Should I wait for the 2011

[muffinman]

True, but there are many other cars in a luxury class that the rear seat do not fold down. The trunk is so damn big in the Genesis, all is well

Good point - but they are usually an option. It's too bad they couldn't offer the split-fold rear seats as at least an option.. it's handy for when you need to carry longer things that may not fit in the trunk otherwise

 

[mikec]

It's a trade-off: non-folding rear seat backs allow metal structure behind them to reinforce the car body leading to better handing, less squeaks (especially after a few years), etc. Of course you give up the ability to carry large/outsized cargo items.

Think of it this way: many aftermarket suppliers sell "strut bars" for all sorts of sporty cars. These bars connect the tops of the suspension assemblies together - i.e. connecting the right front suspension to the left front suspension. Or left rear to right rear. This stiffens the body+suspension combination so there is less flex in the body during hard cornering. When making a hard right turn for example, some of those high cornering forces get transmitted through the strut bar to the left side of the car that is otherwise doing very little. The Genesis sedan uses bodywork structure to make a rear strut bar.

A "box" shaped structure is far stiffer/stronger than a "U" shaped structure of the same weight typically. Convertibles flex a lot more because, without a hard roof, the center section of the car is a big "U" shape. A strut bar, or the Genesis metal panels behind the rear seats, basically turns the back end of the car into two square box structures: floor to top of rear seats, and floor to roof. Very stiff. Plus that behind-the-seats metal can have some diagonal bracing (which strut bars don't usually have) making triangular shapes. Triangles are about the strongest 2-D shape out there; that's why bridges have been built with triangular truss structures for decades. (imagine a square: then try pulling on one corner. The other corners try to change angles from the stress. Now pull on a triangle's corner: for anything to change shape, the arms of the triangle have to stretch/shrink in addition to the angles of the corners changing. VERY stiff/strong.) If you eyeball the insides of a NASCAR race car's roll cage, you'll see a lot of diagonal bracing for the same reason.

mike c.

 

[TJPark01]

A "box" shaped structure is far stiffer/stronger than a "U" shaped structure of the same weight typically. Convertibles flex a lot more because, without a hard roof, the center section of the car is a big "U" shape. A strut bar, or the Genesis metal panels behind the rear seats, basically turns the back end of the car into two square box structures: floor to top of rear seats, and floor to roof. Very stiff. Plus that behind-the-seats metal can have some diagonal bracing (which strut bars don't usually have) making triangular shapes. Triangles are about the strongest 2-D shape out there; that's why bridges have been built with triangular truss structures for decades. (imagine a square: then try pulling on one corner. The other corners try to change angles from the stress. Now pull on a triangle's corner: for anything to change shape, the arms of the triangle have to stretch/shrink in addition to the angles of the corners changing. VERY stiff/strong.) If you eyeball the insides of a NASCAR race car's roll cage, you'll see a lot of diagonal bracing for the same reason.
mike c.

I've hear this argument before, and you can point to all the scientific data you want till your blue in the face and a lot of it is valid, "on the race track" or" Paris to Dakar Rally". I've heard a hundred reasons for this, torsional rigidity, crash worthiness, latch component adaptability with child car seats, seat leather uniformity, rattles and squeakes, it goes on and on... I find that the simple answers are usually the right ones. In this case, I would point to "cost reduction", but that's just me. In the parking lot at Costco which is where most people will find themselves, it's a good feature to have.

 

[JamesD]

Actually, you're both right...the likely reason they omitted the folding rear seat WAS cost, but not in the sense that the fixed seat itself is so much cheaper. The real issue, as mikec correctly pointed out, is that having the fixed structure has a HUGE impact on noise transmission, which is critical in a car of this type, as well as structural integrity (resistance to squeaks and rattles, and body shell torque reaction during high loads).

There is no magic here...the engineering is well understood, but the cost to work around those limitations with a split, folding seat is significant...it's far easier and cheaper to just not go there. Also, lighter, which is not a minor consideration these days. My guess is that most luxury-car buyers seldom would use the folding seats, and mainly load the trunk with luggage, so this may not be much of a negative for most of the owner base...just a guess.

 

[Bobby41909]

TJPark, that pic you have of the family truckster from the movie Vacation is awesome. Any chance you can post a large version of it so I can make a copy...

 

[YEH]

Transmissions seem to be more complicated than engines, and very hard to repair.

Reportedly, the Hyundai 8-spd AT is lighter and has fewer moving parts than the ZF-6 spd; as for quality/reliability - it remains to be seen, but so far, the new Hyundai 6-spd being used in the Sonata, as well as other models likt eht Kia Sorento, seem to be holding up (not to mention being praised for their smoothness).

But this is an "entry level" luxury sedan. Hence the omission of things like, real wood,passenger side cooled seat/height adjustment control, folding rear seat, plain jane gauges.

Hyundai took a few short-cuts to keep the price down (and stripped a no. of goodies from the USDM model to lower the price even further), but I'm not sure if I would categorize the Genesis, an E segment sedan, as an "entry-level" lux sedan (after all, what would the smaller D segment sedan Hyundai reportedly is working on be classified as?).

 

[Bocatrip]

The Eight Speed transmission would be nice, but I'm much more interested in seeing if there is an improvement in the suspension.

 

[Dimitry]

Every year there will be improvements to the Tau, according to the chairman. In 2010, mid-year, there was a 10hp lift. I wouldn't doubt they did something to the 2011, GDI or more upgrades. The V6 is due for GDI, too.

Based on the quality of the Genesis and Equus - I wouldn't doubt that an IH 8-speed by Hyundai would be pretty ballin' in itself.

The facelift is due, but nothing is confirmed yet.

If you can wait, wait it out. If not, it's still quite the beast regardless

 

[Bocatrip]

Integrated exhaust tips in rear bumper and somewhat revised front grill.