The Genesis

The Korean automaker giant has really outdone itself here. Hyundai is taking the auto industry by storm. Catching GM in a down period, Toyota as they are caught in a rut, and just managing to catch up with Ford and Nissan with their luxury and sedan vehicles. And now, they have taken a shot at the good old American muscle. And truthfully, they have hit the bullseye.
I just drove the Genesis Coupe. And dang. Hyundai, you've got me hooked. From the outside, the car looks like something that was made to go in the water rather than on the asphalt. The reason behind this, Hyundai has spent 13 million dollars on a new extremely sleek fluid design, giving Hyundai a very unique look all to themselves. Which is nice, considering every other car on the road resembles every other car that drives by. Now it is true, Hyundai didn't exactly have anything great for quite a long time, but the Genesis Coupe has most definitely changed that game.With the cars xenon headlights, dual exhaust, and gaping air intake, Hyundai said it right, "subtlety is not its strong suit." And I like it. It has a very easy-on-the-eye look to it; and yet it pulls the attention all to itself. Not in a bad way.

To add to the new genesis, the Genesis has an interior to match the sportiness of its exterior. With two bucket seats that hug you through any tight turns or quick maneuvers, and a backseat for quadriplegics,  and your choice of a manual or automatic with shiftronic and paddle shifters, mine had the auto, I really started to think that Hyundai had got this sport car thing right. And then I turned the key.
With a gentle rumble, the 3.8L V6 came to life. Exhaust note like that of an angry boxer dog whose yard you mistakenly walked into. Thats what I first thought anyway, and then I realized something. This new pup doesn't want to fight, he wants to play. After shifting down into drive and pulling the shifter to the left toward me, placing the transmission in the shiftronic mode, I stop outside the parking lot at the start of a fairly long bit of road before the traffic starts. Here, I gun it. And the car responds with a hearty leap as it pushes me back into my seat. The whole drive the car never ceases to amaze me. With a ride about as firm as that of a Honda Accord, I was quite surprised with how crisp each and every maneuver was. Quick lane changes from left to right and right to left and the car never argued once. Even with the traction control off, it stayed planted. 306 horses spinning those back wheels and getting me wherever I wanted to go as fast as I wanted to get there. And have fun while I am doing it.
Overall, the Genesis Coupe is more fun than I have had in a long time. Its not just the fact that I got a fair amount of horses, but that I was getting it out of a Hyundai. And with it getting 17/28 mpg, I wouldn't be afraid to use one as a daily driver. Even with the extreme lack of back seat. Definitely a kick-in-the-pants car to drive. A major plus to it, I had more fun in this than I've ever had in a Mustang.