Genesis HVAC AWD Reliability

[lacrossewacker]

Genesis HTRAC AWD Reliability

Good afternoon,

I'm new to this forum (my name is Nick).

I'm looking at my options and I'm sort of leaning towards the V6 AWD (fully loaded).

I live near Washington DC, so we get a reasonable brunt of all 4 seasons.

1st, is AWD really that much better if there're bad road conditions?

2nd, is AWD any more or less reliable than your standard RWD? I'm assuming it's a more complicated system with more moving parts...thus less reliable?

3rd, what's the split between front and back with Hyundai's HVAC? 50/50? 30/70? etc.

Thanks! Super excited to get your feedback.

 

[Curt@MSN]

I'm looking at my options and I'm sort of leaning towards the V6 AWD (fully loaded).

I live near Washington DC, so we get a reasonable brunt of all 4 seasons.

1st, is AWD really that much better if there're bad road conditions?

2nd, is AWD any more or less reliable than your standard RWD? I'm assuming it's a more complicated system with more moving parts...thus less reliable?

Nick - welcome! One thing to potentially consider is that the heated rear seats and the heated steering wheel are only available in the V6 AWD car.

I'll let others comment on their Genesis AWD systems as I don't have mine yet. Although from my previous experience with an AWD car (BMW) I can tell you that it was a "more confident" driving experience during bad road conditions than the same car with RWD. That said if pushed beyond its limits (easy to do given its ability to get going faster than advisable during those conditions) it could end up in the ditch just as easily as the RWD car. My experience is that a RWD car with a good set of snows all around will do just fine in the snow but it does have to be driven properly - the AWD handles some of that for you - but you can easily get yourself into trouble. That is purely an opinion on my my part.

Curt

 

[amartz]

Reminds me of my grandfather. He would never own a 4-wheel drive pickup truck. He said, you're still going to get stuck, just with the 4-wheel drive version, you'll be stuck so far back in off the road that the tow truck can't get to you! ;-)

 

[MelFranks]

This link has a pretty decent description of the power distribution and performance of the HTRAC system (V6 model).

 

[coolasice]

This link has a pretty decent description of the power distribution and performance of the HTRAC system (V6 model).

Good link! Never really looked into how the htrac worked. Kinda wanna be driving in sport mode all the time now.

 

[lacrossewacker]

Curt, good point about the heated steering wheel being exclusive to the AWD model. That just about makes that version a must! That's been one of those features that I've always wanted.


Amartz, def a good point. I by no means plan on being invisible! I just want to have a little more confidence that I can safely get to the Giant and back during a snow day for any needed supplies.

Melfranks, that link you provided is exactly what I wanted to read. No youtuber ever got into the really nitty-gritty details about the HTRAC specifically.

Is their HTRAC entirely new, or is it just new to the US? I'm not a fan of being an early adopter if you know what i mean.

 

[Analog]

My 2012 was RWD and my 2015 AWD. Very heavy footed driver in a very rainy part of the states. I frequently ran into traction issues. Not so with AWD, and I LOVE the heated steering wheel.

(just to head off any doubt, I knew when I could potentially be exceeding the traction limits and didn't do it with other cars/people around)

 

[MelFranks]

Is their HTRAC entirely new, or is it just new to the US? I'm not a fan of being an early adopter if you know what i mean.

AFAIK it's a new system designed for the 2015 Genesis sedan.
From the link I provided:

"Dubbed H-TRAC, this acronym simply means Hyundai Traction. Developed in conjunction with Magna Powertrain, Hyundai designed the mechanics for the H-TRAC system while Magna created the software to control the various bits."