Car review: 2013 Genesis Coupe

What it is: The Genesis Coupe is a premium, rear-wheel drive coupe from the Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The Genesis Coupe landed on American shores in early 2009 as a 2010 model, and the 2013 model is a significant refresh. Hyundai’s popular “fluidic sculpture” design lines are integrated into a new front bumper and hood that give the car a much sportier and modern appearance. The interior has been taken up a few notches as well with a smokin’ hot red leather interior that comes with the R-Spec trim. The interior as a whole feels very upscale, even with the base cloth materials.

The Genesis Coupe is offered in six different trims; there are three trims for each of the two engine choices. The two engine choices should be familiar, as they are a carryover from last year, a 2.0 liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 3.8 liter six-cylinder naturally aspirated engine. What has changed is the power rating for each of the engines. The 2.0T went from 210hp to 271hp and the 3.8 V6 went from 306hp to 345hp. Those aren’t the usual nominal increases, but significant improvements. There are two transmissions offered, a 6-speed manual and a new 8-speed automatic and both were fantastic. The auto carries a $1,250 price premium.

The trims offered vary slightly by engine. The 2.0T has a base trim (that is unnamed), the R-Spec trim and Premium trim. The 3.8 offers R-Spec, Grand Touring and Track. The prices range from $24,500 for the 2.0T base in manual to $34,250 for the 3.8 Track in automatic. I really hate calling the base trim ‘base’ because it does offer a significant amount of features like 18” alloy wheels, steering wheel audio controls, daytime running lights, etc. The $2,250 step-up to the R-Spec gets you the red leather interior, 19” alloy wheels, Brembo brakes, and a Torsen limited slip differential. That is an insane amount of value. You can look at Hyundai’s website to compare all of the trims, but I feel like the R-Spec trim is the way to go if you want a manual transmission (with either engine). If you want the automatic, then the premium (2.0T) or Grand Touring (3.8) is the trim for you. If you want a manual and navigation, then your only choice is the 3.8 V6 Track, which is kind of a shame.

All four combinations of engine/transmission choices are brilliant matches. The new 8-speed auto works great while just cruising or for spirited driving. The 6-speed manual is my preference, and it offers silky smooth control. The engines themselves have a significant power difference (271hp vs 345hp) but didn’t feel too different off of the line, mostly due to the torque coming much earlier on the turbocharged four cylinder. If you are doing a full on drag race, then yes, the V6 is significantly faster from 0-60 (6.8 seconds vs 5.7 seconds), but the 2.0T doesn’t feel sluggish at all, and you still get the full sports car experience. The difference in torque tells the tale with the 2.0T producing 275 lb-ft at 2,000 RPM and the 3.8 producing 295 peak at 5,300 RPM. Gotta love turbochargers!

MPG: 21/30 for 2.0T. 18/27 for 3.8

Upsides: Great value, fun to drive, looks great

Downsides: Availability. Cars have recently been released, but it will be tough finding one in the near future.

Wrap-up: I really liked the Genesis Coupe. In the car world, the product itself is what sells cars and Hyundai has delivered a killer product. It is fun to drive, great to look at and at a very reasonable price. The Genesis Coupe, in this iteration, will never be as prevalent as the Mustang or Camaro, as it is designed to have a little more finesse. Hyundai continues to produce some fantastic cars and are on path to become a juggernaut in the car industry. The 2013 Genesis Coupe is just the next domino to fall.