GENESIS COUPE EARNS POPULAR MECHANICS 2010 AUTOMOTIVE EXCELLENCE AWARD

Popular Mechanics honored the all-new Hyundai Genesis Coupe with a 2010 Automotive Excellence Award in the “Fun to Drive” category. Genesis Coupe outperforms the competition with its dynamic rear-wheel-drive handling aimed at true sports enthusiasts. This is the second time Hyundai has earned a Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award; the 2006 Sonata received the honor for its excellence in safety.

“Hyundai has transformed its image – and its cars – in an amazingly short time,” said Ben Stewart, Popular Mechanics automotive editor. “The Genesis Coupe is more than just a sleek, fun-to-drive sports coupe. It’s proof that Hyundai has developed world-class design, engineering and car-building expertise.”

The annual Automotive Excellence Awards recognize the top 10 cars, trucks and technologies that are most significant each year. In 2009, Popular Mechanics editors saw a trend in the return and refresh of American icons in addition to a fuel efficiency focus with a mix of new hybrids and compact cars.

Genesis Coupe is Hyundai’s most dynamic performance car ever and uses the same flexible rear-wheel drive architecture as the 2009 North American Car of the Year Genesis sedan to appeal to true driving enthusiasts. The Genesis Coupe offers a 2.0-liter intercooled four-cylinder turbocharged engine producing 210 horsepower, and a 3.8-liter V6 Track model with 306 horsepower and massive Brembo brakes. In fact, when tested side-by-side against an Infiniti G37, “the Hyundai Genesis Coupe nearly matched the Infiniti in every performance measure, and did so for $15,000 less,” according to Stewart.

“It’s an honor for Hyundai to once again receive this prestigious award, and we are even more thrilled that the Genesis Coupe took the crown in the ‘fun-to-drive’ category,” said Derek Joyce, Genesis Coupe product manager, Hyundai Motor America. “With an aggressive, wedge-like design, rear-wheel-drive architecture and 5-link independent rear suspension, the Genesis Coupe was truly built with the driving enthusiast in mind.”

Each year, to determine the winners of the Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Awards, editors drive more than 100 of the newest cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles, amassing well over 100,000 miles in the process. Through their experiences on extended test drives around the world, instrumented comparison tests and longer-term evaluations, the auto team nominates a list of vehicles in each category. Those selections are put to a vote and the top recipients in each category win an Automotive Excellence Award. The auto team is led by Automotive Editor Ben Stewart, working with Senior Automotive Editor Mike Allen, Detroit Editor Larry Webster and Editor-in-Chief James Meigs.

POPULAR MECHANICS

Popular Mechanics (http://www.popularmechanics.com) is a magazine that helps readers master the modern world. In addition to providing hands-on coverage of personal technology, cars and home improvement, Popular Mechanics reports in depth on the science and technology behind major issues -- including such stories as disaster planning, hydrogen fuel and other energy alternatives, military expenditures, and digital privacy. Popular Mechanics is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst Corporation (http://www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Fountain Valley, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 790 dealerships nationwide.

Hyundai’s all-new flagship, the Genesis sedan, earned the most top-car honors in 2009 beginning with the 2009 North American Car of the Year – the first time a Korean brand has ever achieved the honor. At last count, Genesis tallied more than 20 top honors from the most prominent media outlets and automotive organizations in North America including, J.D. Power and Associates, Motor Trend, AutoPacific, Cars.com and other leading consumer publications.

All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by The Hyundai Advantage, America’s Best Warranty. In addition, Hyundai Assurance is now offered on all new vehicles leased or purchased from a certified Hyundai dealer. The program is available to any consumer, regardless of age, health, employment record or financed amount of the vehicle. The program is complimentary for the first 12 months.