mmarshall

A Review of the all-new 2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

https://www.hyundaiusa.com/genesis/comparison.aspx

IN A NUTSHELL: Impressive and well-built with very nice materials....but don't confuse it with the smaller Genesis Coupe.

CLOSEST AMERICAN-MARKET COMPETITORS: Lexus GS, Infiniti M-series, BMW 5-series, Audi A6, Mercedes E-Class, Cadillac XTS, Lincoln MKS, and (loosely) Kia K900.

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OVERVIEW:

Decades ago, when I was in my youth, a popular cigarette commercial, aimed mostly at women, for a very low-tar brand called Virginia Slims, , proclaimed....... "You've come a long way, Baby". Now, of course, I myself don't smoke anything either legal or illegal, and certainly don't encourage anyone else to do, either. But I can't help but use that long-standing analogy in the commercial to refer to today's Hyundai/Kia products, which, despite the still-persistent scoffs of some, HAVE indeed come a long way.

It's no secret, of course, that despite good sales, Hyundai got off to a rocky start in this country back in the mid-late 1980s, with the cheap but ill-fated Excel (notice that I did not use the word "inexpensive" but CHEAP). The compact Excel (actually more of a sub-compact in physical size) shared an essentially re-badged design with its twin Mitsubishi Precis....in fact, most American-market Hyundai engines were also Mitsubishi designs until later in the 1990s. I still distinctly remember my review and test-drive of a 1987 Excel, more than a quarter-century ago.....one of the worst-driving new cars I ever sampled. While not as poorly-asssembled from the factory as the Pontiac Fiero of that generation (the 1984 Fiero was arguably the most poorly-assembled new car I ever test-drove), the Excel's low price was there for a reason....you got what you paid for (starting at $4995). My white test sample, with its 68 HP four and 3-speed automatic, had lethargic steering, Ho-Hum-handling, Push-and-Pray brakes, creaks and squeaks through its structure, and, with the air-conditioning's drag on the engine on that hot summer day, I could have made better time walking back to the dealership.

Hyundai had initial success with the Excel's sales, as the low price appealed to many who could otherwise not afford a brand-new vehicle, but the poor quality and engineering soon paid a toll. The car became the butt of late-night jokes on the talk shows, and a lot of people got stuck with unreliable lemons.........and remember that typical warranties, back then, were only 1 year /12,000 miles. Later Hyundai products gradually improved some of its quality and engineering, but the make remained well below average in reliability, according to Consumer Reports.

Finally, along about 1997-2000, all-new management at the corporation, for the first time, decided that it was time to make some real quality improvements, and the company delivered. Hyundai products were transformed, for the first time, into credible competitors to even the better Japanese brands. Kia products (Hyundai bought out Kia), formerly also low-rated, lagged some, but also shared in the improvements.....now they are as good or better than Hyundais themselves. A then-new 10 year/100,000 drivetrain and 5/60 bumper-to-bumper warranty also helped review public confidence in their newer vehicles....though, of course, some car-buyers today, still living in the past, are still reluctant to buy the brand.

Which brings us to the subject of this review. After a number of other new products in the American market, and disappointing sales of its front-drive full-size Azera sedan, Hyundai introduced its first rear-drive luxury-class sedan..the Genesis. The Genesis appealed to the type of car buyer who was looking at upmarket German and Japanese sedans far better than the Azera ever did (or still does), and Genesis sales were much brisker. The Genesis sedan, of course, is not to be confused with the Genesis Coupe, a totally different vehicle with a much cheaper interior and much higher level of sportiness, built to compete with other moderately-high-performance sport-coupes. Consumers, in general (as with the auto press), were quite pleased with the first-generation Genesis, although, as with many of today's newer vehicles and their low-profile tires, some complained of a stiffer-than-necessary ride (I wasn't terribly impressed myself with the original Genesis's ride quality). Hyundai promised chassis/suspension/tire changes for the second-generation model to address the ride complaints.

That all-new second-generation model, of course, is now here. My new pastor at my church recently bought one (in black) and appears to be quite pleased with it. For 2015, in the American market, two trim levels are offered...3.8 and 5.0, depending on the engine-size. As before, a 3.8 L V6 is offered, this time with 311 HP and 293 ft-lbs. of torque, and the former 4.6L V8 is now 5.0L, with 420 HP and 383 ft-lbs. of torque. The present, standard, 420 HP V8 was formerly the R-Spec engine. Both max-torque figures, however, come at a peaky 5000 RPM. An 8-speed Shiftronic automatic with Sport-shift is the standard and only transmission. The V6 comes with a choice of rear or all-wheel drive; the V8 with rear-drive only. (Why the V8 doesn't also get AWD is unclear, except that perhaps the extra hardware needed simply won't fit in with the larger engine). Base prices run from an even $38,000 on the RWD V6 to $51,500 for the V8.

I didn't test-drive my pastor's new 2015 Genesis, but I did get a chance to look it over a couple of times, and, of course, showed him how to use the SCRATCH-OUT liquid that, IMO, every new-car buyer should have. For the static reviews (not on my pastor's car), I looked over a couple of different Genesis interiors, with and without the Ultimate, Tech, and Signature Packages. Those packages can get pricey, and bump up even V6 models to $50,000 or more. For the actual test-drive, since I had already had test-drive experience a few years ago with the 3.8L V6 in the last-generation Genesis, I chose a maroon (Pamplona Red) minimally-optioned 5.0L V8 with a beige leather interior. Still, even with minimal options, this was not a cheap car, listing for the better part of $53,000. Driving this car, though, was a real treat.....there are reasons why it costs over 50K. For the details, read on.


MODEL REVIEWED: 2015 Hyundai Genesis 5.0L RWD

BASE PRICE: $51,500

OPTIONS:

First Aid Kit: $30

Wheel Locks: $50

Cargo Tray: $100


DESTINATION/FREIGHT: $950 (steep, but not unreasonable for a car of this size and weight)

LIST PRICE AS REVIEWED: $52,635


DRIVETRAIN: RWD, Longitudinally-mounted 5.0L V8, 420 HP @ 6000 RPM, Torque 383 Ft-lbs. @ 5000 RPM, 8-speed Sport-Shift automatic transmission.

EPA MILEAGE RATING: 15 City, 23 Highway, 18 Combined

EXTERIOR COLOR: Pamplona Red

INTERIOR: Beige Leather




PLUSSES: (+)


Smooth, quiet ride much more refined than in the previous version.

Generally good noise isolation.

Smooth, effective brakes.

Muscle-car acceleration from 5.0L V8.

Butter-smooth 8-speed automatic transmission.

Many electronic safety features (though, IMO, driver-attention still comes first).

Excellent fit/finish inside and out.

Fairly wide exterior paint color choice.

Excellent paint jobs.

Fairly good underhood V6 layout for a luxury/upmarket vehicle.

Good interior hardware.

Superb stereo sound.

Plush, soft-padded interior dash/door panel materials.

Impressively-done wood/chrome/brushed-metal interior trim.

Decent rear legroom for fairly tall persons....but not NBA-grade.

Clear, legible gauges.

Comfortable front seats with plush, nice-feeling leather surfaces.

Generally easy-to-use *****/buttons/controls.

Well-trimmed cargo area.

Superb 10/100 and 5/60 limited warranties.....but not always transferable to a second owner.




MINUSES: (-)


AWD not available with V8.

Steering response not particularly quick.

Exterior paint colors a little dull for my tastes.

Pricey option packages (but they include a lot).

No standard body side moldings for parking-lot protection.

Temporary spare tire instead of a real one.

Fairly low front/rear underhangs may require care in parking.

Marginal rear headroom for tall persons.

Unimpressive headliner fabric for a car of this price.

Non-folding rear seats.

Somewhat awkwardly-mounted brake pedal for large feet.

May depreciate faster than some rivals.



EXTERIOR:

Outside, the all-new 2015 second-generation Genesis sedan gets a mild restyle...overall, not a huge difference from the former version. Probably the most noticeable exterior change is the larger, somewhat Audi-style grille, as more and more vehicles these days are announcing their looks with large and/or, distinctive grilles. The rest of the body styling is essentially the same as before, which, IMO, is not necessary a bad thing, as I thought it was a handsome car. By today's standards, the Genesis is a large sedan, and it does take up a fair amount of real estate to park it. Fortunately, a self-parking feature is a package-option, though the low body front and rear underhangs may still require some care to keep them from scraping curbs (self-parking features don't always take that into consideration).

The exterior sheet metal seems a decent-grade and fairly solid by today's standards, which often means lighter and more tinny with each redesign. The doors don't close with bank-vault solidity, but do have a precise-sounding light thunk. There are nice turn-signal indicators built into the side-mirror housings. The paint job is very well done, as with most vehicles these days, and there is a fairly wide choice of somewhat dull, mortuary colors. However, a nice Pearl-effect white is also offered (a popular color for luxury-cars).......that would probably be my choice if I was buying one. As with most new vehicles these days (though some are now bringing them back) there is no standard body-side moldings to protect the doors from parking-lot dings...and the web site is unclear if they are available as a dealer accessory). I stuck an aftermarket set on my own car myself...I wouldn't own a car without them. All of the rest of the exterior seems quite well-done. All of the trim and hardware is well-applied, fit/finish is excellent, and everything seems to have a smooth, slick feel to it with no rough edges.




UNDERHOOD:

Open the fairly solid-feeling hood, and two nice gas struts hold it up for you....no fumbling around with a manual prop-rod. On the underside of the hood is a nice insulation pad to absorb noise. The longitudinally-mounted (fore/aft) 3.8L V6 fits in pretty well, and the basic underhood layout, though not as simple as in many entry-level vehicles, is not bad by the typical Hard-to-Find-Anything upmarket/luxury car standards. The big plastic engine cover, of course, blocks a lot of top-access, and the sides of the engine block are in a little tight, but there is a fair amount of open room in the front of the block for Service Technicians (and Do-it-Yourselfers) to get at front-engine components like the belts, pumps, pulleys, compressor, alternator, etc..... The larger 5.0L V8, also longitudinally-mounted, fits in much tighter (as to be expected), and the underhood layout is more typical of that of the average large-engined luxury car......no room to do anything. With both engines, most of the non-engine components underhood, though, are hidden under and inside of covers. The battery is back in the trunk (more on that later). Most of the dipsticks, fluid-reservoirs, and filler-caps, though, are relatively easy to reach.



INTERIOR:

The interior, like the exterior, is another fine example of good fit/finish and quality of materials.....though, of course, some of it is justified by the price. I found only a few negatives inside, so I'll get them out of the way right now. The fabric covering for the ceiling headliner and sun-visors, though not ultra-cheap by any means, could be a little nicer for a car of this price.....some other cars in this price range use a soft-felt headliner. The headroom in the non-folding rear seat, under the sunroof housing, was marginal for guys my size (6' 2"). And the video-screen in the center of the dash had the usual complexities (I've seen very few that were really easy to use). But that was about it. Virtually everything else inside, IMO, was quite well-done. The electroluminescent back-lit gauges were clear and easy to read. Both the upper/lower-dash and door panels were covered in rich, medium-padded materials that were pleasant to touch (many luxury-grade vehicles pad only the upper dash). There are several different types of wood/wood-tone trims, depending on interior color and package-option (see the web-site for details), and all of them were superbly-applied, though the Matte-wood trim with the Ultimate package had grain-lines that looked a little artificial. The genuine aluminum trim-strips around the wood looked and felt superb. The glove box door and latch operated with reasonable solidness.....a weak point in a number of today's cars. The ***** and controls all felt reasonably solid and well-applied (on the new Toyota Avalon, for instance, some of them feel like they will come right off in your hands). The buttons were generally well-arranged, reasonably solid, and easy to use. There was plenty of headroom in front for tall persons, especially if the power-seat is adjusted downward all the way (the way the seat motors/linkages are set up, tilting the seat down also seems to move it back a little). The front seats themselves are quite comfortable for a large person like me, though perhaps with the short cushions only slightly lacking in thigh-support. The genuine leather seats (no fake stuff here) also had nice plush-feeling leather that seemed to be of high quality (some people prefer cloth/vinyl or artificial leather because of animal-ethics, and I certainly respect their views). The split double-lids for the center-console compartment closed and latched especially nice. The leather-wrapped steering wheel was well-shaped and had nicely-integrated controls, but it would have been nice if a wood-option was available for it (which it isn't). The stereo sound quality is excellent.....but not quite as much of a killer as with the Lexus Mark Levinson units. The video screen for the stereo, as fore-mentioned, is a little complex, but there are easy-to-use tuning and volume ***** underneath. All in all, though, an excellent job by the designers inside.....this interior could, IMO, easily pass for a mid-grade or higher Lexus or Audi sedan.




CARGO COMPARTMENT/TRUNK:

Open the solid-feeling trunk-lid (Ultimate-Package versions include a power trunk-lid), and one is treated to a fairly large, roomy cargo area (which is more or less expected in a large car of this size). As with most sedans these days, the sharply-slanted rear roofline impacts on the size of the actual trunk lid some, but not enough by any means to prevent the loading of any reasonably-sized cargo. Inside, the trunk is very well-carpeted/finished, even by the standards of this price class...the cargo gets almost as nice of a ride as the passengers. The floor and walls are both lined with plush, dense-fiber black carpeting that gives you fingers a treat. Unfortunately, the rear seats don't fold for more cargo space like on some competitors, but a small pass-through in the rear seat allows long narrow items like skis, golf clubs, and fishing poles to be easily carried. A First-Aid-kit is an option....for $30 (many luxury cars make it standard). Underneath the trunk floor, like with many vehicles these days, is a temporary spare wheel/tire. I would still prefer to see a real one, especially in a vehicle of this price. While it is probably not necessary in a large sedan of this size and weight, the battery is also located under the floor, to the right of the temporary spare. You tend to see that more in small, light, sports-oriented vehicles for more-equal weight distribution and sharp handling.



ON THE ROAD:

Start up the big 5-liter V8 with an engine START/STOP button (pretty much standard for a car in this class), and the engine comes to life with a superbly quiet and refined idle. The engine remains quiet on the road, though is a moderate amount of exhaust noise on anything more than mild acceleration.....just enough to let you know that the engineers didn't completely forget any sport-orientation with the luxury. And when the power comes on, you know it....the Genesis V8 lunges ahead like a scared cat. Even with the torque peak at a relatively high 5000 RPM (which would normally indicate a peaky engine), mid-range acceleration reminded me of a number of late-60s muscle-cars went to high school with....Road Runners, GTOs, Boss Mustangs, etc.....only with a HECK of a lot more smoothness and refinement.

Yet, with the engine laid-back in cruise mode, this is also one superb highway-cruiser, which will happily eat up the miles all day long on the Interstate without complaint or tiring out its occupants. The 8-speed transmission can be left in full-auto mode, bump-shifted manually with the lever, or flick-shifted with nice solid-feeling silver-colored paddles on the steering column. Shifts, whether manual or full-auto, were smooth and butter-like. An Intelligent Drive Mode lets you choose Eco, Normal, Sport, or Snow to program the drivetrain and chassis for different road and driving conditions. A Continuous-Damping-Suspension is optional on V8 models...my test car, of course, did not have it. But, even without it, Hyundai had promised a better, less-harsh ride on the new Genesis compared to the old, and they certainly delivered. Even with the 19-inch wheels and low-profile 40-series front tires and 35-series rear tires, the ride was surprisingly smooth and quiet even over mild bumps and rutted pavement. Wind noise was minimal, and road noise was also minimal considering the type of tires used. The trade-off was a slight amount of body roll on sharp steering inputs and steering response that wasn't quite as fast as your typical sport-sedan.....and, indeed, with the V8 and the long front-end, there's a lot of weight over the front wheels preventing sports-car response. But most of the people who will buy this car will probably not be aggressive drivers anyway. They will just love the comfy highway cruise and the knowledge that, with the V8, that they have WAY more than enough power than will ever be needed in normal driving, if the need arises (I'm not referring to drag-racing, of course, but to road emergencies that could sometimes require power to get out of). The brakes responded smoothly and efficiently, with only a very small amount of initial mushiness in the pedal preventing an instant response like in German sport sedans. The large brake pedal, however, was mounted in a manner that caused my big size-15 clown-shoe to hang up on the side of it when lifting rom gas legal to brake...that's a problem I have with a number of vehicles.


THE VERDICT:

In a word.....WOW. This is one impressive luxury/sport sedan, which, in my opinion, unlike the last Genesis, has a definite bias towards smoothness and luxury (which is generally the way I like it.), rather than sportiness and handling. Yet, with the V8's power, it can keep up with all but the most very high-end big-engined sedans like the Mercedes E63/C63 AMG and BMW M5. Most buyers, though, like me, would probably just prefer to enjoy its smooth, quiet, relaxed cruise mode that will comfortably take you home in the evening from the everyday hassles at the office (and in the ministry....right, Pastor)?

And there is little to complain about with this car, despite my usual rantings about lack of side-mouldings, temporary spare tire, funeral-home paint colors, etc......which I tend to do with virtually anything I review. The overall build quality seems excellent, and I found both the interior and exterior materials and workmanship first-rate. Yes, it will use some gas, but not any more than other sedans of comparable weight and size. It will definitely impact your bank account, particularly the V8 and heavily-optioned V6 models. But cars like this cost money to build, and the manufacturers can't afford to give them away.

So, my recommendation is....if you have the cash, can afford it, and enjoy driving a classy, well-built, full-size luxury/semi-sport sedan with a LOT of power, go for it. For what this car costs, pricey as it is, you could do a whole lot worse.

And, as always......Happy car-shopping.

MM

hlee12

great job! enjoyed reading it. my friend bought it and replaced his 10 year old 5 series with it. he is so happy with it. overall design was not my cup of tea. exterior was handsome, but not striking. didn't particularly love the interior design. too old for me. but the ride? i must be getting old. i loved it. it was so smooth and comfy. this summer i put about 3000 miles traveling on the road. i wished i was driving this beefy smooth engine instead of my little 3 series.

mmarshall

Thanks. And it was a pleasure reviewing it.


Congratulations to your friend. I can see why he enjoys it.

And the irony is that you can spend as much (or more) on some versions of the 3-series as for this car.

One does not have to be Grandpa to enjoy a smooth, quiet ride....that's a long-standing but inaccurate stereotype. In my youth, way back in the 60s and early 70s, while I certainly enjoyed the muscle-cars of the era like any other normal teen-ager (I drove them with some gusto but also common sense), I also liked BIG American V8 luxo-cruisers like the Olds 98, Buick Electra 225, Lincoln Continental, Cadillac DeVille, Chrysler New Yorker/Imperial, etc.....I had a big Buick (used) when I was in college, and loved it.

hlee12

lol. so true.

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

I'll be curious how reliable it is in three years but otherwise an enormous improvement over the last

So feel like trading in your Verano?

spwolf

great review, thank you..

mmarshall

Nope...well-satisfied with it. It combines a lot of the Genesis's refinement (but not the power) in a much smaller, more nimble package. Where I live, a Genesis would be too cumbersome to park, even with its electronic parking-aids. I don't have a big front yard, private driveway, and garage.

mmarshall

Thanks. I tried to be objective as usual, but there just wasn't very much to complain about in this car (besides my usual pickings). Hyundai did a great job with it.

dseag2

Not to hijack the thread, but my father had a '67 Buick Electra 225 Coupe and that was my main means of transportation in high school. I loved that car. He added a used '73 Lincoln Mark IV (Silver w/ Silver leather interior) to the stable and I felt like a king driving that car. The hood was ridiculously long. My great uncle had a black '76 Cadillac Fleetwood Brougham that he let me take to the prom and I was in heaven. I was really young but I loved those rides. The irony is that when I bought my first car it was a Honda Accord because I couldn't believe how nimble it was.

mmarshall

Your father had good taste.

Both were excellent big American luxocruisers, but by, 1973, the Mark IV you mention had begun to show the effects of EPA-emasculated engines. They were hard to start, tended to stall while warming up, ran hot, and lacked power....all because of the retarded timing, leaner fuel mixtures, and carburetor restrictions.

The '67 Electra, BTW, was somewhat better-built than previous versions, and was more reliable. Its 430-cubic-inch engine was also larger and more powerful. That was also the last year that the big Buicks used the unique, ultra-smooth 3-speed Buick Super Turbine Drive 400 automatic transmission. In 1968, the big Buicks switched to the same 3-speed GM Turbo-Hydra-Matic that the big cars in the other GM divisions used.

dseag2

Everything tended to stall in those days. Ask me about my '77 Olds Cutlass with the V6 engine. The buyer had to have it towed away.

1neeto

That was a great read, thanks!

yowps3

The 5.0L Genesis V8 is a beast no doubt.

It really is a LS fighter. Probably better than the GS, which sadly doesn't even come with a V8 anymore!

As for headliner, when I checked out the Genesis here in Oz it had the soft alcantara headliner material

Finally a car that ain't about (pseudo) SPORTS this & SPORTS THAT

Perhaps it will deliver a wake up call for Lexus

hlee12

i like lexus' sporty direction, but i hope lexus don't mess with LS and keep it conservative. i've said this many times, LS should always go after 50-60 year old man who wants luxury & comfort.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

thanks for the review Mike... sounds like they refined the suspension this year unlike the previous years where i read it was a little rough but not terrible... Customer reviews of the previous 5.0 models I found on Edmunds and Cars.com and generally people were pretty happy with the Genesis...