Car getting hot under the collar about a Korean coupe? Are you well? Is the Hyundai Genesis Coupe that good?

Absolutely. We drove this car hard for three full days on everything from motorways to dual carriageways and the twistiest, emptiest back roads we could find. As you can tell, we came away impressed.

Don’t confuse this Genesis Coupe with the front-wheel drive variants Hyundai has been knocking out since the 1990s. This is an all-new rear-wheel drive platform developed not only for the Genesis Coupe, but also the Genesis saloon and the VI Equus – a large four-door saloon that posh Korean hotels use as taxis.

There are two basic versions to chose from: a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo making 207bhp and a 299bhp 3.8-litre V6 with six-speed manual and six-speed automatic transmissions. We sampled the larger engine with the auto gearbox, although it’s worth pointing out that any UK cars would be fine-tuned to suit our roads.

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As well as unleashing its all-new Genesis Coupe in the Korean market, Hyundai also released officials details on its rear-wheel-drive coupe that is scheduled to arrive at U.S. dealerships in spring 2009. But let’s cut to the chase. The Genesis Coupe will be offered with a choice of two engines, an entry-level 2.0 Turbo and a 3.8 V6.

The 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder unit develops 210PS at 6000rpm (210HP for US market) and 30.5kgm of torque at 2000rpm (222.7-lbs/ft for US market) which allows it to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in a mediocre 8.3 seconds – not exactly the performance you’d expect from a sports coupe.

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For 2009, Hyundai took its satisfying Sonata mid-size sedan—already a more-than-credible alternative to the segment’s entrenched big dogs—and endowed it with more power and refreshed styling inside and out. As enthusiasts, however, we were most interested in what they’d done to improve the “sporty” SE trim, namely whether or not it’s actually sporty.

It’s No Hyundai Quattroporte, But It’s Better than Before

The SE is obviously no sports car, but it does now boast a bit more enthusiasm in its footwork. Previously more of an appearance package than anything else, the 2009 SE rides on all-season rubber (Kumho Solus KH16 tires) but gets a unique state of tune for the control-arm front and multilink rear suspension.

Other than the suspension upgrade, the $1600 increase for the SE model also includes 17-inch aluminum wheels, a power driver’s seat, steering-wheel audio controls, and a telescoping steering wheel. Read more »

The parking lot statistics are these: the Genesis is a big car with a fair bit of horsepower. The car is longer, wider, and has a longer wheelbase than the BMW 530i, Mercedes E350, and Lexus ES350. It’s also good looking — massive and curved without being bulbous — although it’s not designed to be controversial or, frankly, beyond the grille, that memorable. All you’ll be left with a few hours later is, probably, “It was a good looking car.” That is not a bad thing, since most people wouldn’t remember exactly what an ES350 looks like, either, and this slice of the mass-market segment is not where you’re trying to compete with Gaudi or Scaglietti… or Bangle. But if you’re really worried about the price of gas, you’ll be happy to know it also has a better Cd than any of those other cars, too. Read more »