Hyundai Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

[Viking]

"Overall, it falls in somewhere between a non-sport package Mercedes and a Lexus GS"....

Pretty good for a first year model at a significantly lower cost!

http://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature/versus/Motive.shtml

 

[jwaters943]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

Thanks for taking the time to post this. Maybe some Genesis enthusiasts should join the discussion over on their site.

http://forums.motivemag.com/zerothread?id=3910573

Honestly though, I love my Genesis. On Monday I went to Costco and they had aE350 on display. It was a base model with only the sport package w/ MB Tex seating (fancy vinyl). Price? $55k!! I also thought the exterior door handles felt flimsy....they felt loose and wiggled in my hands. I'm sure it's a great car (subpar reliability notwithstanding), but there are several things on the Genesis I like better. I'm still amazed at how tight and solid everything is. How the glove compartment opens with nicely damped motions. How the doors sound when you close them. How little force is required to close the trunk. I could go on and on, but I'll spare you all.

 

[Bman]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

My wife and I owned a 2001 MB E320 4matic and the car was a nightmare. The car cost over 60k and the dealership experience was average at best. If the Hyundai Genesis is as good as a Lexus, Infiniti, or Acura, for the price, Hyundai here I come.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

This looks like a good article to read. I'll have to check it out later, though.. In the meantime, why doesn't the Mercedes E-Class have a center arm rest? That's a definitely NO go for me. I'd rather have a SINGLE cooled seat than no center armrest... That's just stupid.

 

[Coug]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

"Overall, it falls in somewhere between a non-sport package Mercedes and a Lexus GS"....

Pretty good for a first year model at a significantly lower cost!

http://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature/versus/Motive.shtml

Maybe I'm alone in this, but I really don't relate to all these reviews where they drive cars at 100+ mph, mash the accelerator, burn rubber, make high speed turns, and then compare their performance to each other. I just don't ever drive my car that way. I do want to know that it will be stable if I need to make sudden emergency maneuvers at high speed, but I want a comfortable, smooth ride, with a decent feel of the road for everyday driving. I don't really care if the Genesis shimmies a little more than the MB when making hairpin turns at 90 mph.

Here is a quote from the review: "The two cars are almost dynamic opposites — in the Benz, every road irregularity, every crumbled bit of rock dropped from a cliff is transmitted to the driver. The Hyundai erases those small details completely..." Is he bragging about the Benz here?

I'll take the softer, smoother ride, the quiet cabin, and the fun technology features. It sounds like the Genesis excels in this category. At least I hope so.

 

[jwaters943]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

I think you'll be pleased once you drive a Genesis.

It has a smooth Lexus-like ride (smoother than my GS430 w/ runflat tires), with a bit more handling precision.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

The Lexus LS430 was probably the smoothest riding Lexus ever.. I wonder how the Genesis compares to that.. Probably the quietest every as well...

As for what Coug is saying - I'm completely in agreement! Who cares if a car shimmies a little when making hairpin turns at 90 mph - or whatever.. It's irrelevant to me. Most drivers don't care about things like this. Yet reading the "enthusiast" magazines makes you think you're some kind of oddball.. The truth is, 99% of people are NOT enthusiasts.. These automobile magazines need to get some of US on their staff...

 

[RichieRichLancair]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

I'm with you guys on the ride. I don't want to feel every crack and rock on the road. The sport package is an idea for someone that likes that (Like the AMG for Mercedes).

JWaters943
If you could create a new thread about your impressions of your Genesis after a week or so I think everyone would like to read it. I know I would.

 

[jwaters943]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

The Lexus LS430 was probably the smoothest riding Lexus ever.. I wonder how the Genesis compares to that.. Probably the quietest every as well...

As for what Coug is saying - I'm completely in agreement! Who cares if a car shimmies a little when making hairpin turns at 90 mph - or whatever.. It's irrelevant to me. Most drivers don't care about things like this. Yet reading the "enthusiast" magazines makes you think you're some kind of oddball.. The truth is, 99% of people are NOT enthusiasts.. These automobile magazines need to get some of US on their staff...

I would be a bit suprised to find the Genesis as quiet as the LS460 in instrumented testing. With that said, I would not be suprised to find it quieter than any other vehicle in their lineup. Aside from a bit of tire flap over expansion joints/broken pavement, I do know it is amazingingly quiet up to 80-85.

On smooth pavement it's virtually silent except for a bit of engine/exhaust hum. Another thing I love: no rattles (at least yet...I hope I don't jinx myself). Honestly, I can't think of a more refined sedan under $45k that I've driven.

The following quote from Edmunds is quite telling IMO:

The Genesis is built from a rigid unibody that's received as much CAD work as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Double-laminated glass, anti-vibration pads and acoustic sandwiches in its design and construction only begin to tell the whole story. We'd be negligent if we didn't say that Hyundai Genesis is one of the quietest cars we've ever driven.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

The part about the Genesis being very quiet is impressive to me.. I think that's one of the things a true luxury car should be - quiet. It should disconnect the passengers from the road as much as possible.. Double-laminated glass? What Cadillac has that?

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[GrandPrix08]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

I think you'll be pleased once you drive a Genesis.

It has a smooth Lexus-like ride (smoother than my GS430 w/ runflat tires), with a bit more handling precision.

Wow, you almost sound like a travelling salesman on a mission to sell Genesis. Glad you love your purchase. Well, Even though I already got a new car that I've been dreaming about for so long, on the February this year, when my local Hyundai dealer(about 20 minute drive) gets any Genesis in, I may actually go there and check it out and possibly get a brochure or something. I wasn't going to, but all your positive feedback about the car is kinda turning my perception to Hyundai just a little. I am planning on saving some money to buy my dad a brand new car. And maybe I will give Hyundai a chance if I can afford it. He still drives a 99 Grand am that I gave him as a gift when I got my new one, but since it is an old car(9 years old), and the red color doesn't really fit him(well, in my opinion), and since, on the last auto show, he seemed to like the Genesis on the turntable display, maybe I will surprice him and buy the car for him sometime next year without him knowing. It will be like helping my native nation's economy by buying Korean. Though we have never owned anything but domestics until now(Buick LeSabre, Jeep Cherokee, and now the Grand am for dad, not counting our volvo, and Sunbird, and my current Grand Prix for myself), it's about time we give it a try to my country's product for they are no longer considerred as a garbage.

I still have doubts though, on its long term reliability and feedbacks, so I will be checking here from time to time to see if anyone else here gets the Genesis and how he/she likes it.

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

I'm happy to see you're giving the Koreans some credit.

 

[gipp]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

I have always had an V8 E class Mercedes since 1992. As stated in the article - it is the benchmark- almost all design and engineering from every car maker worldwide has been based on the E-Class since it first came out. It has been named one of the 10 most important cars of all time.

That said, I am tired of these magazines and writers stacking the deck before every direct comparison. They would not compare an AMG vs a standard Mercedes in any comparison because the AMG would obviously win. But they did use the AMG packaged E550 for this comparison. I'm suprised they didn't use an AMG E63 but you can purchase 2 V8 tech package 5 Genesis for the price of one E63 and I guess they thought that was just too far a stretch.

In the review they summarize by saying -"Tighten up the suspension, dial in more steering feel, and add a sport algorithm to the transmission. Give it 19-inch wheels with wider rubber. Make the exhaust just a hair angrier. Dress it up with aluminum trim and more aggressive bodywork." Gee, that is exactly what the AMG package does to the E550. Are they just stupid or are they actually saying they like the Genesis better and were afraid to give it the nod over the fabled E class?


Let's see a comparison of a standard E550 vs the Genesis V8 (tech5) and a seperate test of the GenesisV6(tech4) vs the standard E350.

I'll let you know my personal opinions if the great state of New Jersey ever actually gets a Genesis shipped to it. As of today not a single NJ dealer can say anthing but "we expect them any day now and we will give you a call".

 

[Sal Collaziano]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

Great post, Gipp! It seems as if everyone is afraid of the Genesis. Some of these reviewers aren't doing very good comparisons - as you've pointed out.

 

[xitrum]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

Here is a quote from the review: "The two cars are almost dynamic opposites — in the Benz, every road irregularity, every crumbled bit of rock dropped from a cliff is transmitted to the driver. The Hyundai erases those small details completely..." Is he bragging about the Benz here?

I'll take the softer, smoother ride, the quiet cabin, and the fun technology features. It sounds like the Genesis excels in this category. At least I hope so.

Agreed! I find the review laughable at that point. If things are turned the other way around, they'd fault the Genesis for a coarse/bumpy ride and would praise the Benz for a more refined/luxurious ride. No, I don't want to feel every rock/bump on the road. Any cheap/economy car can do that.

IMO, Hyundai did a fine job with the Genesis at balancing performance and comfort.

 

[jwaters943]

Re: Genesis vs. Mercedes E-class Review

Here's a follow up to Motive's Genesis vs. E-Class comparison.....

Quick Drive: 2009 Hyundai Genesis V6

 

[1985Hyundai]

The Genesis is VERY smooth. Ive driven the V6 model and its very quiet inside. Good power from a V6 it does have its shortcomings but just like any other car. Compared to the Lexus GS. If I was blindfolded, I dont think I could tell which is which. Thats how smooth it was for me.