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Hyundai Genesis Test Drive Impressions

27 messages,  Last post on Jul 27, 2009 at 9:18 AM

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What is this discussion about? Hyundai Genesis

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#18 of 27 MKS vs. Genesis vs. 2007 Azera by carolinabob

Oct 07, 2008 (12:49 pm)

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.

#19 of 27 We liked it... a lot by atomicblue

Oct 11, 2008 (8:26 pm)

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.

#20 of 27 First Test Drive of the Genesis by cviz821

Nov 26, 2008 (1:51 pm)

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.

#21 of 27 Recent Test Drive by rlejr66

Dec 04, 2008 (8:17 am)

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!

#22 of 27 Genesis test drive by limee

Feb 25, 2009 (11:27 am)

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"

#23 of 27 Re: Genesis test drive [limee] by JohnNW

Mar 04, 2009 (5:27 am)

Replying to: limee (Feb 25, 2009 11:27 am)
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"

#24 of 27 JUST TEST DROVE THIS PIG, PRETTY PIG THOUGH by goose

Apr 21, 2009 (6:12 pm)

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.

#25 of 27 Hyundai Genesis in the snow? by misnar

Apr 27, 2009 (9:54 pm)

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! ">

#26 of 27 Re: Hyundai Genesis in the snow? [misnar] by rhduke00

Apr 28, 2009 (3:33 am)

Replying to: misnar (Apr 27, 2009 9:54 pm)
Scott Oldham, Edmunds Inside Line Editor in Chief, said it drives great in the snow

#27 of 27 As they say in the West it's a rough rider! by gripperdon

Jul 27, 2009 (9:18 am)

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.

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