2009 HYUNDAI GENESIS
The Genesis is an all-new vehicle and Hyundai’s most expensive offering in North America. When designing the Genesis, Hyundai had its eyes riveted on the Mercedes E-Class and the BMW 3 Series for several standards while tuned into the fact that it’s mainly Chrysler 300, Lexus ES350, etc., buyers who’ll be considering the Genesis. This Hyundai is an imposing rear-drive vehicle, similar in size to the Chrysler 300, and it is offered in V6 and V8 models.
Interior and trunk
The easy-to-access front seats are very comfortable thanks among other things to their high backrests. However, for some people the head restraints are too close. The driver gets a very good driving position and adjustable lumbar support. As the doors open wide, it’s a long reach to the handles to close them.
Access to the rear is more complicated because space is limited between the cushion and the B-pillar. And as no normally constituted person can fit properly into the middle, the seat is only really comfortable for two. Legroom is good but headroom is tight for tall people. If the front seats are adjusted low, foot room underneath for the rear passengers is very limited. There is no folding seatback, just a very small ski pass-through.
The trunk is very spacious. The lid opening is relatively large and the recessed hinges won’t damage anything in the trunk.
Convenience and safety
The cabin is well finished in high-quality materials. Road noise is too prevalent, at least with winter tires, and you can hear the engine in the V6 model, especially when accelerating. There are several storage spaces, including a rather wobbly centre console.
Gauges and controls are well laid out and everything is illuminated at night. The heating system is slow and the blower isn’t incremental in automatic mode. The seat heaters are slow and only the driver’s seat is cooled as well as heated, which is rather mingy on the builder’s part. Turn signal indicators are placed in the outside mirrors. The left one could be distractive to the driver by simulating the headlights of an approaching vehicle, especially at night.
Photo: Hyundai There are three things wrong with the windshield wipers. First, when you raise the wiper arm it hits the edge of the hood and you can’t lift it high enough to remove snow. Second, the rain sensor functions inconsistently and you can neither cancel it nor access a manual intermittent cycle. Sometimes it activates the wipers when there’s no rain or snow on the windshield while at other times, it does the exact opposite. Third, the washer nozzles are under the edge of the hood where they can easily be blocked by snow and ice.
Safety equipment includes two front, four side and two curtain airbags; active front head restraints; four-wheel ABS disc brakes; stability control; and three rear head restraints (that do not adjust high enough for tall people). Visibility is very good in all directions except on a three-quarter-rear angle. The headlights are underpowered, especially in the low-beam position on models equipped with Xenon low beams. On a vehicle like this one, with luxury-car pretentions, headlight washers would be appreciated.
In U.S. government tests, the Genesis obtained five stars out of five for front-occupant protection in a frontal impact and for all occupants in a side impact. It earned five stars for rollover resistance. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Genesis a Good rating, its highest, for driver protection in a frontal offset impact and for all-occupant protection in the side- and rear-impact tests. However, for driver protection in a frontal offset crash, cars made before December 2008 got the second-highest, “Acceptable” rating.
Engine and transmission
The 3.8-litre V6 outputs 290 hp and 264 lb-ft, providing lively acceleration. Engine performance is naturally not as impressive as with the V8 but it is very satisfactory just the same. This V6 is noisy in acceleration. With the V8’s 375 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque, (on premium gasoline) it goes without saying that acceleration and pickup are instantaneous and very energetic, at all times. The V8 makes 368 hp and 324 lb-ft of torque on regular gasoline.
The six-speed automatic transmission generally shifts very smoothly. However, the transmission mated to the V8, which is different from the V6’s, sometimes downshifts brusquely, especially at a stop. The transmission lets you drive off in second gear.
On the road
The V6-model suspension is better tuned than the V8’s. It provides a smooth ride and on rough spots reacts firmly whereas often, on many types of bumps, the V8’s suspension reaction is almost harsh. Both models hold the road very well, but you can feel that the V6 is better balanced and more agile. This ability to negotiate twisting roads is a pleasant surprise in such an imposing vehicle. Both models drive with a solid feel.
The power steering is stable, precise and relatively quick, but it provides no road sensation. Steering in the V6 is a bit heavy at low speed; it is well weighted in the V8. The brakes are effective in normal driving, but in emergency braking the pedal
is spongy and stopping distances are long. There is a bit of brake fade after several highway-speed stops.
Inspection
In our inspection at a CAA-Quebec technical inspection centre, we saw that the vehicle is built on a sturdy platform. The suspension is solid but because the ball joint is integrated into the front A-arm, a repair will be relatively expensive. Debris can get through a large opening under the front bumper and damage the air-conditioner condenser. The fuel tank is made of metal; we’d expect it to be plastic. The washer fluid tank is placed on the left and to the front of the engine compartment, which isn’t ideal for roadside fill-ups.
Conclusion
The results of Hyundai’s initial foray into unknown territory are both very interesting and very promising, particularly the V6 model, which is the better balanced of the two. A few elements need some fine tuning, especially in the V8 model, to obtain more balance, more road sensation and to move the vehicle up the pecking order. The availability of a four-wheel-drive model, of course, would make it even more attractive.
PROS: front-seat comfort, roominess, powerful engines, road comportment (V6), fit and finish, large trunk
CONS: road noise, long emergency braking, suspension sometimes harsh (V8), weak headlights, perfectible transmission (V8), opening under front bumper
2009 HYUNDAI GENESIS
Engine: 24-valve, 3.8-litre V6; 32-valve, 4.6-litre, V8 Horsepower: 290 hp at 6,200 rpm; 375/368 hp (premium/regular gas) at 6,500 rpm Torque: 264 lb-ft at 4,500 rpm; 333/324 lb-ft (premium/regular gas) at 3,500 rpm Transmission: 6-speed automatic Suspension: fully independent Brakes: disc/disc Wheelbase: 293.5 cm Length: 497.5 cm Width: 189 cm Height: 148 cm Weight: 1,700 to 1,869 kg Tires: P225/55R17; P235/50R18 Maximum towing capacity: not available Airbags: dual front, plus four side and two curtain airbags
Fuel consumption with V6: Natural Resources Canada rating: City: 11.4 L/100 km (25 mpg) Highway: 7.2 L/100 km (39 mpg) Test result: 11.5 L/100 km (25 mpg) Test temperature: - 23°C to - 8°C
CO2 emissions: 4,560 kg/20,000 km
Fuel tank capacity: 73 litres
Fuel requirement: regular grade gasoline (V8: regular or premium grade gasoline)
Acceleration: 0–100 km/h: 6.9 seconds 60–100 km/h: 4 seconds
Competition: Acura TL, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series 3, Buick Lucerne, Cadillac CTS, Chrysler 300, Infiniti G37, Lexus ES 350, Mercedes C-Class, Pontiac G8, Saab 9-3, Toyota Avalon, Volvo S60
Warranty: Full basic coverage: 5 years/100,000 km Powertrain: 5 years/100,000 km Surface corrosion: 3 years/60,000 km Perforation damage: 5 years/unlimited km Emissions control system: 5 years/100,000 km (full coverage); 8 years/130,000 km (catalytic converter, electronic control module, onboard diagnostic system).
Factory replacement parts: Rear bumper: $923 Front brake disc: $168 Brake pads: $109 Muffler: $506 Front fender: $337
Price according to trim level: V6: $37,995 V8: $43,995
Main options: Premium Package: $2,000 (V6) Technology Package: $7,000 (Premium Package included) (V6) Technology Package: $5,000 (V8)
Price as tested: V6: $39,995; V8: $43,995
Freight and preparation: $1,760
Dealers: Quebec: 56 Canada: 144
© January 2009. All rights reserved, CAA-Quebec