2009 Hyundai Genesis V6: Open Thread

Can you do burnouts in this car? I know its heavy but the 270lb-ft seem to be enough.

I Think we'd all like to see a direct, physical and performance comparison to the cars the Genesis aspires to provide an alternative to. The comparison could also focus around price point, i.e., "How much 4-Door Sedan can $32k buy you?". Let's dispatch with all this bench racing that's been done by comparing specs on paper. I want some meat and potatoes! =)

How is the V6?

I saw another one on the weekend, this time in a dark color. I think it looks better in dark colors - looks a little less plain.

I think you should make this a LONG long-term test drive. I'd be really curious to see how this baby ages over time (like that leather dash, for example). That seems to be one of the truest tests of a luxury car, especially when compared to the Japanese brands.

A serious complaint some owners have had with the Genesis is the weird, nervous, bone-jarring ride over bumps, expansion joints, etc.

Some owners think the ride is perfect while others have said it was so bad that they took a several thousand dollar loss and traded the Genesis in for a different car. What's with the inconsistency in the ride quality?

A lot of potential buyers are standing on the sidelines because of the ride quality and are hoping that Hyundai makes some changes to the suspension for the 2010 model year.

Take the Genesis over some rough roads and see if you notice anything strange with the suspension.

Jeffal,
While you will feel bumps and major irregularities in the road surfaces, I have never thought they were bone-jarring or nervous. Its a large car that still handles very well so I don't mind a slight compromise.

We have had our V6 Premium for about 5 months now. I'm still amazed at how solid it feels and what a joy it is to drive. There are some days, (when my wife lets me drive it), that I pull into the garage and I don't want to get out of it. The seats and headrests seem perfect. I think I may regret not going with the top of the line stereo/nav, but the system that is in it now is still superb. It also still amazes me with how quiet it is. The only bone to pick is that I wish the door armrests were a little thicker. But other than that, nothing. We do not regret our purchase one bit at this point. I don't see any possible way for someone with my budget to purchase a brand new car of that caliber.
Also, our dealership experience has been excellent as well. They went out of their way to help us with our front license plate holder when I realized it was missing. And it wasn't just a crappy plastic one, it was a painted body-colored one that looks very nice.

I drove one about 6 months ago and really liked the car. I thought that for the price it couldn't be beat. I drove a 550 about a week before. Between the two cars it was clear that the BMW was better, faster and built with better materials. But it should have be, it cost nearly $30,000 more.

The Genesis had everything I would want shoved into a big sedan: super quiet ride, solid road handling, plenty of interior room, tech gadgets all over the place. What really surprised me was the quality of the materials in the car. From doors that close with a thunk, to really good leather seating and quality soft-touch materials on other surfaces. Its an impeccable machine.

I did find just a few short comings: I really don’t love the interior/dash layout. I think it looks too vast, I like the twin cockpit look myself. The rear seats don’t flip down, I wouldn’t use it everyday but it’s a nice feature to have when you need it. I would also like to see slightly better fuel economy, what would it be if the Genesis had direct injection? One last gripe. Why just give the driver’s seat the option to have air conditioning?

To wrap up over the past six months I have driven a dozen cars in all different price points, 5 Series, Lexus GS, Toyota Avalon, Maxima, Altimia, Camay Hybrid, Acura TL, Lincoln Zephyr and so on… But it was the Genesis that has left the best impression on me. All the cars did other things better and worse. But when the total package is considered the Genesis comes out on top. Now only if I could find a used one to buy.

I drove one and was somewhat impressed. the sales person is the biggest knock on the experience. granted I am fairly young, 24, but wanted to see it. I pulled up to the lot, looked around and asked if I can test drive it. The guy then asked me if that was my car, pointing at the M45, and I said yes. what difference would it make whether it is or not? then, they would only use the base Genesis for the test drive and talk about the other features yet they have a fully loaded V6 one there. odd. went to Infiniti and they pulled out the one with every option so they could show it all to me.

overall, it was a nice car. very spacious, materials are nice, but you can also see where they cut corners. open the trunk and you can see all of the components if you look down. there is hard plastic at the lower parts of the interior. engine has no cover (which is good to work on but what luxury car has that?). Don't know what everyone is saying about the car being quiet, the v6 model had a lot of engine noise from what i heard. was quite shocked actually.

The materials you see and touch on a day to day average are well upholstered though. for my taste, it's too soft of a car. i like more sport than luxury but for those that don't, i think it'll be perfect. would make a great road trip car.

the salepeople are hyundai's biggest challenge right now, they need to learn how to sell a car and not try to knock it down. i was appalled when i read that one of the people here went to the dealer and the person pointed at the grill and said "no one will even know you're driving a hyundai." that's just putting the brand down, they should be building it up instead saying things such as this car has this feature while others don't, etc. only good thing the guy did was tell me that someone traded in their fully loaded S class for a fully loaded Genesis.

I'm one of those people who took a rather large loss on a Genesis 3.8 due to the "weird, nervous, bone-jarring ride over bumps, expansion joints, etc." I traded for another car after less than two months and 1900 miles. My Genesis was a beautiful, quiet car and all that - but, the ride quality was shockingly poor and became intolerable on a daily basis. The inconsistency in consumer and professional reviewer comments on the ride quality of the Genesis is puzzling. Read this long term review in Edmunds and compare it with the Automobile Magazine four season test blog where they keep talking about the poor ride characteristics and you'd swear they were testing two completely different cars!

The V6 does have an engine cover. And yeah the trunk isn't totally finished, so what. Are you looking inside the trunk while you're driving?

Hearing a complaint about hard plastic is funny coming from someone with an M45. That interior has shoddy materials quality for what they're charging.

The Genesis is a car I've been waiting for, for a long time. I'm 30, parent of two, and have a great (if not stressful) job.

I test drove the V6 last fall and was floored. Since then I've sat on the sidelines and tried to take-in all of the diverse reviews on the car. If there is something to be realized, it is the following:

1. The car looks like everything else, but everything else doesn't look as good as it. Get over that, and admit it has road presence.

2. The car doesn't have BMW blood running through its steering rack. It also doesn't have a $15,000 dakota leather armrest package...

3. The car has been given a ton of attention because it is large, stylish, well-equipped, well-powered and well, everything else. In times like these it reminds people that a car is not built for a stopwatch. It is transportation, first and foremost. Keep your S900 and its bible of an owners manual.

With that all said, it is the 90% solution for the smart consumer. Will I get one just yet? I'm gonna see what the mid-cycle change looks like because Hyundai has listened to the rants and is doing their homework. And yes, that is the kind of car company I want to buy a car from. That's the X-factor in the Genesis. Hyundai did, and is, listening.

@JohnNW - What kind of loss did you take? I was wondering what a used Genesis might cost?

@wizard - I agree with the dealership problems. I drive an Acura right now. Dropping into an Acura dealer a few weeks ago, the way they took care of me and all the extras go a long way to making the experience top notch, something you expect when dropping close to $40,000 on a car. At Hyundai it will be real tough to get that kind of pampering when having work done on the car.

I've been very interested in the Genesis as my BMW's lease is over late October of this year.

However I've read a lot of negative comments on the ride quality over certain types of bumps.

I'm also very interested in how much this car costs to maintain and repair. This information seems to be largely missing from the internet at the moment. I know you guys won't have this car that long but what I'm interest to know is for example, my old GS400 cost me about 100 bucks every 5k miles, 350 bucks every 15k miles, and over 1000 bucks every 30k miles if I followed the recommended service intervals. Parts were always very high too. To replace the starter was a thousand dollar job. Water pump/timing belt? 1200 bucks. Window motor goes out? 500 bucks. You have these problems and maintenance on a typical Toyota and you'll be looking at well less than half the cost, usually.

So I want to know if the Genesis is going to cost Lexus money or Hyundai money to keep running, and I'm talking about into higher mileage ranges. After all, if this car is the successor to the 1990 LS400 then it should be able to drive a quarter million miles without a hiccup, right?

I don't know enough to tell you guys how to test the ride quality issue. Obviously you haven't noticed any problems with it without looking for it, so maybe you guys can go over to the genesis forums on the web and see under what conditions people are experiencing these ride quality issues and see if you can duplicate them, tell us how bad you think they are (or aren't) and look into what Hyundai has to say about them, like if they'll be making any adjustments.

I'm also very interested in the level of service you guys receive on your Genesis and if it's more like that of Toyota or Lexus. Do you get loaner cars for repairs? Do they try to make the Genesis experience unique or is it just like owning a Sonata?

The ride comments make me wonder if some dealers have been leaving the shipping blocks in the springs after delivery... it doesn't jive at all with any of the reviews of the car.

threxx,

There isn't a 'lot of negative comments' going around the forums. If you look, you'd find that a lot of negative comments come from the same 2-3 people across all forums, without fail!

I have to agree with the dealership issue. I went to Infinity (looking for the g37) and they were excellent. But when I went to the Hyundai dealership (look for the Genesis coupe) they were not as nice. The salespeople really need to learn to appreciate their brand name! The salesperson even told me that I could change out the Hyundai badges and no one would know that I was driving a Hyundai. And they do not seem to know much about the car, I could have probably taught him a few things. I would have probably bought the car if the salesperson was not such and idiot.

Lets hear more about the infotainment interface.

Do you guys wish you had gotten one with the new Winged Genesis badging? Could you request the badges from Hyundai?

@cx7lover

i'm talking about the 06 M45, not the earlier one. only two places with hard plastic. around the cup holder and the controls. everything else is soft touch material. looks better to me anyways than half, if not more, the lux cars out there.

as for the other parts, i don't care but i'm just saying. comparing it to my Altima, it looks great. Compare it to a luxury (BMW, Infiniti, Lexus, etc) and you can see the difference. like i said, the places you see on a daily basis have the materials that matter but it's those that you don't see is where they cut on costs.

M45 engine bay - http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/t/E/1/ag_08m45_engine.jpg
LS460 engine bay - http://image.automobilemag.com/f/6709788/0610_z+2007_lexus_LS460+engine.jpg
Genesis Engine bay V8 then V6 - http://image.motortrend.com/f/10849984/112_0901_03z+2009_hyundai_genesis+engine.jpg http://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/F/M/1/ag_09genesis_v6engine.jpg

@JohnNW
Did you notice at the end of the blog where they said they'd had on snow tires the entire time? That might account for some of the difference.

wizard - All I see is plastic. Are there engines under there somewhere??

for us, it's a pain. i'd rather take them off but i don't know of anyone that has a luxury car that touches it. some of the components in the M45 have their own separate compartments. when you give the Genesis to someone how likes to do things hands on then they'll be fine. give it to someone who wants a true luxury car and it's a different mindset.

Sure did - that was Hyundai's "explanation." Yet, they told me to put 17" and/or snow tires on to improve the ride since they are more flexible than all season - so it's just blabber. Having snow tires on any car should not make the ride so poor/different as Auto Mag and others describe. Several owners have noted a slight improvement WITH snows, or 160 pounds of sand in the trunk or a full tank of gas, etc. Others no effect for the better It's all kinda odd. Foam blocks left in the springs was not the problem (according to Hyundai inspection) and neither was tire pressure adjustments. I'm not saying it's a universal problem or concern, but some owners have been very unhappy - several enough to trade or sell. I see that mine (3.8 w/premium plus package) is now for sale for $29,900 at the dealer - though I personally would not recommend buying it (or the two others I drove once I tried to find a replacement for mine).

I want to know if the interior is higher/same quality as a 2010 Lexus RX350 ($48,000).
These would be my top 2 contenders for my next car.

Does the V6 Genesis steal sales/represent a better bargain than the Azera? Could you compare the two and see if there would be any reason to buy one over the other?

I'd like to hear more about his car's interior. Specifically, that tap test the Altima, Camry, and Accord all had to go through. Also, seat comfort all around would be nice to know too!

How similar are the vital suspension bits between the sedan and coupe? Any chance track pack shocks and bars or other coupe aftermarket pieces will fit onto the sedan?

altimadude00, the Azera is very steeply discounted; it's not close to the Genesis's price.

I am now passing 48,000 mi on my 07 Azera Ltd. The only "service problem" I have had was an undercar splash shield that came loose at about 30,000 mi.and was replaced under warranty, with no problem. Otherwise, there have been no suspension, mechanical, electrical, or any other problems. The interior (black leather) still looks great. Not even a bulb has gone out.

I have driven a Genesis V6 and would agree that the ride is more controlled/stiffer than the Azera. The Azera compares against an Avalon. The Genesis is in a different league -- more the Lexux GS category.

I have owned BMW's and Audi's, and the reliability of the Hyundai's has been every bit their equal, and actually better.

I definitely will be considering a Genesis for my next sedan purchase and frankly would be happy to show that styled H to one and all. BTW, last I heeard Hyundai sales were actually up about 14% lastI heard versus the 30-40% drops for other can manufacturers.

I am curious, when you guys drive the Genesis and park it in a lot, do you ever use the power folding mirrors. I think that is a great feature. I would also like to hear about the headlights and how beneficial the adaptive turning beams are at night.

Having driven both the V6 and V8 Genesis there is no question the V6 is the better buy. Performance is very good and the car is very quiet and very refined. I can't agree with Hyundai that the technology package should be a $4000 upgrade. Navigation deserves to be separate. As to the sales experience Hyundai needs a more sophisticated training program to get their sales staff to walk the talk of the true luxury customer. That has to be a top priority now that their product line is so much improved. I am sure that they are working on it.

I drove a loaded v6 much like the long term one here and it was a very good test, the only possible flaw i could see in it was resale. Hyundai products tend to tank on the used car market,so if your like me and tend to want a new car every few years maybe it wouldnt be the bargain it seems to be. The normal answer to this is of course leasing, but again because of low resale values leasing a hyundai is an iffy idea.

@JohnNW
Well then two other things come to mind:
-Hyundai made a running change due to complaints.
-Edmunds staff have been stuck in CA traffic at low speeds when the car's lightly loaded and have had a full load of passengers when driving at higher speeds on rougher roads. That typically settles most cars down a bit.

Not every vehicle exhibits the same charactestics. Plus, it is somewhat dependent on the roads one encounters most frequently. And I suspect, given that Hyundai has admitedly had complaints "from some quarters" they probably made damn sure Edmunds received a throughly vetted/tuned example this time around. But, who knows - that's the problem.

Can you guys(editors) post some info. about the Genesis auto-leveling headlights?

I would like to know how efficiently it works during night driving.

Thanks

I can half agree with you on the Navigation point. However, separating products or having more options cost money, too. Enumerating cost money. If they sliced and diced all these accessories like other luxury carmakers, a fully optioned Genesis would cost more, not less. Process of separating and installing cost money. Also, slicing these options have another implication. Would Hyundai want to present a car that’s not to their desires? I assume that Hyundai wants to make sure that when the consumers step inside of the Genesis, the car comes with all sorts of Gadgets. They want to impress upon its customers that Hyundai can deliver these expensive gadgets just as well as other expensive carmakers, thus they emphasize Lexicon audio system. This is like saying, “I wish Lexus ES350 had a cloth option.” I don’t want to find out whether it does or does not. However, imagine having a luxury car with a cloth seating. You have a point, but I think in respect to what Hyundai is trying to accomplish, I think Navigation being a single jumbo package is right way to go. I think Acura was one that started this type of bundling in a car. Customers respond well to this simplicity. I mean, that is why they have number 1 through number x in a fast food joints.

You said the exact same thing on other area. Just because you keep saying "Yes, We Can," it doesn't mean you can.

Acura may have “better” dealership experience. Ask yourself, that costs money, too. Some people are willing to pay for that with their car price. Can dealership have better sales people selling the car with fluffy complements? At the end, does it really matter? This depends on whether you care how much of your time it takes to acquire the automobile or not. For example, if you make $50 per hour, $50,000 Acura RL will cost you 1,000 hours. Whereas, $40,000 Genesis will cost you 800 hours. For few hours on possible inconvenience, you are willing to work 200 hours more just because some emotional needs? If that is what you value, that is something you do value. In the life time of the car of 100,000 miles, if you change your oil every 3,000 miles, you would visit dealership about 33 times. They aren’t picking you up, are they? You still have to go through the process of giving them the car and wait some x minutes/hours. You get a loaner car? Hyundai gives a loaner car for $10. If it is warranty related, there is no charge for the loaner car. So, that’s $330 for 33 visits or that 6.3 hours of my life. That is far less than 200 hours for sure. People are focusing on some of these (superficial) stuff. For some people, this is important. People should be asking, important in respect to 200 hours of my life?

Anxiously awaiting comments from your staff on the ride and suspension as this is the most controversial issue about the car. Many magazines and websites, as well as owners and test drivers, have had concerns re: ride and suspension.
I drove 3 myself on short trips (dealer mandate) and the ride was not the luxury level that I had hoped for.
My experiences with an 07 Azera and its wallowing/bouncing with three sets of shocks by 10,000 miles causes me to be very cautious re: Hyundai. Car was fantastic for first 1,000 miles after each set of new shocks and then lost it.
Genesis is a great concept and if the suspension is improved, it could be a great car.
BTW, Hyundai stated that they will revise the suspension in March 2009 on current models and maybe a newer one for 2010. Can Edmunds verify this?

wobbly_ears
It is far, far more than "same 2-3 people." It is many, many people just on Edmunds alone. When you add in all the other forums, magazines, websites, etc., it becomes a significant number of people.
Regardless, suspension is an issue and I hope Hyundai will improve the ride so I can buy one with confidence I do not have in my Azera.

I would like Edmunds to do a comparison test between the Genesis 4.6 and Pontiac G8 GXP.

My 07 Azera is on its third set of front struts under warranty and at only 15,000 miles. It still bounces much more than it should due to deficient spring and damping rates. On smooth roades, it is fantastic, but hit one with minor irregularities and hold on.
I drove three different Genesis' at two different dealerships. The ride was less than I expected from this level of car. I can understand when Consumer Reports and others call it a nervous ride. What will it be like at 10 or 20 thousand miles?
Without my Azera experiences and the numerous professional and owner comments on suspension, I would probably be in one now.