And so it begins...

[PaulSW]

I just had my first "random person in parking lot" stop me and say, "Hey, what is that? A Genesis? That is a sweet looking car." As he said that a MB C class drove by and I said that was supposed to be one of its competitors. To which he replied, "Sheez, the Genesis is way better than that."

Would love to hear similar experiences other Genesis owners have had.

 

[2012blackgenny]

I get a compliment about once a week on the car.

 

[genxii]

I saw a new Genesis some time ago, I chuckled to myself - What kind of car is so ashamed about its identity it doesn't even have a badge on the front?

Didn't think much of it until it became time to replace my BMW.

As a member of the BMW CCA, I went straight to the local dealership and test drove the 528 and 535. By the end of the day, I had settled on a well optioned 535 for European Delivery.

Passing by the Hyundai dealer the next day, I remember reading something about them coming up with a competitor to the 5 and 7 series, so I figured I'd go test drive it for kicks.

Long story short, after sleeping on it for just one night, I drove home a 2012 Genesis - because it was better in almost every respect, not just price. [It was marginally slower on shifting, but I could live with that.]

Looking back - I don't understand why Hyundai hides the badge. I don't understand why people seek "re-affirmation" about growing prestige from others. I know how great the car is, and I have absolutely no qualms with it.

If anyone else wants to chuckle about my Hyundai, they can. I honestly don't care. They can make the same revelation I made in time.

 

[anthonym65201]

Just finished my spring break trip ( round trip from KC Missouri to Jacksonville Florida) had numerous people stop and look or ask me about the car but the one that really stick in my mind is this one. While taking my mother to the local Wal-Mart i am about to park the car and my mother tells me to park away from all the cars, like a good son i do. As we are making our way back to the car I notice 3 guys ( Mid 30s) standing by the car taking pictures. My first thought was WTH... As I get closer one of them ask me if this is my car, I tell him yes, that's when it started....I think I sat there 15 min telling the guy about the car. When he finally asked me how much a new Bentley was running these days my mother started to laugh.... She said to him, did you not see the license plate? (I have a US paratrooper plate) my son is in the Army and by no means can he afford one of those cars ( thanks mom) but I think i was more shocked that my mother knew what a Bentley was more than anything else. Great times.. Thanks for the laugh mom! But now my dad wants to trade in his 370z for one.......

 

[YEH]

Looking back - I don't understand why Hyundai hides the badge. I don't understand why people seek "re-affirmation" about growing prestige from others. I know how great the car is, and I have absolutely no qualms with it.

If anyone else wants to chuckle about my Hyundai, they can. I honestly don't care. They can make the same revelation I made in time.

Hyundai had to 2 diff. grill designs for the Genesis; one with the badge and one without and let the public vote on it.

The public voted for the one w/o the badge which was the right choice b/c frankly, the Hyundai "swooshy H" is a bit ugly/overly busy and would ruin the otherwise clean lines of the Genesis.

The interior of the new Azera, while not quite Lexus ES nice, is pretty nice (in certain ways, nicer than the Genesis) and the interior of the new Santa Fe will raise some eyebrows when it comes to interiors in the mid-size CUV segment.

The next gen Genesis and Equus sedans should both see major upgrades when it comes to their interiors and luxury amentities, so people's view of Hyundai (if that's impt.) will continue to change.

 

[TJPark01]

I was an early adopter 3/2009. I was in the about 40k market. Looked at Class,328i and Audi A4. They were all kinda small and when you started adding a lot of content to them they started to push towards 50k. Never even heard of the Genesis, friend told me to look at it, I laughed. After I drove it I bought it the next week. For the first 6 mo-1 yr everywhere I went people either asked me what it was or what I thought of it. Everyone that saw or rode in the car couldn't believe it was a hyundai. Now they're everywhere in LA. It was a risk to buy this car cause it could have been a huge faceplant. But the car as well as the company's profile has really taken off.
Everything I knew about cars told me not to buy it. 1st year, new model, Korean car.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

My latest experience was this past Wednesday leaving the parking lot of a Perkins restaurant after a coffee meeting. There were five guys, 50s and 60s that I believe, from overhearing conversation inside the restaurant, are part of a classic car club. One was staring at the inside of the car, another the wheels, another the front brakes; one was trying to look under the car -- I guess to see if it was a genuine dual exhaust! This was the car equivalent of five guys removing the clothes of a knockout woman with their eyes.

They had lots of good questions, ranging from technical engine details, gas mileage, performance, transmission, cost, etc. Definitely these guys know cars.

I'm overdue for my 10K review . . never enough time.

 

[kcgr]

I was pulling on the freeway on my way home today in my black R-spec. As I'm merging on I notice a guy speeding up to match my speed two lanes over. You get a sense when someone is looking your way, so I looked over and he was checking the car out, with a "WTF is that" face. After 30 seconds or so, he dropped back to a slower speed. He was in an Azera, so maybe he was sizing up his next purchase?

 

[pusaterkm]

Compliments and turned heads have been a daily occurance since I purchsed my 2011 4.6 last year. A lot of male BMW drivers break their necks trying to get a good look at her.

Had a 2011 Cadillac STS for a rental last week. No one paid any attention to it.

Friend of mine from the home office bought a Benz C class and then came to Youngstown for a visit. He could not believe how awesome the Genny was. He paid 38k for the Benz but it comes up short on size, features and power to the Genny. And he complained about a $250 oil change and winshield washer fluid that won't deploy. Welll... he sort of just got lucky...Semi pushed his Benz 20 yards down the road and it is totaled. Guess what he is going to test drive as a replacement.

 

[Ruissimo]

Went out to an old-school burger joint in the next town over during my lunch break today.

Parked the car, and sat inside, with a window view of the car.

Two asian gentlemen get out of a minivan, and instead of going inside, spent 10 minutes checking out the car! They checked EVERYTHING - every angle, the "gaps", the tint, they looked inside every window - one of them even looked UNDERNEATH!

I almost went outside with the keys so they could sit in it... but decided my burger was just too tasty. Been on a healthy kick, so this was a real treat.

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[OGenesis]

Went out to an old-school burger joint in the next town over during my lunch break today.

Parked the car, and sat inside, with a window view of the car.

Two asian gentlemen get out of a minivan, and instead of going inside, spent 10 minutes checking out the car! They checked EVERYTHING - every angle, the "gaps", the tint, they looked inside every window - one of them even looked UNDERNEATH!

I almost went outside with the keys so they could sit in it... but decided my burger was just too tasty. Been on a healthy kick, so this was a real treat.

I go in once a week to NYC for a meeting with the boss man at his Apt. The Parking garage under the building and houses everthing from Bentley's, to Lambo's and everything in between. I pull up and there is a new guy working the desk..he is looking all around trying to figure out what kind of car it is to put it on the ticket. I finally tell him its a Hyundai and his eyes get big and he says HYUNDAI??? He then tells me it looks like a 160k Bentley!!!

I tell him when I come back you can pull the up the Bentley if you want?

Love this car!!

 

[OldGrandad]

Just picked up my Genesis last Tuesday and drove directly from the dealership to a restaurant to have dinner with my wife. Pulling into the parking lot, I noticed a couple of "good ole boys" standing by their pickup talking. As I parked the Genesis and started walking into the restaurant, one of them said (in a strong West Texas accent) "What kind of car is that?"

I replied simply, "It's a Hyundai."

"Well," said the good ole boy, "that's the fanciest Hyundai I've ever seen!"

I just smiled and said "Thanks".

 

[dabink]

The looks that get me the most are when I've driven past people who are standing outside talking and one of them stops talking and their head and then their body actually turns to follow the Genesis as it goes by them. I thought that only happened in commercials for products, but I've had it happen several times. That's when you know it's the WOW factor. I know because I still do it when I see my Genesis (and others). Then there's the folks who have been walking in the neighborhood and stop to ask me about it when I'm outside. We have an elderly Korean couple who walk several miles, every day, regardless of the weather. He actually stops several times a week and stares at the Genesis and admires it. He drives a Toyota Avalon, but loves my Genesis. Oh, he's 78 and his wife is probably about the same.

 

[kcgr]

I'm not sure why people think the Genesis could be a Bentley. I guess they look at the winged badge and stop thinking. I got that today at soccer practice. My friend pulled up and said, "Damn, what the hell are you driving?" as he walked around the back looking at the badge. "Is that a Bentley?" I told him yes, but corrected myself before his jaw hit the pavement (yea, me driving a Bentley...)

I told him it was a Hyundai and he was dumbfounded. My buddy in a new Taurus SHO said he liked them also, but obviously went with the Taurus instead (I should ask why sometime).

Anyhoo....

 

[Dragon64]

I definitely get more compliments on the R Spec than from the M5

People do mistake it for a new kind of Bentley

Just the other day at the car wash - two guys came out of nowhere and were checking out the car. I thought I was about to be carjacked...lol

The one guy kept circling the car - while the other guy fired off question after question

It's amusing to me

Then there are those who kind of poke fun at the strange new Hyundai I'm in -

Particularly those waiting at the light behind me -
I get the laughs - and the finger pointing
That's when I turn off the ESC and wait for the light to turn green
Then I launch the R Spec like the space shuttle

I've had the random AMG owner checking the car out - and wanting a go
even had a GTR beat the yellow to pull up alongside me and quizz me on what it was I was driving

And yes - I've had people at Advance auto walk up and look under the car - to see if I had true dual pipes coming out the back....lol

Wait till I get the MagnaFlow on the car -

That's bound to get even more stares - and lots of questions

 

[PaulSW]

Another one this morning: a guy on the interstate pulls beside me on the passenger side and is looking the car over. He then accelerates and looks over his shoulder at the front grill area.

I finally grinned and said, "Awesome."

 

[DominicJE]

You will see this a lot, welcome to the club!

A lot of people think I am a young guy in a Bentley most of the time like I am a celebrity. It never gets old though

 

[bradyb]

I saw a new Genesis some time ago, I chuckled to myself - What kind of car is so ashamed about its identity it doesn't even have a badge on the front?

Didn't think much of it until it became time to replace my BMW.

As a member of the BMW CCA, I went straight to the local dealership and test drove the 528 and 535. By the end of the day, I had settled on a well optioned 535 for European Delivery.

Passing by the Hyundai dealer the next day, I remember reading something about them coming up with a competitor to the 5 and 7 series, so I figured I'd go test drive it for kicks.

Long story short, after sleeping on it for just one night, I drove home a 2012 Genesis - because it was better in almost every respect, not just price. [It was marginally slower on shifting, but I could live with that.]

Looking back - I don't understand why Hyundai hides the badge. I don't understand why people seek "re-affirmation" about growing prestige from others. I know how great the car is, and I have absolutely no qualms with it.

If anyone else wants to chuckle about my Hyundai, they can. I honestly don't care. They can make the same revelation I made in time.

I like the "wings" reminds me of the panty liners. Totally OFF topic.....

 

[Ruissimo]

Walked into Olive Garden today... and four dudes were just leaving. I had a feeling my expertly-parked Genny would catch their eye - it was at about 11 o'clock from the front door.

I excused myself for a minute, and went back to the lobby to observe. Mind you, they were leaving the sitting area, but I just "knew".

Long story short, they go outside, one guy points, and soon the four of them are surrounding the car. They spent about 2 minutes admiring it. It wasn't even THAT clean lol

LOVE THIS CAR.

 

[G Hack]

Purchased a ticket when the Lotto was 500+ mil and the gas attendant in his "kiosk" says "if you win, I want your car and you can buy the car next to ya"... well, the car next to me was a bmw 550i, black, and the beamer owner overheard this conversation and just bewildered from this comment, got in his car and drove off..needless to say, still own my Genny but the guys perplexed look was priceless

Also, it seems everytime I go to fill up (gas station), someone either says nice car or asks questions concerning the vehicle.

2012 Hyundai Genesis 4.6
Black /Black
Re-badged Rear and steering wheel , Wheel Covers
Bought for wife but take out when possible and thank you QCTLG for the turning off the ESC