The muscle car class has been dominated by the American car makers for a long time. It’s hard to imagine a foreign maker competing with those conventional greats, but Hyundai has managed to do it with the 2012 Genesis coupe. Not only does this car look great with plenty of attractive styling features inside and out, it comes equipped with powertrains that make driving this coupe pure joy. The available six trim levels offer enough variety to meet the needs of any demanding driver. If you are looking for lots of driving excitement in a unique design, the Genesis is worth taking a look at.
New For 2012
For the 2012 model year, Hyundai chose to leave the Genesis Coupe unchanged from the previous year.
Exterior
While most people don’t think of Hyundai when thinking about a performance coupe, the 2012 Genesis changes things a bit. This high performance car is available in six different trim levels and features a sporty, attractive body design sure to get a lot of attention. The lower trim levels feature 18-inch alloy wheels, while the upgraded versions ride around on 19-inch wheels with summer tires.
The front end and grille of the 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupe is impressive with rounded features and enough modern lines to keep the car from looking too soft. The grille is small and has the Hyundai emblem placed in the center. The headlights are distinctive with a unique shape. The smooth curves continue for the body style and the hood has some understated detailed styling. The sides, doors, and rear fenders flow together nicely with the same combination of curves and strong lines bringing the Genesis’ style together in a cohesive manner.
Interior & Cargo
Inside the cabin of the 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupe there is plenty of high quality materials used. The driver’s seat especially is designed for comfort and can be easily adjusted to meet the needs of almost any body type. On the other hand, the absence of a telescoping steering wheel may mean shorter drivers will have the steering wheel closer to their chests than desirable. Passengers in the front seats won’t have any trouble with comfort driving around town or even on long drives, but the rear seats won’t work for anyone but kids. Due to the body design there isn’t much space in terms of leg and head room.
Other than the lackluster audio system, the dash and controls of the 2012 Genesis coupe are intuitive and well made. The standard iPod interface doesn’t have intuitive abilities, but it is effective none the less. The rest of the cabin space is well designed and flows nicely with the exterior design. The door panels curve into the dash in a unique fashion. The only drawback to the design is the window and door controls are placed a bit inconveniently.
Safety
When driving a car with this much power, it’s important to know the safety features are up to scratch. With the 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupe plenty of standard safety features are added. This model is equipped with anti-lock disc brakes and stability control. It also has active front head restraints for added safety in the event of an accident. Airbags are in place as well. They are placed in the front seat side and full length side curtain positions.
During test driving, the coupe comes to a complete stop from 60 mph in about 111 feet. This impressive number is better than most of the other competitors in this class.
Driving Experience
Under the hood, the Genesis is equipped with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine linked up with a standard six-speed manual transmission. It is also available with a five-speed automatic transmission as well. The powertrain produces 210 hp and 223 lb-ft of torque. The fuel economy comes in at 21/30 mpg city/highway with the manual transmission. Go with the automatic version and the fuel economy is 17/27 mpg city/highway.
The upper trim levels feature a 3.8-liter, V-6 engine paired with a six-speed manual transmission, while the six-speed automatic is an option. This powerhouse is capable of 306 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque. With the manual transmission the Genesis gets 17/26 mpg city/highway. The automatic transmission changes things to 17/27 mpg city/highway.
Behind the wheel, the 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupe with either powertrain is a pleasure to drive. For most drivers, the 2.0-liter, four-cylinder should be more than enough to enjoy fine handling, a comfortable ride, and impressive steering. However, if you test drive the V-6 models, good sense may go out the window. This powertrain doesn’t offer as comfortable a ride, but it does provide intense acceleration and sexy engine noises that are hard to resist.
Key Competitors For The 2012 Hyundai Genesis-Coupe
- Chevrolet Camaro
- Ford Mustang
- Honda Accord Sedan
- Infiniti G37 Coupe
- Scion tC