The Hyundai Genesis
has been around for six years and is a good first try for a near-luxury sedan.
For 2015, Hyundai went
back to the drawing board to make a true luxury sedan, and from the outside, it
really looks the part.
The
previous Hyundai Genesis had a
rear-wheel-drive V6 and a strong V8 that offered good power and a large cabin
for comfortable cruising at a very reasonable price. But that large cabin had
an interior that wasn't quite up to luxury-car standards. So it was never
really considered one of the normal mid- size luxury sedans.
The
2015 Hyundai Genesis shed the
more generic sedan look and comes with a new design that stands out in a crowd.
With a larger grill and some curves and bulges on the front end, it now looks
like a big-dollar car.
But the
base price is still a bargain in the mid-size luxury sedan market -- at around
$38,000 for rear-wheel drive with a V6, $40,500 for an AWD V6. It's the first
time the Genesis
can be had with all-wheel drive, though not if you choose the $52,000 Genesis 5.0
V8.
I spent
a week in a $52,450 fully loaded 2015 Genesis AWD with $12,000
worth of options packages. The Signature package comes with a big panoramic
roof, ventilated and heated seats, power rear sunshade, and shades for the rear
passengers.
The
Tech package included upgraded leather seats, smart cruise control with stop
and start for easy driving, and front and rear parking assistance.
The
final package was the Ultimate, which includes genuine wood trim and aluminum
trim, a heads up display, a larger nine-inch center screen for the NAV system
and a Lexicon sound system. Each package came with more, but I only have so
much room.
All
these packages transform the Genesis
into a very nice ride on par with the other luxury sedans I've driven.
The interior
is really nice with the leather and trim. Other materials are up-to-date and
very competitive with others in the class. The seats are very good as well; my
wife thought they were the best.
The
materials used throughout the cabin are a big step forward. The nice soft-touch
materials and the real wood is nicely done. It's as nice as the more expensive
larger Equus. The rear seats are good with heated seats, but rear-seat headroom
may be lacking for taller passengers.
Driving
the Genesis is now luxury-car
good. The cabin is very quiet and serene, and it handles bumps as a luxury car
should. It's no sports sedan anymore, so don't go throwing it into corners if
you've driven the old Genesis R-spec.
The V6
is good for 311 horsepower, and that seems like plenty of power. There is a
420-horsepower V8 available to go along with a smooth eight-speed automatic.
Fuel mileage for the AWD Genesis is 16 city and 25 highway. I averaged 19.8 mpg
over 210 miles of mixed driving.
The
Genesis lets drivers enjoy a more relaxed driving experience, which is
something I look for in a luxury sedan. Hyundai has really put the
Genesis into a great place to compete.
With
style and a nicely upgraded interior, the smartly priced Genesis -- also with a
big warranty -- moves Hyundai
firmly into the luxury-sedan market.
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