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Hyundai Genesis Coupe (photo courtesy manufacturer)
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HOME > ENTERTAINMENT > AUTOS
By: Joe Phillips COMMENTS
 
Like Richard Simmons and Bruce Vilanch, car sales are finally making a comeback. The catalyst has been the wildly popular Cash for Clunkers program. It assists drivers looking to trade in gas-guzzlers worth less than $4,500 for new vehicles costing no more than $45,000.
So what to buy these days even if you aren’t trading in a clunker? Some of the hottest sellers of the season have been coupes. All here are stylish, fun to drive and perfect for weekend getaways.
Audi TT
Price: $35,500
MPG: 23 city/31 highway
Compact, taut and full of muscle, the Audi TT is like an Olympic gymnast. But with its recent redo, the TT is now big enough for NBA-sized adults up front and lots of cargo in the trunk. The backseats, though, hold only small children or a couple of basketballs. The sculpted cabin is superb, with tight panel gaps and a nifty flat-bottomed steering wheel. A hill-hold safety feature prevents the TT from rolling back when stopped on an incline. And for torque mavens, the torrid TTS model — zero to 60 in just 5.3 seconds — arrives this fall.
Honda Civic
Price: $15,500
MPG: 26 city/34 highway
Just how hot are Honda Civics? For the first time ever, it was the best-selling car in America this summer. The reasons: sporty handling, strong reliability, high crash-test scores and great gas mileage. Sure, styling has been so-so. But this year the Civic gets a nose job, mod taillights and new alloy wheels. Inside, there’s now Bluetooth, USB input and fresh patterns for the cloth seats. Hybrid and natural-gas versions are on tap, but the regular gas engine — also very fuel-efficient and priced the lowest — is the fave.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Price: $22,000
MPG: 21 city/30 highway
Last year Hyundai successfully targeted Mercedes and Lexus with its plush-yet-affordable Genesis sedan. This year, the midsized Genesis Coupe takes on sportier fare from BMW and Infiniti. And it works — mostly. The coupe’s styling is spot-on, especially the tapered rear and sassy spoiler. Acceleration and cornering are first-rate. And the ritzy cabin has a swooping dash, chrome accents and aluminum pedals. Even the NASCAR-like exhaust growl is impressive. Biggest plus: a price tag that’s half as much as the competition. Still, there are some snags: mushy seats, cheap plastic trim and only a tilt (no telescoping) steering wheel.
Infiniti G37
Price: $36,000
MPG: 18 city/26 highway
Want a midsizer with more cachet? Infiniti’s G37 boasts a stellar suspension, souped-up V6 and slick new seven-speed automatic transmission. This year, all-wheel drive is an option. The result: a luxury version of the Nissan GT-R supercar, which costs twice the price. Four trim levels, with user-friendly controls, xenon headlights and heated seats and mirrors. Voice-activated nav system includes nine-GB music storage and rearview camera. And along with traction/stability control, there’s adaptive cruise control (to help maintain a set distance from the vehicle ahead).
MINI Cooper JCW
(John Cooper Works)
Price: $29,000
MPG: 26 city/34 highway
At $10,000 more than a base Mini Cooper, the JCW edition is a cheeky high-test tuner.
Driving is a blast, with quick starts, nimble handling and precise stops. A gutsy engine scoots this pocket rocket from zero to 60 in 6.2 seconds. And dual-exhaust pipes give it a throaty snarl. There’s also a lowered suspension and macho styling cues. As with all MINIs, the interior is larger than it seems from the outside. Must-have options: dual-pane panoramic sunroof, folding mirrors and 10-speaker stereo.
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