Every Hyundai Sports Car You Should Know
Hyundai’s history of sports cars and what’s available on the market today.
Written by Tiffany Leung
Reviewed by Jessica Barrett
Hyundai entered the world of sports cars with the sleek, speedy Genesis Coupe. The Veloster N proved to be another hit with its unique design and affordable price. Next, the brand will release its first mid-engine sports coupe, the RM20 N.
The Hyundai brand is most associated with affordability, quality, reliability, and safety. With budget-friendly offerings like the Accent and Elantra, Hyundai is one of the top choices for first-time owners. Although the brand isn’t necessarily known for its sports cars, Hyundai has proven to be in a class of its own with affordable performance cars like the Veloster N.
We're here to prove it with a guide to Hyundai’s sports cars, from 2007 to now.
Does Hyundai make sports cars?
Yes—Hyundai’s three most popular sports cars are the Tiburon, the Genesis Coupe, and the Veloster, the latter of which is the only one still in production.
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Hyundai Tiburon
The Tiburon, produced from 1996 to 2008, got its name from the Spanish word for “shark.” It was known as the Hyundai Coupe in Indonesia and parts of Europe. In South Korea, its first generation (1996-2001) was called the Turbulence and its second generation (2001-2008) was called the Tuscani.
Later Tiburon models came with an optional 2.7L engine capable of up to 172 hp and 181 lb-ft of torque that went from 0-60 in about seven seconds. It was available with either a 4-speed automatic or a 5- or 6-speed manual transmission.
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Hyundai released its first rear-wheel-drive sports coupe in 2009. The Genesis lineup eventually became Genesis Motors, a standalone luxury brand.
This sleek sports car was first teased at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. Hyundai described it as being designed “to deliver a driving experience that challenges cars like the
Infiniti G37
”. When the car was released in the United States, it became an instant hit.The final model year of the Genesis Coupe sports a 3.8L V6 engine that produced 348 hp and 295 lb-ft torque that reached 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds, outrunning its top competitors—the
Chevy Camaro
and Ford Mustang
. The Genesis Coupe was discontinued in 2016.Hyundai Veloster N
The Veloster was introduced in 2011 as a successor to the Tiburon. The 2022
Hyundai Veloster N
is a compact sports car starting at $32,500. It is the only Hyundai sports car on the market today. Its 2-liter V4 engine produces 275 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, allowing the Veloster N to reach 60 mph in 5.1 seconds.2023 Hyundai RM20 N
The 2023 Hyundai RM20 N will be the company’s first mid-engine sports coupes and is expected to cost around $40,000—a price almost unheard of for a mid-engine starter sports car.
To sweeten the pot, the Hyundai RM20 N is expected to compete with heavy hitters like the Chevy C8
Corvette
and Porsche 718 Cayman
. The prototype is said to produce a substantial 390-hp and an impressive power-to-weight ratio. It is also speculated that the production model will have less horsepower, 325 to 350 hp, for better control. A history of the Hyundai sports car
Here are some keystone moments in the history of Hyundai sports cars.
2007: Hyundai unveils the Hyundai Genesis at the 2007 New York International Auto Show as a concept car. The world got its first look at Hyundai’s first rear/all-wheel-drive, four-door luxury sedan and drew attention from many media outlets. Ongoing speculations on the ticket price were made as it was marketed to be the upcoming “most affordable” 300-hp sports car on the market—potentially dethroning the
Ford Mustang GT
.2008: The much-anticipated first-generation Hyundai Genesis made its market debut. The anticipation resulted in massive success in its debut year.
2009: The Genesis Coupe, although debuted in other countries in 2008, arrived in the United States in 2009. It was designed to deliver a driving experience comparable to that of cars like the Infiniti G37. It included eight trim levels based around two engine choices.
2011: The Hyundai Veloster was born It was first produced in 2011 to take over from the Tiburon when it was discontinued.
2016: The overwhelming success of the Hyundai Genesis led the South Korean automaker to separate the Genesis into a stand-alone luxury division, Genesis Motors. The Hyundai Genesis continued its legacy as the rebranded G80 until 2020.
2018: The Veloster gets a refresh and steps into its second generation. It was revealed that the new generation will come with more safety features, like lane-keeping assist, driver-attention monitor, and more. Multi-link suspension and torque vectoring control also became standard for all second-generation Velosters.
2019: The Veloster N is the first N model in the North American Market and was released this year. The company later discontinues the rest of the Veloster line after 2021, with the Veloster N still available present day.
2022: Hyundai teases the upcoming RM20 N—its first mid-engine sports coupe. Little is known about the new sports car but can be expected to have over 300 horsepower at a very reasonable price point.
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