Picture Gallery: 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4 | Discuss
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I need to do so because so far, after my quick 10km jaunt, I am excited and thrilled by what I saw (in the dark) and felt — so let’s be realistic and wait for a little more seat time before even coming to any first impression conclusions.
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I’m sure many of you reading this have crawled through the Genesis at an auto show or perhaps took a quick zip by the local Hyundai dealership to see what the fuss is about. But myself, I have avoided the Genesis. I have not read any reviews, I have not crawled inside one, although I will admit taking a quick sneak peak when it was revealed. I wanted to make my own judgments about the merits of this vehicle when I finally had a chance to pilot one.
That I will do, behind the wheel of a 3.8L V6 model equipped with the technology package, with which the car weighs in at a reasonable $44,995 before freight and PDI. With such a long list of standard features, this car will keep you double-checking and questioning — can this be for real?
2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan
MSRP as tested (including destination): $46,755
For more information on Hyundai and the Genesis Sedan visit Hyundai Canada
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It gets rather dark in my area at night; there are no street lights on these somewhat back-country roads. Out here, I notice when a vehicle is missing interior ambient lighting and the Genesis does not seem to have it. Every switch is lit up, but a similar blue glow emanating from above to light the cup-holder area would be just the icing on the cake.
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The rest of the vehicle is, so far, beyond my expectations. Interior space is very generous with limo-like rear seating, at least for a short guy like me; headroom is plentiful and so is hip and shoulder room. The front seats are more of the same with power adjustability and power adjustable tilt and telescoping steering.
As mentioned by a reader, the stereo system is phenomenal. The technology package that my tester is equipped with includes the Lexicon® 17-speaker discrete audio system, a system that – aside from the 2009 Hyundai Genesis – can only be found in the Rolls Royce Phantom.
From the soft-touch materials to the damped grab handles, everything in the Genesis feels of quality and solidity — no complaints from this reviewer.
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The weather is not being very cooperative in terms of testing out the Genesis’ dry-weather handling capabilities, but driving the Hyundai Genesis this week so far has been an absolute pleasure. Powered by a 3.8-litre aluminum V6 engine producing a fairly stout 290 horsepower and 264lb-ft of torque, the Genesis moves quickly and smoothly on the road.
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I am certain the transmission an Aisin six-speed electronic automatic model with shiftronic manual shift mode, helps with the buttery-smooth acceleration and driving experience.
As long time CarTalkCanada forum member so eloquently put it, “It’s vault-solid and whisper-quiet” and “Mitlov” was not exaggerating in his description, as I discovered when I turned the Lexicon stereo off for awhile to monitor road and wind noise on Highway 417 — I could have been driving 80 km/h or 130km/h; without visual clues you would be none the wiser.
But what about this rear-driver in the winter? Well the snow is accumulating around the city and the Genesis does not seem to be having any problems. The ESC system does allow some wheel slippage which means you can get some momentum before it reduces throttle.
Switch the system off and the traction control becomes very lenient but does still ensure that you don’t get yourself too far into trouble. Easy on the throttle and with good winter tires as my tester is equipped, and you may forget you are driving a rear-driver in the winter.
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And Hyundai should be proud! This isn’t just a wanna-be luxury vehicle. The Genesis plays hardball, delivering all the luxury and equipment and driving experience you could expect for a price that is difficult to fathom.
If I were in the market for a vehicle such as a fully loaded Honda Accord or perhaps a Nissan Altima or Maxima, I would just skip them, walk into the Hyundai dealership and plunk down the coin for a Genesis. If I were in the market for a 5 Series BMW or E-Class Mercedes-Benz and I wasn’t a brand loyalist, buying the Genesis means I could have my luxury and $20,000-plus in mutual funds making me enough money to buy another Genesis four or five years from now.
Over the course of the week I averaged a very respectable 11.5L/100km with lots of bumper-to-bumper idling in traffic jams around the city, so no complaints on that front either.
This vehicle is a win-win car and I have a feeling it may take Canadian Car of the Year in February at the Toronto auto show, just as it took North American Car of the year at the Detroit show in January.
*Rating out of 5:
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*Rating based on vehicle’s classification
2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan
MSRP as tested (excluding destination): $46,755
For more information on Hyundai and the Genesis Sedan visit Hyundai Canada
January 27, 2009, 08:35:47 am Nah, I'm not saying everyone SHOULD drive one, but you are saying it's impossible and it can't be done and it's a big headache and you'll spin out at every intersection and really that's just bologna.
January 27, 2009, 08:57:12 am I drove AWD cars for 15 years and then purchased RWD which I've had now for almost 5 years and driven every year of those 5 in the Winter. With dedicated snow tires, LSD and Traction Control, you would have to be a Dick-head to get stuck.
Railton
January 27, 2009, 09:44:58 am
Railton
Where I live, a RX-8 wouldn't be able to get out of my street most mornings after an average snowfall. The drivetrain is only a part of what I'm saying... I'd much rather have a RWD truck than a low FWD car during winter... But I'd MUCH rather be driving an AWD SUV!
January 27, 2009, 09:51:07 am I thought you lived in the same city as me.... you don't see RX8's I see them all the time. I curl with a guy that just bought one, we had that huge dump of snow, no plow came by and we were in carp out in the middle of nowhere, I thought, oh oh I may have to tow him, but he had no issues.
January 27, 2009, 10:02:45 am The snow is always deeper on the other side of the street.
January 27, 2009, 10:37:50 am
Wow...that's impressive. I drove a Miata for years until about 4 years ago when I started to have issues being unable to get out of the driveway. (we seem to have been getting more snow in the last 4 or 5 years eh?)
The issue seemed to be ground clearance. It didn't seem to take that much snow for the vehicle to be raised off the ground...and poof...there goes your contact patch...you're like a turtle on a rock.
January 27, 2009, 11:02:48 am Bah whatever. I know what I see. There's plenty of people with 'normal-height' cars like Civics and such that have trouble getting around in unplowed streets on the Quebec side. And when plows do come, they leave huge 'waves' of snow all over the place that lower cars just can't get thru without either getting stuck or doing damage to their bumpers or underbellies.
Anyways, to get back on topic (again), I really like the Genesis, and it's a real pity that it's not offered in AWD. Here's to hoping that Hyundai will realize this soon and offer the option shortly!
January 27, 2009, 10:02:17 pm
Without winter tires, obviously. Our Corolla has no problems whatsoever, even when seriously scraping the bottom along the snow. Wifey was in the Corolla and she passed an MDX that was struggling in a fresh snowfall on an unplowed street. I was behind her in the Scoob, and just for fun I passed on the previous windrow side.
My RWD Merc had no extra ground clearance, no LSD, no ASR and no ESP. Put great snowies on 'er and wasn't stuck once in 11 years and 300K. Drove it in all conditions, including the mountains.
January 27, 2009, 10:20:34 pm
RWD cars don't even touch the ground, ever... And if you drive anything but an AWD SUV then you're never going to get out of your drive in Winter. RWD is dangerous, FWD is dangerous, wheels are dangerous, in fact, I don't even like driving, what forum is this...? Where am I?
EFA
January 27, 2009, 10:23:03 pm
RWD cars don't even touch the ground, ever... And if you drive anything but an AWD SUV then you're never going to get out of your drive in Winter. RWD is dangerous, FWD is dangerous, wheels are dangerous, in fact, I don't even like driving, what forum is this...? Where am I?
EFA
January 27, 2009, 10:33:33 pm
Without winter tires, obviously. Our Corolla has no problems whatsoever, even when seriously scraping the bottom along the snow. Wifey was in the Corolla and she passed an MDX that was struggling in a fresh snowfall on an unplowed street. I was behind her in the Scoob, and just for fun I passed on the previous windrow side.
My RWD Merc had no extra ground clearance, no LSD, no ASR and no ESP. Put great snowies on 'er and wasn't stuck once in 11 years and 300K. Drove it in all conditions, including the mountains.
To Quad's point, the car I drove was a 1980 Celica, back when Toyota made RWD cars. My Dad was a smart car guy; winter tires were mandatory. The rest was up to me, and I learned very quickly, as Wing pointed out, that accelerating too energetically in slippery situations or in turns lead to the back end wanting to lead me in a different direction. A soft touch to feel the grip, then a slow increase on the throttle got me through just fine. I still do that with my FWD Jetta from a habit standpoint, but it works as well... Slip, feel the grip, move, shift up... and away we go. I still outrun everyone from a standing stop at a red light in snowy conditions, no matter where I go in wintry weather. And yes... I get a kick out of it.
January 27, 2009, 10:45:33 pm
How much I'd like to credit, it wasn't me. Anyway, further to these points.....
If you hard throttle a RWD car in a corner you create oversteer. But if you did this with a FWD car you will still create understeer and slide into the curb, other car, people, something. If you did it in an AWD car, you will still slide in the corner. So really, it doesn't matter what you drive if you don't know how to drive.
Driving in winter requires more care....period.
January 27, 2009, 10:52:50 pm
Anyways, to get back on topic (again), I really like the Genesis, and it's a real pity that it's not offered in AWD. Here's to hoping that Hyundai will realize this soon and offer the option shortly!
Given the first paragraph, doesn't sound like you'd want a Genesis sedan even if it HAD all wheel drive. Adding AWD isn't going to boost the ground clearance above that of a "normal-height car."
January 28, 2009, 07:37:43 am
Without winter tires, obviously.
Quebec now has a law that forces you to have winter tires, and from what I'd see on the roads, I'd say that 95% of the population did conform and bought winter tires...
And besides, tires can't help you when they barely touch the ground...
January 28, 2009, 07:43:32 am
Anyways, to get back on topic (again), I really like the Genesis, and it's a real pity that it's not offered in AWD. Here's to hoping that Hyundai will realize this soon and offer the option shortly!
Given the first paragraph, doesn't sound like you'd want a Genesis sedan even if it HAD all wheel drive. Adding AWD isn't going to boost the ground clearance above that of a "normal-height car."
That's true... but even on a low car, the AWD would prevent it from getting stuck most of the time. I'd still be far from ideal because of clearance.
The in-betweens are my favorite types of vehicles... Audi All-Road, Subaru Outback, Volvo XC70... that kind of vehicle. AWD, plenty of space, decent ground clearance, better seating position... I'll own one of these one day, but until then, the cheaper and smaller SUV will do!
January 28, 2009, 08:01:26 am 30cm coming tonight, all non-SUVs will be stuck!
January 28, 2009, 09:19:06 am
Railton
January 28, 2009, 09:58:22 am
That's great. But I don't think EVERY front- or rear-drive sedan that comes out should be criticized for not being a Volvo Cross-Country. Hyundai has the Tucson and the Santa Fe and the Veracruz for people with those tastes, and offers the Genesis for people with different preferences in cars.
January 28, 2009, 10:43:14 am
That's great. But I don't think EVERY front- or rear-drive sedan that comes out should be criticized for not being a Volvo Cross-Country. Hyundai has the Tucson and the Santa Fe and the Veracruz for people with those tastes, and offers the Genesis for people with different preferences in cars.
When almost ALL of a car's competitors offer AWD as an option, you better offer it as well. If they offered it with AWD, people that like AWD would be satisfied, and those that don't care for it, or prefer RWD for some reason, EVERYONE would be happy. That's my point.
January 28, 2009, 10:53:08 am
Off Topic Alert.
I won't I have Snow tires only on the van. First year ever. Pssst I really enjoying rear wheel drive its so much better than front, imo.
January 28, 2009, 11:03:34 am
LOL... I read your post before I left my house; I decided to drive the Mazda and leave the Outlander home. Made it just fine to work through the unplowed highways, but I still much rather drive the Outlander in snow.
January 29, 2009, 05:48:00 am Fine - and just how enjoyable was your trip home?
Yesterday I was at the downtown and coming home around 5.30 took a little more than an hour. Traffic was just plain slow and that was fine - people were not going fast enough to do anything stupid. Would not have mattered what vehicle capabilities you had - as long as you had snow tires or very good AS, you were ok.
January 29, 2009, 09:15:21 am The RX-8 And I got into and home from the office last night just fine. The most trouble was in the parking lot at the office. I had to wait for a G35 Sedan to get it's ass going. Of interest - No LSD...
Railton
February 28, 2009, 08:55:37 pm Wing,
Not sure if this has been asked yet. Did you experience any of the alleged short suspension travel that results in the car bottoming out easily over potholes that affect some of the other Hyundais?
I haven't driven a Hyundai lately, so I'm not sure if this issue with Hyundais is a fallacy or fact.
Thanks,
Rampage
February 28, 2009, 09:08:14 pm fallacy IMO.