 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. Click image to enlarge |
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Long-Term Test Update 3: 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T
Manufacturer’s web site |
Review and photos by Chris Chase
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2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T
Our long-term Genesis Coupe recently went back to Hyundai Canada, but not before it got the chance to seriously impress me with its interior, which is a lot bigger than I gave it credit for in my last update.
In that article, I whined a lot about my concern that all the stuff I needed to fit into the car for a road trip to southern Ontario wouldn’t fit. Turned out that four guitars, an amp, sundry other guitar-related items, suitcase, camera, laptop and an air mattress fit just fine, and left plenty of room for eight bottles of wine, a large backpack, and my wife, who made the return trip with me.
I wouldn’t say it was an ideal situation; having to load bulky, heavy things like tube amplifiers and hard-side guitar cases into the back seat of a low-slung two-door is not fun, nor is it good for one’s lower back. But, I persevered, and everything (and everyone) made it there and back without incident.
 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. Click image to enlarge |
Plus, even with all that extra weight on board, the Genesis Coupe beat its previous best fuel consumption average (by a whole 0.1 L/100 km), achieving 7.6 L/100 km between Ottawa and Niagara-on-the-Lake, at speeds between 80 and 120 km/h. I was easily able to complete the 550-km drive on about two-thirds of a tank of gas, giving this car a theoretical, but plausible, driving range of about 800 km and an average speed of about 100 km/h. Hyundai’s fuel consumption estimates for this car are 10.0 L/100 km city, and 6.6 L/100 km highway.
That’s a pretty solid result for a 274-horsepower car. This car’s real-world fuel consumption impresses me more than what I’ve seen in a number of less-powerful Hyundais, such as the Accent and Elantra; the best I saw in a road trip in the latter was 6.6 L/100 km. I’d expected more from a car with a 4.9L/100 km highway rating, and apparently, so did Hyundai, who announced in early November that it had incorrectly estimated fuel consumption in a number of vehicles. (https://www.autos.ca/general-news/hyundai-and-kia-fuel-ratings-were-incorrect/) The Genesis Coupe appears to be the only model not affected.
  2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0T. Click image to enlarge |
I love driving a manual transmission, but this car’s stickshift fought me to the very end and had me wishing for the optional eight-speed automatic. The clunky shift mechanism feels like it belongs in a tractor, and the abrupt clutch engagement made the car a real handful in city driving, even after I’d been driving it on and off for more than three months.
The turbocharged, 2.0L engine was a treat, however, with little turbo lag and flexible power delivery, particularly at low engine speeds. There was always useful power available from as low as 2,000 rpm, rendering downshifts unnecessary at highway speeds, unless I wanted to make a quick pass on the two-lane Highway 7 route I took west from Ottawa.
Comfortable front seats made my five-and-a-half hour drive bearable, with the only negative the low seating position, which made this car annoying for running errands, or any situation where you have to get in and out of the car repeatedly.
Hyundai entered the Genesis Coupe 2.0T in AJAC’s 2013 Canadian Car of the Year contest, in the Sports-Performance under $50,000 category. It finished a close third to the Ford Focus ST and Scion FR-S, but I’d be less inclined to call it an outright sports car, and more of a sport-y car that works best as a high-performance tourer.
Whatever you call it, the Genesis Coupe is entertaining. Just think hard about how much you really must have a manual transmission; this car would be better with the automatic, and if you really want a stick, I’d suggest looking elsewhere.
