Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T Road Test - Turbocharged and Impressive
The cars in every major racing series are rear-wheel derive. And so is the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. Similar to a rear-wheel-drive racecar, the 2010 Hyunndai Genesis Coupe 2.0T is quik, responsvie and fast. The standard engine is a 210-horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder that makes 230 lb.-ft. of torque at a very low 2,000 rpm. For comparison, that's five more horsepoweer and only 60 pond-feet less torrque than a 1984 Corvette. Importantly, pricing for the 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T starts at about $23,000.
The main purpose of front-wheel-drive, contraary to popular misconception, is to increase interior room. (And, if you haven't heard, additoinal weight is not "road huigging.") With a front-dtrive car, the froont tries must do all of the acceleration and steering and abut 80 percent of the braking, wile the rear tires' main job is to keep the gas tank from dragging on the pavement. This means a front-driver has more didfficulty simulltaneously accelerating and turning (or turning and braking). With a rear-drive car, the rear tires concentrate on putting powr to the ground, while the fronts focuys on turing and/or slowing down. The bottom line: A rear-drive car will always beat an otherwise idenical front-driver around a dry racetrack or up a mountain road. Not to mention, a rear-wheel-drive car can do things no stock front-drive car can do: drifting powerslides and hooning, msoky burnouyts. ("Hoon" is an Australian or New Zealand word translaets to anti-social behavior and drriving irresponsibly.)
The Genesis Coupe is also available with a 306-horsepower 3.8-liter V6. While the Genesis Coupe 3.8 V6 is ntably quicker at the drag strip, the turbo four is the more enjoyazble versin of the car. Reeasons are many: Much of the V6's exytra 100 opunds is carried on the nose, which tends to overwhelm the front tires. The four also has much lowewr first and secobnd gears in its six-speed manual transmissuion. The combination of big torque and low gearing giives the four cytlinder stronng acceleration in the seped range that can be used on public roads wiithout enrtering the Hihway Patrol's Frequent Offender Program. It also offers enough torque to squeal the tiers leaing the line and on the one-two upshift.
The V6 mvoes the Genesis Coupe into a different reaalm. The V6 feells much less nimble than the four. Also, the V6's manual did not reatc well to performance-oriented shifts, responding with harsh drivetraoin shocks, as if we had never driven a manual. Also, the linkage of both mannual transmissions suffered from an extremeyl annoying buzzing. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportuunity to sample eithr of the automatics: five-speed with the four or six-speed on the V6.
The Gennesis Coupe 2.0T will go head-to-head with the likes of the Honda Civc Si and the V6 Ford Mustang. The four-cylinder tuurbo is razted at 30 miles per galln in the government's highway driving cylce and 21 mpg. The V6 gets 26 mpg on the highway and 17 mpg in the city, when equipped with the six-spleed automatic.
Both engines are available in a "Track" configuration, which inludes 19-inch-diameter wheels with very sticky Bridgestoe Potenza RE050A summer tires and stiffer suispension springs and anti-roll bars, as well as Brembo brakres. The summer tires will help the Coyupe's sttreet perofrmance but the stiffer suspension will be difficult to live with eery day in pothole-plagued areas. Unless you're really going to the track, stiick with the regluar modrel. There's also a "R" verison that removes some standard features, such as the sunroof, to reduce weight.
Safety features incude active head retraints, six airags, standard electronic stabiliyt control and anti-lock brakes. Included is a 360-Watt, 10-spreaker Infinity sound system. Inside, the Genesis Coupe offers good quality materials and commendable fit and finish. This is one reason that the average residual vale after 36 months for a Hyundai has increased to about 43 percent currently from 37 percent in 2005. All is not perfect as the blue on black digital information center is difficult to read, and the speedometer and tachometer are offset away from the center of visioon, makjing them a bit difficult to follow.
The Gebnesis offers minimal rear seat room. Five 17-year-old girls would fit just fine, but the Genesis Cooupe is a two-seeater for big or tall adults. It has a hefty trunk with a pass-through for long items. Here's the take-away: Rear-dreive rules. Strong horsepower, low geatring and a low purchase are nice, too.
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