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The Genesis Coupe interior shows cost-cutting doesn't have to mean cheap. Yes, most of the larger pieces are hard plastic, and pizzazz is not a word that comes readily to mind when describing the gauges and array of switches and knobs on the center stack. But for the most part, where function and feel matter, the Genesis Coupe measures up. Seats, those in front at least, are comfortable but sufficiently assertive to hold the backside in place during spirited motoring, especially in the 2.0T with its basic black cloth. The 3.8's leather is a nice touch of semi-luxury, but it's slippery, as well as sweaty in the hot months and clammy in the cold. It's that old debate between cloth and leather. The back seats are only for small children and, in some states, lower insurance premiums. The steering wheel feels good, with just the right rim thickness and cross section. The shift knob, steering wheel and driver's seat hip-point triangulate well for 90-percentile males. The column-mounted shift paddles for the Shiftronic automatics are at the fingertips of hands at the 10-and-2 o'clock positions and are within reach from 9-and-3. The up/down slot on the console mounted shift gate opens toward the driver, where it's a natural tug at the lever. The foot pedals are where the driver's feet expect; heel and toeing in the six speed manuals could be easier but doesn't demand a stretch or awkward ankle twist. Unlike the buttons for the power windows, which are placed on the door armrest at such an odd angle that to use them requires twisting the wrist into an almost painful contortion. The primary gauges are analog, with coolant temperature and fuel gauges embedded in the base of the speedometer and tachometer, respectively. Basic, bright red needles communicate their information quickly and surely. The aforementioned knobs, buttons and rocker switches for the audio and climate management controls are large and logically located, with audio controls up top for ready access requiring minimal shift of the driver's line of sight away from the road ahead, to which a low dash gives bay window-like visibility. Quite the contrary is true for lane checks; despite a recessed lower sill that expands the glass area, the rear quarter windows offer limited visibility, in large part due to the large C-pillar. Cargo area isn't commonly a strong point for coupes, and the Genesis Coupe does not challenge that perception. With 10 cubic feet of cargo space, the Genesis Coupe holds more than the 2009 Mazda RX-8 (7.6 cu. ft.), less than the BMW 328i/335i coupe (15.5 cu. ft.). Nor is a roomy cabin traditionally a coupe's forte, another standard to which this coupe adheres. That said, the Genesis Coupe holds up well against those competitors in terms of front seat roominess. Front-seat head room tops that in the RX-8 and 3 Series coupe by about one inch. The same holds for front-seat leg room, which bests those two by more than two inches. Hip room in those front seats is wider by almost three inches than in the RX-8's seats. (BMW, like most German carmakers, does not publish figures on hip room.) If rear seats must be added to the chart, the Coupe truly fares not well, trailing in head room by more than two inches, in leg room by between just under one inch and more than three inches, but eking out a win by one inch over the RX-8 in hip room.
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