There's something to be said for going with a rear-wheel-drive platform when creating a sports car. Enthusiasts know its benefits well — more-balanced dynamics and better power delivery — but even non-enthusiasts will likely conclude that a rear-drive coupe like the Genesis is more fun to drive than a front-drive one.

The results are mostly good. The Genesis coupe hunkers down when accelerating and stays remarkably flat when cornering. Both the four-cylinder and V-6 coupes I tested were Track models. That means they were fitted with performance equipment like 19-inch alloy wheels shod with summer tires; Brembo brakes; a sport suspension; and a limited-slip differential, all of which likely contributed to the car's capabilities.

The downside of Track models is that they deliver a jarring ride on anything other than smooth roads; the car transmits all the irregularities in the road, like patching work and manhole covers, up to you.

There's moderate weighting to the steering wheel, so it takes some effort to turn it, but the heft is appreciated when cornering, as well as when cruising on the highway, as you aren't constantly making micro-corrections. More steering feedback would be appreciated, though.