First Drive: 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan

[Sal Collaziano]

Filed under: Garage, Sedans/Saloons, Hyundai

Click the image above for a hi-res gallery of the 2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan.

Autoblog recently spent time in Korea driving pre-production versions of the new Hyundai Genesis. This is the car that, according to Hyundai, will usher in a new era of luxury. Them's big words, and we only got a limited amount of time to figure out how true -- or not -- they were. But the main thing you need to know about the Genesis is this: unless they pull a bait and switch on the price range they mentioned, the car will be worth every penny Hyundai charges. Follow the jump t to find out why.

Gallery: 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6

Continue reading First Drive: 2009 Hyundai Genesis sedan

Permalink | Email this | Comments


Read more...

 

[GrandPrix08]

Hmmm, interesting, this is like the 4th good review about the car. I just hope the US bound models can keep all those good traits, or even better, exceeds the current goodness. Time will tell, and it will be a question if American car buyers whom are so used to the European and Japanese luxury sedans will even bother cross-shop the Hyundai. I know what you will say, that, Hyundais these days are worlds better and are not the same cars as before, but many American people still consider Hyundai as a cheaper alternative to the big boys, and as an old saying, it isn't easy to win back the customers who have turned their back so long ago to come back to their showrooms.

I guess the first year sale of the Genesis is the most important factor to see if it will succeed or not. I highly doubt it will sell much, since most NEW vehicles that gets introduced are never easy to sell on their first model year, it takes time, unless if it is from the well-known nameplates like GM, Ford, Toyota or Honda. I am thinking that most of the Genesis customers may be some Korean Americans who buys it out of patriotism. I don't think it will win that many non-Korean customers on its first year. Especially the European luxury car buyers. It MAY steal a few percentage of Camry or Accord buyers, but I don't think the numbers will be that great.

Highly hyped up cars like Genesis will have to be amazingly good and exceed all the expectations if it were to succeed.

Still, Genesis is off to a good start, of getting great reviews from the medias, let's hope it passes the next gruelling test, and the toughest of'em all. Its' potential buyers!!!!!.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

It seems to me that the only thing people aren't liking about the Genesis is the price... Don't we all hate the price of expensive vehicles, however?

 

[GrandPrix08]

Well, I am kinda in the same boat of most people ever since that price came out. A promise is a promise. Hyundai have claimed so many times that the car will be priced under 30K ever since the concept came out, now they upped price so much, I don't think most of the people who interested in the car will even bother anymore. If they said they were going to sell it under 30K, they should have done so, no excuses. Base on seeing the standard equipments of the cars, that isn't really much better than the competition. There's only a few features that comes in as a standard that the pricier competitor have it as option, and MOST of their advertised features are options.

Well, Good Luck Hyundai. You have came out with a good product, but blew it at the last minute by pricing it too high, and lied to the public about the starting price until now.

I am sure MOST of the former enthusiasts of this car will now turn to the more, well established nameplates instead. Hyundai had a chance with this car but a bad pricing just screwed it up big time.

 

[Michael_S]

GrandPrix08, I think you're right that Hyundai ends up with egg on its face for lying about the price.

However, remember that they originally planned a 3.3 liter V6 engine. The original plan was probably for a 3.3 liter V6 version with a cloth interior and a lot less standard features for $29,995.

Hyundai probably planned for the 3.8 liter version to be near $33,000 and the V8 to be near $38,000 from the very beginning. They didn't raise prices, they just dropped a trim level.

 

[Duaine]

Well all I know is that what I kept seeing for the fully loaded V-8 with the tech pkg. was going to be no more that $40,000. Now it would seem not only are they now asking $2000.00 more but they have dropped the smart cruise control feature for now.

Duaine

 

[ER101160]

Well, I am kinda in the same boat of most people ever since that price came out. A promise is a promise. Hyundai have claimed so many times that the car will be priced under 30K ever since the concept came out, now they upped price so much, I don't think most of the people who interested in the car will even bother anymore. If they said they were going to sell it under 30K, they should have done so, no excuses. Base on seeing the standard equipments of the cars, that isn't really much better than the competition. There's only a few features that comes in as a standard that the pricier competitor have it as option, and MOST of their advertised features are options.

Well, Good Luck Hyundai. You have came out with a good product, but blew it at the last minute by pricing it too high, and lied to the public about the starting price until now.

I am sure MOST of the former enthusiasts of this car will now turn to the more, well established nameplates instead. Hyundai had a chance with this car but a bad pricing just screwed it up big time.

Yes i concur,i can only imagine what the Coupe V6SE will be + 30000.00 because of the upgrades & etc and even the I4SE around the 26-28 mark ?
A year is a long time for pricing to change (coupe) especially with our economy.Hyundai better be careful a bunch of other "asian established" car manf are going for the same market (RWD autos) in the next 12-24 months.
Why spend extra money on a "Genesis" car that has not yet been proven when you can spend less with someone else ?

 

[gopack504]

Yes i concur,i can only imagine what the Coupe V6SE will be + 30000.00 because of the upgrades & etc and even the I4SE around the 26-28 mark ?
A year is a long time for pricing to change (coupe) especially with our economy.Hyundai better be careful a bunch of other "asian established" car manf are going for the same market (RWD autos) in the next 12-24 months.
Why spend extra money on a "Genesis" car that has not yet been proven when you can spend less with someone else ?

Can you say what cars or car makers are going for the same market in the next 12-24 months? I'm curious, as I'm far from set as to what car I will buy in the next two years.

 

[ER101160]

Can you say what cars or car makers are going for the same market in the next 12-24 months? I'm curious, as I'm far from set as to what car I will buy in the next two years.

I read that Nissan ,Toyota-Subaru are planning...

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/toyota-confirms-rwd-sports-car-coming-in-2011-with-subaru-boxer/

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/05/more-developments-on-nissans-compact-rwd-coupe/

 

[gipp]

The August issue of Automobile magazine has a 7 page review of the Genesis. Unfortunately it is the same basic article that appeared on the net several weeks ago and is primarily based on the controlled rides at Hyundais' Namyang test track. Mostly positive and nothing new to readers of this forum. They have added a "design analysis", a techtronics section, and size comparison chart and some Hyundai history. Not to be redundant, but Hyundai is missing a huge marketing opportunity. Imagine if the article was based on a real drive in a real US spec car on real US streets? Unfortunately the controlled drive did not spur write Joe DeMatio to gush all over the car as he has done in other reviews. He resorted to the old "we'll have to wait until we have more street time in the Genesis to render a full verdict" line. If I was watching a baseball game I would count this as Strike 1 on the Genesis marketing team. Many others will say it is Ball 1. All will agree it is not a home run and only the most ardent Genesis fans will view the article as a single, double or triple. But, they will only be doing so because of the length of article and the great pictures, not the actual article and more importantly what was not said in the article. The Hyundai marketing team really needs to Wake Up and Play Ball.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[GrandPrix08]

I have doubts on this sedan to sell in U.S. Due to the poor marketting, and lies on its original price, it's keep losing its potential buyers even before it goes on sale. Now that, is a bad news. If Hyundai really had the guts to challenge the Japanese and European luxury cars, they should have done a lot more aggressive marketting plan. Even if they can't meet the original 'under 30K', they should have done a lot more than just getting it rot without giving any new updates to the very few who were actually waiting for this car to be shipped to North America. Now, it's even losing that small percentage who may have have been waiting to drop cash on it, by not really caring much about it's advertising, and marketting.

Hyundai and Kia NEVER had any fans before, this was arguarably their very first chance to prove themselves, but now, they blew it. I don't think the Genesis will sell a single unit, now they have missed the mark and now, most, if not all, it's potential competition is readying their own masterpiece so Hyundai can be left in shadows still.

Hyundai may be a better make now, but they should know that they are not the mainstreams yet, they have to work twice as much in order to catch their close rivals, and so far, they have done nothing.

I was never a fan of Hyundai to begin with, when I saw the concept Genesis, my taste changed little, but, when they introduced the production model, I lost the interest again, now, the way they are doing business/marketting with this new car and the fact they lied about the price, I don't think people will bother going into their showrooms, and rather spend a bit more to the new, upcomming competion that have better reputation and resale value.

Sorry Hyundai, you had your chance, now you blew it. I guess your only remaining customers will be a very few percentage of Korean Americans who grew up with Hyundai in their youth, and only buys it out of pride, and also, Hyundai should know, not all Korean people buys Korean, they more heavily favors the Japanese luxurys like Lexus,Infinity,Acura or the pure German luxury such as Merc, BMW, or Audi.

Well, perhaps, they have a better chance with the upcomming coupe version, if they can keep their promise, unlike they did with the sedan.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

It's not over yet. In fact, it hasn't even begun. Enthusiasts like us may be upset, but there are very few enthusiast buyers outside in the real world. The car is going to sell regardless of anything that's happened thus far.. You'll see.