IL Track Tested: The 2011 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 R-Spec

Top Gear would approve of a lighter, decontented track model for a lower price. I approve as well.

You said it Scooby.....among the many things that see that I like here, it might be the sweet sounding exhaust that tickles me the most. I was behind / around a Tiburon V6 in traffic once with an after market exhaust that sounded a lot like a Golf R32....very nice!

especially pleasing to the ear in 3rd gear........

Fairly disappointing slalom and acceleration numbers given the car's ultimate goal.

im pretty sure a 6 speed manual V6 accord traps a higher 1/4 mile..... as does the V6 mustang....

on the flip side, i foresee a 5.0 in this cars future....

Dang. Hyundai needs to turn down the dial on that traction control if it's killing performance that much. If I owned that car I wouldn't want to have to turn off the traction control any time I needed to beat a minivan off the line at a green light. That's a joke.

Genesis Mustang
Price: $27,740 $28,690
0-60 (sec): 5.9 5.8
60-0 (ft): 111 111
Slalom (mph): 68.1 67.3
Skid Pad: .91 .93
1/4-Mile: 14.3 @ 98.0 14.1 @ 100.3

Pretty close if you ask me.

Hate to say this, but a V6 Mustang posts better numbers than this.

Far cheaper, too.

To echo what someone said about the accord, that sounds about right.

The six speed will do the dash to sixty in 5.4, and it has about 30 ponies less, weighs more and is wrong wheel drive.

Ok everywhere else though, though I would have expected better

very good step by hyundai o lower the price of genesis r spec,because it has less equipments.Unlike other manufacturers who charge you more for less equipments, such as porsche where u pay lot more for not having a stereo or door handles !!!!!!!!!

almost, but not quite. traction control, transmission, and tires make this a tough sell against the Mustang. i want to like it, though.

Decent performance for the cash until you look at the alternatives. How is this thing so much slower than the heavier and comparably powered Mustang V6 (305hp/3508 lbs/IL 13.9 @ 101) and G37 Coupe (330 hp/3709 lbs/IL 13.9 @ 101)? All three have similar overall gearing and the Hyundai is 100+lbs lighter than the Mustang and 300+lbs lighter than the G37. Lightest of the three with largest engine gets 14.3 @ 98. Where did that 306 hp go? Even IL's 328 lb heavier 304 hp Camaro V6 6 speed ran 14.2 @ 98.9. Unless you really like the looks of the Hyundai, what exactly does it have going for it? A Great Warranty?

I don't get it, it's lightest n it's class by quite a decent margin, has 306hp yet it's numbers in every test from other mags to real life owners pretty much suck for acceleration compared to competitors... especially the trap speed. Either A) it's not making that power, or B) it's traction control system is seriously flawed... and what's the point in owning a car that doesn't let you use it's power to the fullest?

I mean a friggen Accord can beat it and trap higher and even an auto TL. Doesn't make sense considering how light the Genesis is.

Acceleration seems a bit off to me...I've seen numbers for this car that are at around 5.6 seconds 0-60. It sounds and even looks like the shift into second gear takes away a lot of the momentum that the Genesis has @ redline in first gear.

I love the sounds this car makes, though, especially as it shifts into third. Pure car porn.

From a spec standpoint, I love what they did here. Lightened and de-contented for more sport, while at a very attractive price point. They didn't jack the crap out of the price for removing weight.

And the car sounds glorious, is very good looking to my eye, and has probably the nicest interior of its class (maybe the 350z is better). I'm not going to the g37 since its more distinctly lux oriented.

But, well, where'd the sport go for those improvements? At these numbers, I say....Pony up.

I wonder if Hyundai is taking a page from Toyota's traction control playbook. There's lots of power there, but the electronics make the v6 about as sluggish as the turbo four. On the bright side, a reflash should cure it pretty quickly--and I bet the aftermarket is already on the job.

Updates including a new engine coming to showroom this year.

I personally just bought a 2011 3.8 R-spec.
Coming from a 2003 G35 coupe track edition, this car was a bit disappointing at first.
The torque management is still there, just not as intrusive as the previous model.
This car doesn't like to be shift fast, especially from 1st to 2nd near redline. The computer still take away power for a split second and that hurts accelerating time on paper tremendously. Hyundai advertised it has the "FM-rear-drive" layout, that's just bunch of lies since the entire engine block is place in front of the front wheel axis, which agreed with the front 55% bias weight ratio mentioned above.

At the track this past weekend, the chassis felt very well compose and stiff. Steering is direct but a hair too light for my taste. The LSD locks way faster than the viscous LSD on my old G35. Stock alignment is definetely too convservative but I'm looking forward to install the factory provided camber bolts. The B-stone RE050 tire is one of the most quiet summer performance tire I've driven, but of course the grip is no where near the Dunlop Z1 star spec of B-stone RE11 I'm used to.

This platform has potential, it just need some refinement.

The Exhaust sounds pretty good, but 5.9 seconds? Thumbs up to Hyundai though for creating a car in this class, but I wish Honda would have put this out instead, then I would have been all over it. Instead, they put out the coitus interruptus CRZ.

@eldaino2:

Not disagreeing with you exactly, but Insideline tested the Accord Coupe's acceleration with the 6-speed manual at 6.3 seconds and 14.6 in the quarter. It did have a higher trap speed though.

They're protecting some weak component in the drivetrain from the engine's torque. The Optima Turbo had a better trap speed as well.

Frank908: the cr-z and this are not in the same class, like at all.

Arumage: yeah the numbers I quoted were from car and driver, but even insideline's numbers, like you said, still trapped higher......and trap speed is usually indicative of power...and the honda six is rated at 272....maybe hyundai is over-rating again?

Hyundai traction control/stability control is not the smoothest I've experienced and it is very conservative cutting a lot of power when it gets a good 1/2 rotation of wheel spin. Knowing that I can understand how it holds back the times on an aggressive start like that.

The numbers are pretty decent... but I can't wait to see a 2012 version of this car, with the updated GDI 3.8L engine (333 hp @6,400, 291 lb-ft @5,100), and hopefully a grill that doesn't look like it comes from a 1990's Tiburon. The rest of the car looks impeccable though, especially the rear.

And for those saying Hyundai will throw the 5.0L TAU GDI engine in this... I don't see it happening, but you just never ever know!

IF you actually sat inside both cars....the Genesis is MUCH nicer to my eyes/touch than either the Mustang or the Camaro.

Good car in search of a better engine. Love the R-Spec option package, but 2.0T is simply too slow and this 3.8 doesn't live up to the published HP numbers. The drivetrain protection system is also a major buzzkill.

There's also a small error on displacement in the article. Specs published here indicate 3.6-liter, but just below shows 3,778 cc's. Should be 3.8-liter

Engine Type: DOHC, 3.6-liter V6
Displacement (cc/cu-in): 3,778/231

I thought the beauty of the 2.0T was price and aftermarket tuning bits were available in spades.

Yep, a very unfortunate typo that is now fixed. Sorry, folks.

@ptcdawg, my friend has a gen coupe and I have a mustang and we have compared back and forth and the quality is just about even, the only downside to the mustang is that its a common ford interior.

I have seen better numbers than this but not much better. That fuel cutoff sounds like hyundai put some cheap bits in the engine they are trying to protect. Shoot while we doing comparisons my Cobalt ss per IL post better numbers almost all around for 24k

0-45 mph (sec.) 4.1
0-60 mph (sec.) 5.8
0-60 with 1 foot of rollout (sec.) 5.5
0-75 mph (sec.) 8.2
1/4-mile (sec. @ mph) 14.0 @ 103.6
Braking, 30-0 mph (ft.) 29
60-0 mph (ft.) 115
Slalom, 6 x 100 ft. (mph) 69.2
Skid pad, 200-ft. diameter (lateral g) 0.89

It's almost as slow as my Mazdaspeed 3. Meh. My next car will be right wheel drive, but I definitely want something that posts some entertaining acceleration numbers; I want a real track rat, and 0-60 in over 5 seconds doesn't cut it for me.

Seams odd, but the bright red color really dulls this car's looks in the photos.

I used to work at a Hyundai dealer and drove these cars on a regular basis. This car's disappointing numbers can be attributed to one thing- tuning. This car's factory ECU parameters blow. I mean, it's bad enough to keep me from buying one.

The traction control, torque limiting, and other electro-nannying are seriously the worst I've ever experienced in a car like this. There is absolutely no fun to be had in this car for it's intended purpose.

The chassis is great, the steering and brakes really good, and I like the styling a lot. Then there's that sound. Only the Nissan VQ family rivals it imo.

Until someone comes out w/ some really good tuning software, I couldn't recommend this car to anyone. Not as a manual, at least. The auto is pretty good. Can't believe I'm saying this, but if I were to buy one, I'd buy the auto.

Funny how BAD IL is on reporting ! I now know WHY I read this column... TOTALLY for the comments!!!

Honestly? If you read all the comments in this artical you'll see that this car isn't half of what it should be. No one in the comments really digs into the car that hard, since it could be a decent and reliable car. BUT, everyone tells it like it is, even the owners of these cars.

HEY IL!!!! love to read the comments in you articles, get the hint ???

Great COMMENTS all.... you people really do know how to write.

JMO ... I could be wrong.

I drove a 3.8 automatic a couple years ago. It was exhilarating. The auto worked well and the sound was great. The dealer never did get around to getting a stick, as far as I know, and then the 305 horse Mustang showed up and I lost interest.

tbone85 said:

"Seams odd, but the bright red color really dulls this car's looks in the photos."

To my eyes, pretty much every car that is not a late 70s 308 GTB looks crap in straight red. My father's bias was so extreme that many years ago he wanted me to park a red loaner I was driving down the street away from his house.

ed124c said:

"I drove a 3.8 automatic a couple years ago. It was exhilarating. The auto worked well and the sound was great. The dealer never did get around to getting a stick, as far as I know, and then the 305 horse Mustang showed up and I lost interest."

Was the Mustang that superior in your judgement?

Just another thought, maybe they should test the automatic if they make one in this form. I would not be surprised if, with T/C in both cases, it out-accelerated the manual car due to the cushioning effect of the auto transmission.

"Shoot while we doing comparisons my Cobalt ss per IL post better numbers almost all around for 24k"

The difference is that nobody is embarrassed to be seen in the Genesis...unlike a Colbarf.

agentorange-

The R-Spec doesn't come w/ an auto. But the standard Track model does. Honestly, I'd buy the standard Track just to have cruise, better headlights, and better stereo.

It's funny, because this pack is quite at odds w/ the car's purpose. It's stripped of content to reduce weight and up performance, but the sole transmission option- the manual, in most cases a no-brainer choice, is the one thing that let's the package down.

Anyone interested in this car, do yourself a favor and buy an auto Track. It'll be the wisest option decision you'll ever make. Trust me.

Bodyblue... Your right but it's got to be embarrassing to get dusted by a fwd economy car in a new 30k rwd top of the line "sports car" . Stfu please. you couldn't say anyting about my cars performance so you talk about it's looks.

"Genesis Mustang
Price: $27,740 $28,690
0-60 (sec): 5.9 5.8
60-0 (ft): 111 111
Slalom (mph): 68.1 67.3
Skid Pad: .91 .93
1/4-Mile: 14.3 @ 98.0 14.1 @ 100.3
Pretty close if you ask me."

What? Mustang V6 starts around 23K.
GC V6 starts around 27-28K.
For 28K, a GT Mustang is in order, with much higher performance in store.
People looking for the bang-for-buck factor, should not be cross-shopping this with a Mustang. They should be cross-shopping with...I don't even know. A Mitsu Eclipse V6?
This car can't tend with the Pony cars, but is better than any FWD.
I would take this over a 370Z, but only because I'm too tall for a Z.
I predict that many midlife crisis people will be buying this.

@09cobaltsstc, bodyblue couldn't give a flying damn about what your car looks like. Just the fact that it's a GM product makes it hate-worthy for him. Anything GM is complete and utter crap to him.
You could show him a curvy, powerful, new sports car concept and he would say it looks good. If it turned out to be GM, he would say it's garbage.

mkboyardee-

This car is perfect competition for the Mustang, and to a lesser extent, the Camaro. Rwd, priced in the upper $20's, 2+2 Coupe. As good of a car as the new Mustang is, I'd take an auto Genesis Coupe Track over one in a heartbeat. The Mustang, even in GT form, honestly, just doesn't inspire and encourage the same kind of driving spirit as the Genesis. If they'd just put that new DI V6 in there, and fix the tuning, I'd take one over even a GT Mustang.

The Eclipse is nowhere near this car's league. It's heavy, dated platform w/ a flashy body masquerading as a sportscar.

Let's just clear this up once and for all.

A .91g, 60-0 braking distance of 110 ft, 5.6s to 60 V6 Mustang is NOT "like 23k"

The 3.8 Genesis coupe made Jalopnik's 10 Best list 2 years running and Motor Trend's Top 9 Tested in 2010; the V6 Mustang did not (altho the Mustang GT did).

And in all the V6 comparison tests (such as Car & Driver's), the reviewers pointed out that the Genesis coupe was just more fun to drive than the Mustang.

Having said that, the Genesis coupe is far from perfect and a more powerful motor, a better MT and a revised grill design would go a long way in taking the GC from pretty good to really good.

This is one of those "almost" cars for me. It has almost the right styling, almost the right performance, almost the right price. Hyundai has been steadily marching towards desirability for me. Considering where they came from that says a lot about the people in charge of the company. They took it from an outright laughing stock to a company that is making some pretty decent cars. The next Gen car should be enough to get me into a Hyundai showroom.

Kind of amazing that the IS350 can almost break into 12 second 1/4 mile times with a motor that's rated at about the same hp. To be fair though gearing makes a huge difference and the IS350 is geared very low and has quite a bit more torque than most 3.5L V6s.

"Anything GM is complete and utter crap to him."

Actually that is not true at all..... I like several GM cars but hate stupid fanbois like the punk above and 1487. It was easy to poke a response out of him because he immature and his self-worth is tied up in his car. I must admit I enjoy getting a rabid response out of people like him, and maybe you, because anybody that takes what I say about GM personally is in need of deep mental help.

GM cars I like:

Cruze
Lucerne
Vette
HHR

If I didn't live in CT I would be all over a Gen Coupe. From what I understand, there is an ECU flash available for the 2.0T thats under $800 and brings you to around 240/280Tq. That would be a nice package for a pretty low price.

They are putting in the DI 3.8 next year...I forget where I saw that..for 330+ HP for the 3.8. So there is the power to take out the Mustang V6. I am just hoping they do a proper tune that the car needs.

@ Alc_scg...do you know if the current 2.0T/6MT has the same issues with the tune/power cutoff?

Why anyone interested in cheap performance. Would choose this over a manual stock mustang gt with 3.73 is beyond me.

Why anyone interested in cheap performance. Would choose this over a manual stock mustang gt with 3.73 is beyond me.

For all you naysayers and pontificators, I've owned a 2010 2.0T Premium for almost 2 years (purchased in 7/09) and it's fantastic. Since I live in the REAL world and not on a race track, the every day value and driving experience is excellent. The turbo spools up nicely and jets me where I wanna go. I have a 6M and the shift is sweet and accurate. I drive it hard and it responds well. I still get 23mpg and the value was amazing (fully loaded for $25K). Not much can touch it for the money, the look and the manufacturer standing behind it (Hyundai Assurance). I get compliments and stares all the time. I love that there aren't many around. It's an excellent car and I'll most likely sell it and get a V6. As Jezza says: POWER!

Only thing I agree with is the color. Red ain't so great. My light blue is.

There is such a lag between gear changes, one of the worst manuals in a sports car ever. Love everyhting else though. It would be nice if they made a sedan based on these practices.

Needs some low 5 sec 0-60 runs. 3 grand away from Mustang GT. Would prob choose the v6 which is still faster.

Two things I may like better in the Genesis is the visibility and the interior. The Mustang struggles with outward visibility. When I've driven it, I had no idea where the corners of the car reside, and that's lame for autocross and, well, just looking around. Second, the interior gauges are maddeningly hard to read, and the all the colors in the world still seem cheap.

But really, the Mustang is just overall a very compelling car, and would probably still be my choice. But look out for the next Genesis!

wow, i've heard this engine before, but never full throttle. I'm impressed, great exhaust note.
Still, i think i'd be quite happy with the 4-cyl and the track package (those 19" rims a must for me).

The 4-cyl turbo GDi can't come soon enough for this car.. Should see sales continue very strong for Hyundai when it's released..

I currently sell these vehicles and found there is a way to have the ECU programmed for a better mapping through your Hyundai dealership check the forums for the code. The Genesis Coupe buyers that I have assisted wanted a good sporty looking car not an all out track car. The R-spec is for you to tune thats why Hyundai built it and for the price where else do you get LSD,Brembos & 19inch w/summer tires and a chassis that ready to drift or race. I always turn off the ESC cause it does intrude too much for me as well, on the other hand this is the 1st gen just wait till you see and drive whats coming for the 2nd gen.

The thing that is really letting the Hyundai Genesis lineup is not the power train, but the real-wheel-drive shaft. Compare to the true pony car, the Gen coup cannot put all the engine power to the road. They should revise the real drive train. Any thoughts on that?

This is the same reason why their turbo 4 doesn't impress with it's numbers in the Optima/Sonata either. On paper the Genesis looks impressive; however, if you take a closer look at the final product, the Mustang looks like a much better options for less money. A Camaro with an RS package will run you roughly 25K and gets very close to the same 0-60 performance, despite it's heavier weight. The Camaro V6 and Mustang V6 also get better fuel economy. If I was after a long warranty without lots of loop holes, Chevy still gives you a better option there too. Perhaps not 10 years, but it still covers you for 100K miles.

Hyundai might be improving, but not enough for me to buy it over a Japanese or US product.

Well, . . . I'll be very curious to see a "third" test on this 3.8 R-Spec Genesis coupe, and compare the differences between the reviews.

MOTORWEEK tested this exact same car package last month, and ran 13.5 @ 104.8mph.

Here is the video review by MOTORWEEK . . .

http://video.pbs.org/video/1851354097/#

Why such a radical difference ? ? ?

Just curious . . .

The 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8L will receive direct injection, which will bring the rated power output to between 330 to 340HP. This should offer a noticed upgrade and improvement!!!

Can someone help me understand Hyundai's marketing?

The Genesis is a
A) economical alternative to a full size luxury car
B) a pony car

WTH? This Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde marketing makes zero sense. Are the Koreans that clueless?

" Are the Koreans that clueless? "

Well, . . . the sales numbers for Hyundai and KIA products are continually increasing each month, and that Korean designed Chevrolet Cruze is selling reasonably well, too. Suggesting that a group of persons are "clueless", simply because of a model name being split between two different vehicles, may in fact, . . . be ridiculous!!!

OK, clueless specifically referring to marketing. The product has improved dramatically since the early horrible Korean cars. I'll give them credit where it's due

But being cheapest is hardly a challenging strategy to come up with.....

I own the 2010 3.8 track. I believe the acceleration suffers in the ECUs tune. It could stand to be a little more aggressive at the lower revs.

That said, I dyno'd 271.6hp / 254.2 ft-lbs completely stock. At the wheels.
After a K&N and Stillen catback, it dyno'd 279.8hp / 261 ft.lbs.

The power is there, it just needs that tune.

Now once the 2012s come with DI, its gonna be a different ballgame