Toyota 86 vs. Hyundai Genesis Coupe

(Editor’s note: This comparo was written in cooperation with C! Magazine.)

MANILA, Philippines – While the world was busy going nuts about the Toyota 86, the Hyundai Genesis, which arrived to much fanfare back in 2009, slipped in almost relatively unnoticed and started to quietly do its business in the shadows of the Toyota.

That’s not to say the Koreans were intimidated, of course, but as touching as their humility is, there is absolutely no room for modesty in this cutthroat segment of rear-wheel drive motoring. So even if they didn’t demand a showdown, their customers did. So with that in mind, we put the two hottest two door coupes under 2 million bucks on the track to answer the question that neither had the bad manners to ask––Genesis or 86?

Let’s start with the Toyota.

As excited as I was to drive it, the truth is I was more nervous that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. But because I refuse to be part of the striptease that went into marketing this car, I can jump ten paragraphs and say that in a nutshell, the 86 did NOT meet my expectations. It exceeded it.

The first thing that grabs you is the driving position––it is involving, simple and places you right at the heart of everything. It is so focused that you half expect a hydration button on the steering wheel instead of the awkward floating cup-holder they have in the center console. My knees do rub a little on the bottom of the steering wheel, but it is a small price to pay. 

Pop the clutch, press the Start/Stop button on the console, and the flat four springs to life like a pit bull that has been woken by a stranger. It’s throatier than the Genesis. Angrier, even. Perhaps it’s the whole Napoleonic complex––what with the measly 200-horse army it arrives with compared to 274 from the Koreans––so I guess Toyota figured they may as well be noisy horses. 

And it is no coincidence, either. Unlike the LFA and the Lexus GS which use acoustic chambers, the intake manifold of the 86 is a single-plane design with very long primary runners and a small central plenum that uses a Toyota-engineered direct-plus-port injection system (D4-S) and dual variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i) to to enhance the deep guttural howls, amplifying what is already a naturally sweetened note that this Subaru-derived boxer engine produces, creating a unique and erotic soundtrack. 

Stab the throttle and the tachometer needle snaps cleanly towards 4,000 RPM with no hesitation. I load up about 4500 RPM on the dial and dump the clutch.  The rear end squirms under the load, overwhelming the Michelins, leaving a long, thick black mark across the tarmac and an even longer smile across my face. I modulate the throttle to favor some traction. It is so pliant and responsive you feel like you could sign your name across the track in rubber. 

I rifle through the closely machined gears. The throws are short and precise and an absolute pleasure to use. With the traction control disabled, the tires chirp all the way up to third gear. The power may not be comparable to the Genesis, but it feels all-natural. And although I will never out-shift a sequential manual gearbox, I’m simply intoxicated by the connectivity of having to be an equally important instrument in this finely tuned orchestra of speed. 

I can even go as far as saying that I have had half as much fun in cars with twice the horsepower. Because aside from the precise feel of each gear change, the tail happy set up of the stiff chassis and the incredible balance and the tight suspension, the 86 uses one of the quickest, most direct steering racks outside of any German or Italian exotic. You point, it follows. Nothing is lost in translation.

The Genesis, on the other hand, as awesome a car as it is, is the perfect example of trying to mask weaknesses by throwing power at the problem. And with 274 horsepower on tap, it has enough of it to cover a multitude of sins. 

Let me just establish it again to avoid offending anyone: the Genesis is a fantastic vehicle. It is fantastic in the same way that Felipe Massa is a top-notch driver. But when you have Fernando Alonso as a teammate... well, he can make spectacular look ordinary. And that is where I’m coming from when I drove the Genesis.

It’s fast. Very, very fast. If you are after bang for the buck, your buck should stop here. It has a far better interior than the 86 in terms of comfort, although it lacks purpose. It has a fantastic audio system where the Toyota chose to mug an Avanza for the same head unit. There’s a moonroof and leather seats, plus audio controls on the wheel and a better set of tires and larger wheels. 

If you are planning on long spirited drives on nice wide roads, this makes a lot of sense. If you wanted to drive to Baguio from Manila quickly in the middle of the night, there are few better weapons of choice. But comparing it to the 86 in terms of driving dynamics and fun factor, especially on a race circuit or a familiar set of twisties, would be like comparing a power-lifter against a gymnast.

The power, impressive as it is, needs to be kept percolating at around 4500 RPM if you want to keep it useful. Anything less seems to invite too much turbo lag. This invites a whole turbo vs NA (naturally aspirated) debate, I know, but I found it a lot harder to modulate––especially around slow corners where you need to get on the gas early and progressively build up speed. 

It stitches the corners together by eating up huge straights with tremendous ease, but it is in the steering and the gearbox where the Genesis really gets left behind, as well as the much softer suspension set up and out-dated stability and traction control systems. Steering, in comparison to the 86 at least, is nowhere near as talkative and tight, and combined with the extra weight and softer suspension, invites more body roll. The brakes, too, are far too small to wash off all that speed and need an extra piston if it wants to be taken seriously. 

Hyundai have announced that they will be offering a Brembo Package, and if you have any intention of driving this car properly, it is a must. 

Also, you may want to take a good look at the automatic versions. Unlike the 86, the six-speed manual box of the Genesis is gummy, vague and doesn’t do anything to exploit that wonderful engine. Besides, with the option of an 8-speed automatic available in some models, there really is no reason to have to endure all that manual labor. 

There were also big differences in the cars’ approach to traction and stability control. While the difference in the 86 was just .4 of a second, in favor of traction and stability totally disabled, the Genesis had a whopping 5-6 second disparity. Toyota may have one of the best systems in the world, but 5-6 seconds on a track is the difference of about two whole classes in racing.

Toyota’s VSC, especially in sport mode, seems to be continuously variable. It allows you to play and then gently reigns you in. The Hyundai, however, bitch-slaps you across your right foot and just retards power completely.

But find the right line into a corner and don’t provoke the electronics, or better yet, disable it completely, and you can really pile on some serious speed. In my one lap attempt, I was 3 seconds quicker than both timed laps of the 86. Amazing part was, I wouldn’t have been surprised if I was 3 seconds quicker or 3 seconds slower than the 86 as the Genesis tends to insulate you from the experience.

It may sound like I’m giving the Genesis hell here, but that is only because we’re asking it to compete against the 86’s core competence. Because as soon as you leave the gates of Batangas Racing Circuit and start to drive on real roads, the Genesis with all its creature comforts and luxury, starts to claw back all its dignity, while the 86 feels more like the one full of apologies.