The RWD 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe is offered in a slew of variations with the choice of a 2.0-liter turbo four or naturally-aspirated 3.8-liter V6 engine. We tested the V6 Grand Touring model. The 3.8-liter V6 produces 306 horsepower (HP) and 266 foot pounds of torque and can be mated to a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission.

The official fuel economy estimates for the V6-equipped 2010 Genesis Coupe are 17 city / 27 highway miles per gallon (MPG) when equipped with the automatic transmission and 17 / 26 with the manual. The turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine delivers better fuel-efficiency, with the automatic rated at 20 city / 30 highway and the manual rated at 21 / 30.

We covered roughly five hundred miles in our automatic-equipped Tsukuba Red review unit and slipped past the official mileage estimates, scoring an average of 30.7 MPG on the Interstate highway and 24.7 MPG combined.

The 3.8-liter engine delivers excellent performance, and the Genesis proved to be the fastest V6-equipped 2010 Sport Coupe we’ve tested to date. (This will change with the 2011 model year, as Ford and Chevy up the ante.)

Overall test period temperatures ranged from from the forties through the low-seventies. Interstate highway testing temperatures were in the low-to-mid sixties. The test vehicle was delivered with approximately 6400 miles on the odometer and was equipped with the standard 18-inch alloy wheels, clad with 225/45VR18 tires in the front and 245/45VR18 tires in the rear.

Interstate Mileage Testing:

• Cruise control set to 68 MPH, A/C off, heat off, windows up: 30.6 MPG
• Cruise control off, target speed 60-72 MPH, A/C off, heat of, windows up: 30.9 MPG

(The cruise control proved its worth on the highway, as it alleviated the temptation of the throttle.)

The 2010 Genesis Coupe is equipped with a 17.2 gallon fuel tank. This provides for a good amount of range … when you manage to keep your foot out of it, of course.

The trip computer is nestled between the speedometer and tachometer and provides two trip meters, range to empty, average fuel economy, and average mile per hour displays. That’s fairly standard stuff these days.

The big bonus is the Genesis Grand Touring’s unique center-mounted Real-Time MPG and Torque meters. These cool blue LCD displays provide a persistent reminder of how much fuel is being consuming and how much power is being produced at any given moment.

If you love driving, you’re in for a treat. The Genesis hustles from corner to corner, with Electronic Stability Control and Traction Control keeping the RWD Genesis’ tail between the lines.

The Genesis Coupe’s interior is smartly designed and driver focused. While many sport coupes sacrifice visibility for the sake of style, the Genesis Coupe is an exception to the rule. Although the rear cabin is snug, visibility is quite good.

The automatic transmission’s SHIFTRONIC mode allows for full control over gear changes from both the slapstick and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The Grand Touring edition provides a host of standard features, including a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, leather seating surfaces, heated front seats, a power drivers seat, manual driver’s lumbar support, a power sunroof, and Bluetooth connectivity with phonebook download.

A touchscreen ten-speaker Infinity audio system with USB iPod support and Navigation is standard in the Grand Touring model. The USB interface and auxiliary input are located in the center console. The touchscreen is well designed, with Artists, Albums, and Playlists accessible from the interface. The system also includes MP3 capability and XM Satellite Radio. The Navigation system includes a 90 day trial of XM NavTraffic.

The only options in our test unit were carpeted floor mats ($95) and an iPod cable ($30).

There are two twelve-volt outlets: one at the base of the dash and one in the console.

Like many sport coupes, the Genesis Coupe’s rear seat can be a difficult fit for larger folks. Kids and smaller folks might not mind, but taller folks will squawk. Rear seat headroom is limited.

The Genesis Coupe’s cargo area allows for 10 cubic feet of storage with the rear seat up. Folding down the rear seat yields a good bit of additional space, although the passthrough is tight.

Worth noting: Hyundai provides a five-year/60,000 mile new vehicle warranty, a 10-year/100,000 mile power train warranty, a seven-year/unlimited mile anti-perforation warranty, and a five-year/unlimited mile roadside assistance program.

All-in-all, the 3.8-liter V6-equipped 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe sets the traditional RWD sports coupe pack on end, by delivering a surprising amount of performance in a tight and balanced package.

Parts Content Information
US/Canadian Parts Content: 3%
Major Sources of Foreign Parts Content: Korea – 86%
Final Assembly Point: Ulsan, Korea
Country of Origin:
Engine – Korea
Transmission – Korea

The five-door 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring is fitted with a 2.0-liter DOHC engine that can be mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The Elantra’s inline four produces 138 horsepower (HP) and 136 foot pounds of torque.

The EPA’s fuel economy estimates for the 2009 Hyundai Elantra Touring are 23 city / 31 highway miles per gallon (MPG) with the manual transmission and 23 city / 30 highway with the automatic.

We put roughly three hundred miles on the odometer of our five-speed manual Carbon Gray review unit over a long weekend and easily dispensed the official mileage estimates with an average of 35.4 MPG on the Interstate highway and 29.8 MPG combined.

Interstate Mileage Testing:
Cruise control set to 68 MPH, A/C off, windows up: 34.5 MPG
Cruise control off, target speed 60-72 MPH, A/C off, windows up: 36.3 MPG

Overall test period temperatures ranged from the fifties through the seventies, with Interstate highway testing temperatures in the high sixties.

The Elantra Touring’s 14.0 gallon gas tank provides for a reasonable amount of highway range. The 2.0-liter engine is designed to run on regular unleaded fuel.

While the little four-banger’s numbers might not look impressive on paper, it delivers off-the-line when fitted with the five-speed manual. Performance is quite adequate in an unladen vehicle. Fill the car with friends, family, and cargo, however and the 2.0-liter will have its work cut out for it.

Those who opt for the manual transmission will not be disappointed. The Elantra Touring’s standard B&M shifter makes it a pleasure to take a quick run through the gears.

Through the twisties, the Hyundai five-door’s handling isn’t as tight as the segment-leading Mazda3 … but when it comes to hauling gear the Elantra Touring absolutely shines.

There’s a remarkable amount of cargo capacity, with 24.3 cubic feet of space available when the 60/40 rear seats are up and 65.3 cubic feet when the rear seats are down. Cubbies underneath the rear floor provide concealed space for even more stuff.

Rear seating is comfortable for four, with a center fold-down armrest and plenty of headroom.

Driver’s amenities are quite good, given the Elantra Touring’s price point, with the beefy leather-wrapped steering wheel providing integrated controls. Manual lumbar support is standard.

Our test unit was fitted with the Premium Sport package, which includes a power sunroof, heated front seats, and 17-inch alloy wheels. The optional Bluetooth hands-free phone system is housed above the windshield.

There are two power outlets at the base of the dash, and another in the cargo area.

The standard six-speaker audio system provides both auxiliary and USB input jacks. Although the standard audio system does a great job of iPod integration, volume is limited. iPod support includes access to playlists, artists and albums.

The steering wheel controls allow you to switch between songs, auxiliary input devices, CDs, radio and satellite radio without lifting your hands from the wheel, so your eyes can stay on the road.

While the trip computer provides an average mile per gallon fuel economy display (along with distance to empty), the Elantra Touring lacks a real-time fuel-efficiency gauge. We always recommend the use of a real-time fuel economy display as a means to encourage light-footed driving in the effort to achieve higher gas mileage.

All-in-all, the Hyundai Elantra Touring delivers excellent value with a combination of technology, fuel efficiency, driveability, and cargo capacity. Whether viewed as a competitor to the Toyota Matrix and Mazda3 or as an alternative to a small SUV, the Elantra Touring provides plenty of bang for the buck.

The tiny Bluetec diesel engine does not propel the car. It’s merely a generator that recharges the Lithium-Ion batteries (a la the Chevy Volt). The Renegade concept’s battery pack has a 40 mile range.

Who could resist a 110 MPG Hot Wheels car sprung to life, complete with a pair of scuba diver propulsion devices on the rear deck lid and a hose-out interior?

The Renegade Concept isn’t just the perfect beach house accessory … it could fill a very cool niche for beach patrols looking for a maneuverable, economical and green solution to lessen the dependence on gas-hungry SUVs and pickup trucks.

Here’s hoping that Jeep gives their little green gem the green light for production …

Both the three-door hatchback and four-door Hyundai Accent sedan are fitted with a 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine, producing 110 horsepower and 106 foot pounds of torque. All models are available with a five-speed manual as standard issue; a four-speed automatic with overdrive is optional.

The SE hatchback, designed for the entry-level boy (and girl) racer at heart, is equipped with a B&M Racing sport shifter, sport tuned suspension, and 16-inch alloy wheels.

Does Hyundai fit a common rail turbo-diesel in the Accent abroad? Sure thing, but not here in the States … yet …

Hyundai Accent Gas Mileage – 1995-2009

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

The 2008 Hyundai Elantra is fitted with a 2.0 liter DOHC four cylinder engine. Performance specs differ slightly between the Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) and Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) versions. The ULEV engine is rated at 138 horsepower (HP) and 136 foot pounds of torque, while the PZEV engine is rated at 132 HP and 133 foot pounds of torque. The Elantra is equipped with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission.

Hyundai Elantra Gas Mileage – 1993-2008

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

American Sonata buyers can choose either a 2.4 liter four cylinder, producing 162 horsepower (HP) and 164 foot pounds of torque, or a 3.3 liter V-6, producing 234 HP and 226 foot pounds of torque.

While Hyundai Sonatas may be fitted with diesel engines abroad, diesels are not currently available in the States. In the UK, Hyundai offers a 2.0 liter common rail turbo diesel that produces 305 foot pounds of torque while delivering 34.4 urban / 56.5 extra urban miles per British gallon when mated with the manual transmission (that’s roughly 28.6 city / 47 highway).

Hyundai Sonata Gas Mileage – 1989-2008

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

Simply put, the aerodynamics and vehicle weight of the bulkiest SUVs cause gas mileage to suffer, leading to many a painful transaction at the pump. The trick is to get small(er), lighter, and more slippery. Credit Subaru for getting the ball rolling with popularizing economical 4WD drive passenger cars in the early days. Since 1997, every vehicle Subaru’s offered in America has been all wheel drive.

These days, it’s not just Subaru. There are plenty of four wheel drive choices that are neither truck nor SUV. And forget the notion of pint-sized economy cars. You’ll find a generous helping of 4WD luxury from manufacturers including Audi, Volvo, Cadillac, and Lexus … in fact, you’ll find many of their offerings in the 2008 list of best gas mileage four wheel drives.

Purists will gladly share that there’s a difference between four wheel drive and all wheel drive (AWD). And surely there is … but for a great many folks, it comes down to two simple questions: will it go in the snow and will I go broke feeding it?

At the other end of the spectrum, the little Suzuki SX4 delivers plenty of bang for the buck, by combining the best four wheel drive gas mileage with a low sticker price (for those who don’t just think miles per gallon … but miles per dollar.)

Along with its corporate cousins, the Ford Escape Hybrid proves the exception to the rule as the highest all around mile per gallon (MPG) four wheel drive vehicle. If you can’t get a great deal on an Escape Hybrid at your local Ford dealer, take a look at the Mercury Mariner Hybrid. And if you happen to live in Southern California, the Mazda Tribute Hybrid HEV might be an option … as long as you’re able to snag one of the 350 Tribute HEVs built for this test market.)

2008 Best Gas Mileage Four Wheel Drives

• Audi A4
• Suzuki SX4
• Subaru Legacy
• Subaru Impreza
• Subaru Outback
• Jeep Compass
• Ford Escape Hybrid
• Jeep Patriot
• Subaru Forester
• Mazda Tribute Hybrid
• Mercury Mariner Hybrid
• Honda CR-V
• Volvo S60
• Volvo V50
• Volvo S40
• Toyota RAV4
• Cadillac CTS
• Cadillac STS
• Lexus IS 250
• Nissan Rogue

The 2008 Hyundai Entourage is fitted with a DOHC 3.8 liter V-6 that produces 242 horsepower (HP). Hyundai provides a 10-year / 100,000 mile limited power train warranty, along with a 5-year / 60,000 mile new vehicle limited warranty, and a 7-year / unlimited miles anti-perforation warranty.

Nissan Frontier Gas Mileage – 2007-2008

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

1979-1981 High MPG Cars 1982 High MPG Cars 1983 High MPG Cars 1984 High MPG Cars There’s no denying that there were some real clunkers in those big lists. But there’s one thing for sure. While the list of today’s 30 MPG cars might be shorter, the improvement in overall quality cannot be denied. Passing a federal law to raise the automakers’ overall fuel efficiency to 35 MPG by 2020 is just goofy when you get right down to it. With the natural shift that is currently underway, that goal may well be met in half the time purely through market forces. As the public more fully understands the choices that are currently available – and are soon to come to market – the shift will accelerate. The 2009 model year may very well prove to be the tipping point, as 1985 was in the opposite direction. A 30 MPG car might be considered by some (many?) Europeans to be a gas guzzler. The cars sold abroad are not all that different. Yes, there are differences in environmental and safety systems, but the facts remain. A great many of the cars that our very own American automakers sell in Europe far exceed their domestic models when it comes to fuel-efficiency.

30 MPG Cars – 2008 Audi A4 Audi A4 Cabriolet Audi TT Coupe Chevrolet Aveo Chevrolet Aveo 5 Chevrolet Cobalt Chevrolet HHR Chevrolet HHR Panel Chevrolet Malibu Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid Chrysler Sebring Dodge Avenger Ford Escape Hybrid FWD Ford Focus Honda Accord 2DR Coupe Honda Accord 4DR Sedan Honda Civic Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Fit Hyundai Accent Hyundai Elantra Hyundai Sonata Kia Optima Kia Rio Kia Spectra Mazda Mazda3 Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2WD Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec Mercury Mariner Hybrid FWD Mini Cooper Convertible Nissan Altima Nissan Altima Coupe Nissan Altima Hybrid Nissan Sentra Nissan Versa Pontiac G5 Pontiac G6 Pontiac Vibe Saturn Aura Saturn Aura Hybrid Suzuki SX4 Suzuki SX4 Sedan Toyota Camry Toyota Camry Hybrid Toyota Solara Toyota Corolla Toyota Matrix Toyota Prius Toyota Scion XD Toyota Yaris Volkswagen EOS

2008 Cars – 30 MPG Highway

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.

All models of the domestic 2008 Veracruz are fitted with a 3.8 liter V-6 engine that produces a healthy 260 horsepower, mated with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Veracruz is currently Hyundai’s largest SUV.

Hynundai Veracruz Gas Mileage – 2007-2008

Note: the EPA tweaked their testing procedure, starting with the 2008 model year, with the end result being that the 2008 MPG estimates are now lower than previous years. As always, YMMV.