2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track

Our Four Seasons Hyundai Genesis sedan blows me away every time I drive it. There's literally nothing in its price range that offers such a combination of luxury, refinement, and performance. This Genesis coupe, in contrast, is a little underwhelming.

Undoubtedly, the coupe follows in the Genesis and larger Hyundai tradition of offering a whole lot for not much money. $30,375 buys you a loaded track model (19" rather than 18" wheels, stiffer springs, etc.) with a 300-hp V-6, leather seating, Bluetooth, and plenty of other gizmos. The Genesis coupe also looks good, and it probably caught more stares in the ten-minute drive to my apartment than all the cars Hyundai has previously built combined.

But there are issues. The 3.8-liter V-6 grunts and howls with a dissonance that vibrates the dashboard at high revs, the shifter is a little balky, and the ride is jarring. There were also a few unnerving squeaks, particularly in the sunroof area, although it's worth noting that we drove an early-build test car that's no doubt seen lots of hard use.

None of these faults are deal-breakers, but in a segment as competitive as that for $25,000-$35,000 sporty coupes, they're enough to make you wonder whether the Hyundai is really worth the same money as a Nissan 370Z, a Ford Mustang, a Chevrolet Camaro, or even a Subaru Impreza WRX.

David Zenlea, Assistant Editor