2015 Hyundai Genesis... again
The 2015 Hyundai Genesis is now even closer on the heels of more expensive competitors.
As before,
the Genesis is technically full size, but Hyundai positions it against nominally midsize sedans like the BMW 5 Series, Cadillac CTS, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus GS 350; and prices it to undercut them all.
Versions still include the base Genesis 3.8 (named for its 3.8-liter V-6 engine) and the Genesis 5.0, which has a 5.0-liter V-8, both with rear-wheel drive. Like the Jaguar XF, another competitor, the Genesis newly adds an all-wheeldrive option available solely with a V-6. This option is common among competitors.
Exterior & styling
The 2015 Genesis’ exterior size is practically unchanged, but the wheelbase has increased almost 3 inches, which is a lot for this dimension. Despite the extension, the car’s turning circle remains impressively tight at just over 38 feet, a bit better than competitors.
The earlier Genesis was criticized for aping the Mercedes S-Class, but I always thought it looked handsome enough. The 2015 has a new, grille-dominated nose that makes it more distinctive and in line with Hyundai’s latest design direction. It still has a prominent winged Genesis badge on the hood. Unfortunately, the rear end seems to have received little attention. It’s just sort of ‚Ķ there.
How it drives
My overwhelming impression is that the 3.8 is a better-driving car than the 5.0. Though it boasts 420 horsepower, the 5.0-liter V-8 never felt like it was hustling the car and pressing me into the seat like its V-8 competitors do. The 3.8, though it’s rated 311 hp, has 293 poundsfeet of torque (versus 383 pounds-feet in the V-8) and meets expectations better as a V-6 car ‚Äî even with the extra weight of all-wheel drive. The Genesis’ estimated mileage ‚Äî 22 mpg combined for the rear-wheel-drive 3.8, 19 mpg combined for the all-wheel-drive 3.8, and 18 mpg for the 5.0 ‚Äî trails most competitors.
Also contrary to common experience, the eight-speed automatic transmission behaves better with the less-powerful engine, exhibiting less hesitation when shifting down for passing power. The V-6 even sounds better than the V-8, again turning expectations upside down. It’s not that the V-8 sounds bad, but it’s clearly tuned for quiet rather than a performance sound. Though one of our editors praised the 5.0’s smooth power, the others agreed the 3.8 is a better car of its type.
Ride quality is good in both cars, but it’s definitely better in the 5.0, with optional adaptive shock absorbers, a new addition to the model. Unfortunately, the suspension’s firmness setting changes only with the overall driving modes of Normal, Eco and Sport. These modes also affect the transmission behavior, accelerator response and power-steering assist level. I’d much prefer independent control of some or all of these systems, or at minimum a configurable umbrella mode that lets me choose the settings that suit me, as Audi and some others allow.
The cars both handle reasonably well, with notably good steering-wheel weighting over a range of speeds. The front-to-rear weight distribution is good, a bit more evenly balanced with the V-6. The Genesis is capable but not exceptionally sporty. It’s fine with me. It leans more toward Lexus than the German competitors, and that means comfort. Many cars in this class try a little too hard to be sporty at the expense of comfort.
Interior
The interior quality is good, certainly enough so to surprise a consumer who hasn’t been in a Hyundai lately, especially its lesser-known luxury model. But there are inconsistencies: The hood over the instrument panel is upholstered, but the rest of the top of the dashboard reverts to typical soft plastic. There’s a halfdozen different textures, not all of which seem to go together. There’s real aluminum trim, yet somehow it doesn’t look convincing; perhaps a brushed finish would be more effective and hide smudges better.
Between the quiet, comfortable ride and seats, I ended a day of driving almost 300 miles with no fatigue. The only other time I experienced this, over some of the same roads in Arizona, was in a Rolls Royce. No joke.