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Hyundai Genesis - What the Auto Press Says

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis ranks 1 out of 17 Upscale Midsize Cars. This ranking is based on our analysis of 19 published reviews and test drives of the Hyundai Genesis, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

The 2009 North American Car of the Year, the 2009 Genesis is changing the collective perception of Hyundai in the automotive press. Once known only for budget cars with long warranties, the company has now produced an attractive, rear-wheel-drive luxury sedan that brings some creature comforts from $50,000 cars into the $30,000 price bracket.

The Hyundai Genesis is a rear-wheel drive luxury sedan with proportions that could put it in the upscale midsize or luxury large class, but a price range that undercuts its competition in both by thousands of dollars. 

It's as large as a Mercedes-Benz E-Class and, in V8 trim, more powerful than a BMW 5-Series.  Inside, it's as quiet as a Lexus GS, and available with an optional 17-speaker sound-system that, reviewers say, may be better than anything the competition offers.  But the Genesis starts at just over $32,500.  Depending on how you outfit the Genesis, it can cost less than a higher-trim Ford Taurus.

As Popular Mechanics puts it, "Why should someone buy a Buick when they can get twice the luxury at the same price?"

That's precisely the calculation Hyundai is counting on.  The Genesis can realistically be an alternative to a huge number of cars based on price and luxury -- shoppers interested in entry-level luxury cars like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class  might find it a better bargain, slightly larger and, with an available V8, more powerful than those cars at similar price.  Shoppers interested in a larger luxury car -- say a Cadillac STS  -- could save thousands by looking at the Genesis, yet experience similar levels of luxury.  Even shoppers looking at large cars traditionally considered affordable, like the Chrysler 300 or Toyota Avalon, might find a Genesis to be the most luxurious option in their price range. 

Hyundai's unique Assurance Plus program also works in the car's favor.  The program allows Hyundai buyers to return thier new 2009 Hyundai if they lose their income in the first year of ownership.

But the car has flaws. The Genesis is marketed as an alternative to sporty luxury sedans from Europe and Japan, but it can't hold its own with those cars in track testing -- we found the acceleration superb but the handling downright sloppy in tight corners at track speed.  The lack of an all-wheel-drive option is glaring, as well, when Hyundai compares the car to a BMW or Audi product. But, when driven within legal limits, the Genesis is nicely composed and feels like a vastly more expensive sedan.

The Genesis may also gain cachet over time.  Hyundai is reportedly mulling spinning off a separate luxury division, much as Toyota did with Lexus, based off of this car.  A new Genesis Coupe (which shares little in common with this car) with sporty flair is already in Hyundai dealerships, and an even more upscale Equus large sedan may arrive by 2011 to complete the lineup. 

The Genesis is available in two trim levels, each named for the engine it features.  The 3.8 model features 17-inch alloy wheels, leather trim and most of the electronics luxury buyers expect.  The 4.6 model adds 18-inch wheels, Bluetooth compatibility, premium leather and an upgraded sound system.

• "Hyundai cleared the fence with the Genesis. The high level of quality, refinement and performance of our top-of-the-line 4.6L V8 test car amazed everyone who has sat behind its wheel." -- Road and Track
• "Unapologetically and unequivocally, Hyundai has taken off its gloves. Its new Genesis is a no-holds-barred assault on luxury and near-luxury sedans from Japan, America, and Europe. " -- Automobile Magazine
• "The world's fifth largest automaker, Hyundai -- yes, Hyundai -- sees its first rear-drive luxury car, the Genesis, as a worthy rival to the Lexus ES 350. And no one's laughing. There's no laughter at BMW or Mercedes-Benz, either, when Hyundai compares the Genesis to the 5-Series and E-Class respectively. And at much lower cost." -- Detroit News
• "Though not quite up to the high standards of the European and Japanese luxury cars the Genesis aspires to, it is viable and cheaper alternative to those cars and a better appointed option versus large American sedans." -- New Car Test Drive
• "If you've envied [the] leading-edge technology in your boss's BMW or Mercedes, envy no longer. If you envy this car's performance, Hyundai's claim of a 0-60-mph time of well under six seconds indicates the Genesis V-8 will have the guts to keep up with such boardroom luxury sedans." -- Motor Trend
• "With badges removed, the Genesis could easily pass as a Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, although we doubt many brand-conscious folks would give a Hyundai a second glance. Still, anyone shopping in the $30K-$40K entry-level luxury sport sedan segment would be remiss if they didn't give the 2009 Hyundai Genesis serious consideration." -- Edmunds

Genesis Performance - 9.0 (Excellent)

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis is available with a V6 engine that competes well within its class, or a V8 that's even more powerful than the one in a BMW 5-Series. Edmunds call the car "butter-smooth," even in a sprint from zero to sixty in under six seconds. Some testers cite handling that isn't up to the standard Hyundai set for the car -- this is no 5-Series on a slalom run -- but some reviewers disagree, and all say that in day-to-day driving, the Genesis feels athletic enough for most buyers. Read More

Genesis Exterior - 8.4 (Very Good)

Edmunds calls the 2009 Hyundai Genesis' sheetmetal "a cleaner interpretation of a Benz S-Class" -- high praise for how far the Korean automaker has come since the days of the Excel. The Genesis offers conservatively handsome styling that has won over many reviewers. Those who don't like it often say it is too derivative of German sedans, and looks like a mish-mash of BMW and Mercedes products. Read More

Genesis Interior - 9.1 (Excellent)

"From the moment you sit behind the wheel" Autobytel reports, "You're aware that this is a luxury sedan." Hyundai officials initially conceived the Genesis as the start of a luxury division to compete with Toyota's Lexus and Honda's Acura. Reviewers say the Genesis' passenger cabin meets that standard. Its cabin is astonishingly quiet.  Two varieties of leather are available, one of which is exceptionally soft.  And its cabin electronics include an optional upgraded stereo that might be the best available at this price range. Read More

Genesis Safety - 10.0 (Excellent)

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis achieved perfect scores in every government safety test.  It did the same in testing conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.  Because of its strong test scores and standard Electronic Stability Control, the Genesis won the Institute's "Top Safety Pick" designation. Read More

Genesis Reliability - 8.0 (Very Good)

The 2009 Hyundai Genesis reliability score shown is the Predicted Reliability rating provided by J.D. Power and Associates. This score is based on trending the past three years of historical initial quality and dependability data from J.D. Power's automotive studies, specifically the Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) and the Initial Quality Study (IQS). Hyundai provides a five-year/60,000-mile warranty with every 2009 Genesis, as well as one of the longest powertrain warranties available anywhere and five years of free roadside assistance.  Read More