Hyundai Genesis test drive since 2008 sedan

Mazdaspeed 3 with a turbo-“four” against the Hyundai Genesis compartment with V6. Unlike rivals

There are a lot of good reasons to compare Mazdaspeed 3 (American analogue of Mazda3 MPS) and Hyundai Genesis Coupe, two so different in style and target audience of the car. Believe me, there are really many reasons. One of them is their extreme popularity with you, our readers.
You can say that Mazda recently updated the third model of the second generation of hot hatchback Mazdaspeed 3, and therefore a serious opponent is needed to challenge his unconditional domination in our comparative tests.
And you can immediately add that Genesis Coupe is perfect for the role of such an opponent. Offering a successful combination of the controllability of the rear -wheel drive car, serious power and unique appearance, he managed to shift from his path more expensive competitors in the segment of sports coupe without much effort. He is fast, he is gorgeous and he performs such high -speed drifts that Nomuken himself would envy. And, as is most often happens with the rear -wheel drive coupe, its low price leaves no chance to competitors.
You could say all this, and would be mistaken.
The real reason is much easier. And it consists in the fact that we compare two very dissimilar cars for funny walks for relatively little money. They look great and go quickly.
In this regard, 50% of the points in this test we will give the cost and dynamics (25% for each aspect). Fuel consumption, equipment and our subjective 28-point assessment receive 15%each. The remaining 5% we will give the opinion of editors and their individual choice.

Pedigree
So, we are in front of Mazdaspeed3 and Genesis Coupe. Hyundai produces two versions of this rather big 2.0t compartment, which costs practically like Mazda, but inferior to it in dynamics, and a 3.8-liter version with V6, which is comparable to Mazda in dynamics, but costs somewhere by $ 4,500 more. For any competition where the dynamics is one of the main parameters, we always choose a version that can show impressive results. So we did this time.
Our Genesis Coupe 3.8 Track is equipped with the Hyundai V6 clashed V6, which issues 306 hp. and 360 nm torque. Standard equipment includes a six-speed manual gearbox, 19-inch wheels, four-piston Brembo calipers in front and back and a differential of a limited Torsen friction on the leading axis. The full equipment is supplemented with a cable for iPod and floor mats at a cost of $ 30,375.
The new bully from Mazda is not at all slobber. Its turbocharged in a line four -cylinder engine with a direct fuel injection with a volume of 2.3 liters produces 263 hp. And good 379 nm torque. All this power is transmitted to the front axle through six -speed mechanics and differential of limited friction. Together with the Mazdaspeed Technology options package, this is an audio system of Bose, a 6-disks CD changer, satellite radio and compact navigation system Mazdaspeed 3 will cost the buyer $ 25,840.

So similar, but so different?
These two cars are radically different from each other in style and design. Hatchback against the compartment. Front -wheel drive against the rear. A turbocharged in -line four against atmospheric V6. And, nevertheless, each of the two is ideal for the tasks set for him. At 2,639 mm of the Mazda wheelbase, more than 17 cm is shorter than the Hyundai, and this is a lot, if we are talking about a quick change in the direction of movement.
But we should not forget about some qualities inherent in the rear drive. Even if such a car has a longer wheelbase, higher cost and slightly more than mass (in this case, we are talking about the extra 100 kg), the dynamics of the compartment of the front -wheel drive car do not surpass.
Nevertheless, Mazda well seasoned her hatchback Mazdaspeed3, and not all seasoning is designed to increase the dynamics. It is impossible to challenge the practicality of a four -door hatchback. If you fold the rear seat, you get almost 1,220 liters of baggage enough to transport furniture or, say, a TV with an impressive diagonal. Hyundai will not pass such a trick. We are not saying that the rear doors of Mazda are very practical if you have a family or many friends.

It is important
But the differences that really matter to help our editors who have the right to vote choose only one car are detected only when you get behind the wheel for a specific purpose. It is then that Mazda’s decision to combine simple practicality with sports dynamics becomes obvious. It is then that you will find out that its controllability is clean and accurate, and the response to the work of the gas pedal is acute and immediate.
If you transfer several times from Mazda to Hyundai and back during several races along a high -speed highway with smooth open turns, then the difference in dynamics is quite smoothed out. The hatchback is a little sharper, he immediately responds to the slightest change in the position of the accelerator pedal, its braking is more controlled. But Genesis is not behind, it is always assembled and extremely accurate. But if you drive on them along a narrow road with sharp closed turns, it immediately becomes obvious which car is from the camp of sports and which is firmly standing in one wheel in the Grand Touring league.
Genesis dances around the fact that it is not a sports car with impressive grace. The stability of its long wheelbase is carefully hidden behind the ability of the rear -wheel drive to answer the operation of the steering wheel and gas. Its steering wheel, which provides enough response to make decisions at high speed, will never be compared with the razor -acute accuracy of Mazda. And his braking is adequate, but not immediately, but closer to the end.
If the trip on a winding road is delayed, it will no matter how much he will try to try not to keep up with the Genesis driver for Mazda.

The numbers between the lines
A sharp shift in Genesis on the hottest day of the year made it possible to detect another advantage of the Genesis rear -wheel drive: it is fast. As a result of the acceleration test, we got the best result for the Hyundai compartment from zero to 96 km/h in 5.9 seconds. He overcomes the quototer in 14.2 seconds, accelerating at the finish to 158 km/h, thereby bypassing Mazda in both tests.
But the difference is not great. Mazda has at its disposal more torque and a more profitable power ratio to weight, and therefore, when accelerating from 35 to 140 km/h, is inferior to the opponent only 0.36 seconds. He exchanges a hundred for 6.3 s, and a quarter of a mile flies in 14.4 s, accelerating at the finish of up to 160 km/h.
Inhibition, the traditionally strong side of Mazda cars, also turned out to be better in Hyundai. From 96 km/h, the Mazdaspeed 3 stops for 36.27 m (1.8 meters more than the first Mazdaspeed 3, which we tested), while Hyundai has only 34.75 m. None of the cars detected one of the cars Obviously fatigue of the brakes after repeated braking, and yet we were much less impressed by the work of Brembo machines, which is equipped with Hyundai, what we expected. After aggressive brake brake, Mazda brakes slightly lose their original tenacity, but do not lose efficiency.
Comparison of fuel consumption did not work out at all. In mixed mode, Mazda consumes 11.82 liters per 100 km, Hyundai 12.19 liters.
Dashing turns
In tests for the manager, Mazda was the leader. Her speed on her slalom was 114.4 km/h, which is 6 km/h more than that of Hyundai (108 km/h). In the test for the lateral acceleration, Mazda was also better, demonstrating 0.91G against 0.89G Hyundai. If you are a fan of using the stabilization system to ensure traffic safety at high speeds, then the Mazda system will allow you to control the car closer to the limit of its capabilities than the Hyundai system, which interferes with your actions more often and aggressive.
It is almost impossible to describe the sensations from the control of these machines, operating only with numbers. This is mainly a consequence of the fact that Mazda is much more collected at high speed than Genesis. Hyundai perfectly holds a given rhythm on secondary roads, he is able to impress his balance, perfect handling and good manners. But inside Mazda you find yourself a completely absorbed ability of this car to cover long distances at insane speed.
Better inside
We did not expect that much cheaper Mazda would offer the quality of the finish and options at the Hyundai level, or even higher, but this is what we found, having examined both cars from the inside. Literally everything that surrounds the driver in Mazda, excellent quality, especially the steering wheel, which in Genesis looks plastic, and the touch is not too nice.
As standard equipment, Mazda offers a two-zone climate control with excellently readable designations on regulators. U Genesis climate control has a single zone, and the temperature regulation handle is not so convenient. Both cars are equipped with an audio premium class with ten columns Optional 242-Watt BOSE system in Mazda and the standard Infinity system in Genesis. We liked the audio system interface in Mazda, with three main functions control handles, while Genesis is controlled by one handle and several buttons.
Technology options also mean that Mazda has a navigation system. Having experimented a little with her, we realized that her screen was too small to be functional in many situations, and still against the background of Hyundai, which does not have such a system at all, this is a great advantage. More recently, Hyundai has developed a navigation system with a sensory display available as an option worth $ 1,000, including Genesis Coupe, but we got a copy without it.
Hyundai leather upholstery is standard, as well as heating the front seats. Mazda does not have the like.
Nevertheless, we liked the combination of the skin and fabric used in the upholstery of the Mazda seats, since it is this combination (leather sidewalls and tissue horizontal surface) that helps to stay in place at high speed.
It is no secret that we like the Genesis Coupe style, because this car is able to pay attention to the gas station even six months after the start of sales. The Mazda style, despite the carefully designed, more aggressive forms of Mazdaspeed in comparison with the usual Mazda, does not cause stormy impressions. In our opinion, this is somewhat reminiscent of Megan Fox, if you take off its tattoos, the beauty of which depends very much on the selected angle of shooting.
Correct angle
The optimal viewing angle in this case is from behind the steering wheel. Hyperactive hatchback from Mazda won an unambiguous victory in the category of funny riding. Yes, it is inferior to several tenths of a second when accelerated in a straight line, but in general the results are so similar that the race in this case, when starting from the traffic light, will be between drivers, and not between cars. In tests for controllability, Mazda definitely leads.
But the final decision on victory is made taking into account the cost and practicality. In case of a rupture in a cost of $ 4,500 Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8, it is necessary to dominate each of the presented categories in order to get out of this battle the winner. It leads in terms of equipment, offers heating seats, four -piston brakes, rear -wheel drive and the ability to refuel cheaper gasoline with a significant argument at each refueling.
But this turned out to be not enough to defeat the Mazdaspeed 3 sports car, accurate, super-practical and extremely exciting. It would be foolish to ignore the advantage of the practicality of the only car in the family, because these cars will be in most cases.
That is why my friends, Mazdaspeed 3 wins in our test. The motto of the model was to hang all the ass long before the release of this car, the same became even better than before. We complement the list of defeated by another name.
Jason Kavenay's opinion, technical editor:
There is not the slightest probability that the tuning version of the economical machine will be similar in dynamics with the rear -wheel drive compartment created for speed. Not the slightest. About such thoughts flashed in my head before the start of this comparative test. Earlier, I didn’t even really go to Genesis Coupe, but I was absolutely convinced that he would leave the front -wheel drive Mazdaspeed3 in the smoke from his rear wheels.
When you approach these cars, Hyundai tells you all your appearance: Sport. It looks gorgeous where Mazda looks like a loaf of bread. But wait, what is it? The Mazdaspeed 3 salon looks more expensive, and the touch is more noble. Moreover, Mazda’s price tag is much smaller.
Alternate trip on cars opened my eyes. Hyundai is traveling like a class GT, with a huge, relaxing feeling that you are sailing along the highway or aiming your ship on a rotation apex. We have to intensively work with the gas pedal during quick shifts. The car is strange, slightly nervous. Genesis is a good start for a Korean brand, but to create sports cars in the baby Hyundai still did not dry out on the lips.
Mazda as a compressed spring. Accurate. More responsive. Suitable for fans of fast driving, it is sharper and gives a sense of reliability. Think about this a front-wheel drive hatchback with 4 doors is more interesting as a sports car than a two-door rear-wheel drive car. Fans of biased to think of their heads will break their heads.
 
Note from Drom.ru. In Russia, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is already sold officially, however, only in configuration with a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine (213 hp). The price tag for the model begins with 1,229,900 rubles. Available sport from Mazda Mazda3 MPS model, a full analogue of a car tested by Americans costs from 1,216,500 rubles.
 
   
 
 
 

Source: Insideline