2011 Genesis Sedan

twinb

Is the Genesis sedan being shown at the Chicago Auto Show? On the CAS website the new Sonata & Azera had writeups but I haven't seen anything about the Gen. Last fall I drove an '09 with those horrible Dunlop Run Flats & was disappointed in the tracking - had to almost continually adjust the wheel on the highway. Also didn't like the headrests butting into my head, & the spaces in the steering wheel where I usually keep my hands were a couple of inches too small for me.

I'd ordered a '10 Avalon ~2 months ago but after the recalls I haven't heard a word from the saleswoman so I sent her an email cancelling the order. Actually I feel like Toyota cancelled the order because of the recalls. Looking at the '11 at CAS & on the Toyota website, it's almost the same as the '10 model. I'm getting a little leary about the Avalon, & I'm wondering what your opinions are on that car vs. the Genesis sedan, especially in terms of handling and ride. I don't take corners at 50 mph, and I want to be pampered in my new car, whatever it is; that means quiet, soft riding, and plush. Your thoughts on the two cars? Thanks.

tjc78

want to be pampered in my new car, whatever it is; that means quiet, soft riding, and plush

The Genesis is anything but soft riding. Do not be leary of the Avalon. I had an 06 and it was one the best cars I have ever owned. I now own an '09 Genesis, it is a good car, RWD and handles great, it also has top notch interior materials and amenities. However, if you want a soft plush riding car this isn't it. If I were you I would wait a while for the 2011 Avalon. Based on the previous generation it rides much softer while still being controlled. It does not handle as crisply as the Genesis but not sloppy either. Also the rear seat is a nicer place in the Avalon considering it reclines and had a nearly flat floor if you carry passengers.

BTW the Dunlops on Genesis are not run flat. The constant adjustment you mention could have been the alignment. They re-aligned mine around 2000 miles and it was noticably better.

twinb

The Dunlops on the Genesis I drove were run flats, I looked closely at them; SP Sport 4000 DSST - (Dunlop self-supporting technology), they were the same tires we had on our '05 Sienna that were bald at 15,000 miles. A second set fared no better for mileage, and the third set were Bridgestones, as I recall, which were no good either.

That's good to know about your experience with the driveability of the car, thanks.

smarty666

some of those ride quality problems might be due to the DunlopsI have had a couple of Dunlops over the years and not one of them was ever good in regards to being quiet or good ride quality tire; the Genesis might be better equipped with Michelins or Kumhos; those two tire brands I have found personally give the best ride quality and lowest noise level I have ever had

just my two cents!!!

jhunterbob

Michelins do make a difference. I have a 2000 suburban that had firestones and when I switched to michelin it was night and day. The car is 10 years old now and on its second set of michelins and still rides like brand new...

bocatrip

I've seen the refresh of the 2011 and I like. The rear intergration of the exhaust tips, led tailights, and tweaking of the front grill have brought it a little closer to the Equus front grill. I'm interested to see if it gets the 8 speed transmission. I feel these changes are significant enough for me to wait for the 2011s over a leftover 2010.

twinb

Boca, do you have a link for that '11 Genesis? I'd like to take a peek.

nutsaboutcars

I have a 2010 genesis v8 and every thing was fine with the car until she hit a few thousand miles on her and thats when things went to the crapper..The tires are horrible very noisy and the car ride is terrible..The ride is harsh..I leased this car for 3 years and for the amount iam paying each month I could of leased a better car..The car looks nice very elegant and the seats are very very comfortable but the noisy tires and terrible ride is the killer...That is why I did not rush out and get the 09 when they first came out because so many people on edmunds complained about the terrible ride but hyundai did nothing to improve the car for 2010...This is turning me off to future hyundai luxury cars and its a shame because I like the looks of the new equus comming to our shores

jsidhu

Im thinking of getting a 2010 or a 2011 Genesis and this review above is one of the first rellay negative reviews of this sedan. Can someone who's owned one and has a good number of miles on it comment?

Im looking for a car thats quiet and comfortable and dont want to purchase somethings that im going to hate in a year or two..

toye

isidhu

I've had my Genesis for 16 months an 09 V6 Tech and absolutely love it. Have drove over 26,000 miles on it and not one major problem with it. I have had the Genesis in for minor adjustments but nothing else. I did have to change the Dunlaps out at 22k as the back tires worn rather quickly. I could have gone another 5-7k on them but wanted only the best quality ride on the Genesis. I never had a problem with the ride quality as others have suggested and Hyundai did adjust the 2010's suspensions

good luck any questions I'll be happy to answer

tjc78

Im looking for a car thats quiet and comfortable and dont want to purchase somethings that im going to hate in a year or two..

I have an early build 09 V6. I can't stand the ride. Its just not well sorted out, the word I use is unsettled. If you are looking for a pillow soft ride I would look elsewhere (Avalon?). Its a very subjective thing so only you will know after drving it.

As for reliability etc, I have no complaints. In just about 13K I haven't done anything except for an alignment (right after delivery) and oil changes. There are no squeaks, rattles etc.

kenb757

Try a Cadillac DTS (not the Platinum edition, unless you want to replace the tires) before they replace it with the XTS. Nice, soft ride and very comfortable seats, but not much lateral support. The Buick Lucerne is a less expensive alternative. There's a convoluted explanation, but the 09 and 10 Town Cars don't ride as well as in previous years. The Avalon rides nicely, but sounds and feels somewhat hollow when encountering bumps. The current Lexus ES 350 is definitely firmer and less isolated than the previous ES 330. The new MB E350 (the Buick Lacrosse rides better and has fewer quirks) and S550 both don't ride as well as the previous models.

Hope the Equus rides better than the disaster that Hyundai thinks makes Genesis sporty.

jsidhu

Thanks for the feedback guys..

Would someone comment on the Road Noise/Tire Noise and the Wind Noise?

I test drove the 2010 yesterday and the amount of Road Noise (radio off, AC/FAN off) seemed much higher than our Lexus ES350..

-js

toye

You need to drive both cars back to back same route in order to be accurate. I was amazed at how quiet the Genesis was when when driving at 80 mph on the interstate. Now as the Dunlaps began to wear I noticed more tire noise. After I replaced the Dunlaps with Bridgestone Touranza Serenity I thought the ride and drive was even more refined.

I assumed the Lexus ride was more softer as the Genesis ride is noticably firmer.

alexk4

I'm looking for comments from current Hyundai Genesis owners. I am looking at purchasing a 2011 Genesis sedan. Test drove one today and my husband and I loved it. I'm coming from an '08 GMC Acadia that is a piece of sh**. We are currently in lemon law litigation with Acadia so I want to be thorough with my next purchase. If anyone can provide me with pros or cons on the Genesis, it would be much appreciated!

pc_genesis

Hi,

I currently own a 2011 Hyundai Genesis. Had it for just under 4 weeks. Its really a nice comfortable car. So far the car rides amazing. My incity MPG is more like 16-17 with very frequent stop and go. Highway MPG is 27-30. If you dont live in a hilly area then your MPG should be easily more than what the EPA estimates. Moreover the cars engine is still not broken in as it has 2000 miles on it. It generally takes close to 4000 miles or 5000 for the engine to break in before you see consistently higher MPG.

the car has plenty of power and is amazingly quiet from inside. u cannot beat the 528 lexicon sound system, its so damn good. I really like the ALFS headlights with HID...they are so much better than convential headlamps...

i hope this helps

tjc78

I'm looking for comments from current Hyundai Genesis owners.

Its a nice car, with alot of great features and an interior that is hard to beat at the price point. Having said all that, what kind of ride do you prefer? If its a soft plush ride the Genesis does not deliver. Its tuned more to the sport side of things and gets unsettled very quickly on a bad road. OTOH it does handle well for a large car.

As for reliabilty... its a mixed bag. Some owners haven't had any problems, some lots (especially with tech package) I am in the middle.

Here are my repairs since May last year:
Replace interior "B" pillars (material peeled away)
Replace limit swithes in steering wheel so power tilt/tele works properly.
Replace passenger side sun visor due to light not working
Repair/lubricate power passenger seat due to poor operation and shooting a part out from under the seat.
Clean all ground connections in car due to car dying on highway and stranding me in parking lot twice.

Also, if you are looking at a V6 model, the engine has a dry start noise that is a bit scary (sounds like valves clattering). I thought it was exclusive to mine, however, on two different loaner Genesis models they do it as well.

Fuel economy had been between 19.5 - 20.5 average for me, that is mostly city with some gridlock highway. I rarely see much open highway driving.

alexk4

TC78,

Thank you for your comments--I appreciate it. Did the service department ever say why you get that dry start noise? Just curious? I am looking at a V6 as well.

Good luck to you with yours. I think we are going to buy the Genesis. Hopefully it will be a better experience then what I've had with my '08 Acadia.

Regards!
Alexk4

alexk4

PC genesis,

Thanks for your comments. Yes, that helps me. The only thing I can see that owners are complaining about are the tires, but with you just owning yours for 4 weeks, its too soon to tell. I think we're going to take the plunge!

Thanks again,
Alexk4

tjc78

The dealer didn't say much other than "they all do it" and apparently they do. Mine and two others I have driven do it. On another forum there are several as well. Its probably no big deal, but its just odd.

As for the tires, they wear quickly and are terrible (yes, TERRIBLE) in snowy conditions. On dry/wet pavement they are actually pretty grippy. They start out quiet and gradually become noisier. I only have 14K miles and already am noticing that.

alexk4

I'm going to ask the dealership about the tire issue. I don't like driving in the snow and that was the one thing that my husband doesn't like about the car is the rear wheel drive. Thanks again for your input--I appreciate it.

toye

I've had fantastic luck with my Genesis...of course no automobile is perfect and some owners will have issues. I have had no problems with my Tech package except the rear view camera was replaced at 26. This car doesn't float like Lexus and Avalon so if that is important.... you won't care for the Genesis ride.

Tires again I replaced all 4 performance tires at 23K You may want to check into snow tires for the winter as the AWD versions won't be out until 2012. I live in Florida so it wasn't an issue.

It's a solid, well made automobile!

alexk4

Toye,

Thanks for the info. That seems like the biggest complaint is the tires. Snow tires are a good idea since I'm in Jersey and last year we did get a fair amount of snow.

Regards,
Alexk4

toye

Alexk4
The best testament of the Genesis can found under the blog 2009 Genesis.
The blogger Colegar has now put in over 64k on his Genesis V-6 Tech. He puts on a review every 10K 0f mileage. The person had a couple of issues early on but he explains in detail how it was resolved. Check it out

alexk4

Thanks Toye--that is helpful!

jsaylor2

Have a 2011 3.8 model with premium and premium nav. packages. Previous car was a Hyundai Azera. The Genesis is the best value for money in the upscale sedan class, bar none. Same is true of the Azera in its' class. Hyundai builds great cars with great warranties at a great price.

alexk4

Thanks for your comments. I took the plunge this evening and put my request in for a 3.8 model with premium nav. package. I loved the test drive and have had SUVs for the past 10 years or so. Am looking forward to a nice sedan again. How do you find the trunk space? We sometimes take vacations where we're driving rather then flying and although the trunk space looks spacious, I wonder if it will be big enough for a family of 4.

toye

Just a note remember the premium and tech are different packages
On the tech you get the bigger screen, 17 speaker Lexicon and no touch screen all controlled by the knob. The DVD's and surround system is just incredible pop a DVD in a test car and WOW
On the premium you get the smaller screen and 14 speaker all controlled by touch screen. still very nice!!!!!!

Congratuations on your pre-order!!

alexk4

Yes, our salesmen explained the differences and we felt the premium nav. was sufficient. We thought the tech package was something we really didn't need. This has been a great resource for getting info and I thank you and everyone that has responded to me. What a difference between being on a site where everyone hates their car and this site where everyone has had positive feedback! Thanks and enjoy your day!

toye

Another issue is the Genesis ride. It was the #1 complaint among Genesis owners. For some people it was too stiff or jarring. This automobile was design not to give you the floating type ride a Lexus gives. The suspension was modifed in the spring of 09. Make sure you are a passenger in the back and that you are OK with the comfort of the ride. I bought mine in April 09 and have had no issues with the suspension.

tjc78

The suspension was modifed in the spring of 09.

I have an early 09 and have driven quite a few different later ones (loaners). The only thing I notice is the newer models appear stiffer in the rear with less bounce. Other than that the same ride characteristics apply.

toye

Were we all kicked off "If there was room for Hyundai in the luxury market"

I was kicked off about a month ago...was anybody else? I miss Fintail, Backy and of course Captain!!! lol

tjc78

It was shut down by the hosts. I guess it ran its course. It was certainly a fun one.

captain2

it is an interesting note that CR in its most recent comparo did include the Gen V8 in a 'luxury' class that in this case included the G37 and 535. They seemed to think the V8 was largely a waste of the extra money, and spent more than a few sentences on the ride problems. It seems they avoid the whole lux perception issue by simply qualifying luxury cars as something over $40k. The 3.8 is upscale to them, the V8 luxury. Makes no sense to me, there has to something in how a vehicle *and a brand) is perceived beyond just price.
anyway, lest I get this forum shut down as well- I still think that Hyundai needs to 'separate' the Gen products or they will never be thought of in the same category as those cars that CR just tested it with :confuse:

toye

I noticed here in South Florida that the local Hyundai dealership is now promoting the Genesis in high end maginzines that before BMW, MB, LEXUS, AUDI an JAGUAR were the only automobiles featured. Tides a changing!!

sooththetruth

Well, I noticed that Car driver really has emphasized the Lexus-like demeanor of the car on it's long term road test V8 Genesis, then selected the Genesis 3.8 over other "upscale" but not luxury cars in a comparo against the Lexus ES350, Buick LaCrosse, and some other car, maybe the SHO, but termed that NONE of the cars were "fun" to drive.

Now they are saying that the new 2011 BMW 5 series is no longer fun to drive, now that it has some back seat room (though not like the Genesis).

There is some drop in Quality on the small finishing touches inside the Genesis. The dash buttons are scratching in mine, and the leather driver's seat in my "premium" 3.8 is already very darkened to an unattractive color despite attention to cleaning, and conditioning.

There are a lot of vagaries out there, but I consider reliability, and a truly useful back seat "Luxuries", and I also consider "Value" a luxury. So the Genesis was the right car for me, and I compared DIRECTLY to the '10 535, and felt better in the Genesis. Yeah, somewhat will ding me for that opinion. The old 535 has a miserable little back seat, but the auto writers constantly describe it as roomy, and even Consumer Reports did so.

But the Genesis 3.8 has a weight distribution that makes it fun (for me) to drive around town, and though I was tempted by the value of the V8, I chose the V6 for that reason. The 8 felt nose heavy in comparison.

One disappointment? The gas mileage of the 6 just isn't much better.

arboleda

I bought a 4.6 2011 sedan this past weekend and thought I'd share some thoughts.

I was looking for something 70% luxury and 30% sport. I test drove the 335xi (mostly sport), the Mercedes C class (too few features and a tad small), the Avalon (nice but boring), and the E350 (good size but low on power and features).

When I test drove the Genesis, it put a big smile on my face. I loved it. The ride was very quiet (I think the quietest of all the cars I drove) and the suspension was great on smooth surfaces though bumpy on non-smooth surfaces.

The engine was great. It doesn't have slam-your-head back acceleration like the 335i did, but it's got plenty of power on tap.

The feel of the leather seats is fantastic! If it's a very soft, expensive feeling leather to me.

On the road, the car is very smooth at high speeds. At low speeds, I do note an odd hesitancy in the transmission. You seem to have to engage the gas petal more at low speeds than higher speeds.

Some of my favorite features:

- Adapative cruise control which I use on the highway. It senses proximity to the car in front of you and will match the speed (assuming you set the cruise control higher than the car in front). When there's no one in front, it reverts to the set cruise control speed.

- Lots of automatic things: lights, windshield wipers, rear shade. Driver's seat is initially all the way back and the steering wheel up. When you start the car, it shifts to a memorized position (there are two memory spots).

- Fantastic audio system. I have an iPhone 4 and it integrates very well.

All in all, I love the car. It's not perfect but at its price I don't think anything can beat it. Mine is black on black. I purchased it in Lindon, Utah.

toye

Congratulations on your purchase of the Genesis.

Consumers Report has now been able to confirm what Genesis owners already know and they are now recomending the Genesis sales will likely to continue to rise!

souv7575

Looking at a 2010 Genesis but was surprised to see it is real wheel drive. Being in MA, I am concerned. Anyone had experience with the car in snow

tjc78

The car is an absolute handful in the snow on the stock Dunlop tires. It's really bad. I have read here, and elsewhere that with snow tires its acceptable. IMO if you want a Genesis in your neck of the woods get snows.

souv7575

thanks for your advise..should I be concerned even with snows?

tjc78

If you are used to a RWD car I would say yes. There was a thread on this somewhere here or on another forum. When I get a chance ill look it up for you.

tnsprof

I have a 3.6 with less than 1000 miles that has been in the shop twice for this issue. When accelerating from stop or crawl, vehicle intermittently hesitates in acceleration (no rpms), then all of a sudden it catches hold and lurches forward at greater than anticipated speed as I have accelerated more since it didn't move forward initially upon pressing the accelerator. On one instance, I thought the engine had died. It's been in the shop twice and each time they indicated they couldn't get it to replicate my problem. Thus, they made no adjustment. It seems to be doing it less as I get more miles on it, but is still doing it less frequently. Any input would be appreciated.

LASHAWN

How long did they keep your car? On an intermittent issue such as this one, you might to let them hold the car for several days to see if they can duplicate the issue. It would be no good for them to adjust something if they don't know what to adjust in the first place. I had a customer come in with an intermittent issue with her a/c and kept her vehicle for 2 weeks unable to duplicate her concern, I have not seen her since. If you trust the service team at that dealership, than let them hold onto your car for a couple days if you haven't already.

tjc78

hen accelerating from stop or crawl, vehicle intermittently hesitates in acceleration (no rpms), then all of a sudden it catches hold and lurches forward at greater than anticipated speed as I have accelerated more since it didn't move forward initially upon pressing the accelerator.

This is due to the transmission logic. The car is in a higher gear and it holds it as long as possible for fuel economy. My car does it too and my previous car (06 Toyota Avalon with an Aisin transmission like the Gen) did it as well. After driving the car for a while you can get used to it and feather the gas just right to almost avoid it all together.

This sounds crazy, but there is one way to get the computer to downshift a little faster. Since the tranny "learns" your driving behavior, when you drive with light foot it holds the gear as long as possible. Within reason (in a safe place) be a little hard on the car (a few full throttle applications) and the computer usually will downshift a little faster eliminating the "lag".

harrybush00

I've had a similar experience. It almost feels like the car is out of gear and then goes into gear while I feather the accelerator.

http://mygenesisblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/first-blog.html

tnsprof

I just recently resolved the latent accelerator issue. It took 4 times into the dealership before they sent a factory engineer to the rescue. It turned out to be related to my driving/braking pattern and a new safety feature on the vehicle. I brake most of the time with my left foot and accelerate with my right. The Genesis and many new vehicles I am told have a sensor that prevents one from accelerating while the brake pedal is being depressed. Since I am a "two footer" and brake with my left, when I am at stop or in slow traffic I keep my left poised on the brake, thus it precludes my ability to accelerate until I completely remove my foot from the brake. Since learning of this by the factory rep I have not had any issues.

harrybush00

That's interesting. I am starting to feel like either my car has gotten better about throttle response or I'm getting used to it. I guess it'll get better over time.

fc3w

I just purchased a 4.6 Genesis but have not picked it up yet. During the test drive the adaptive cruise worked fine. However, it slowed down a considerable distance from the car ahead, which in some situations could be a problem. After the fact, I wondered whether this feature has a sensitivity adjustment or can be turned off at the driver's discretion. I didn't have a chance to ask salesman although I doubt he would have known. Can anyone help me with this question?

pulone1

why so many loaners? problems with your '09?

b

tjc78

Yes,
I've had it randomly die on me, (dealer was stumped, Hyundai corporate said to clean and re-torque all grounds) hasn't done it since.

Various interior trim pieces needed to be replaced (b-pillars tore, sunvisor light died)

the power tilt/telescopic wheel problems (still not fixed, has a mind of its own)

power passenger seat spit out parts from underneath

The engine makes some really nasty noises on startup (dealer claims normal).

My dealer also offers loaner for oil changes. Add all this up and you can see why I've had my share of loaners. I've driven just about every Genesis combo out there.

12 months and one week to go on the lease,