Your forgeting how big this car is. It's the size of a G37, but yet weights 300 pounds less than the G37 (which is 3600+lb)

The more important spec you have to look at is power to weight ratio. The Genesis Coupe has a 11.0 lb/ hp ratio.

 

i just wanted to add that for the money the car is a great deal. You get the 4B11 turbo motor and rear drive. if i could afford one to get as a second car (never as a replacment) i would. very nice. To be honest i never cross shopped a mini with a genesis coupe.

 

Except... the Hyundai is RWD, and MINIs are FWD. In good road conditions, the RWD characteristics tend to be more favoured.

The Hyundai is a pretty good value proposition, and from what I've read, performs well for its price and has tuning potential. However, the MINI cannot really be compared--the Hyundai is in a different category of car. It's a GT sports car, whereas the MINI is more of a sporty hot hatch (with, perhaps, exception of the JCW).

Except I live in a place where yes, indeed, it does snow sometimes... so RWD as a primary car is out. :(

 

Hyundai is taking up a market segment that was abandoned long ago by the mainstream Japanese manufacturers in this country. This car is perhaps what the Toyota Celica/Supra or Honda Prelude should have been if they were still offered today.

I do not think it is a bad car at all. Simply, RWD GT coupes have never been my cup of tea, but well done they can be amazing cars in their own right.

Honda, Toyota and Nissan to some extent have become the defacto purveyors of "me too" looking bland mobiles aimed at the lowest common denominator in the market.

 

It depends. The MINI is a remarkably well balanced FWD car and the rear suspension setup is the same multilink architecture found in RWD BMWs, namely, the 3 series.

I have never owned a RWD car, but sure I haven't had the urge to run and get one. Perhaps one day. The 1-3 Series Bimmers and even the Pontiac G8 GT are pretty intriguing RWD machines.

But to me personally, the hype surrounding RWD for everyday street driving is a little too overcooked IMHO.

 

it's a good car too. Those that dismiss Hyundai are missing out on some very competent cars.

Matt

 

I am not dismissing the Hyundai for any other reason than the looks dont appeal to me. They are probably a good car an until I did some research on one I would never speak negatively about them unless I had some pertinent facts or had experienced the car so I could offer an opinion. While my comment was dismissive and intended to be humorous I was directing my remarks about the styling.

 

just happened to see my first Genesis Sedan on the road today ... that is one good looking car

 

I'm old enough (yet young enough) to remember when these same sentiments were tossed about concerning the "new *** cars" like Datsun (Nissan), Toyota, and Honda. "Honda? They might make OK motorcycles, but a car? No Way!"

Both Kia and Hyundai are using the exact same business model as the old Japanese brands - price your cars low at first to generate sales, then as word of mouth grows about reliability & quality, introduce better and better cars at good price points until you dominate the market. Everything old is new again, as They Might Be Giants say...

Truth be told though, I've never owned any of the above. And I love my MINI.

 

+1, the Genesis is a nice car regardless, and definitely a car to consider given what it offers vs. price. From what I've seen and read it has generally received good previews/reviews from the auto journalists. Boo f'in hoo if you can't handle that.

Oh man, I wish I never read this. I don't think I'll be able to keep myself away from at least test driving one when they hit our shores.

 

Very true - in fact, I'm surprised Hyundai hasn't followed the Honda/Toyota/Nissan playbook and come out with a new brand name to go along with their new upscale cars.

It's a shame that a car like the Genesis has to overcome twenty-plus years' worth of public perception & attitudes regarding Hyundai as the "cheap Korean option".

 

Agreed. Hyudai's even succeeded at matching the blandness of the Camry and Corolla!

That being said (excluding the new Genesis coupe), if you're looking for reliable wheels that'll get you from A to B, and aren't looking to sell it short term, Hyundai has some pretty compelling offers. And that 10-year warranty doesn't hurt.

 

30 years ago, I (secretly) laughed at folks who railed against "that *** crap". I had already been enjoying the quality, dependability, power, and sophisitcation of Japanese motorcycles for several years. And I knew it was just a matter of time before they "stole our lunch money" in the auto industry, too.

And I see exactly the same thing today with Kia and Hyundai. Those of you who would dismiss the Genesis out of hand because it is "Korean Krap" do so at their own peril. From everything I can see and read, these are good, solid, and maybe even spectacular vehicles being sold at VERY aggressive prices.

The fact that the Genesis is rear-wheel drive is a good thing. ALL of BMW's sport coupes and sedans are rear wheel drive. And they are world renowned for their excellent road manners and great driver feedback. Hyundai is looking to steal some of that market, and I believe they will succeed.

As I originally posted, if that Genesis coupe was just 300-400 lbs. lighter, you'd be looking at a world-beater in a very high-performance, cost-effective package.

 

Someone wrote:
>> The more important spec you have to look at is power to weight ratio. The Genesis Coupe has a 11.0 lb/ hp ratio.<<

That only determines the acceleration capability. I am also looking at braking performance, vehicle turn-in, and overall handling dynamics. Lighter weight is ALWAYS better *except* if you're looking for a marshmallow-smooth ride. Then, having 400 more lbs. of "road-hugging weight" (name that commercial!!) could be of benefit. But it can also be achieved with a longer wheelbase and re-calibrated spring/shock specs....

 

My qualm with Kia is that their line-up is just plain fugly, IMO. And all their cars just feel kinda cheap.

I think Hyundai makes some really nice looking, high quality cars, but the resale value is complete garbage. Which really sucks because that's the one thing stopping me from buying a Tib as a second car in the future (I'll never give up the MINI).

 

Yeah, but the Hyundais are GREAT cars to buy used, real value for the 2nd owner!

 

That's very true. But I can't buy used cars. I have really bad luck with them. As my dad always says "you're just buying someone else's problems."

 

Then you must LOVE the Smart for two since it only weighs 1800 pounds. Now if Mini could figure out how to shed 1000 pounds from the Clubman.

I think part of the Genesis Coupe's weight has to do with the fact it is 27" longer than a Clubman. Yes, 27" (182 vs 155). Lots of extra steel. Look at the Tiburon - only 18" longer and the weight goes down 300 lbs.

BTW, the Z4 is only 161 inches and the convertible version weighs almost 3200 lbs. Now if only BMW could learn to take the weight out of their cars...

Just having some fun here, throwing in examples as to why one measurement is not enough - which I know you know. I too am a fan of lightness! Let's get back to fiberglass (or glass fibre), or go forward to carbon fibre.

 

With new cars you're just getting problems that are all your own!

Just playin' with ya! But with the really long warranties nowadays, it's possible to buy a couple of year old car and still have coverage... I keep looking at 3 year old JKRs... Sweet lines, ususally have pretty low mileage, and are still under warranty!

Matt

 

LotusLight wrote:
>> Now if only BMW could learn to take the weight out of their cars...<<

If only ALL vehicles were lighter, we'd benefit immensely - better gas mileage, higher performance, less wear and tear on our crumbling roads and bridges, etc.

Someone else posited that I must really love a Smart Car because it's only 1800 lbs. I park near one most every day and I keep looking for that back seat and rear storage area and I have yet to find it...I DO love the Smart car for its parsimonious use of sheetmetal and its low weight. And for most folks commuting back and forth to work it is plenty of car.

Unfortunately, Americans are a damn greedy lot, and most feel it is their birthright to be wrapped in 18 feet of sheetmetal with seating for 7 all the while getting a whopping 14-15 mpg transporting a single passenger on his/her way to/from work. It makes me sick when I look about me and see the composition of the vehicles in traffic and the under-utilization of all those seats.

Frankly, the single best thing the Federal govt. could do, right now while gas proces are down, is to slap a $0.25 - $0.50 tax on every gallon of gas purchased. That would go a long way towards getting folks off the dime and into much more sensible vehicles. Plus, it would provide much needed funding for improving our aforementioned roads and bridges...

 

That's true, too. But if the car is having issues, and I keep having to take it to the shop every week, then it's not worth it. You also don't or may not know if the previous owner did anything to void parts of the warranty, OR if it's been wrecked and hasn't gotten reported to Carfax yet (I had that happen with a used car that had only 5k on the odometer). IMO, used cars just aren't worth the potential hassle.

 

rlw no thanks on the gas tax, the feds need to learn how to use the money they get alot better first. but i agree on americans need to change what they drive and how they drive that would make the most impact.

 

Very, very true. We went that direction once as aluminum gained greater use in cars. Unfortunately, each new system adds weight. ABS, traction control, air bags, not to mention power seats, power windows, power door locks, etc. Do you remember when kids were the automatic garage door openers?

I prefer a different approach (especially since gas prices are not going to stay down IMO). Apply an excise tax of $3k to $5k on the purchase of any vehicle that gets under XX mpg. Provide a rebate of $3k to $5k on the purchase of any vehicle that gets over XX mpg. They buyers of low mpg vehicles are funding the purchase of high mpg vehicles by others.

I have read the govt is looking for more ways to stimulate car purchases THIS year. Another approach is to provide a $5,000 rebate for the PURCHASE (not lease) of a new car which gets say, 30% better mpg using EPA estimates, than the car you are selling. Not really complicated - to get the rebate, you must provide proof of sale within 60 days of the purchase AND the car you are selling must have been registered in your name for at least 3 years (provide registration documents or title - avoids buyers going out and buying an old gas hog for $100 to get a $5k rebate). I don't know about you, but $5k is a pretty big incentive and would greatly speed fleet turnover. That would help out Detroit and be a tiny fraction of what AIG got.

 

Exactly...me too!

 

Autoweek (march 23rd issue). Here are some quotes: "Hyundai's new coupe will rattle windows in Tokyo and Munich." While it's named the Genesis, it "only shares the rear subframe, rear suspension and ZF six-speed automatic transmission with the sedan." "After a day spent lapping the shirt, tight Streets of Willow racetrack in So Cal, along with a short drive over some nearby two-lane highways, we can say that the new coupe felt taut, responsive and downright fun." "the Genesis coupe was more than we expected." "we did all of our laps with the traction and stabillity control off, yet we rarely felt the rear end get squirrelly. It's a well-balanced car." The Track Pack "includes 19" wheels with summer Bridgestone treads around 225/40 front and 245/40 rear, upgraded Brembo brakes with 340 mm vented discs grabbed by four-pot monoblock calipers, a LSD and a "track-tuned" suspension."

Also in elsewhere in that issue, it was noted that the Hyundai Elantra cracked the list of the top 10 best selling cars for Feb. Hyundai is one of 4 car companies showing growth, has year on year mothly sales growth of 15% (Jan numbers) and is growing in market share in a declining market. Some of this is the Hyundai Assurance program (loose your job and they'll help with payments or buy the car back), some is the excellent warranty, and some is much improved automotive offerings. These aren't the Excels of the past or the early tin that they first brought to the US.

At a press event last year, I drove a couple versions of the Sonata. It was as good as the Honda Accord and the Camry, at price points that were lower.

Like the style or not, Hyundai is a company that knows what it's doing, has embarked on continuous improvement, and has the sales numbers that deserve respect, not derision.

Matt