Degenerated: Hyundai's Genesis Coupe Axed

There's just something about a coupe. Too bad Hyundai's never captured its fair share of the market.

The Hyundai Genesis Coupe is no more. In case you're curious, there’s a couple of logical reasons as to why this sporty coupe was discontinued. For one, it was just lingering around in Hyundai’s lineup enjoying meager sales success. It never seemed to particularly impress anyone in the sports car world, despite the fact that it offered two solid engines: a turbo four-cylinder and a 3.8-liter V6, plus rear wheel drive. All that being said, however, it was a much more solid effort than Hyundai’s past sporty coupe offering, the Tiburon. One of my favorite YouTube car reviewers, SaabKyle04, actually owned one for a few years himself. So I wouldn’t fully fault someone for considering one, as you could likely get a great deal on one now, plus the added security of Hyundai’s strong 10-year warranty.

Another reason the Genesis Coupe is going away is because the Genesis brand is launching. For those that are unfamiliar with Genesis, this is Hyundai’s new luxury car brand. Selling the Genesis and Equus on the same lot as Accents and Elantras when their prices can top $60,000 sets up somewhat of a paradox for buyers, as some might not be used to seeing such expensive vehicles in a Hyundai showroom if they haven’t been near one in the last eight years. Thus, Hyundai Motor Company felt the need to spin-off the vehicles into their own cars. The Genesis sedan will become the G80, the flagship Equus will become the G90, and other models will follow in the coming years. By the year 2020, an all-new sports coupe, compact luxury sedan, and two SUVs are reported to all be in production under the Genesis brand. Until then, owners of the Genesis Coupe who want to upgrade will either have to shop around or wait until the new coupe is released.

The Genesis brand, by Hyundai Motor Company, will launch with the G80 and G90 sedans at first, but will expand over the next few years to include a more diverse portfolio. Hyundai's goal is to compete more effectively with brands such as Audi and Lexus, while giving customers more value per dollar at the same time.

Do you think this new Genesis brand will be successful? While startups traditionally have a mixed success rate, the Genesis brand is a very noble effort on Hyundai's part. Especially given the public’s overall reception of the standalone Genesis car in past years. Yet, I'm curious about how Genesis branded cars will be received long-term, as they’re still going to be sold at Hyundai dealerships for the time being. But these new cars are without a doubt sharp, so I'm looking forward to testing some myself in the future and seeing them on the roadways! Let me know what your thoughts are too.

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