Published: October 07, 2009 10:00 AM
Updated: October 07, 2009 10:49 AM
By Lorne Drury
Wow, how times have changed in the automotive world!
Who would have thought we would be talking about a sports coupe from Hyundai in the same breath as an Infiniti, a BMW or even a Mazda RX-8.
But that's the case with Hyundai 's new pocket rocket, the 2010 Genesis Coupe that was benchmarked against the Infiniti G37 and BMW 335i- two of the heaviest hitters on the market.
While Hyundai says its primary competitors are the Nissan Altima Coupe, Ford Mustang, Honda Accord Coupe, Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Civic Si and Chevrolet Cobalt, Hyundai talks about the Genesis Coupe in the same breath as the Infiniti and BMW.
The rear-wheel drive coupe is available with a turbocharged 2.0-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine making 210 hp and 223 lb/ft of torque or a 3.8-litre V6 with 306 hp and 266 lb/ft of torque.
Make no mistake, this is a driver's car, aimed squarely at males who want an exciting driving experience at an affordable price. Hyundai 's marketing types suggest the less-expensive four-cylinder model will appeal more to the 20-something crowd, while the V6 will be snapped up by a more mature crowd, even those in their mid-50s.
What Hyundai believes sets the Genesis Coupe apart from the competition is its rear-wheel drive configuration, 300-plus horsepower, independent rear suspension, light weight (under 3,400 lb) and mid-$20s starting price.
This is a small segment of the market, making up only two or three per cent of the total vehicle sales in Canada , but for Hyundai having a contender in the class helps change the image of what was once just considered a bargain-basement brand.
Today, Hyundai is the fifth largest automaker in the world and with cars like the Genesis Coupe and Sedan , it is starting to be noticed by buyers looking for something more than just a low-priced vehicle.
The Genesis Coupe starts at an affordable $24,995 for the 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder turbo with six-speed manual transmission and 18-inch alloy wheels.
My tester was the 3.8-litre V6 with six-speed ZF automatic transmission, featuring paddle shifters for manual shift mode. This was the GT model with 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, a Brembo braking package with red four-piston calipers and a sport-tuned suspension. It priced out at $36,295, still great value for the dollar.
While the names are similar, the Genesis Coupe is far removed from the sedan, an entry luxury model that doesn't have the sporty appearance or performance of this new addition to the Hyundai lineup.
With its great looks, the Genesis Coupe is bound to attract attention in the showroom. But this is not just a slick looking sports coupe; it has performance to match the looks.
The wide stance, expansive hood, short overhangs and sloping roof make it the best looking model in the Hyundai stable in my opinion. The V6 version has standard projector beam headlamps and front fog lamps, while the outside mirrors have LED signal lighting.
Inside, the cabin is simply, yet nicely finished in cockpit-like style. Controls are easy to reach and gauges can be read at a glance.
While there is an abundance of hard plastics, the contrasting finishes make for an attractive look. Front-seat legroom is good, even for six-footers like myself, however the back seat is a different story. Space is extremely tight, both in leg and headroom due to the sloping roofline, so this is essentially a two-seater with a back seat for emergencies. The back seats also fold down to add to the cargo space, although the trunk opening is a tad small.
The front bucket seats are comfortable and well bolstered. They are heated in all but the base model.
Despite the low starting price, safety isn't compromised. The Genesis Coupe comes standard with six airbags, anti-lock brakes with brake assist and stability control.
Also standard are active front headrests, which help prevent whiplash and neck injury by moving forward in the event of a crash.
The base 2.0T comes with steering wheel-mounted Bluetooth, audio and cruise controls; 18-inch alloy wheels; six airbags; Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with traction control; an antilock brake system (ABS) with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD); fog lights; metal grain interior trim; USB and auxiliary audio outlets; automatic light control; a trip computer; a leather wrapped steering wheel and gear shift knob; power and heated exterior mirrors and an AM/FM/XM/CD/MP3 stereo system with six speakers.
The Genesis Coupe 3.8 features an advanced all-aluminum naturally aspirated V6 engine and a standard Torsen-type limited slip differential.
A six-speed ZF-sourced automatic with paddle shift manual sports mode is optional. Automatic temperature control, power driver's seat, power sunroof, premium door scuff plates, proximity key and chrome lower fascia accents are among the additional features over the Premium 2.0 GT package, which has aluminum foot pedals, 19-inch alloys, Brembo braking system, sport tuned suspension and leather seats. The same GT package is offered in the 3.8 model, while a navigation system package is available.
On the road, the 3.8 has plenty of giddy-up. One U.S. automotive magazine lists a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds for the V6 with the 2.0T putting in a time of 6.8 seconds. I haven't driven the 2.0T, but the V6 has power to spare on acceleration and in passing situations.
Handling and steering are top notch and the car negotiates the twisties with ease. Beware of potholes and uneven pavement, though. The sport suspension is just right for high-performance driving, not comfort. You feel every bump and indentation in the road, something not unusual in a true sports coupe.
Hyundai has come a long way in a short period of time and the 2010 Genesis Coupe is a perfect example of what makes them successful. They set the bar high and attempt to match the best vehicles in class at a lower price.
Value for the dollar is what it's all about the Genesis Coupe has it in spades.
HYUNDAI GENESIS COUPE 2010 AT A GLANCE
BODY STYLE: two-door sports coupe
DRIVE METHOD: front engine, rear-wheel drive.
ENGINE: 2.0-litre DOHC, turbocharged inline four cylinder (210 hp, 223 lb/ft); 3.8-litre DOHC V6 (300 hp, 266 lb/ft).
FUEL ECONOMY: 2.0T manual 10.1L/100 km (28 mpg) city, 6.6L/100 km (43 mpg) highway; 2.0T automatic 10.4L/100 km (27 mpg) city; 6.6L/100 km (43 mpg) highway; 3.8 manual 12.0L/100 km (24 mpg) city, 7.6L/100 km (37 mpg) highway; 3.8 automatic 11.9L/100 km (24 mpg) city, 7.3L/100 km (39 mpg) highway.
PRICE: 2.0T, $24,995; 2.0T Premium $27,495; 2.0T GT, $30,445; 3.8, $32,995, GT, $34,995.
Hyundai finds ways to thrive in a beleaguered industry
Designed for Success
Thursday, October 08, 2009
By Don Hammonds, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Stacy Innerst/Post-Gazette
These are important times for Hyundai . The Korean company has become an automotive giant, with sales that many analysts think will soon threaten Toyota 's sales leadership worldwide.
Hyundai had its best August sales record in history with a 47 percent increase over August 2008 figures and a 33 percent increase over July 2009 results. It also was the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year retail share gains in a market that has been down by as much as 35 percent to 40 percent overall.
Often accused of taking cues from other cars instead of coming up with its own designs, Hyundai has in the last few years been steadily developing a design language of its own. It was first evident with the Genesis Coupe and continues in the upcoming revamped Sonata.
One of the people heading up the effort is Andre Hudson, design manager for Hyundai North America, a 33-year-old designer from Aurora , Colo. , and a graduate of Detroit 's College for Creative Studies.
He graduated in 1998 with a bachelor of fine arts in industrial design, and worked for General Motors for four years in Detroit and three years at the company's advanced design studio in Coventry , England , on such projects as the Chevrolet SSR and the Cadillac Cien concept. He has been with Hyundai Design America for four years and has contributed to the upcoming Elantra, the 2009 Nuvis Concept and was lead designer on the new Sonata.
In a recent interview, he talked about the company's challenges:
Q. For such a relatively new company as Hyundai , how important is design and styling?
A. I think with Hyundai trying to establish itself here in America , it's vitally important. Remember in the mid-'80s when Hyundai started selling products here? Hyundai was criticized for doing copycat designs. Well, for the past 10 to 12 years they've been trying to establish themselves as a serious player, and design is important for that.
Q. What's it like working at a relatively new auto company as a designer?
A. It's challenging but very exciting at the same time because we are allowed the freedom to try things that other brands couldn't simply because of their long, established history in the U.S.
Q. We know that Kia is owned by Hyundai and Kia intends to be the youthful, fun brand with pace-setting styling. What will be the overall image of Hyundai that you want potential buyers to pick up on?
A. We're choosing to take Hyundai slightly upscale, more mature, with more sophisticated but still expressive design.
Q. So what styling elements and clues will send that message?
A. For instance, with the all-new Sonata coming, you will have very emotional, expressive sculpture all over this sedan. We looked at the trends in the segment and the kind of boring products that there were in the midsized sedan class.
Then we saw how BMW, Mercedes and Lexus were bringing in this kind of sculpting and expressiveness that we're choosing to do with Hyundai . Slightly more mature, but still much more expressive design. We were trying to do the same thing with Sonata, bringing emotion and passion to midsized sedans.
Q. What's Hyundai 's reasoning for that approach?
A. Lots of people and companies write off the midsized sedan buyers, saying they think they are more concerned with safety, resale value and not so much concern about what it looks like and how it drives. Our all-new Sonata will still be a family car, but it has some style, presence and emotion to it.
Q. What elements on the upcoming Sonata will suggest sophistication, expressiveness and maturity?
A. The descriptive term we will use for all our new products going forward is "fluidic sculpture." What that means is that the lines and forms of the vehicle look as though it is in movement and gives you the impression that even when it is standing still, it looks like it is in motion.
Lines and detailing literally wrap around the car, and it's very much a three-dimensional presence. Instead of looking something like a box from the side, rear and front views, you will be able to pick a line on the car and follow it all the way around the vehicle and see several different views.
Q. Is it true that you all regard the new Genesis as an important marker for your company in terms of design?
A. I'd say the Genesis Coupe was that more so than the sedan. The coupe was the first vehicle that was out of the gate with a new, expressive Hyundai design language. The entry-level to midlevel Genesis luxury sedan needed to be reined in a bit more, a bit more conservative for that buyer.
You have to be a little careful with what you tread on design-wise since that was our first take on the luxury market.
Q. Hyundai , of course, has a large number of smaller cars in its portfolio. Is it harder to design a smaller car to come up with something distinctive?
A. I don't think there's any more difficulty, except for the proportions. That's the main thing as designers that we deal with that we have to get right.
With a smaller vehicle, you don't have the length and line that you can work with on a big car. Your concern is how do you make that small car look as energetic, interesting and athletic as a car that might be longer and lower.
In terms of the car industry in general, that's the difference between America and Asia and Europe . In America , small cars have always looked like large cars shrunk down, which looked awkward to me. The whole design of compact cars in Europe is unique. They don't put lines from a larger car on a smaller platform.
But you'll see what I mean with the new Hyundai Accent that is coming. It's very expressive, and looks much more upscale than the current vehicle. By the way, over the next several years, we have a major barrage of new model releases coming. It is all pretty exciting.
