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Hyundai Genesis Test Drive Impressions

chef121chef121 Member Posts: 4
edited May 2014 in Hyundai
No, I'm not crazy. My wife's co-worker drives a lexus, and J.D. Powers called them and ask if they would be interested in driving a new genises for 2 months. They said yes, and that's how I drove in one. The interior is beautiful. It looks like an infinity "m" series. Very refined, except my wife said the color of the seats look like sh*t brown. The exterior is blue. They had a choise of colors. It has a large screen nav system with back up camera. I wasn't alowed to drive it, I guess in the contract only her or her husband can drive it, so she took me around the parking lot. I rides like a dream. If you think the rear seating room is big in the azera, the genesis is enormus. the only difference in the pictures that you see is the front grill is an "egg crate" style with a big plastic "H" in the middle. not very nice, I hope they use the one on the web site. The seats are very comfortable and look like the azera's. The seat controls are on the side of the seat like the azera's. It had the v-6 but i don't know whick one, because there was no marking on the engine. I know you must have a million questions, I'll try to answer them. I only spent about 15 min. with the car because it was very windy and cold, and the girls wanted to get back inside. My wife's friend couldn't understand why I would drive up from work to see a "car". They don't understand, it's a guy thing.

Comments

  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    Fantastic. I am jealous :) I want to get my hands on one...

    To my knowledge, they are going with this when it arrives to showroom, so perhaps the one you were in was still pre-production?

    image
  • chef121chef121 Member Posts: 4
    there are only 7 people in the us that has the car to use. everything else was the same as in the picture. I didn't have a chance to use the "joy stick" that controls the radio/climate and nav.
  • joe97joe97 Member Posts: 2,248
    Talk about exclusivity!!!

    Hyundai USA has said they would host private test drive events prior to the car arriving at dealers, which I thought was a neat idea. I am tapping my connections to get on it :)

    Let us know how the joy stick works. I am intrigued to hear it, certainly I hope it's not as complicated as the iDrive ;)
  • chef121chef121 Member Posts: 4
    I don't know if I'll see the car again, her husband uses it. She drives it once in a while, and they had it for about a month already.
    Another thing I remember is that the side mirrors are self dimming and the tilt down when you put the car into reverse. Also the parking break release is electronic and if you forget to release it, the car won't go. She said she didn't like that feature, but all the times i sometimes forget to release it, i think it would be great.
  • keitha3keitha3 Member Posts: 124
    Thanks for the early review. Sure wish You'd had the chance to man the steering wheel yourself.

    Hey, did they give any impressions on how they found things like drivability/handling, etc?
  • chef121chef121 Member Posts: 4
    She liked the car a lot. She said it rides real smooth and very quite. I didn't ask about handling. I live in northern N.J., and not very many places you can put a car though its paces. The husband joked that for 20M, he'd buy it. I think the problem is that it doesn't have a big "L" on the front grill, and if you are spending 40 large on a car, do you want the prestige of having a Hyundai? I think it will take a long time to change peoples minds. I got that a lot with the Azera. The wife said they should have there own show room, like Lexus have. I know if i were spending all that $, I would like a little more upscale showroom.
  • 144tap144tap Member Posts: 44
    I've been told by my local dealer(Escondido,CA),that the Genesis will be on the west coast long after it's been on the east(NJ). So........when you guys are driving around back there, let us know what it's like.
  • notsofast2notsofast2 Member Posts: 7
    I saw a Genesis at my dealer in January. Great looking, but I couldn't get inside. Hyundai should follow the Japanese model and start a Genesis line. Have the Genesis Azera and Genesis whatever. Special treatment by the dealers would add to the likelyhood of success for the line.
  • dborthdborth Member Posts: 474
    I've been told by my local dealer(Escondido,CA),that the Genesis will be on the west coast long after it's been on the east(NJ)

    So, Hyundai is going to launch Genesis by taking a pass on the LA market?

    Your dealer doesn't want you to wait. Buy something now.
  • dave174dave174 Member Posts: 25
    My wife is considering the Lexus GS350 but I want her to wait and look at the 2009 Genesis Sedan by Hyundai.

    In speaking with a few people in the know, this Gensus is Hyundai's attempt to get into the luxury aspect of the market. They said the pricing will based on buying some of the marketplace.

    With all the great standard features the Genusis will have comming in around $36,000 and if true in my opinion, will certainly establish a footprint here in the US marketplace.

    I also understand that two versions will be offered not 3. A V6 and a powerful V8.

    Does anyone know when the Genusis launch will take place out here in the West. I hear early summer.

    Lastly any hearings on sticker for the V8 version?
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Try the 2008-2009 Hyundai Genesis discussion. You'll find the answers to your questions there. :)

    Welcome to CarSpace!!
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    Test drove a base model today. MY OPINION ONLY. The dash looks a lot better than my Azera's, but other than that, I was not much impressed. The leather is softer and the console looked better also.
    The "wood" trim on the dash looked better to me than the pictures I have seen of the leather dash, but I haven't seen the leather dash in person.
    The car does not have a space for sun glasses or a cell phone cubby with door and the console box is single level.
    While it did not have the bounce that my 07 Azera has, the ride was extremely sensitive to pavement imperfections, transmitting all up to the cabin. I could feel them in the seat and steering wheel. Drove my Azera over the same streets and did not feel the imperfections. This was all on city/residential streets near the dealership, but that is the type that 90% of my driving is on.
    It was very quite, but no more so than my Azera.
    I like the "wood" steering wheel on the Azera better than solid leather.
    Due to the cost differential, I wouldn't trade my Azera on a Genesis now.
    The dealer was asking 33,000 (MSRP) for it.
  • beachgarybeachgary Member Posts: 6
    Before making a choice between the Infiniti G35, the Lexus ES 350, the Avalon Limited or Acura RL, my wife and I felt we should at lease drive the Genesis, knowing full well it would be just another Hyundai. We presently have an 01 Avalon with very low mileage and it is a gem of a car. My wife drives it most of the time unless we are on a trip. She would be very happy keeping the Avalon, but I have the bug for a new car. It must meet her approval as she is the primary driver. She reluctantly agreed to test drive the Genesis. We had tested all the above cars, and there was something we disliked about each. Well, what a pleasant surprise....The Genesis is fantastic. It looks like they have addressed all our requirements such as wanting sporty but smooth ride; wanting smaller but 4 person comfort; wanting user friendly GPS, want seating comfort, and of course style. We had a 45 minute briefing on the tech package. The GPS is voice activated and equal to any of the best we have seen. The 17 speaker sound was incredible, and ride very smooth and responsive. They have engineered an extremely quiet ride including sound deadening in the glass.
    We just wish there was lumbar support and cooling in the passenger seat, but we could find no other negatives. As of now, Genesis is number one on our list. I hope they do not start adding upcharges at the dealerships, otherwise the advantage will be lost.
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    Took another test drive in one with the premium package. The leather on the dash is nice, but I don't think much of the color. IMO, real wood or even plastic wood would look much better and offer a real contrast. 90% of people will think it is just more vinyl. BTW, Lincoln MKS (I think) is using real wood that is left over from furniture manufacturing. Real disappointed in the fact that it does not have the adjustable pedals or place for sunglasses. the slot in the dash above the ashtray is not very useful as it is hard to reach and no door to keep things from coming out.
    Why waste space on an ashtray and cigarette lighther? Use it for something else and make the ashtray and lighter as option as on Camrys.
    Parked it beside my car - not a lot of difference, except Genesis is a little larger. Think the Azera rear looks more impressive.
    Biggest thing is the ride. Took it on some city streets and you can feel the ridges and so forth in the pavement. It does not have the Azera "wallow," but then it does not have 5,000 miles on the shocks yet either.
    Guess they could not have a double console box due to the console sitting so high because of the rear wheel drive.
    Told the salesman, I would have bought it instead of the Azera if both available in 2007, but not going to trade in my Azera. Also, not buying any Hyundai for MSRP, but that's me.
    BTW, Hyundai is offering $3,500 off on Santa Fe Limited and then you can negotiate with the dealer for more.
    Those who bought a Genesis, wish you the best and hope it lives up to its reports so far.


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  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    The Oct issue of Car and Driver reviews and tests the 4.6. Fairly good overall as a "luxury cruiser," but they also noted there are problems with the spring rates and dampening. Hopefully Hyundai will fix these soon.
    Interesting that they made a point of it not being a sports sedan, but then critized it for not having paddle shifters.
  • carolinabobcarolinabob Member Posts: 576
    I went to a Hyundai/Lincoln dealer and drove comparably equipped MKS and Genesis' back to back. Both had 18'" wheels. Drove city streets, country road and interstate. If you cannot take criticizm of Genesis, please read no further.
    The Genesis rode much rougher than either the MKS or my 07 Azera, but was not as bouncy as the Azera with brand new L460 shocks. This was on all three road types. The dash and console of the Genesis are much more impressive, especially with black leather instead of the brown. The MKS is larger inside and feels it. Even cruising at about 40 MPH, the Genesis was very harsh over moderate pavement irregularities. It was much worse than either the MKS or my Azera and had the feeling that if I pushed it hard on straights or curves, it would start heaving and wallowing severely.
    I agree with Car & Driver and Automobile magazine that Hyundai needs to revisit the suspension on the Genesis.
    the Genesis was $5,000 cheaper than the MKS and had better power.
    The MKS performance was OK, except when you had to accelerate uphill to enter the interstate, it took more pressure on the gas pedal to get up to speed. The wood trim on the MKS impressed me more than the leather on the Genesis.
  • atomicblueatomicblue Member Posts: 1
    My wife and I went stopped in the local Hyundai dealer today and drove an '09 Azera and 3.6 Genesis back to back. We both liked the Azera. It rode nice and was very roomy. The interior was nice. But she thought the front end looked like, and I quote "a grandma car". Then we drove the Genesis. Now that's a nice car! It started with the close of the door. Very solid and vault like. It's a little firmer (I like that) than the Azera, but still a very smooth ride. It felt sportier, if that's possible for a 3800 lb car. I loved the interior room. And it's quiet inside, more so than the Azera and it was pretty hushed. So, the Genisis is on the list of possible next vehicles to replace my wifes '03 Accord. By the way, I just priced it through my banks car buying service and it's $32,463 with the premium package.
  • cviz821cviz821 Member Posts: 12
    Well I finally had the opportunity to test drive the Genesis 3.8L V6 with Tech Package. Here are my impressions

    Exterior Appearance:
    - Very nice lines, nice smooth finish.
    - Front grill makes a statement and complements the vehicle.
    - The Genesis was a touch smaller than I anticipated, but by no means is it small car. It is definitely larger than BMW 5 series and comparable to the BMW 7 series in size. Compared to my Dad’s 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid, the Genesis is slightly larger.

    Interior Appearance:
    - The leather dash is a nice touch to the interior of the car.
    - The entire dash is not all leather, however the other parts of dash are of higher quality molded composite material
    - I liked that controls are well placed and are easily reachable and readable.
    - The driver’s seat was one of the most comfortable seats I ever sat in.
    - The seat controls take getting use to, but offer a lot of seat position functionality.
    - The driver seat heating and cooling worked great.
    - The front and rear legroom was adequate. It really is quite roomy inside.
    - The trunk was a decent size, but I did not like seeing the subwoofer exposed; that’s a concern.

    Driving and Performance:
    - Acceleration and handling were excellent.
    - Braking was very responsive; like in any new car it took a little while to get use to it.
    - The ride was acceptable along the neighborhood route, but really shined on the highway; smooth as glass.
    - Along some bumpy areas of the road, I did experience some bounce in the vehicle, it was more pronounced in the front then in the read
    - Some road noise was prevalent while stopped at a red light, as I could hear other cars pass me in the opposite direction. I definitely would not call it excessive. At highway speed the road noise was nil. It was very easy to hold a conversation with another passenger in the vehicle.

    Tech Features:
    - Navigation screen is quite large and is very easy to read.
    - On the Navigation System was easy to locate a Point of Interest and program it as a destination. I liked that the Nav automatically lowers the volume of the radio or cd playing so you can hear the Nav instructions.
    - The Driver Information System (DIS) Control Knob on the center console was very intuitive and easy to use.
    - The rearview camera was outstanding, it is a must have feature.
    - The climate control functions worked adequately.
    - The Lexicon 17-Speaker system was superb. I brought a long a jazz cd and it sounded just as good, if not better, then my home theater system at home. I found that the surround sound feature balances the sound throughout the cabin more evenly then when it is turned off.
    - I attempted to connect my iRiver Clix2 MP3 player to USB port located in center console. The Genesis audio system tried to sync up with my MP3 player but indicated it was unrecognizable. I believe this is due to the fact that I have my MP3 player configured to use MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) to sync up to my Vista laptop. However, I believe I could get my MP3 player to sync to audio system if I reconfigure it to use UMS (Universal Mass Storage); so this does not concern me.
    - Steering wheel controls were properly placed and easy to use.

    Overall I give the 3.8L V6 Genesis w/ Tech Packaged as solid A- rating. It is definitely on my short list for purchase.

    Right out of the box I was able to get the dealer to offer me the vehicle for $36,500. This is a good starting point but I feel I can do better on price. While I would love to have this car tomorrow; I’m willing to wait for the right deal.
  • rlejr66rlejr66 Member Posts: 44
    As a owner of a 2006 Infiniti M35 Sport, my curiosity was sparked as soon as I saw the Genesis for the first time. I have driven the car several times. However, on all of those drives, I failed to include my wife. Important, as she too is a driver in the household and she needs to be just as comfortable as I am behind the wheel. On Friday, Nov. 28, she and I went to the local dealer in Hampton Roads, VA. We test drove two V6 Genesis. Why two? One was very low on fuel. So after a quick spin, we decided to bring it back to get one which had more gas. This also gave my wife a chance to take a spin. We both really enjoyed the drive. A huge difference from the more demanding drive of the M35. The sport package on the M35 is nice, but the drive can be a bit harsh. Due to the combination of hard tires, and a "feel the road" suspension. The Genesis handled very well and was very quiet. The engine appeared to be tuned perfectly. I also tested the manual shift mode. Although the engine appeared to not be in sync with the manual shifts of the transmission, I didn't feel any jerks or unusual movement. The vehicle was roomy. I sat in the back seat and was very comfortable. Not easy to say for a 6'2", 210 pound guy.

    Overall I was quite impressed. So much so that I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of a V8 so that I can give it a spin. Although my Infiniti has been great, it may be time to move on, and up in my opinion. Hyundai may have hit the sweet spot many of us have been looking for. Those who want the luxury, comfort, and style of a Lexus or Benz, but don't want to pay the premium to have one!

    Happy Motoring!
  • limeelimee Member Posts: 2
    Test drove the Genesis and was expecting more than I experienced. Throttle tip in is typical Hyundai. The interior was classy but felt like a slightly upgraded Azera. The ride was not as quiet as I expected with road imperfections being transmitted through the steering wheel and all a little nervous from my experience. I like Hyundai's but its no Lexus, so from my perspective....."Don't believe the Hype"
  • JohnNWJohnNW Member Posts: 25
    A little nervous does not begin to describe the poor ride you will experience in this car.

    "road imperfections being transmitted through the steering wheel and all a little nervous"
  • goosegoose Member Posts: 77
    Ok, I'm looking for a quiet ride with sportiness at a reasonable price. In the last month I test drove the Acura's, all except RL, Toyota Matrix and Venza, Mazda 3, VW GTI. Acura's have nice modern interiors but suffer from to much road noise. The Toyota Matrix is not to my liking but the Venza was very quiet. Its just a little on the big side and no dark colored interior is available. The GTI had it all including of course a bad reputation for reliability.
    So while going to test drive the Mazda 3 I noticed the Genesis Coupe. I test drove the Mazda 3, 2010 and it was good. However I wanted to try the Genesis Coupe. Although I want an auto transmission I test drove the 4 cyl 6 speed. So here goes:
    It has a nice exhaust note. The inside was nice. The information display would be better in a dark background versus the light background but that's minor. The seat was perfect (225 lbs, 6 ft). I wasn't expecting a rocket however the torque felt very nice and it brought a smile to me face. You do have to push it past 3K RPM to fell it. The A/C was struggling to cool the car, it was 93F at that time. Wait this is the sedan forum right?
    I wanted a quiet ride and the Coupe has a sport ride. It lets you know its suspension is for spirited driving. So I went for a ride on the Genesis sedan. The interior is nice and the seat was comfortable. The ride is very quiet. Acura could learn from the Genesis sedan concerning sound reduction. The engine was more than adequate as the V6. The back seat had lots of leg room. The Genesis is very nice and the price is good for the V6 with premium plus package. My Realtor had an IS 250 and it rode hard compared to the Genesis. If you want a quiet luxury car this is it.
    Now the Coupe is not off my radar screen yet. Two things: it looks very nice inside/out and its rear wheel drive. This is a nicer pick for me than a Nissan Z.
  • misnarmisnar Member Posts: 1
    Thinking of buying 2009 Genesis 3.8 V6 w/ Tech. Live in the Denver area and have only driven FWD vehicles in the past. Are there any Genesis owners out there who can share their winter driving experiences(snow) with me? How does this RWD sedan perform in the snow? Thanks for any help! :confuse: ">
  • gripperdongripperdon Member Posts: 17
    I have a V6 and changed the tires to 17inch for some help. But the Hyundai "Engineer" that did the TV interview saying he does it all by the seat of his pants and does not use any computers needs to get his botton fixed. It rides like a 1980 truck. Believe me i own one. :cry: :lemon:
This discussion has been closed.