Executive sport sedan takes on new challenger
The BMW 5 Series has been considered the standard for executive sport sedans for decades. But when something is held in such high regard, it tends to hold a higher price tag.
That can leave buyers who want a high-end experience but don’t have a high-end budget feeling left out, but that’s where Genesis steps in. This luxury brand is new on the scene and is looking to take on the established players in the segment by offering high-end luxury without the highend price.
The products Genesis offers have fared well against premium automakers such as Cadillac and Volvo, but it’s about time to see if the Korean luxury brand can stand toe-to-toe with the industry’s gold-standard cars. The Genesis G80 Sport lines up almost directly to the BMW 540i, but is significantly cheaper. That’s already a point in favour of the Genesis, but it needs to provide the same drive and luxury experience as the BMW to win over buyers. The tried and true 5 series That BMW experience is refined through and through. The new-generation 5 Series is a bit less sport and much more executive, using an architecture that’s borrowed from the bigger, more luxurious 7 Series. The 5 Series also gets a lot of the luxury appointments and features that its bigger sibling is known for.
For example, our model features soft-close doors, quilted and stitched Nappa leather, four-zone automatic climate control, a fragrance dispenser, rear-window shades, a heated steering wheel, and massaging front seats that can be heated and ventilated. The cabin is outfitted with ceramic-coated controls, which makes everything feel substantial and expensive. There’s also plenty of space for passengers and their cargo.
Additionally, the tech features are borderline dizzying. The car has an available mobile hot spot, wireless charging and USB ports for charging. Apple iPhone users can also use CarPlay wirelessly — BMW is one of the first automakers to support wireless smartphone integration. What are all these gizmos? But there is also a worrying amount of gimmicky features in the BMW. For example, the infotainment system can be controlled a few too many ways. It finally features a touchscreen, which is helpful in stationary situations. But there’s also the rotary knob (like before) that has a touchpad for writing inputs, and a 3D gesture control system, which can be a bit finicky at times. The 3D gesture controls feel like a party trick to impress passengers and isn’t really that useful in the real world.
Then there’s the camera system, which is useful if a bit overengineered. A number of cameras are set up in an array to display a 3D representation of the car and the space around it. It’s useful except in most cases, I can see what’s around my car by simply looking out of the window. In this case, the car’s technology is more about wowing your friends and neighbours than being useful. BMW driving dynamics Once you start driving, though, there is no doubt that the 5 Series is an excellent luxury vehicle. Under the hood of this 540i is a 3.0-litre sixcylinder engine that is turbocharged to make 335 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated to a clever eight-speed automatic transmission and the xDrive all-wheeldrive system. It’s clever because it can use GPS data to help select which gear to use, and when paired with the adaptive suspension system, the Adaptive drive mode can predict the road ahead and keep the car riding as smoothly as a luxury car should.
The other drive modes allow the car to be sportier, comfier, or more fuel efficient by adjusting a number of parameters including shift logic, throttle response and steering effort. The engine feels powerful, allowing this 1,800-kilogram car to hit highway speeds in under five seconds. And naturally, the high-tech gizmos extend to the driving aids and safety features as well. The car has a lanekeep function and adaptive cruise control to make long drives feel like a walk in the park. The camera array also helps with parking with crosstraffic alerts for the front and rear of the vehicle. The new guard Jumping into the Genesis afterward is an amazing experience. As a new kid on the block, it comes packing a lot of punch to take on the Goliaths of the industry (and the 5 Series is certainly a Goliath). Under the hood is a 3.3-litre turbocharged V6 engine that makes 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Naturally, it feels much more powerful than the BMW. In fact, the whole powertrain is refined and responsive, which is a lot of what a sport sedan buyer is really looking for. The eight-speed automatic transmission has fewer drive modes than the BMW and isn’t hooked into the GPS for improved fuel economy, but it still manages to change gears smoothly and quickly.
Handling is a different story. The G80 Sport weighs in at 270 kg more than the BMW, and that weight can be felt on the road. The car feels more substantial, bigger, and less playful, agile and versatile than the BMW.
Inside, the Genesis is well-appointed, although it misses the wow factor of the BMW. Instead, it has more headroom and more front legroom Interior up to par The trim in the Genesis is noticeably upscale. The carbon fiber appoint- ments are a fancy touch, and the quality of the trim seems up to par. If you’ve been in a Hyundai recently, some of the dashboard layout and buttons may look and feel familiar, but that doesn’t seem like a huge drawback.
Additionally, some might love the huge sunroof in the Genesis, which helps the spacious cabin feel airier. Other features show some disparity between these two cars. The Genesis has a heated steering wheel, along with heated and vented seats, although no massage function. There’s a fancy 17-speaker sound system but no gesture control.
Like the BMW, there’s a lot of safety and driver assistance technology in the Genesis. It, too, has adaptive cruise control and can come to a full stop in traffic. Functionally speaking, it does much of what the BMW does but isn’t as flashy. Calling it a simpler luxury car is appropriate, as it has everything you’d want in a high-end fully featured car, but isn’t as gimmicky as the BMW. Huge cost difference Then again, the Genesis costs just more than $62,000 for the whole, fully loaded package, which is a bargain considering there are no additional trim packages or expenses. Even all the colour choices are no cost and all-wheel drive comes standard.
The 5 Series tested had a serious issue with price bloat. With all those features, it rang in at more than $90,000, which is a far cry from the vehicle’s starting price (as a four-cylinder model) of $65,264. Outfitting this car to be its absolute best is going to hit the wallet hard. The Verdict: 2018 BMW 540i vs. Genesis G80 Sport On its own, the Genesis leaves a very positive impression by offering just about everything you’d want at a reasonable price. But then after driving the BMW, you’ll pick up on what true futuristic luxury and advanced technology really are and as a result, the Genesis will seem a step behind. The Genesis is significantly cheaper, so if you’re unimpressed with all the technology and features of the BMW and don’t like being nickel and dimed for everything, then the Genesis is a very good alternative.
Without a doubt, the BMW is still the high-water mark for this class. It does everything and it does it well. But the Genesis can do about 85 per cent of what the BMW can, and for a significant chunk of change less. It’s up to you to decide if you want to pay for the clear-cut best or settle for something more reasonable.