CTC Review: 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan

[CD_Editor]

Day 1:

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Right after I picked up my tester for the week, I got home jumped on my computer and began to type.  I was going to write about my first impressions of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan, my chariot for the next week of driving on the snow-covered and traffic-congested streets of Ottawa -- but I had to hold back and take a deep breath first.  More ...

[JT816]

A few things I want to point out:
1.) I have not driven this car nor do I expect myself to
2.) Notice that nowhere on the car does it say "Hyundai"; only their "H" symbol

Onto my impressions:
1.) It's a Hyundai
2.) It's a Hyundai
3.) It's a Hyundai
I don't know how "well" Hyundai is doing but if you tell people you drive a "Hyundai", you'll still see a smirk and hear a little giggle. That's still the overwhelmingly majority of opinion at this point in time, still the butt end of car jokes, still the "perceived" inferior product and even worst than bankrupt car companies. They will need at least 2 decades of selling really great, good quality and reliable cars before they can shake their bad stigma. Fact of the matter is, quality is improved but improved quality from near last place is still sub-par quality. I'm not a firm believer whatsoever of all the "Initial quality awards" because that means nothing. I know a couple of mechanics and they love them (because Hyundais are good business for them). One of them actually just got a 2005 Hyundai Sonata in his shop (79,000 km) and he pointed out a few glaring quality issues he noticed:
1.) The seams of the parts which make up the front dashboard is not lined up nicely anymore. Some gaps between 2 parts are larger than others (at one part, he can fit his pinky in the gap between the 2 parts).
2.) the exterior door frames (between the front and rear passenger windows) looks like it was slightly melted and is very lumpy.
3.) Leather seating severely streched.
4.) Steering wheel (don't know if it is 100% leather) at the "10 and 2" positions wearing thin (and actually slightly ripped at the stiching on the back of the steering wheel).

[carcarcar]

I'd rather be sitting in a loaded c230 for that price.

[Alex_S]

@ JT816
I have registered so I can reply to your comment.  You are certainly due to your opinions but your reasoning is flawed.  Why?  Because it is based on a sample of 1.  So are you saying you should buy a Toyota because of their reputation for reliability?  Do a quick google search on recalls and you will see that they are not nearly what they once were - arguably WORSE than Hyundai currently.  I have owned 2 Toyotas: My first car was a Tercel ~19 years ago and I had problems with brakes.  I thought I was simply unlucky so it was traded for a Corolla soon after and had transmission leaks (in the Toyota Service Centre three times!).  No more Toyotas for me.  

My father had to go up the chain to Nissan's head office to get his 2000 Maxima brake rotors replaced, even while in the warranty period.  I am also staying away from Nissan personally. So, a perception exists that Japanese vehicles may be more reliable but this is not always the case. For the record, I drive a BMW 330CI, am aware of the tendency for some German makes to experience electrical problems, but I have had no issues thus far.  A joy to drive.

Japanese cars had a terrible reputation when they first entered North America but things have certainly changed.  Hyundai was late to the game but they have made incredible strides recently.  I'm quite loyal to BMW and would personally pay the extra for a 5-series over a Genesis but who knows, down the road, if I test drive one and really like it, there is always a chance I might spring for one.

It strongly doubt there will be any mismatched 'pinky-sized' gaps when purchasing a Genesis brand new.  Anything that happens after is irrelevant because some people simple abuse their vehicles.  The wearing out of the steering wheel and leather stretching is a useless comment FYI.. Finally, the Hyundai nameplate is not at the same level of their Japanese counterparts and nowhere near the Germans, but people will not point, 'smirk and giggle' if someone passes them in this car or a Genesis Coupe.  Your impressions of this car are based on what your perceptions of the nameplate and went to great lengths to describe 1 vehicle at a mechanic shop.  Not an educated argument..

[conix67]

@JT816
Not sure how long you've been driving but to me those cosmetic glitches on a car with 79000Km isn't too big a deal as a car owner. I'd be more concerned with problems on critical functional components such as engine, transmission, brakes, exhaust systems, electrical systems than wear and tear of leather seat, streeing wheel, gaps in interior, etc. So the point there sounds like Hyundai does produce reliable cars based on one sample.

I don't believe Hyundai needs another 2 decades of producing quality products. They have already been producing quality products in my opinion, and as long as they keep it up at this rate, they should be fine.

I currently drive a Lexus IS350. It doesn't say Lexus anywhere it's clearly visible either. It certainly has been a reliable car so far but it's not perfect (or as perfect as I have expected it to be).

That said, I'd still consider a Hyundai for its value, but I'd not be so worried about their product quality today. Genesis to me is a good package, but interior is underwhelming, although not much worse than BMWs.

[articsteve]

I see the Hyunda Canada marketing team is on the late shift.  Good work fellows. 

Alex_S

@ JT816
I have registered so I can reply to your comment.  You are certainly due to your opinions but your example is extremely ignorant.  Why?  Because it is based on a sample of 1.  So are you saying you should buy a Toyota because of their reputation for reliability?  Do a quick google search on recalls and you will see that they are not nearly what they once were - arguably WORSE than Hyundai currently.  I have owned 2 Toyotas: My first car was a Tercel ~19 years ago and I had problems with brakes.  I thought I was simply unlucky so it was traded for a Corolla soon after and had transmission leaks (in the Toyota Service Centre three times!).  No more Toyotas for me. 

My father had to go up the chain to Nissan's head office to get his 2000 Maxima brake rotors replaced, even while in the warranty period.  I am also staying away from Nissan personally. So, a perception exists that Japanese vehicles may be more reliable but this is not always the case. For the record, I drive a BMW 330CI, am aware of the tendency for some German makes to experience electrical problems, but I have had no issues thus far.  A joy to drive.

Japanese cars had a terrible reputation when they first entered North America but things have certainly changed.  Hyundai was late to the game but they have made incredible strides recently.  I'm quite loyal to BMW and would personally pay the extra for a 5-series over a Genesis but who knows, down the road, if I test drive one and really like it, there is always a chance I might spring for one.

It strongly doubt there will be any mismatched 'pinky-sized' gaps when purchasing a Genesis brand new.  Anything that happens after is irrelevant because some people simple abuse their vehicles.  The wearing out of the steering wheel and leather stretching is a useless comment FYI.. Finally, the Hyundai nameplate is not at the same level of their Japanese counterparts and nowhere near the Germans, but people will not point, 'smirk and giggle' if someone passes them in this car or a Genesis Coupe.  Your impressions of this car are based on what your perceptions of the nameplate and went to great lengths to describe 1 vehicle at a mechanic shop.  Not an educated argument..


conix67

@JT816
Not sure how long you've been driving but to me those cosmetic glitches on a car with 79000Km isn't too big a deal as a car owner. I'd be more concerned with problems on critical functional components such as engine, transmission, brakes, exhaust systems, electrical systems than wear and tear of leather seat, streeing wheel, gaps in interior, etc. So the point there sounds like Hyundai does produce reliable cars based on one sample.

I don't believe Hyundai needs another 2 decades of producing quality products. They have already been producing quality products in my opinion, and as long as they keep it up at this rate, they should be fine.

I currently drive a Lexus IS350. It doesn't say Lexus anywhere it's clearly visible either. It certainly has been a reliable car so far but it's not perfect (or as perfect as I have expected it to be).

That said, I'd still consider a Hyundai for its value, but I'd not be so worried about their product quality today. Genesis to me is a good package, but interior is underwhelming, although not much worse than BMWs.

 

[rrocket]

This vehicle (particularly with a V8) is a tremendous value.  Approx. $20,000 cheaper (IIRC) than the cheapest Mercedes with a V8.  And more reliable.  Is a little star emblem on the hood worth $20,000 to you??  It's not to me.  Hyundai has made MASSIVE gains in quality beyond any other manufacturer.  In the 80's, they had the worst vehicle on the market.  Period.  Now their quality is among the best.

I'd have no problems driving this car....I have owned nothing but Lexus and Toyotas for the last decade.

[Honda Owner]

The Genesis has one of the nicest dashboards I have ever seen. Impressive.

[rrocket]

Good catch Steve...I was wondering the exact same thing.  I thought it a bit odd that 2 new posters jumped to the defense of the Hyundai almost immediately...like they were keeping an eye or waiting for this thread to be posted........

Very odd.  I'd be interested to see what Wing has to say about this....just very odd...

[Demosthenes X]

I see the Hyunda Canada marketing team is on the late shift.  Good work fellows. 

Wow...  nice insight.  Oh, wait, all you did was quote what someone else has said, and offer no opinion of your own other than accusations of bias.  Good contribution. 

I'm not particularly interested in big sedans, and I haven't seen the Genesis in person, so it's difficult for me to form an opinion.  But this effort certainly seems strong, so I'll follow this review with interest.  FWIW, the Gensis certainly seems to offer incredible value, and if you want the luxury and size of a large Mercedes or BMW, but don't care about the badge, it seems like the obvious choice.  I doubt it will be a better sport sedan than the Beemer, or more luxurious than the Benz, but as a value-for-dollar proposition, I wouldn't be surprised to see it win over either. 

[Thinking Out Loud]

I was on the Hyundai website and noticed the Azera top end and the entry Genesis MSRP pricing are within a grand or so.  Normally I'd rather a loaded 'lesser' vehicle, but from what it sound like, the Genesis is years ahead of the Azera. 

But then again, the loaded Sonata is MSRP $32,000  .  I rememeber when they were $28,000 not too many years ago.

Azera - dead car walking......

[tortoise]

This looks to be a wonderful car.  Only time will tell whether the marketplace is ready for an upscale Hyundai.  I see this as one car that will do well in an economic downturn.  People will be buying on a more cost concious basis which is undoubtably this cars strong suit.

One thing about Hyundais that have always bothered me are the cheap interior details.  We looked at an Elantra GT and it drove nice, was quiet but the fabric on the seats was horrible.  I've rented a Sonata and an Elantra (newest gen) and they are nice cars but there's always some little detail that reminds you the car is cheap.

In the Genesis is the cheap looking LCD clock smack dab in the middle of the dash.  It looks like it was lifted directly from an Accent. The colour and design don't match anything around it. Small potatoes sure,  but buyers of the luxury class sweat the small stuff.  Otherwise they'd be driving "common" accords.

[tpl]

Looks like any other digital clock to me.  I hope it can be changed to do 24 hr clock as well as 12 hr.  Not being able to do 24hr is cheap to me.
(I'd like to see car clocks, in cars with GPS/built in phones/On star   doing automatic standard/daylight savings time and even auto change time when you cross a time zone.)

[tortoise]

Sure.  Like any old clock you find in a cheaper car. 

[carcrazy]

I agree that there are some small details on the interior that reminds you it's a Hyundai. You recognize bits and pieces of the same grade as in any lesser Hyundai model (e.g. power windows controls). The steering wheel is lifted out of the same part bin as the mainstream models. The dash is soft-touch but its texture has nothing special – same boring texture as in any other Hyundai.
But the big downer is the plastic "wood" which fills the cabin and makes it feel cheap (take a look at Wing's interior pictures – all the brown stuff is plastic and a lot of it for that matter). All the silver accents are painted plastic not brushed aluminum. The headliner is also good for the mainstream, but it feels cheap for a "luxury" car.
Luxury is all about small details and not necessarily the amount of features.

Otherwise, a very well built Hyundai and a high quality mainstream car.


EDIT: To put it in perspective, in my opinion Acura, Volvo and even some VWs (Passat, Passat CC), which are premium or near luxury vehicles, feel more luxurious to me than the Genesis.
Genesis could be more of a Buick, Lincoln type as far as the luxury feel goes.

[sailor723]

I'd have to agree that this seems more of a mainstream near luxury car rather than  Lexus/Infinti/Benz competition.

[JT816]

@ JT816
I have registered so I can reply to your comment.  You are certainly due to your opinions but your example is extremely ignorant.  Why?  Because it is based on a sample of 1.  So are you saying you should buy a Toyota because of their reputation for reliability?  Do a quick google search on recalls and you will see that they are not nearly what they once were - arguably WORSE than Hyundai currently.  I have owned 2 Toyotas: My first car was a Tercel ~19 years ago and I had problems with brakes.  I thought I was simply unlucky so it was traded for a Corolla soon after and had transmission leaks (in the Toyota Service Centre three times!).  No more Toyotas for me.  

My father had to go up the chain to Nissan's head office to get his 2000 Maxima brake rotors replaced, even while in the warranty period.  I am also staying away from Nissan personally. So, a perception exists that Japanese vehicles may be more reliable but this is not always the case. For the record, I drive a BMW 330CI, am aware of the tendency for some German makes to experience electrical problems, but I have had no issues thus far.  A joy to drive.

Japanese cars had a terrible reputation when they first entered North America but things have certainly changed.  Hyundai was late to the game but they have made incredible strides recently.  I'm quite loyal to BMW and would personally pay the extra for a 5-series over a Genesis but who knows, down the road, if I test drive one and really like it, there is always a chance I might spring for one.

It strongly doubt there will be any mismatched 'pinky-sized' gaps when purchasing a Genesis brand new.  Anything that happens after is irrelevant because some people simple abuse their vehicles.  The wearing out of the steering wheel and leather stretching is a useless comment FYI.. Finally, the Hyundai nameplate is not at the same level of their Japanese counterparts and nowhere near the Germans, but people will not point, 'smirk and giggle' if someone passes them in this car or a Genesis Coupe.  Your impressions of this car are based on what your perceptions of the nameplate and went to great lengths to describe 1 vehicle at a mechanic shop.  Not an educated argument..

I wasn't trying to make an argument at all. I was simply point out what I know in terms of popular opinion and provided one  recent example. I can easily ask the mechanics I know and provide dozens of experiences they have had with Hyundais. I can bet if you randomly sampled people on the street, most will share my opinion. Japanese cars had a bad reputation because they were seen as "foreigners" to the US market. They never sold a car as bad as a Hyundai Pony. How many Azera's do you see on the road despite their huge marketing campaign when it first came out?
Personally, I don't think Hyundai can be serious competition to the cars and makers they are trying to target with this car. At this price range, people can already afford the near luxury brands and sedans (Infiniti G35, BMW 3 series, Acura TL, Mercedes, Lexus, etc.) so why would they "settle" for "great value" from a clearly inferior brand overall? Most people in this price range will care about the brand and the stigma the brand brings. Hyundai works for people looking for value when they can't afford the alternative mainstream vehicle. But when you get into the near luxury market, it's a whole different story.

[safristi]

sans argument sans dog in the FIGHT.........................sat in an Accent and was impressed with the interior and seats in particular NOT with the drive tho' and the $$$'s after all the T's are crossed and i's dotted.......they had a Genesis in the showroom ....mighty BIG outside and lovely inside...the wheels looked like they were made from Metal foil tho'   i'm sure they are Mags or whatever but they had a cheap tinny look.....other than that....that's my 5 minute PUT my arse inna cabin  poke a few things and walk around IMPRESSION  for wotittswurff.......asking $45K for the 6 cylinder......so plus $50 K out the door.......................hmmmmm.................

[wing]

Good catch Steve...I was wondering the exact same thing.  I thought it a bit odd that 2 new posters jumped to the defense of the Hyundai almost immediately...like they were keeping an eye or waiting for this thread to be posted........

Very odd.  I'd be interested to see what Wing has to say about this....just very odd...

I see no pattern from IPs -- from what I know the Hyundai Team is in Vancouver right now doing a product launch.

[crwpitman]

A 2005 Hyundai Sonata is not a good judge of quality.  It was an old platform at the end of it's life awaiting replacement.  The car wasn't a pillar of quality when it debuted in 1999 - it was ok, but lacking in a bunch of areas comparatively, especially in the interior (my parents have one, so I'm familiar with it).  The 2006 Sonata was light years ahead in all areas.

I have 2004 Hyundai Elantra, and although I had some hatch related problems after I took ownership, they were fixed under warranty and I haven't had any problems since.  And the interior (before Hyundai really stepped it up a notch), isn't bad considering what I paid.  My leather steering wheel is still going strong as well, after 85,000kms.  Maybe buddy was just hard on his car?

I think people are defensive because a lot of people still have ignorant opinions about Hyundai.  And we deal with it a lot.  But I've had about as many pleasantly surprised comments about my Hyundais (my previous and current one) as I have had ignorant bashing.

No one has produced a car as bad as the Pony?  That's a pretty strong statement. The Toyopet Crown wasn't exactly a shining beacon in America either, and it sold for a premium compared with other cars it's size.