In my search I have investigated and driven:
Lexus ES 350
Infiniti M35
Audi A6
The
Infiniti dealer gave me great pricing on the M35, but I didn't like the drive so much.
I just got back from my second test drive of the Genesis. After driving the Genesis, I went to the Audi dealer and drove an A6. The A6 is a great looking car and has a nice drive, but the drive is no better than the Genesis, and not near as quiet. Here is a comparison of the two as I saw it today:
Genesis MSRP with Tech: $40,000
Audi A6 Quattro MSRP with Premium Package and NAV system: $53,495
Genesis Engine: 3.8 V6
Audi A6 Engine: 3.2 V6
Some Genesis features I like: Backup camera, parking sensors, proximity key, rain sensing windshield wipers, quiet cabin, regular fuel.
Notable Audi A6 features: AWD. That's it. The A6 for 53K did not have cooled seats, backup camera, parking sensors, push button start, automatic windshield wipers, and requires premium fuel.
My test drive for both vehicles was on city streets and Interstate, but I truly couldn't see or feel anything superior in the handling and drive of the A6. The Genesis truly is feature-rich for its price -- even at MSRP -- when compared with the competition.
I think I made up my mind on the Genesis today. The problem is, the biggest dealer here (Richmond, VA) has only one Tech package, and it is the Sterling blue (light blue) with tan interior (it was very nice looking actually, but I'm looking for black on black, or the dark blue and black).
I'm convinced that to get a similar vehicle in size, quality, and features, you are probably going to pay alot more. That really stood out to me today with the A6.