Hyundai: Genesis News
#1002
Senior Moderator
Yeah, it's coming out soon... rumors say this summer or fall.. starting at under 30K for the v6, with the v8 @ 35K, loaded up to 40K probably...
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...leId=100626192
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...leId=100626192
#1003
MotorTrend Review
MotorTrend review for the American market.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
Price taggie - For the V6 3.8 starting at $26k est.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
Price taggie - For the V6 3.8 starting at $26k est.
![Too Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/toocool.gif)
#1004
Originally Posted by Manual Transmission
MotorTrend review for the American market.
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
Price taggie - For the V6 3.8 starting at $26k est.
![Too Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/toocool.gif)
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
Price taggie - For the V6 3.8 starting at $26k est.
![Too Cool](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/toocool.gif)
#1005
styling on you
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http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
I was expecting them to be blown away from MT, but rather they just said it's nice but it's still a Hyundai (panel gaps, some cheap attention to detail, etc etc).
I was expecting them to be blown away from MT, but rather they just said it's nice but it's still a Hyundai (panel gaps, some cheap attention to detail, etc etc).
Last edited by SeCsTaC; 05-25-2008 at 01:33 AM.
#1006
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$26k? really? During the Vancouver Auto Show here in Canada, I talked to the Hyundai salesperson and he told me the base model starts at over CAD$40k, and top model is at CAD$60+. For comparison, in Canada, $42k can get you a TL/G35.
#1007
Originally Posted by SeCsTaC
http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...sis/index.html
I was expecting them to be blown away from MT, but rather they just said it's nice but it's still a Hyundai (panel gaps, some cheap attention to detail, etc etc).
I was expecting them to be blown away from MT, but rather they just said it's nice but it's still a Hyundai (panel gaps, some cheap attention to detail, etc etc).
#1008
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by phile
Even tuned for the U.S. it's not in the same ballpark as the Infiniti.
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I bought my CLS instead of a 330... Price difference was about 8K... (msrp 32K vs. 40K) not something to sneeze at... My point ?? People will accept compromises to get a break on price.
It still remains to be seen if the deficiencies aren't worth the savings...
#1009
Originally Posted by GreenMonster
It's not in the same ballpark price wise either ![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
![Big Grin](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)
I kinda don't like this article, it just mentions 0-60 in 'well under 6 seconds' and then it gives you range from 5.6 - 6.8. which is on par with other numbers. But considering its best in class power, I want to see just how well in comparison to the others.
#1010
Fahrvergnügen'd
Couple of things about this article:
1) They tested it in Korea. American trim-level or not, let's wait until someone gets a hold of one here in the states and drives it back to back with a competitor.
2) Panel gaps - They said they were too big on the hood but they didn't say they were uneven. One is design and the other is fit & finish.
3) The trunk thing - I'm not sure why that's a big deal. So I can see the speakers under the parcel shelf. They didn't ding the interior which is really what matters.
4) The door hinges - Cost trade-offs have to come somewhere.
This strikes me as more xenophobic bullshit (and I'm a white guy) ... Motor Trend has been a joke to me since I found out their rules for Car of the Year back when the Lincoln LS won the award. This just further proves how shitty that magazine has become.
It's about 600 words long and takes cheap shots at the car because it's a Hyundai. There's no critical thought in the entire "article" ... I could have written something like that in about 30 mins.
1) They tested it in Korea. American trim-level or not, let's wait until someone gets a hold of one here in the states and drives it back to back with a competitor.
2) Panel gaps - They said they were too big on the hood but they didn't say they were uneven. One is design and the other is fit & finish.
3) The trunk thing - I'm not sure why that's a big deal. So I can see the speakers under the parcel shelf. They didn't ding the interior which is really what matters.
4) The door hinges - Cost trade-offs have to come somewhere.
This strikes me as more xenophobic bullshit (and I'm a white guy) ... Motor Trend has been a joke to me since I found out their rules for Car of the Year back when the Lincoln LS won the award. This just further proves how shitty that magazine has become.
It's about 600 words long and takes cheap shots at the car because it's a Hyundai. There's no critical thought in the entire "article" ... I could have written something like that in about 30 mins.
#1011
Originally Posted by charliemike
Couple of things about this article:
1) They tested it in Korea. American trim-level or not, let's wait until someone gets a hold of one here in the states and drives it back to back with a competitor.
1) They tested it in Korea. American trim-level or not, let's wait until someone gets a hold of one here in the states and drives it back to back with a competitor.
2) Panel gaps - They said they were too big on the hood but they didn't say they were uneven. One is design and the other is fit & finish.
3) The trunk thing - I'm not sure why that's a big deal. So I can see the speakers under the parcel shelf. They didn't ding the interior which is really what matters.
This strikes me as more xenophobic bullshit (and I'm a white guy) ... Motor Trend has been a joke to me since I found out their rules for Car of the Year back when the Lincoln LS won the award. This just further proves how shitty that magazine has become.
It's about 600 words long and takes cheap shots at the car because it's a Hyundai. There's no critical thought in the entire "article" ... I could have written something like that in about 30 mins.
![Yum](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/yum.gif)
#1012
Race Director
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I personally think this is a good car, but I am not sure I can see it being a strong seller. With gas prices its going to be hard to sell the V8 model. There are people that are so rich that gas doesn't affect them, but people like that normally dont buy a hyundai. I could be wrong on that one, but only time will tell.
#1013
Go Giants
I just worry about the name on the car....
#1014
Suzuka Master
Originally Posted by Whiskers
I just worry about the name on the car....
![Shrug](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/shrug.gif)
#1015
I think (and hope) that the Genesis will push Hyundai into consideration of many buyers of Toyota and Honda. I realize that the Genesis is not aimed at that segment, but it will give the manufacturer more clout in the States to sell vehicles like the Sonata and Santa Fe.
Hyundai has come a long way, and based on my SO's purchase of a 2007 Santa Fe, it's evident. I nearly waited out for the Genesis to become available, instead of purchasing my 08 TSX w/ Nav, but the latest reports are advertising starting prices of about $30K for the base V6 with no nav. Thus, why I jumped on the 08 TSX w/ Navi.
In any case, I think the Genesis will begin painting a different picture for Hyundai in the USA. Given, value, improved quality (surpassing any US manufacturer IMO), and warranty, Hyundai poses a great threat.
For those of you that are still knocking Hyundai, but have not driven or rode in a 2007 or > Santa Fe, 2008 or > Veracruz, or 2009 Sonata, please drive or ride in one before providing your opinions.
If you have driven or rode in one of these cars and still feel this way, you're entitled to your opinion.![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Thanks!
Hyundai has come a long way, and based on my SO's purchase of a 2007 Santa Fe, it's evident. I nearly waited out for the Genesis to become available, instead of purchasing my 08 TSX w/ Nav, but the latest reports are advertising starting prices of about $30K for the base V6 with no nav. Thus, why I jumped on the 08 TSX w/ Navi.
In any case, I think the Genesis will begin painting a different picture for Hyundai in the USA. Given, value, improved quality (surpassing any US manufacturer IMO), and warranty, Hyundai poses a great threat.
For those of you that are still knocking Hyundai, but have not driven or rode in a 2007 or > Santa Fe, 2008 or > Veracruz, or 2009 Sonata, please drive or ride in one before providing your opinions.
If you have driven or rode in one of these cars and still feel this way, you're entitled to your opinion.
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Thanks!
#1016
2009 Hyundai Genesis
By Joe DeMatio
http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews...t_segment.html
By Joe DeMatio
Unapologetically and unequivocally, Hyundai has taken off its gloves. Its new Genesis is a no-holds-barred assault on luxury and near-luxury sedans from Japan, America, and Europe. Seriously, folks. Oh, we know what you're thinking. You've heard that the second-generation Hyundai Santa Fe is a decent little competitor to the Honda CR-V, and you've read in these pages that the Hyundai Veracruz mid-size crossover introduced last year need not hide from the Toyota Highlander, the Honda Pilot, or even the Lexus RX350.
But front-wheel-drive-based people movers are one thing, and rear-wheel-drive sedans that might actually quicken your pulse are another. After all, cars like that have never been the province of the Korean automakers.
But now they are. My heart rate was certainly above its normal level as I circled Hyundai's test track at 150 mph in a Genesis equipped with Hyundai's advanced new 375-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 engine. The big sedan was composed, predictable, and vigorous as the high banks dumped us onto the long straights and the scenery blurred. Yes, I was driving a Hyundai. What is this world coming to?
"We set a number of high development goals for ourselves," admits Bong-hwan Lee, executive vice president of Hyundai's Vehicle Development Center. "We wanted to achieve the same scores as other premium sedans, including Lexus, in the J. D. Power Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability Surveys.
Another priority was to attain the highest level of crash protection. We benchmarked the BMW 5-series, the Lexus GS and LS, and the Mercedes-Benz E-class." Although Hyundai says that the Genesis's body-in-white (the basic body structure, without paint, powertrain, suspension, or interior) is larger than those of the Lexus LS460 and the Mercedes S-class, the automaker claims that it is lighter than them and stiffer in torsion and bending properties.
In terms of size, the Genesis is bigger and roomier than most mid-size luxury sedans (see chart) and, in fact, is classified by the EPA as a "large" sedan. Its wheelbase is 115.6 inches, compared with 113.7 inches for the BMW 5-series, 112.4 inches for the Mercedes E-class, and 113.4 inches for the Cadillac CTS. With an overall length of 195.9 inches, it's several inches longer than those three cars and only 2.5 inches shorter than a short-wheelbase 7-series. Although rear-seat room falls short of what you'd find in a long-wheelbase 7-series or a Lexus LS, the rear seats in the Genesis are still very accommodating, with plentiful legroom that outpaces the 5-series, the E-class, and the CTS.
Design editor Robert Cumberford delivers his verdict on the Genesis's styling in the August issue of Automobile Magazine, but there is no question that the car has real road presence. If Hyundai's designers borrowed from the Mercedes S-class, the Infiniti M35/M45, and the 5-series-and they most certainly did-the net effect is at worst benign, the car assuming a kind of generic upscale visage. At the Namyang test track, jumping among V-6 and V-8 Genesis models and also among competitor cars, I would peer across the sprawling slalom course, trying to figure out which car I'd drive next, and would continually do double-takes as the Genesis test cars were wheeled back onto the course, because from fifty yards away I mistook them for Mercedes-Benz E-classes.
Inside, the Genesis also plays to widespread notions of luxury, with a big sweep of an S-class-inspired dash, pleasingly lit instruments, and substantial, cushy seats astride a center console with a BMW iDrive-style spinning knob sprouting from it. There are lots of hits in here, plus a few misses. Fit and finish and material quality are very good, both in the plastics and in the standard leather seating. The instrument panel can be fitted with stitched leather as an option or with standard faux wood, but the former would be more convincing if it were French stitched, with two rows of stitching rather than one, which leaves a tiny flap of folded-over hide that's ripe for collecting dirt.
Tradition dominates in the Genesis cabin, as there is no aluminum or aluminum-look trim. The headliner, a familiar polyester-knit fabric, is largely inoffensive, but it's a long way from Alcantara. Double-glazing for the windows in the driver's and front-passenger's doors is a nice touch, though, as are fold-out map pockets in the doors and the available brown-and-black interior color scheme. The trunk is large, with a low liftover and sheathed hinges, but the interior grab handle for pulling the lid closed is mounted too far inward, making it awkward to use. And the cheap trunk lining is old-school Hyundai; surely they noticed the richly trimmed trunks in the cars they benchmarked?
Hyundai calls its iDrive-style controller DIS, or Driver Information System. The Koreans have had time to digest similar setups from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Acura and presumably have integrated what they thought were the best features of those systems while avoiding many of their pitfalls. We'll have to wait until we have more street time in the Genesis to render a full verdict on DIS, but it seems intuitive, the knob feels good in the hand, if perhaps with not quite enough tension in it as one might like, and it's easy to scroll among menus to control navigation and the stereo. The iPod connection works well, and the touch-screen function is as good as anyone's. An optional 500-watt Lexicon stereo might not be the equal of the Mark Levinson system offered by Lexus, but it will meet the expectations of all but the pickiest audiophiles, and there's easy access to the equalizer function.
Originally, Hyundai planned to offer the Genesis with both its 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V-6s, which currently serve in the front-wheel-drive Azera, as well as the Tau V-8. But then it came to its senses and realized that the choice of three engines is a bit much for a vehicle with a modest annual sales goal of 30,000 units in the United States and only 80,000 units worldwide. (It's interesting to note that, although Hyundai eagerly apes European sedans with the Genesis, it is not offering the car in the hypercompetitive Western Europe market; it's already on sale in Korea and will be sold in China and Russia, among other markets.) And the 3.8-liter DOHC V-6 powertrain, no slouch with variable valve timing, 290 hp, and a six-speed automatic, handily allows Hyundai to boast that the Genesis offers more standard power than the Infiniti M35, the Pontiac G8, and the Chrysler 300C.
"We've tuned the Genesis to fall somewhere between the Lexus GS and the Infiniti M," explains Wendell Collins, Jr., engineering manager for the ride and handling group at Hyundai Motor America. "We definitely wanted it to be sportier than the GS, but not as brutal as the M." The suspension is by unequal-length control arms at the front, with a multi-link rear setup. V-6 models get seventeen-inch tires as standard, with eighteen-inchers optional; eighteens are standard with the V-8. The Genesis made pretty smooth work of lane-change and slalom courses at Namyang, with body control well in check, but the V-6 model is let down by a disappointing lack of steering feel, an old Korean-car bugaboo. Thankfully, V-8 models have electrohydraulic power steering, "which allowed us to define the steering curve for a very linear feel," claims Collins, and which we found to provide a far clearer line of communication between the front wheels and the palms of our hands. We're not talking BMW-like steering here, but it's a far cry from the Toyota Camry's or, for that matter, the Hyundai Sonata's.
Both engines are very refined, eager to rev, and work seamlessly with their respective transmissions (the V-6 unit is from the Japanese supplier Aisin, while the German company ZF supplies the V-8's six-speed box). There's a manual-mode shift gate for both, but there are no steering wheel paddles in sight. Hammer the V-8, and some pleasing induction and valvetrain resonances will drift back into the cockpit, but more impressive is the strong torque band and the nice whack of acceleration that the Tau provides. We'll wait until we can drive a Genesis stateside before running performance numbers, but Hyundai promises a 0-to-60-mph time of well under six seconds. And even the V-6 model stormed around the high-speed oval with little drama, the speedo needle swinging around to 100 mph in no time and then rising steadily to 135 mph.
Unfortunately, the Genesis has not shed that layer of isolation that so characterizes Lexus cars and, of course, most Hyundais. This car, especially in V-8 guise, has the power and the presence to hold its own with cars costing much more. But those looking for pure tactility will be disappointed, as I was reminded when I ran the 530i and the M35 through the same paces that I'd driven the Genesis. Especially around the handling track, those two cars were far more in tune with the driver's intentions and better at communicating what was happening at the tire's contact patches. We'll grant Hyundai that the Genesis is more involving to drive than the Lexus GS (and certainly more so than the ES350), but for a sedan that so unabashedly aims for the best from Germany, it still needs a more Teutonic tilt to the chassis tuning: more road feel and steering feel, please. And although the brakes in both V-6 and V-8 Genesis models were responsive and progressive, they could use a more positive-feeling pedal.
Hyundai has a lot of irons in the fire. Between it and Kia, its subsidiary, it controls 75 percent of the Korean home market, and its sales are burgeoning in China, India, and other emerging markets. In fact, the United States comprises only 20 percent of Hyundai's worldwide sales, so it's little surprise that Hyundai decided, at least for now, not to launch a luxury sales channel here like Toyota and Nissan did two decades ago.
Instead, it is essentially dipping its toe into the luxury-car waters with the Genesis. If it is a success, more luxury products are likely to follow, and Hyundai co-chairman and CEO Dong-Jin Kim does not rule out the possibility of a luxury arm for the future: "Some day, when we are strong enough. But for now, we have concluded that a separate premium brand is premature."
This means that, at least for the time being, the Genesis does without some of the baubles of the luxury-car establishment. No optional all-wheel drive. No direct injection or variable valve lift for the engines, no air suspensions or dual-clutch gearboxes, and more than likely, no special dealer treatment, just "a special, well-decorated corner [of the showroom] to display the Genesis," says Kim. Hyundai Motor America will, however, take pains to ensure that salespeople more accustomed to pushing Elantras and Sonatas out the door are properly trained to sell the Genesis and to deal with its potential customer base.
That customer base, if Hyundai's research proves accurate, will be a disparate group. "We will get people who normally graduate from an Accord type of car and make the leap to a luxury brand," says Joel Ewanick, Hyundai Motor America's vice-president of marketing, "but we'll also get people coming down from the luxury brands. We already get buyers like that for the Azera, people who do a lot of research on cars who then realize, 'this [a Hyundai] is a car that hasn't been on my radar screen, but should have been.'?" As for pricing, Hyundai is positioning the Genesis squarely on top of the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes C-class, meaning the V-6 model starts at about $33,000 and stretches up near the V-8 model's starting price of $38,000. Fully optioned, the V-8 will be priced in the mid-$40,000s. Bold strokes, these, since in reality the Genesis is also going to be cross-shopped with the Pontiac G8 and the 3.5-liter Chrysler 300C, which start at $27,595 and $29,290, respectively, and since Hyundai has yet to prove itself over the long haul in J. D. Power surveys and in resale values, although there has been recent progress on those fronts.
Hyundai might not be entering the luxury-car world with a new brand and shiny new dealerships, but there is nothing tentative about the Genesis itself, a car that represents the most ambitious engineering undertaking ever for the Korean automaker. Hyundai is a company that is very much looking forward but is also keenly aware of how far it has come. It didn't even have the wherewithal to build its own engine until 1991, when it introduced its Alpha four-cylinder and no longer had to license engines from Mitsubishi. Now, here it is making its own, high-powered V-8 engine. The company insists that it will make money on every Genesis it sells, unlike Toyota, which sold its first Lexus cars at a loss to establish its luxury-car bonafides. In Hyundai's case, it's clear that, while the Genesis is a commodity product that will increase the bottom line, it's also an emotional milestone for the company, a way to mark its place in the world. And there's no need to apologize for that.
But front-wheel-drive-based people movers are one thing, and rear-wheel-drive sedans that might actually quicken your pulse are another. After all, cars like that have never been the province of the Korean automakers.
But now they are. My heart rate was certainly above its normal level as I circled Hyundai's test track at 150 mph in a Genesis equipped with Hyundai's advanced new 375-hp, 4.6-liter V-8 engine. The big sedan was composed, predictable, and vigorous as the high banks dumped us onto the long straights and the scenery blurred. Yes, I was driving a Hyundai. What is this world coming to?
"We set a number of high development goals for ourselves," admits Bong-hwan Lee, executive vice president of Hyundai's Vehicle Development Center. "We wanted to achieve the same scores as other premium sedans, including Lexus, in the J. D. Power Initial Quality and Vehicle Dependability Surveys.
Another priority was to attain the highest level of crash protection. We benchmarked the BMW 5-series, the Lexus GS and LS, and the Mercedes-Benz E-class." Although Hyundai says that the Genesis's body-in-white (the basic body structure, without paint, powertrain, suspension, or interior) is larger than those of the Lexus LS460 and the Mercedes S-class, the automaker claims that it is lighter than them and stiffer in torsion and bending properties.
In terms of size, the Genesis is bigger and roomier than most mid-size luxury sedans (see chart) and, in fact, is classified by the EPA as a "large" sedan. Its wheelbase is 115.6 inches, compared with 113.7 inches for the BMW 5-series, 112.4 inches for the Mercedes E-class, and 113.4 inches for the Cadillac CTS. With an overall length of 195.9 inches, it's several inches longer than those three cars and only 2.5 inches shorter than a short-wheelbase 7-series. Although rear-seat room falls short of what you'd find in a long-wheelbase 7-series or a Lexus LS, the rear seats in the Genesis are still very accommodating, with plentiful legroom that outpaces the 5-series, the E-class, and the CTS.
Design editor Robert Cumberford delivers his verdict on the Genesis's styling in the August issue of Automobile Magazine, but there is no question that the car has real road presence. If Hyundai's designers borrowed from the Mercedes S-class, the Infiniti M35/M45, and the 5-series-and they most certainly did-the net effect is at worst benign, the car assuming a kind of generic upscale visage. At the Namyang test track, jumping among V-6 and V-8 Genesis models and also among competitor cars, I would peer across the sprawling slalom course, trying to figure out which car I'd drive next, and would continually do double-takes as the Genesis test cars were wheeled back onto the course, because from fifty yards away I mistook them for Mercedes-Benz E-classes.
Inside, the Genesis also plays to widespread notions of luxury, with a big sweep of an S-class-inspired dash, pleasingly lit instruments, and substantial, cushy seats astride a center console with a BMW iDrive-style spinning knob sprouting from it. There are lots of hits in here, plus a few misses. Fit and finish and material quality are very good, both in the plastics and in the standard leather seating. The instrument panel can be fitted with stitched leather as an option or with standard faux wood, but the former would be more convincing if it were French stitched, with two rows of stitching rather than one, which leaves a tiny flap of folded-over hide that's ripe for collecting dirt.
Tradition dominates in the Genesis cabin, as there is no aluminum or aluminum-look trim. The headliner, a familiar polyester-knit fabric, is largely inoffensive, but it's a long way from Alcantara. Double-glazing for the windows in the driver's and front-passenger's doors is a nice touch, though, as are fold-out map pockets in the doors and the available brown-and-black interior color scheme. The trunk is large, with a low liftover and sheathed hinges, but the interior grab handle for pulling the lid closed is mounted too far inward, making it awkward to use. And the cheap trunk lining is old-school Hyundai; surely they noticed the richly trimmed trunks in the cars they benchmarked?
Hyundai calls its iDrive-style controller DIS, or Driver Information System. The Koreans have had time to digest similar setups from BMW, Mercedes, Audi, and Acura and presumably have integrated what they thought were the best features of those systems while avoiding many of their pitfalls. We'll have to wait until we have more street time in the Genesis to render a full verdict on DIS, but it seems intuitive, the knob feels good in the hand, if perhaps with not quite enough tension in it as one might like, and it's easy to scroll among menus to control navigation and the stereo. The iPod connection works well, and the touch-screen function is as good as anyone's. An optional 500-watt Lexicon stereo might not be the equal of the Mark Levinson system offered by Lexus, but it will meet the expectations of all but the pickiest audiophiles, and there's easy access to the equalizer function.
Originally, Hyundai planned to offer the Genesis with both its 3.3-liter and 3.8-liter V-6s, which currently serve in the front-wheel-drive Azera, as well as the Tau V-8. But then it came to its senses and realized that the choice of three engines is a bit much for a vehicle with a modest annual sales goal of 30,000 units in the United States and only 80,000 units worldwide. (It's interesting to note that, although Hyundai eagerly apes European sedans with the Genesis, it is not offering the car in the hypercompetitive Western Europe market; it's already on sale in Korea and will be sold in China and Russia, among other markets.) And the 3.8-liter DOHC V-6 powertrain, no slouch with variable valve timing, 290 hp, and a six-speed automatic, handily allows Hyundai to boast that the Genesis offers more standard power than the Infiniti M35, the Pontiac G8, and the Chrysler 300C.
"We've tuned the Genesis to fall somewhere between the Lexus GS and the Infiniti M," explains Wendell Collins, Jr., engineering manager for the ride and handling group at Hyundai Motor America. "We definitely wanted it to be sportier than the GS, but not as brutal as the M." The suspension is by unequal-length control arms at the front, with a multi-link rear setup. V-6 models get seventeen-inch tires as standard, with eighteen-inchers optional; eighteens are standard with the V-8. The Genesis made pretty smooth work of lane-change and slalom courses at Namyang, with body control well in check, but the V-6 model is let down by a disappointing lack of steering feel, an old Korean-car bugaboo. Thankfully, V-8 models have electrohydraulic power steering, "which allowed us to define the steering curve for a very linear feel," claims Collins, and which we found to provide a far clearer line of communication between the front wheels and the palms of our hands. We're not talking BMW-like steering here, but it's a far cry from the Toyota Camry's or, for that matter, the Hyundai Sonata's.
Both engines are very refined, eager to rev, and work seamlessly with their respective transmissions (the V-6 unit is from the Japanese supplier Aisin, while the German company ZF supplies the V-8's six-speed box). There's a manual-mode shift gate for both, but there are no steering wheel paddles in sight. Hammer the V-8, and some pleasing induction and valvetrain resonances will drift back into the cockpit, but more impressive is the strong torque band and the nice whack of acceleration that the Tau provides. We'll wait until we can drive a Genesis stateside before running performance numbers, but Hyundai promises a 0-to-60-mph time of well under six seconds. And even the V-6 model stormed around the high-speed oval with little drama, the speedo needle swinging around to 100 mph in no time and then rising steadily to 135 mph.
Unfortunately, the Genesis has not shed that layer of isolation that so characterizes Lexus cars and, of course, most Hyundais. This car, especially in V-8 guise, has the power and the presence to hold its own with cars costing much more. But those looking for pure tactility will be disappointed, as I was reminded when I ran the 530i and the M35 through the same paces that I'd driven the Genesis. Especially around the handling track, those two cars were far more in tune with the driver's intentions and better at communicating what was happening at the tire's contact patches. We'll grant Hyundai that the Genesis is more involving to drive than the Lexus GS (and certainly more so than the ES350), but for a sedan that so unabashedly aims for the best from Germany, it still needs a more Teutonic tilt to the chassis tuning: more road feel and steering feel, please. And although the brakes in both V-6 and V-8 Genesis models were responsive and progressive, they could use a more positive-feeling pedal.
Hyundai has a lot of irons in the fire. Between it and Kia, its subsidiary, it controls 75 percent of the Korean home market, and its sales are burgeoning in China, India, and other emerging markets. In fact, the United States comprises only 20 percent of Hyundai's worldwide sales, so it's little surprise that Hyundai decided, at least for now, not to launch a luxury sales channel here like Toyota and Nissan did two decades ago.
Instead, it is essentially dipping its toe into the luxury-car waters with the Genesis. If it is a success, more luxury products are likely to follow, and Hyundai co-chairman and CEO Dong-Jin Kim does not rule out the possibility of a luxury arm for the future: "Some day, when we are strong enough. But for now, we have concluded that a separate premium brand is premature."
This means that, at least for the time being, the Genesis does without some of the baubles of the luxury-car establishment. No optional all-wheel drive. No direct injection or variable valve lift for the engines, no air suspensions or dual-clutch gearboxes, and more than likely, no special dealer treatment, just "a special, well-decorated corner [of the showroom] to display the Genesis," says Kim. Hyundai Motor America will, however, take pains to ensure that salespeople more accustomed to pushing Elantras and Sonatas out the door are properly trained to sell the Genesis and to deal with its potential customer base.
That customer base, if Hyundai's research proves accurate, will be a disparate group. "We will get people who normally graduate from an Accord type of car and make the leap to a luxury brand," says Joel Ewanick, Hyundai Motor America's vice-president of marketing, "but we'll also get people coming down from the luxury brands. We already get buyers like that for the Azera, people who do a lot of research on cars who then realize, 'this [a Hyundai] is a car that hasn't been on my radar screen, but should have been.'?" As for pricing, Hyundai is positioning the Genesis squarely on top of the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes C-class, meaning the V-6 model starts at about $33,000 and stretches up near the V-8 model's starting price of $38,000. Fully optioned, the V-8 will be priced in the mid-$40,000s. Bold strokes, these, since in reality the Genesis is also going to be cross-shopped with the Pontiac G8 and the 3.5-liter Chrysler 300C, which start at $27,595 and $29,290, respectively, and since Hyundai has yet to prove itself over the long haul in J. D. Power surveys and in resale values, although there has been recent progress on those fronts.
Hyundai might not be entering the luxury-car world with a new brand and shiny new dealerships, but there is nothing tentative about the Genesis itself, a car that represents the most ambitious engineering undertaking ever for the Korean automaker. Hyundai is a company that is very much looking forward but is also keenly aware of how far it has come. It didn't even have the wherewithal to build its own engine until 1991, when it introduced its Alpha four-cylinder and no longer had to license engines from Mitsubishi. Now, here it is making its own, high-powered V-8 engine. The company insists that it will make money on every Genesis it sells, unlike Toyota, which sold its first Lexus cars at a loss to establish its luxury-car bonafides. In Hyundai's case, it's clear that, while the Genesis is a commodity product that will increase the bottom line, it's also an emotional milestone for the company, a way to mark its place in the world. And there's no need to apologize for that.
#1017
What is with these writers fascination with the trunk...it's a trunk!!
#1018
I shoot people
you can put more bodies in bigger trunks
![Ninja](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/ninja.gif)
#1019
As for the trunks, I think it was worthy enough to mention. I usually enjoy Automobile Magazine's articles more than most other publications anyway....
A funny thing to note, since some of you like making fun of Camaros.... there isn't a single door latch mechanism or hinge visible in the trunk of my car.... if that's something that's to be expected of a car that cost $22,000 when new in 2002, it shouldn't even be a second thought in a car that's looking at fetching over $40,000 in 2008.
And why do people buy big cars for? For more space, right? Why would they want to buy a huge ass people hauler with a little ass trunk? If manufacturers started making hatchbacks where the rear seatback could touch the inside of the hatch, I'm sure someone would be thinking, "wtf?" And depending on how shallow the speakers are if some asshat puts a huge object in the trunk it could potentially damage the speakers.
So they put in two sentences about the trunk in an article with what looks like 15-20 paragraphs. So what? Some people really do care about things like the trunk, they may use it really often and if its a PITA to open/close or it reminds them of their 1990 Corolla when they open it then it would make it look like it was simply an afterthought, while to the consumer it definitely isn't.
Overall I think the Genesis is more marketed towards the luxo-barge segment, and in that segment more towards Lexus/MB than BMW/Infiniti. Even driving a 2007 Hyundai Tucson, the steering was woefully light and well, senseless. Haven't tried out the new Genesis yet (obviously). I guess it doesn't really matter to the "general population" since most of them can't tell the difference in handling when driving an Infiniti vs. a Benz anyway, but that same "general population" is the same group of people who still associate Hyundai with the Excel and automatically think, its crap.
A funny thing to note, since some of you like making fun of Camaros.... there isn't a single door latch mechanism or hinge visible in the trunk of my car.... if that's something that's to be expected of a car that cost $22,000 when new in 2002, it shouldn't even be a second thought in a car that's looking at fetching over $40,000 in 2008.
And why do people buy big cars for? For more space, right? Why would they want to buy a huge ass people hauler with a little ass trunk? If manufacturers started making hatchbacks where the rear seatback could touch the inside of the hatch, I'm sure someone would be thinking, "wtf?" And depending on how shallow the speakers are if some asshat puts a huge object in the trunk it could potentially damage the speakers.
So they put in two sentences about the trunk in an article with what looks like 15-20 paragraphs. So what? Some people really do care about things like the trunk, they may use it really often and if its a PITA to open/close or it reminds them of their 1990 Corolla when they open it then it would make it look like it was simply an afterthought, while to the consumer it definitely isn't.
Overall I think the Genesis is more marketed towards the luxo-barge segment, and in that segment more towards Lexus/MB than BMW/Infiniti. Even driving a 2007 Hyundai Tucson, the steering was woefully light and well, senseless. Haven't tried out the new Genesis yet (obviously). I guess it doesn't really matter to the "general population" since most of them can't tell the difference in handling when driving an Infiniti vs. a Benz anyway, but that same "general population" is the same group of people who still associate Hyundai with the Excel and automatically think, its crap.
#1020
Intermediate
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Tx
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First test, by Edmunds:
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..2.*
Their summation:
Your socks had better be firmly affixed or the Genesis will blow them clean off; there isn't a better rear-wheel-drive sport sedan for the money.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..2.*
Their summation:
Your socks had better be firmly affixed or the Genesis will blow them clean off; there isn't a better rear-wheel-drive sport sedan for the money.
#1021
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by iforyou
$26k? really? During the Vancouver Auto Show here in Canada, I talked to the Hyundai salesperson and he told me the base model starts at over CAD$40k, and top model is at CAD$60+. For comparison, in Canada, $42k can get you a TL/G35.
It will start at just over 40K considering the Azera tops out at $39,195.
#1022
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by Scorp76
It's sad ... I won't be giving R&T or Motor Trend another nickel of my money.
#1023
99 TL, 06 E350
watch out...that V8 they developed is going be there base from what they new cars will be developed. Edmund's reviews are pretty much spot on and from what I just read, this car is going to cause a rucus with the other brands.
#1024
Originally Posted by Scorp76
#1026
You'll Never Walk Alone
iTrader: (1)
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Originally Posted by phile
Best review so far, it reads like they actually test drove one, unlike the MT one.
#1027
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by phile
Best review so far, it reads like they actually test drove one, unlike the MT one.
Maybe Edmunds said driving a production KDM car on the testing grounds at this point is better than subjectively extrapolating whatever iteration of the USDM MT got to see.
#1028
styling on you
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Los Angeles, California
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Paddle Shifters are under development yayuh! That means the coupe should get it ![Woot](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/woot.gif)
Nice review by edmunds, but I was shocked when they said that those looking at the E class and 5 series wouldn't even consider a Lexus or Infiniti. As far as I know, they're very competitive...
![Woot](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/woot.gif)
Nice review by edmunds, but I was shocked when they said that those looking at the E class and 5 series wouldn't even consider a Lexus or Infiniti. As far as I know, they're very competitive...
#1029
Changin bulbs since '73
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Location: Chi-town burbs
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I doubt Mercedes and Bimmer people would look at this but it is awesome, reagardess.
Remeber...this is their first attempt and they are already in Lexus, Infiniti territory. Well done.
Remeber...this is their first attempt and they are already in Lexus, Infiniti territory. Well done.
#1030
Originally Posted by SeCsTaC
Paddle Shifters are under development yayuh! That means the coupe should get it ![Woot](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/woot.gif)
Nice review by edmunds, but I was shocked when they said that those looking at the E class and 5 series wouldn't even consider a Lexus or Infiniti. As far as I know, they're very competitive...
![Woot](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/woot.gif)
Nice review by edmunds, but I was shocked when they said that those looking at the E class and 5 series wouldn't even consider a Lexus or Infiniti. As far as I know, they're very competitive...
If it is, Then the coupe has everything I want in a car, except the navigation...
#1031
hail to the victors
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/27/f...edan/#comments
reviewed by autoblog
it's simple. it's a lexus!
reviewed by autoblog
it's simple. it's a lexus!
#1032
That was uncalled for...
Pricing!
$33, 000 - The entry-level Genesis 3.8 V6 will come equipped with an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission and will include 17-inch alloys, fog lamps, dual-power heated side mirrors, heated leather seats, cruise control, a proximity sensor, a push-button start, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming mirror with Homelink and a compass, along with front, side and side-curtain airbags.
The Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8, equipped with the 375 hp, 4.6-liter V8 and ZF six-speed automatic gearbox will be priced at $38,000 and equipped with 18-inch rollers, chrome exterior moldings, a leather wrapped dash, "ultra-premium" leather seats, a tilt and slide glass sunroof, power tilt and telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel with memory function, a 15-speaker Lexicon premium sound system, power rear sunshade, rain-sensing wipers, and all the other equipment found on the 3.8 version. Both prices include the $750 shipping charge.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/28/h...-start-at-33k/
Not bad!
$33, 000 - The entry-level Genesis 3.8 V6 will come equipped with an Aisin six-speed automatic transmission and will include 17-inch alloys, fog lamps, dual-power heated side mirrors, heated leather seats, cruise control, a proximity sensor, a push-button start, dual-zone climate control, an auto-dimming mirror with Homelink and a compass, along with front, side and side-curtain airbags.
The Hyundai Genesis 4.6 V8, equipped with the 375 hp, 4.6-liter V8 and ZF six-speed automatic gearbox will be priced at $38,000 and equipped with 18-inch rollers, chrome exterior moldings, a leather wrapped dash, "ultra-premium" leather seats, a tilt and slide glass sunroof, power tilt and telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel with memory function, a 15-speaker Lexicon premium sound system, power rear sunshade, rain-sensing wipers, and all the other equipment found on the 3.8 version. Both prices include the $750 shipping charge.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/28/h...-start-at-33k/
Not bad!
![Thumbs Up](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
#1034
^ No, I think it's right in line with initial estimates.
#1037
Dragging knees in
iTrader: (2)
I HIGHLY recommend that EVERYONE go test drive one when they start hitting the dealership lots, if for no reason other than to kill time. I think you guys will be very impressed.
Our President has his personal Genesis which I have driven, plus I had another USDM Genesis at my discretion for a while. I even took the latter one out on our test track and burned some rubber in it. (Followed by a session in the Coupe.)
Seriously, the suspension was not too soft at all. And this is coming from a guy with a TL that runs his Tein dampers on the stiff setting all the time. I was very, VERY impressed with the Genesis sedan's overall behavior. This was a V6 model with 17" wheels.
I speak with the utmost confidence and pride when I say that you will be impressed by the Genesis sedan.
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
P.S. I don't agree 100% with Motor Trend's review. My overall feeling of the car is better aligned with Autoblog's review, because I found myself nodding and agreeing as I read their article on the car.
It's interesting to note that I got tired of MT's biased opinion and decided against renewing my membership after nearly 10 years of subscription.
Our President has his personal Genesis which I have driven, plus I had another USDM Genesis at my discretion for a while. I even took the latter one out on our test track and burned some rubber in it. (Followed by a session in the Coupe.)
Seriously, the suspension was not too soft at all. And this is coming from a guy with a TL that runs his Tein dampers on the stiff setting all the time. I was very, VERY impressed with the Genesis sedan's overall behavior. This was a V6 model with 17" wheels.
I speak with the utmost confidence and pride when I say that you will be impressed by the Genesis sedan.
![Smile](https://acurazine.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif)
P.S. I don't agree 100% with Motor Trend's review. My overall feeling of the car is better aligned with Autoblog's review, because I found myself nodding and agreeing as I read their article on the car.
It's interesting to note that I got tired of MT's biased opinion and decided against renewing my membership after nearly 10 years of subscription.
#1038
What your problem is?
Damn, that's a nice looking car and seems like it will do well here... but i am not feeling the interior (seats) and I think Hyundai will have a hard time convincing BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus owners/driver who are concerned with image to drive/buy their car. But I for one would drive this over any GM vehicle, but that is because I am die hard Honda & Toyota guy. I wouldn't mind giving this a shot, though. Engine by Mitsubishi? Damn, what can we expect from Mitsubishi?
#1039
Fahrvergnügen'd
Originally Posted by indoMFP
Damn, that's a nice looking car and seems like it will do well here... but i am not feeling the interior (seats) and I think Hyundai will have a hard time convincing BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus owners/driver who are concerned with image to drive/buy their car. But I for one would drive this over any GM vehicle, but that is because I am die hard Honda & Toyota guy. I wouldn't mind giving this a shot, though. Engine by Mitsubishi? Damn, what can we expect from Mitsubishi?
#1040
^^what can we expect from Mitsubishi? What about one of the most stoutest inline-4s in the past ~2 decades? Granted Mitsubishi doesn't have a US-market V8 but the Tau V8 is Hyundai's soooo it doesn't matter.