The car most enthusiasts still sleep on

Originally Posted by RussianRocket

My heart was set on the Z for years, but I did not love it blindly.

Before I bought the Z, I cross shopped many cars - from domestic to imports and I gave the Gen 1 GenCoupe serious thought. At the time, I believe that the 3.8 Track Package was going for around 30k, which is definitely appealing when compared to a base Z since the Genesis came with nav, leather seats, sunroof, rear seats, a trunk, a relatively powerful engine, not bad looking (especially in black) and a very good warranty. But then the test drive came. The handling was ok, the power was decent - it didn't throw you back in the seat like the Z, but my biggest gripe was the gearbox. I think one magazine said it felt rubbery and I couldn't agree more. Ultimately the Gen 1 GenCoupe was an unrefined sports car, which is why I didn't bother buying it.

Like many people, my friends were dismissing all the positives of the car by saying it was just a Hyundai. I felt like that's not a good reason for discounting a car, but that's Hyundai brand recognition. Maybe Hyundai means cheap in Korean, but if it doesn't, that's what the general consensus is in the American market. I think that the Hyundai logo is what turns most people off because its like slapping a 99 cents tag on a premium product. If they rebadge the Gen Coupe with the Genesis logo, which is the first mod for most Gen Coupe owners, I feel like they can start to redefine what they stand for and appeal to a broader audience.

My Hyundai Experience:
Prior to the Z, I leased a Hyundai Tuscon Limited as my dd, which was perfect for what I needed it to do. It had plenty of room, handled well in the winter and was extremely reliable. The car virtually did not need any maintenance and never once hicupped, stalled or failed after 35k miles. After the lease expired, I returned the car back to the dealership. I personally did not mind owning the car, but I did not require an SUV. So based on my experience, I do not view Hyundai as cheap, but more as reliable.

One day Hyundai may be a serious contender in the affordable sports car market and maybe I'll own one in the distant future. I just don't like how the fascia's on Hyundai's all look alike (much like what Mistubishi did with the Evo X). Talk about having a hard time differentiating yourself from the cheaper, inferior models.

Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370

I just gotta ask. How did you find handling just ok? I thought handling was fine. At least what you can accomplish on the street. I found steering response to be less communicative with the Z. I will agree that power came on too smoothly for a so-called "sport coupe". Especially the 2010/11 models. The ecu tuning on those were horrid for sport driving. Acceleration is fast in the gencoupe but you definitely dont feel the power when trying to.

Originally Posted by RussianRocket

I guess it would have been helpful if I stated what my point of reference was. At the time, I had already test driven the Z and the Evo. So in the handling department, I didn't feel like Gen Coupe measured up to those two. The Z and the Evo just felt tighter.

But like you said, the handling was more than enough for the street. BUT, then we could argue that the power of a Sentra is also more than enough for the street

Originally Posted by shadoquad

I also felt that the handling on the Z was miles ahead of the GenCoupe I tested. Just tighter. The suspension struck me as better on bumps, too, and I tested a Genesis Coupe Track. Both felt equally stiff, but the Z took a bump better.

Now, this was 2010, and the Genesis has most likely improved since its first model year.

Originally Posted by UNKNOWN_370

I agree with that.


I was on the other lightning lap thread and im quoting what i said there cuz it pertains to this thread...

"Anyone notice the 3.13.8 for the gencoupe R-spec & 3.17.5 for the infiniti Gcoupe sport??? Not Good"

This is where my thoughts that the gencoupe is slept on comes from. It's performance is good. Having owned the G-37s for a year and having had extensive test drives in the gencoupe. I found I was getting in and out of turns faster than in the G. The G feels a little better doing it. But the Gencoupe accelerator seemed to sprint faster out of a turn. I measure cars on how quickly i can make transistions. The gencoupe seemed to come out of turns better. (maybe it just complimented my driving style more?)

I feel most comfortable driving the Z between the 3. The Z is just dialed in perfectly for my Driving style (with VDC off). But the Z is NOT a competitor in this segment.

Originally Posted by daisuke149

Heres a tit bit of info for people.

Ive seen tons of people judge how good a car is in the corners based on how it feels or how fast it goes based on how it feels.

(recent arguement regarding 300zxtt vs 370z stock for stock)

people said that they have ridden in both and the 300zx feels faster..

But things don't work that way. The way the z34 accelerates feels very diff. My GTO felt like it had this punch and felt fast.. but it wasn't really lol. The 370z has this smooth acceleration so you dont think its fast but its deceiving.

same sort of feel applies to cornerings at times. The gen coupe is a bit numb, you dont feel as in control and you dont get the feedback so you may feel less confident in it and thus feel its slower. similarly.. my frikin versa is short and light and gets tossed in every corner i take and feels fun.. but its SLOW AS ****.

Originally Posted by shadoquad

I also felt that the handling on the Z was miles ahead of the GenCoupe I tested. Just tighter. The suspension struck me as better on bumps, too, and I tested a Genesis Coupe Track. Both felt equally stiff, but the Z took a bump better.

Now, this was 2010, and the Genesis has most likely improved since its first model year.

Originally Posted by kenchan

damn, they just dont know when to put down the clay tools.