piston fixed caliper in the rear.
Suddenly, the scrappy Genesis Coupe becomes a track star.
Seriously,
I was very pleased at how well the Genesis Coupe (with the track
package) cornered. In fact, the Genesis Coupe 2.0T with the Track
package took to corners and allowed me brake later than the more
powerful V6 with the same package. At about 3,400 lbs, the Genesis
Coupe is a tad heavy, although you will not feel the heft in the
excellent steering. In all honesty, I can compare the precise steering
with up-market German cars – it’s THAT good. 
Approach
a corner and aim right for the apex. If you overcook the turn, those
big Brembo brakes will save your butt – although you may be able to
zig-zag into a drift and power through the corner like an idiot (i.e.
me). Granted, the whole ‘drifting’ thing is much easier to accomplish
in the 306 horsepower 6-banger.
Unfortunately, the 6-speed
manual is less fulfilling. It is light and speedy to shift, but lacks
precision. Also, the engine’s rpm seemed to hang up on 1st to 2nd gear
shifts and the Genesis Coupe 2.0T’s weight became an issue. 0 to 60 mph
times were consistently a hair under 7 seconds. The V6 is nearly a
second faster. The same goes for the 13 second ¼ mile runs with the
2.0T. It’s still quick, but compared to the likes of the mighty Subaru
WRX, Mitsubishi Evo/Ralliart and Mazda3 Speed – it is slower.
Ah, but there is a bit of a secret with that wee little 2.0
turbocharged engine. You see, it is (essentially) the same unit inside
the monster Mitsubishi Evo X; meaning, it should be fairly easy to
modify. Many tuners have gotten WAY more than 400 horsepower out of a
similar 2.0, 4-cylinder.
See where I’m going with this?
Inside,
the cockpit is more than accommodating up front. At nearly 6’2” I found
a comfortable position and loved the feel of the components. Outward
views are quite good and the ergonomics are better than most pony cars.
Back seat comfort is not too bad considering the size of the vehicle.
With some sacrifice of front seat room, my 5-year-old and infant were
able to fit in back. A stroller will fit in the trunk (barely) and the
ride comfort is surprisingly civil.
I loved getting a combined 22
mpg and that’s based on track, street and highway (not to mention my
juvenile driving ethic). They say a driver can get up to 30 mpg on the
highway with the manual – not driven in anger.
The looks are
sporty and (as many have said) better seen in person. I like the
rear-quarter glass droop and double slash lines on the side. The rear
is a bit cartoonish, but not too bad and the nose is agressive. It
looks best in profile and the roofline is great. Hyundai did a better
job than MANY automakers with their design effort.
There were a
few additional gripes such as the weak sounding stereo which barely
compensated for the weak sounding engine. It buzzes like a minivan!
These are minor to be sure as my only plea with Hyundai is adding a
better manual transmission.
Do I think about 27K is a good price
for this car? Nope – it’s an excellent price. The overall enjoyment a
driver can get from the softer, base model Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T
is outstanding. Adding the Track package makes this car stellar for the
price.
I don’t know if it is particularly good in Colorado snow
(definitely NOT with summer tires), but it did great in our afternoon
monsoons of July 09. For the price, get a set of winter tires and enjoy
old-school, Swedish-style power slides! 
What
a great little car. If you read a negative review (or one that reads
like other reviews) chances are the writer never drove the nifty
Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. In all seriousness, this is a great machine
and Hyundai should be proud. Test drive one and I bet you’ll be
considering 19” snow tires.
Well done Hyundai!
Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car
sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out
of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to
enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com
page HERE. Photos by: N.D.
