It is truly amazing how far Hyundai has gone in the Philippines.  When Hyundai Automotive Resources Inc. (HARI) was awarded the official distributorship of Hyundai vehicles in the country almost nine years ago, the brand was not even in the top 10 of the most trusted car brands.  But with continuous introduction of new models, aggressive marketing and excellent after sales service, HARI was able to remove the stigma associated with Korean-built cars and made the Hyundai brand one of the most affordable and reliable cars.

To date, Hyundai offers 14 different models of passenger cars, sport utility vehicles, a passenger van and even an Asian utility vehicle putting them in third place over all in the local automotive industry upstaging Honda Cars according to the latest CAMPI report.  In the global market, Hyundai is now the fourth largest automobile company and is considered as the world’s fastest growing car company.
With Hyundai having an almost complete product lineup, we’re glad that they finally came out with the Genesis Coupe, which is a truly worthwhile sports car.

The Genesis Coupe is a rear-wheel drive, high-powered sports car with an affordable price tag.  We got to drive the all-new sports car during HARI’s “Next Generation” media ride and drive event held last week at the beautiful island of Marinduque province.

Our chance to drive the Genesis Coupe started at barangay Lipata in Buenavista, Marinduque with the picturesque Bellaroca island as the backdrop. 

The bright yellow coupe has clean lines, balanced proportions and design styling that’s quite similar to that of the Infinity G36 sports coupe.  Outside, the Genesis looks handsome and sporty.  Inside, the cabin looks like a roomy aircraft cockpit with cool controls and gadgets.

The Genesis Coupe has a black interior cabin with rich textures and a solid build. The ergonomics are spot on with well-positioned gauges and controls.  The electronic seats are outstanding — the seat and seatback have the perfect amount of contoured padding that supports both drivers and passengers like a Recaro seat. By the way, the car has rear seats but only small children can fit in them.

Powering the Genesis is Hyundai’s 306 hp DOHC 3.8-liter V6 that provides brawny acceleration with a baritone exhaust note to match.  The 3.8 variant comes with a 6-speed automatic transmission that shifts so smoothly.  Paddle shifters are mounted on the steering wheel to give drivers more fun during spirited driving.

Standard features in the Genesis Coupe include antilock disc brakes with brake assist, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and stability control.

Driving the Genesis Coupe along the provincial roads of Marinduque proved that it is very responsive.  Body control in quick maneuvers is superb while steering feel is truly exceptional.  Ride quality is exceptional even in the pock-marked sections of the provincial road.

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is priced at P1.6 million. Some may say that the Genesis is nice for the price but for us, the Genesis Coupe is just truly impressive.