2010 Hyundai Genesis 38
If you are ever thinking of considering a BMW 335i, a Lexus IS350, an Infiniti G37 S, or even an Audi S5, as your next “weekend car,” you might want do some reconsideration. All four of the cars mentioned require Premium fuel, and they cost a lot more in both price and maintenance. The Hyundai Genesis 3.8 coupe is a slightly different contender to the competition. The 306-horsepower 3.8-liter V6, just like its name suggests, does not have that much of a grunt coming from the exhaust unlike the Audi and the BMW. Although it might not stack up to the Audi S5 in both performance and handling due to the S5 being the only car with standard AWD, you might imagine that the Genesis may not be able to outrun the other four participants.
That may be true on the track, but off the line, it may go neck to neck with others. While the Audi S5 still wins first place in the 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, the Hyundai Genesis comes in just a tad behind at 5.1 seconds with both the 335 and the IS 350 catching up; the Volkswagen CC? Well, let’s just say that it does not make much time with the ladies. I really had a fun time driving the Genesis 3.8 in Garden Grove yesterday. Of course, there were a lot of cameras at the stoplights, so there was not much that I could do as far as burnouts and flooring the throttle. But the Genesis 3.8 needed a bit getting used to, as far as handling, since I was more used to driving the sportier Germans like the Audi S5 with the 354-horsepower V8 engine, and the 335i with its twin-turbo inline-6. However, the Genesis did have some pep for a rear-wheel drive Korean car.
When you get the “Track” version of the Genesis Coupe, you get more than just the mean-sounding 3.8-liter engine. You get a complete package of Brembo brakes which consists of 4-piston calipers with 13.4” rotors in the front, and 13-inch rotors in the rear. 19-inch wheels with Bridgestone Potenza summer tires are standard on the “Track” with the Brembo package.
Interior features, on the other hand, were kind of disappointing, even to a new sports car buyer. The plastic covering on the dash seemed somewhat cheap-looking, and the leather sports seats do not have the standard side-bolsters like what you would find on the German counterparts; they were not really that comfortable either. The trip computer located on the center dash, which reads your gas mileage, and the amount of torque you are putting to the ground, was one of the upsides to the Genesis’ “sporty” interior. The gear-lever did not come with a “Sport” mode like what you may find on the German BMW and Audi, but do the Koreans really believe in that kind of stuff?
Sure, the Genesis may not stack up to the Germans much, but as far as both the G37 and the Lexus are concerned, I think Japan may have another worthy challenger as far as off-the-line and track numbers. While the Germans and both Lexus and Japanese may come up at a price of $40,000+ sub price, the Genesis 3.8 may be up your alley if you really would like to save $10-20k on an all-around GT sports car. With the Brembo Package on the “Track” version, complete with a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission with paddle-shifters, the price of this Genesis comes out just above $30,000 excluding tax, title, and license fees. The Genesis also can do something that its rivals cannot do: It supports both regular 87 and premium 91 octane depending on how much power and efficiency you want; gas mileage will vary by your driving habits. If you wish to have more power (and spend about an extra 20 cents at the pump), 91 octane will boost the Genesis’ horsepower by 8 up to 314 horsepower, and it does not have a turbocharger unlike its little 2.0T brother.
