WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Phill Tromans
12 October 2008

Let’s talk about Hyundai.

Meh. Korean, competent, dull.

Correct, except for the last part. Hyundai is now officially Exciting, thanks to this – the new Genesis Coupe. It’s Hyundai’s first proper sports car and CAR Middle East is the first anywhere in the world to drive it. And that means we’re well placed to tell you that as petrolheads, you should start taking Hyundai seriously.

It does look pretty smart. But isn’t it just a successor to the Tiberon? That was hardly cutting edge.

True, the Genesis Coupe does have its roots in the Tiberon. But this new car is far, far removed from the car that could best be described as, erm…

Competent but dull?

Exactly, although it laid the foundations for a decent-looking, decent-handling sports car. The Genesis Coupe takes that much, much further and is the pinnacle of Hyundai’s reinvention of late. The Seoul-based manufacturer wants to be a brand that people actually desire, rather than just an indication of a practical, reliable, affordable appliance.

This new car then, is a pretty one, designed to take on the likes of Infiniti’s G37 and the Nissan Altima and Honda Accord Coupes. The front bears a slight resemblance to a Mercedes-Benz SLK and the rear has a shade of the Pininfarina-styled Peugeot 406 Coupe about it. The flanks sport a signature Z-shape formed by the shoulder lines from the front and the rear, while the back side windows have a dip in the beltline that we may well see again in future models.

Under the bonnet is a factory-built 3.8-litre V6 that sends 310bhp to the rear wheels. Mount that on an ultra stiff chassis and chuck in a limited slip differential and you have a recipe for something hitherto unheard of at Hyundai – oversteer.

So this is a Korean car you can drift?

Oh yes. The internet has been buzzing with excitement about this car since a concept version first appeared last year, and with good reason. Here is a 2+2 coupe that you can have serious tail-happy fun with but at a very reasonable price. The engine is a little beauty, with plenty of grunt controlled by very lively throttle pedal. The chassis is nicely balanced, stiffer than a last-generation BMW M3 and turning the electronic stability control off allows for some top quality rear-wheel slidey fun accompanied by a thoroughly enjoyable sound track from the dual exhausts.

It sounds too good to be true.

Well, almost. It’s true that the car is very good to drive, although it’s not perfect. The steering could use a little more weight and feel, and at higher speeds the front wheels do have a tendency to dive into all the imperfections on the road. The gearbox works very well in both auto and manual modes, but doesn’t have paddle shifts. And from a practical point of view it’s not ideal. The boot aperture is tiny, but that does contribute to the stiffness of the chassis. Having said that, the rear seats are roomier than the Tiberon, although adults would still get cramp after anything more than short hops around town.

Does it still feel like a Hyundai?

Kind of. The Koreans have moved their game on considerably in recent years. The dash is soft touch, the gear knob is a handsome beast and the chunky sports seats grip you around the bends just as they should. There are also some very fetching aluminium pedals and door sills to spruce up an otherwise fairly standard interior, and there’s full iPod and USB stick compatibility. The instrument binnacle and some of the switchgear still feels a little on the plasticky side though – Volkswagen and Toyota won’t be worrying about the Korean’s quality levels yet. But this is a car that isn’t just about functionality. It has soul to it, emotion - something we haven’t really seen from Korea before.

Should I want one?

We think you should, yes. For real sports car fun at rock-bottom prices, you can’t do much better. The Genesis is the latest in a line of Hyundais that have really pushed their game on, after the Veracruz and the Genesis saloon. Make no mistake - the Koreans are here, and they’re here to stay.