- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.8i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
232kW, 397Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 11.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Hyundai Genesis first drive review
In the beginning, there was the Hyundai Excel.
It was cheap, reliable and popular transport that struck a chord with Australian motorists, particularly with the release of the second-generation model.
That bubble-shaped buzzbox was followed by a transformation for Hyundai, which is now offering a car to rival established luxury brands.
Hyundai’s Genesis is the culmination of the brand’s journey into broad acceptance and, if Hyundai has its way, could redefine the bottom end of the luxury car market.
It has a bold look described by Hyundai as “Fluidic Sculpture 2.0”, anchored by a bluff grille that wouldn’t look out of place on a full-size Audi.
And the car is loaded with the sort of gear buyers might expect from the likes of Mercedes-Benz, a comprehensive suite of driver support programs included lane-keeping assistance and emergency steering support that can help steer out of danger, along with vibrating haptic feedback that lets drivers know if they are wandering within their lane.
But it's missing one key feature luxury buyers crave – a luxury badge.
Makers as diverse as Volkswagen, SsangYong and, more recently, Ford, have tried to produce luxury cars with a mainstream badge only to have sales slide.
Being a large sedan may also not help the Genesis' cause; sales of limousines have dropped in recent years and the drop in interest for locally produced large luxury cars has fallen dramatically.
The Genesis also follows a familiar path of newcomers to the luxury space – more equipment and space for less money.
Blind-spot warning, self-parking and radar cruise control systems are present and correct, along with a 360-degree camera and rear cross traffic alert that, when reversing, warns drivers of approaching cars.
Automated emergency braking will stop the car in an emergency, and a heads-up display allows drivers to stay informed without taking their eyes off the road.
Sinking into the driver’s seat, it’s hard not to be comfortable in the Genesis, with its 14-way electronic adjustment that narrowly edges the front passenger seat's 12-way tuning.
Both pews are finished in Nappa leather, with attractive wood, aluminium and suede textures framing a 9.2-inch touchscreen up front, along with two similar monitors in the headrests to keep big and little bosses happy.
Under the bonnet, Australia misses out on Hyundai’s 5.0-litre V8 that features in foreign Genesis models, as that motor has not been engineered for right-hand-drive.
Instead, a petrol-fuelled 232kW 3.8-litre V6 drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission developed by Hyundai. That makes the Genesis the first
rear-wheel-drive Hyundai to go on sale in Australia, putting it on a level playing field with the likes of BMW.
The V6 is a smooth unit, and Hyundai claims it is the quietest in its class at idle. It pulls strongly towards the redline and has plenty of grunt when acceleration is called for. Part of its 1945kg weight is made of insulation, used through the car's body and interior that helps suppress wind and road noise at all speeds. Helped by a cruise control system that can outsmart speed cameras – automatically slowing down and accelerating once more when past an enforcement zone – we found the car was impressively refined with little noise at speeds well over 100km/h.
Hyundai's gearbox is smooth and chooses the correct gear for the most part, though it kicked down quite eagerly on a hilly test route and was at times indecisive in sports mode. The Genesis has shift paddles mounted to the steering wheel, allowing drivers to temporarily take control, though the car soon reverts to automatic shifting and will not stay in one driver-selected gear indefinitely.
Fuel consumption is likely to be unimpressive, though, with early indications suggesting it will use an average of about 11 litres per 100km, according to the Australian government standard.
We tested Korean-specification cars fitted with all-wheel-drive that isn't coming here. The cars also had a somewhat floaty suspension tune, which Hyundai assures us will be gone by the time the car reaches Australian shores.
The Genesis rides as a full-sized luxury car should, with a floating, unfazed demeanour only interrupted by the harshest bumps and potholes.
Geared toward comfort, the Genesis is a comfortable cruiser capable of soaking up long distances with ease. But it is far less composed when driven briskly, and does not reward enthusiastic driving the same way European rivals might.
The car's steering is a little aloof, and could be more responsive to driver inputs, which Hyundai plans to address with firmer suspension settings for the Australian market.
Local models will also boast the Hyundai badge on the rear end rather than the Korean car's winged Genesis badge that has Bentley and Aston Martin overtones. The car's styling has a passing similarity to Audi's A6 and A8 large sedans, with a dash of Lexus and BMW mixed in for good measure.
That's no bad thing, and a visit to Hyundai's Namyang test facility proved that the car had been benchmarked against the best, with several examples of Europe's finest luxury cars among its test mules.
Hyundai's Australian arm has not confirmed pricing or specification levels for the Genesis. It is expected to be available in two specification levels at a price of about $50,000 to $65,000.
We will need to drive the Australian model back to back with established rivals to see exactly where the Genesis ranks among its peers. But for now it's clear that Hyundai's latest is an impressive car, and that with some fine tuning, the Genesis could carve itself a small but brand-building niche.
Hyundai Genesis pricing and specifications:
Price: From $55,000 (estimated)
On sale: October 2014
Engine: 3.8-litre petrol V6
Transmission: Eight-speed auto, rear-wheel-drive
Power: 232kW at 6000rpm
Torque: 397Nm at 5000rpm
Fuel use: 11L/100km (estimated)