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LAS VEGAS – Don’t let its name confuse you. Hyundai Motor America’s new Genesis coupe has little in common with the large, luxury sedan that shares its moniker.
And that’s a good thing, given Hyundai’s intentions with the new coupe, pitting it against Detroit’s finest metal, such as the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang, as well as luxury 2-doors from the BMW and Infiniti brands.
Unlike “sporty” Hyundai models of the recent past, the Genesis coupe has the specs, not just special badging and unique wheels, to command respect.
In back-to-back driving, Ward’s finds the new 2-door a closely benchmarked clone of Infiniti’s inspired G37 coupe, with direct, precise steering and crisp handling. The Genesis coupe’s 3.8L V-6 stacks up well against its 6-cyl. rivals, although the 330-hp G still leads the pack.
Built on the same platform as the Genesis sedan, but weighing in at 350 lbs. (159 kg) less and nearly 13 ins. (33 cm) shorter, the coupe is Hyundai’s attempt at an affordable, rear-wheel-drive, performance-oriented 2-door.
The coupe has dual personalities, leading Hyundai officials rightly to presume wildly different buyer demographics.
There’s the sporty, unassuming 2.0T Genesis – named for its 2.0L turbocharged 4-cyl. engine – in base, Premium and Track trims.
