My Review- Genesis Vs Volvo S80 T6 AWD

[ImInPA]

Well I have been busy narrowing down my choices for cars. Essentially at this time, it will boil down to the proverbial "best deal." from the dealers. Right now, Volvo is offering $6,500 from the factory on 2009 S80's, which is very tempting. Anyhow, I thought I would share my perceptions with you with regards to the V6 and V8 Genesis (both non-tech) and the Volvo S80 T6 AWD. The V6 is Premium Plus.

Some Specs:
Genesis V6 3.8 290 hp 263 ft/lbs. - $36,000 best deal so far $33,700 (Taxed, Tagged, down the road)
Genesis V8 4.6 375 hp 333 ft/lbs. - $38,000 best deal so far $35,800 (Taxed, Tagged, down the road)
Volvo S80 3.0 twin turbo inline six 281 hp 295 ft/lbs. - $45,000 best deal so far $35,600 (Taxed, Tagged, down the road)

Size:
Both Genesis models are huge. Really huge. Where this really shows up is in the back seat. There simply is not another car in this price range (avalon?) with as luxurious and commodious back seat as the Genesis. That said, the Volvo is very comfortable in all seating locations...just not as much stretch-out room in the rear as the Genesis. The truck space is comparable between the Volvo and the Genesis, however, the Volvo does include a 60/40 fold-down rear seat in addition to the passthrough. From a sheer size point, the Genesis gets the nod here.


Luxury Do-dads:
The Genesis has more Luxury do-dads overall than the Volvo however, the Vovlo does some of them better. For example, the Volvo has Standard Bluetooth connectivity as does the Genesis. In the Volvo, however, it is totally integrated into the audio system, like the Genesis with Tech. It does not matter which audio system you choose, the Bluetooth is the same across the board (I wish Genesis did it this way). Also, Volvo has made HD radio standard on all S80's built since November 2008 whereas Genesis only gives this with the Tech Package models. The Genesis gives you standard keyless start, the Volvo maes you insertthe key fob into a slot then push a button, although, true keyless start is part of an option package. The I-Pod integration in the Volvo is notably faster to load than the Genesis, but, both work very well. The Volvo does allow you to control random selection without having to do this from the I-Pod itself, but, it is somewhat cumbersome to do. Other than these differences, the Genesis offers more stuff in general but the Volvov offers all the stuff most will use. Still have to give the nod overall to the Genesis on quantity, but Volvo's execution of some of the items is better.

Performance:
Both of the Genesis V6 and V8 feel quicker off the line than the S80 T6. The V8 Genesis is simply astounding in this regard. It is much closer between the V6's but again, I would give a slight edge to the Genesis V6 off the line. Once off the line, however, the Twin Turbo Volvo feels more powerful than the Genesis to me. I think this is because the Volvo develops almost all of it torque at 1500 rpms and remains flat all the way up. Highway passing in the Volvo is very similar to the Genesis V8 but the V8 Genesis is still faster. The Volvo seems to corner "flatter" than either Genesis. Also, with its AWD, I was unable to get the tires to spin in the Volvo (I tested all of them on both sunny and rainy days). Neither the Genesis or the Volvo do a very good impersonnation of a sports car, but, as luxury cars, they are all very good in this regard.


Ride:
Before I go into this, I want to say that is a highly subjective area. I have read posts of both the Genesis being to bouncy and the Volvo being to bouncy. None of them seem to bouncy to me. That said, these are all fine automobiles. The Volvo, seeming to be as "stiff" or stiffer than the Genesis and seemed to soak up sharp bumps much better than the Genesis (either V6 or V8). The Genesis steering seems numb when compared to the Volvo, but, all of these cars steer very well. Both the V6 and V8 Genesis are very sensitive to road crowns and angles, and never seemed to be happy just traveling straight (maybe this is just the roads here). The Volvo tracks straight very well, needing very little correction. Down a smooth stretch of road, the Volvo and Genesis are just magical (like riding on a carpet of clouds). Anyone that does not find the ride of these vehicles exemplary on a smooth road should forward to me there home address and will personally come by and hit you in the head with a tac hammer (just kidding). Overall, based on the straight line tracking and better compliance over bumps, I give a slight edge to the Volvo although, it would be hard to think anyone could go wrong here. The Volvo does have AWD and in the North that may be a good thing.

Interior:
Genesis and Volvo have done a great job here. Fit and finish seems exemplary in both the Swede and the Koreans. To my touch, the leather in the Volvo is more like the leather in the Genesis V8 (a tad softer than the leather in the V6). The Vovlo has a very distinctive look to the inside design, unlike almost anything else on the road. The Genesis design is simply excellent. While the Vovlo rides very quietly, I think I give the nod to the Genesis in overall quiet. The Genesis may let more tire noise in than the Volvo on certain roads, but, this may be because of the 18 inch wheels and Dunlop tires on the Geneis Vs. 17 inch Wheels and Michelins on the Volvo. The interiors of the Genesis and the Volvo are so well done, I think it boils down to a matter of preference. I give them a tie.

Audio:
This was the biggest surprise to me. Both the non-Tech Gensis with the 14 speaker lexicon stereo I thought for sure would simply blow away the base Volvo 8 speaker 160 watt system. While Vovlo has a 10 speaker DynAudio system with 650 watts available, it is part of an option package that I am not going to purchase. That said, the 8 speaker system in the Vovlo S80 with its paltry 160 watts of power is one of the best sounding car systems I have ever heard. Period. There is a presence to it that just defies what it is. That said, the lexicon system is also very good too, especially at high volumes. That said, the Lexicon will play louder. To me, the trick to good car stereo has always been how does it sound at low volume? Does it still sound good with the windows down? With the Volvo, the system sounds good windows up or down and very good at low volume. In all honesty, the non-surround sound Volvo seems to better surround me than the Genesis 14 speaker Lexicon. Now, I think both systems are very very good, but, I entered the Genesis expecting to be blown away, while I entered the Volvo expecting this to be its weakest link. The Genesis did not blow me away, and the Volvo made me say "holy 8 speaker stereo systems batman..." Bottom line to me, while this would not be an issue that would make me choose one over the other, the Vovlo 8 speaker High Performance Audio (their name) simply sounds like what one would expect from a luxury vehicle and truly is an example of "the sum of the parts exceeding the whole."

Summary:
I think I would be quite happy with the Genesis (V6 or V8) or the Volvo S80 T6 AWD (the FWD non-turbo is very good too!!!). Size-wise, the Genesis is the clear winner. The performance of the V8 Genesis is simply outstanding. It is in the details that things tend to tighten up a bit. I have to admit that I would not consider the Volvo at it's price point, however, the current incentives make it truly worthy of consideration to me. One thing to note, and this could be a local thing, I have not heard from the Hyundai dealer since my last offer. I have heard daily from Volvo. I am getting the sense that the service from my local Volvo dealer will be better than the service from my local Hyundai dealer. Of course, I am hoping neither will be needing service on a regular basis. I hope you folks find this thread interesting, and/or helpful. If you have any questions that I might not have covered just ask me.

 

[dshelley]

Thank you for that very detailed and objective report. I found myself experiencing the ride in both cars as I read it.

 

[ultra63]

I too have a bizarre interest in Volvos but the V8 Tech Gen would be rated higher by most reviewers vs any S80. The S80 depreciates at an astounding rate and Volvos are expensive to repair. The Gen may not hold its value much better given H's reputation. I would lease either but certainly not purchase the S80.

 

[JPW]

Awesome review. Thanks.

 

[Dimitry]

From a fiscal standpoint, I lease all my vehicles. One of the main reasons I never consider a Volvo is the low residual values, topped by ridiculous manufacturer finance rates (which you have to often go with if you want to get a nice rebate from the factory)

As an example, the XC90, AWD Wagon, after 36 months at 15000 miles annually, would retain 38% of its original value, and has a shocking money factor of .00532 - or 12.76%

The concept vehicles were interesting - I wonder how they'll be a few years down the line.

 

[knight]

What an excellent and thoughtful write up! It will be interesting to see what you end up buying, hopefully a Genesis for the very selfish reason that I would love to see more in-depth and outstanding insights once you purchase and drive it for a while!

In your selection process you appear to be leaving the decision up to the lowest bidder with all other things being (in general) equally weighted between two different car manufacturers. That's intriguing because I found it was easier (for me) to narrow my selection down to the car that I would pursue and then shop the dealerships for the best price. It reduces the matrix of variables that need to be weighed against each other considerably.

Of course, it was easier when I talked to my Lexus dealer and said "I'm also looking at the Hyundai Genesis?" and he stated "It's a great car, but it's not a Lexus". I guess I am not buying for the name, so that argument doesn't carry much weight with me and it also meant that he was not about to lower his price or even recognize a car at nearly half the price as his competition.

-knight

 

[Goose]

Your review (a nice one, by the way) points out an important aspect of the ownership experience - the dealer. While dealers can vary from brand to brand, it's the one that you deal with that makes the difference. If your local Hyundai guy drops the ball and the Volvo guy supports the product, all other things being equal, Volvo gets the sale.

My local dealer hasn't done a thing for me since I bought my Hyundai. I'm either getting mine serviced an hour and half away or changing brands.

 

[ImInPA]

From a fiscal standpoint, I lease all my vehicles. One of the main reasons I never consider a Volvo is the low residual values,

You are so correct on this note. However, The Volvo I am looking at (and compared above) lists for just under $46K and between Volvo Cash allowance and dealer allowance, the residual for me will be a non-issue with the Volvo. I generally purchase a car and pay cash. I also keep a car for 5-7 years. At 5 years out, the values of the competition tighten up a good bit.

 

[ImInPA]

What an excellent and thoughtful write up! It will be interesting to see what you end up buying, hopefully a Genesis for the very selfish reason that I would love to see more in-depth and outstanding insights once you purchase and drive it for a while!

In your selection process you appear to be leaving the decision up to the lowest bidder with all other things being (in general) equally weighted between two different car manufacturers. That's intriguing because I found it was easier (for me) to narrow my selection down to the car that I would pursue and then shop the dealerships for the best price. It reduces the matrix of variables that need to be weighed against each other considerably.

Of course, it was easier when I talked to my Lexus dealer and said "I'm also looking at the Hyundai Genesis?" and he stated "It's a great car, but it's not a Lexus". I guess I am not buying for the name, so that argument doesn't carry much weight with me and it also meant that he was not about to lower his price or even recognize a car at nearly half the price as his competition.

Actually, I have been shopping for a few months so I have narrowed my search down to the vehicles that I would enjoy living with for the next 5 years or so. My list actually includes the Audi A4, Genesis, and Volvo. The A4 is simply a great car but has a pretty tight backseat. With the 2.0T it feels faster than either Genesis or the Volvo, although it is only rated 0-60 in 6.7 sec. with automatic. The A4 does have the largest trunk and fold down rear seats (trunk is 17 cu. ft.) The I-Pod integration is the best of all the cars I have considered. That said, the Genesis and Volvo S80 compete more directly with the A6 from a size/quality-of-materials standpoint.

The truth is, it really does boil down to the best deal for me. Each of the vehicles that have made it to my short list are very good. None of them are without fault and each has a shortcoming or two. Each of them also has their strong points too. The dealer service is a big thing for me. So, they need to make me feel like they will be there after the sale. So far, the local Volvo dealer has excelled in this regard. Hyundai, as I mentioned, has not even contacted me to see if I am still interested, and I pass the dealership ever day on my way home and see the car has not moved. The Audi dealership has contacted me almost as much as the Volvo dealer, inviting me to Audi dealer events, seminars (The history of Quattro). I want you to know that the Hyundai delaership is VERY nice. It is relatively new and very modern looking. A nice customer service area and rather upscale. They are just not giving me the "warm and fuzzy" that I think should accompany a sales experience in the mid-thirties and up.

 

[ImInPA]

I too have a bizarre interest in Volvos but the V8 Tech Gen would be rated higher by most reviewers vs any S80. The S80 depreciates at an astounding rate and Volvos are expensive to repair. The Gen may not hold its value much better given H's reputation. I would lease either but certainly not purchase the S80.

I have these same thoguhts, however, I have actually put over a hundred miles on each of my short list of vehicles during the past couple months. I agree with you about the reviewers ratings of the V8 Genesis Vs the V6 T6 Volvo. It would probably be more interesting with the V8 Volvo AWD. While it is true the S80 has a faily high depreciation rate, the deals available right now more than offset this. $6500 from the factory alone is over 14% off of list. As I stated above, at the normal pricing, I would not consider a Volvo for the very reasons that you state, although the car is as solid and well made as anything it competes with. I will say that it is a great car, appears to be assembled like a tank, and goes down the road with precision. essentially thogh, they are elminiating the low residual value (and then some) right up front.

It has been a while since I had actually test driven a Volvo. I have to tell you that they have done an amazing job with the new S80. The Genesis is also an amazing vehicle ( I am leaning more to the V8 model just for that wonderful engine although the V6 is pretty good too. I wish Hyundai had put limited slip differential in both models).

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[JPW]

In Houston we have a Hyundai dealership right next to a Volvo dealership. I've always liked the lines on the Volvo S80 and this was one of the cars I am considering so I thought I might try to drive both "back to back." I'm not trying to deter anyone from buying either car. This was just my own observation.

Fit and Finish - I expected more from the Volvo. The more I sit in the Genesis the more I am impressed with where they did things right with the interior. Everything feels pretty high quality, not Lexus quality, but very good for the price. When you close the Volvo doors I felt sort of cheap feeling. It is a bit hard to describe but if you ever shut the door on a Mercedes it almost feels like a vault door (and I don't even like Mercedes). Ultimately, I give the edge to the Genesis here.

Road noise - This surprised me a great deal. The Volvo did not do a good job with this. With all the windows up I thought the Volvo was rather loud. If you do consider the S80 I would be sure this is in acceptable range for you. The Genesis is still one of the quietest cars I've ever driven and is one of the reasons I continue to be attracted to it.

Transmission - Again, I was surprised here with the S80. As I accelerated and braked a number of times I found the transmission searching for the right gear. It had a great deal of hesitation a number of times and it wasn't consistent. Sometimes it would shift nicely and other times it was an issue. I don't find the Genesis transmission to be perfect but I felt it did a much better of job of shifting at the proper times than the Volvo did.

Handling - The S80 wins here hands down. The steering was predictable and extremely stable. Just a joy around turns and handled every bump with ease. The Genesis I drove by contrast did not handle as well. It has a soft ride over every bump but you certainly feel every nuance of the road, good and bad. When the road is good the ride is beyond exceptional, when the road is bad the Genesis doesn't seem to do a good job of hiding it.

Again, all just my two cents. YMMV

 

[ImInPA]

JPW: Great to hear from someone else who has driven both vehicles. Not sure why this would be, but I found the doors on the Volvo closed with a very solid and reassuring "thunk." What model did you drive? 3.2, T6, or V8. I did notice the hesitation you speak of with the 3.2 but not with the T6. I also noticed this with the Genesis V8 as well (less so with the V6). With regards to noise, it must just be the composition of our roads here, but I found both cars let in a fair amount of road noise, and the Genesis to be a bit quieter on smooth road, nothing earth shaking here. Quite frankly, over our roads, I have to admit to being disappointed with the interior sound levels of not only the Genesis, but also the Volvo, Audi A4, Mercedes E, and the BMW 5. I really think a lot of this has to do with the tires. I drove an 08 S80 that had Continental Tires and it was noticably loud inside. The same car with Michelins was very quiet. You are correct...buyer beware and test drive the hell out of the vehicle you will buy!!! With regards to fit and finish, I agree, Hyundai has done a remarkable job with the Genesis interior...it would be true nit-picking to find any real flaws in its execution. I did however find the Volvo interior to be of very high quality too, and it seems to be bolted together pretty tightly too. The Volvo has a more typically european austere interior....everything laid out logically,and very understated in its execution and very distinctive in its design. I think we agree pretty much overall on our assesments of these two cars. To me, some of the Volvo's appeal is in the details. Keep in mind, I am not interested in the Tech package Genesis. The way the Bluetooth integrates with the stereo, the headlights that can be set to remain on after the vehicle is turned off (If the Genesis can do this I could not figure out how), the front and rear heated seats, fold down rear seats, electric, folding rear headrests to increase visibility, to name a few.

What is rapidly souring me on the Genesis is the dealer response (or actually lack of response). I am just not understanding why they would not be following up with me. For the record, They have about 11 Genesis on their lot right now, and some of them (the one I am looking at in fact) have been there for at least three months, so I know they are not flying out the door here.) Their lack of response has my spider senses tingling.

I called Hyundai last night to see if they were still interested in selling me a car. The sales manager was "glad to hear from me" but was busy when I called and said he would return my call shorlty. I have still not heard back from Hyundai and will likely not call them again. The Volvo dealer called me this morning letting me know that they have "my car" ready and that they would be happy to deliver it to me and finish the paperwork up in my office. The difference in dealer mentality is that My local Hyundai dealer is not making me feel like they care at all if I buy a Genesis or not, while the Volvo dealer is making me feel like I am the only person they have to worry about.

 

[JPW]

Hey ImInPa. I drove the front-wheel drive 3.2 S80.

One other item I forgot to mention before is around the seats. I really liked the seats in the S80. They had good support and most importantly had some lateral support. I HATE the seats in the Genesis. To me they don't feel like they have hardly any lateral support which causes your body to sort of move around as you turn corners. I wouldn't want a racing seat but I think a seat that sort of molds to you would be nice. The Mercedes E-class does this better than any vehicle I've seen. Their seats and the ability for them to lower is just outstanding. It feels like someone 7 feet tall could fit in a Mercedes e class.

I agree with you about the road noise. It isn't terrible on the S80. It sounds almost identical to my 2003 Honda Accord which isn't bad at all but I'm sensitive to it. Any improvent with removing road noise is a big deal to me. I just want my next car to be incredibly quiet. I did have an E class Mercedes E500 that I thought did a very good job with the road noise.

That is really too bad to hear about the dealer experience you are having with Hyundai. I don't blame you one bit. Here in Houston I noticed pretty much the same thing. Simply put the personnel working at Hyundai did not leave me with much confidence compared to those at Volvo. They just seemed more professional at Volvo but again this is only comparing two specific dealers. I'm sure there are plenty of good Hyundai dealers out there and poor Volvo dealers. This is just what I witnessed on one day.

For me I will say this, I try to buy the car and not the dealer. That might sound silly but for me the best dealer experience I can have is that if after I buy the car I never have to see them again. If I am there it is likely something is wrong with the car. When I bought my Honda Accord in 2003 in New Orleans the dealer experience was awful. This was at multiple dealers. The salesman were rude at every location. Ultimately, I just reminded myself to focus on which car I wanted rather than the experience I was having and I never regretted it. I've driven the Accord 100,000 miles now and it hasn't been in the shop a single day. The only thing I've done is replaced the tires and brake pads at 50,000 miles. It drives almost identical from the day I bought it. That is what I hope for in my next car.

So while I'm rambling here some might ask why don't I just buy another Accord if I'm so happy with it. I certainly would if it offered me improvements in a few areas:

- less road noise
- BIGGER, I'm sort of a big guy at 6'4" and 267 pounds and the Accord just looks sort small with me in it.
- FASTER, my Accord is currently a V4. It does incredibly well but there is something about the power of a V8.
- Luxury, my accord is pretty much the top of the line that had at the time with leather and all. It has wood grain and looks pretty darn good but I would prefer more of an executive looking interior.
- Technology, my Honda accord does not have GPS or Bluetooth. I hope my next vehicle is able to have all this.

So as I go through all those bullets above guess what car seems to match up? The Genesis. I just wish they would work on that suspension and improve on the seats and offer a powered trunk

 

[jwaters943]

Not to nitpick, but your Accord has an I-4 engine.

FWIW the seats in the Genesis seem to get more comfortable w/ wear. I still wish the seat bottom was a bit longer for taller drivers, but once I deflated the lumbar support I found the seats to have adequate side bolstering.

 

[wallymn]

Funny, I did the same, The lumbar support costs more than an inch of seat length. I keep it deflated.

 

[JPW]

Not to nitpick, but your Accord has an I-4 engine.

FWIW the seats in the Genesis seem to get more comfortable w/ wear. I still wish the seat bottom was a bit longer for taller drivers, but once I deflated the lumbar support I found the seats to have adequate side bolstering.

Thanks for both items here. My education on engines is pretty pathetic. I'm trying to learn more but obviously it is slow process for me. As for the seats I didn't even notice there was adjust the lumbar section so that could easily have been the problem since I remember on some test drives not even noticing it but on others I have. I suspect it will make a significant difference for me.

 

[JPW]

I guess this isn't entirely off topic. I went and drove an Acura RL today. I don't like the TL because of it sporty interior. I prefer more luxury and the RL has that. The reason I decided to drive one was because of this discussion. As I started to think of what I want in my next car I realized I liked quite a few things that my Honda Accord offers so the step up a few levels should be the Acura RL...right?

Well, it was in a few areas. The Acura RL handles incredibly well. Mostly flat with a little body roll and very predictable. I thought the interior was nice and offered the luxury I was looking for. The stereo was incredible. I didn't like so much how it was controlled but it sure sounded great. The V6 engine was very peppy and the transmission very responsive.

Unfortunately, there were some things I didn't like. Personally, I think they need to make the RL much bigger. The back seats seemed pointless to me. They appeared to have the same room as my Accord which is too small. I thought there should be more headroom but I look for a bit more headroom in the Genesis as well. The road noise was not good. I checked the windows and the moonroof numerous times because I couldn't believe how pronounced it was. I thought the RL was known to be a quiet car but I'm certain at least the one I drove was louder than all the Geneis's I've driven. The overall fit and finish really didn't impress me. I may be expecting too much but for $50K+ I admit I was expecting more.

Overall the experience was a good one because I still look forward to buying a genesis and this is just antoher strike against other cars out there. The deal breakers for me would be the road noise and poor room in the back seat.

 

[ImInPA]

Hey ImInPa. I drove the front-wheel drive 3.2 S80.

Some of the FWD ones come with the Continental tires. Very noisy tires. The T6 AWD comes with the Michelin Pilots and a bit different suspension tuning. To me if felt much better and far quieter. Apparently, Volvo got a lot of complaints about the road noise. So sometime around November they switched to Michelins. The T6 AWD rides a bit firmer than the 3.2. It also has a much more refined engine note, and, much better acceleration.