Andrewsandlin
New member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2022
- Messages
- 15
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
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- Genesis Model Year
- 2011
- Genesis Model Type
- 1G Genesis Sedan (2009-2014)
Ultimate 1st gen Genesis spec guide
introduction
Over the four years of ownership of my 2011 Genesis, it has come to my attention that there are a lot of different variations and trim options on the 2009-2014 Genesis sedan lineup. Overall there has been a ton of misinformation with the various specs and trims and I plan to simplify this in this article.
In the beginning
I'm not too sure what made Hyundai/kia wake up one day and decide to build a full-on luxury car. Part of me thinks it was the earlier Lexus LS430 that inspired them, but another part thinks the horrible Theta II grenade engines pushed Hyundai to get a better reputation. Whatever the case is, in the late fall of 2007 Hyundai Motors started designing a concept car dubbed the Genesis. It was supposed to be as stylish as a Mercedes, with the performance of a BMW and the handling of a sports car. This is evident when you get into a genesis specced with the v6. Many had very mixed feelings towards the overall looks and body styling of the 2009 Genesis. Some believed it kinda looked like a Chinese Benz… not good at all. As for the genesis, it hit the floor running. It isn't too surprising when you see its predecessor the Equus which was already a car in the Korean market. A majority of the stuff from the Equus is extremely similar. The Equus was arguably the better car having a fridge in the back as well as seat massagers. The Genesis sold very well in the us straight from the get-go. It was a very cheap luxurious feeling sedan. It had technology at the time that wasn't really as mainstream at the time. Such as Bluetooth connection, HD radio, serious XM, 17 speaker surround, GPS navigation, and many driver aids.
Wow what's with all the options
Now I'm not too sure what was going through the minds of the people on the design team but one thing is clear…. There are a lot of variations.
The list of engines:
Lambda 3.3L v6 gmpi
Lambda I 3.8L v6 gmpi
Lambda II 3.8L v6 gdi
Tau 4.6L v8 GDI
Tau 5.0L v8 GDI
Transmission list:
All v6 engines were equipped with either the Aisin TB-(65)(60)N or the Aisin B-600.
The v8s were more like BMW with either the zf6hp26 or the zf6hp19. This is both the 4.6 and the 5.0 v8.
Some interesting facts
Very few Genesis sedans were ever made with the 3.3L v6. It did have multi-port injection but it was more marketed in Korea.
Just like the old faithful tried and true Chevy L26 3.8L the lambda II has been the most trustee steed of the herd. Initially, HP numbers were laughable considering they wanted it to be a somewhat quick car. In the early days of 2009, the 3.8L only put out a whopping 290HP. Many tuners and car enthusiasts proved this engine to be neutered of all its potential power. 2011 marked the year a famous mainstream car channel dynode the Genesis and found it to be pushing 385HP which was a far cry from the pathetic 290HP. This number was manipulated just a tad since they did small things like an intake and running it on 93 octane. It still was impressive and beat 4.6 v8…. At least out of the starting line.
The oil is burning I can smell it.
Now there were some cases of particular engines burning oil. Since these cars came out about the same time Toyota was replacing oil-burning engines, Hyundai had time to fix the issue before it ruined its name again. They had already worked hard with the genesis to say their cars were good. At the time the 3.8l v6 and the 4.6 v8 both were starting to come to the dealership's service departments in need of short blocks. Unlike any auto manufacturer Hyundai halted engine production and shifted away from low-tension oil control rings. And just like that, they put these better engines in the same cars on the assembly line like nothing ever happened. Unfortunately many have found out their engine was made before the manufacturing switch. Usually, the engine code will tell you right away if it is a bad burner. The good engines were stamped as g6da usually followed by numbers.
The car was too perfect so it must die early.
There was so much confusion on transmission type mainly because of all the different variations. Not to go too much off-topic but there were 3 different styles of intake manifolds on the 3.8l. Now marketing has overhyped it by a ton. If you ever find yourself in need of a transmission you might as well buy another used 1st gen with low miles. This is all the fault of Aisin. They basically said “Sure we will sell you Hyundai a transmission to put in your vehicles” Then they quietly discontinued it and not too many people thought too much about it. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part, aisins transmissions are pretty ok as far as reliability. I think the decision to put a sealed transmission in the Genesis was a horrible terrible marketing thing to get people to pre-order transmissions that hadn't been made in a decade. All is not lost if you haven't changed the fluid. If the transmission still operates decently that likely means the more vital components such as the planetaries are likely okay. A majority of the time a soft rebuild is all it needs. Just get the friction kit and keep up with your fluid drain and fill intervals.
What's funny is when you look at ZF, they made transmissions for many different automakers. The zf6hp26-19 can be found on many BMWs, Jaguar, Mercedes, Genesis, and Range Rover. It's funny how similar the Aisin and zf6 are yet the zf6 can be bought and paid for arriving at your doorstep in the blink of an eye for a fraction of the price of an Aisin. It's like ZF thought about this and Aisin just wants the money.
Is it truly luxurious?
On a hot summer night cruising down the windy country roads of Louisiana with the windows down and Beatles turned up it almost feels too good to be true. When going around the corners the whole car grips in and plants itself. The auto headlights adjust to the level of the ground making visibility great. The seats are almost premium too. Then in the blink of an eye, you put your foot into it and the v6 or v8 screams up to a whopping effortless 6500 rpms and the car becomes a race car for split second. As the engine winds back down the extra burbles and sputters make you feel like you're in an American muscle car. Is it a luxury car or is it a sports sedan? With the dual climate controls and heated and cooled seats, the outstanding driver aids and the fine leather bolstering on the seats it seems like a luxury car. But underneath its plush appearance lies a beast waiting to handle the corners like a NASCAR and scream up to RPM like an American muscle car, it definitely carries a distinguished personality.
Unfortunately, this puts the Genesis in a weird spot, is it a luxury car, a sports sedan, or a masculine sports car? Personally, I know and understand what identity crisis is and I can only imagine what it's like for the 1st gen Genesis sedan. It seems to be a little of everything and that's just cool.
Racing to a close
In my opinion, the 3.8l v6 is better than the 4.6 v8. They did have more issues with oil burning and if you want a true v8 the 5.0 r spec is the way to go. The genesis seems like Hyundais saving grace. It's kind of ironic they used the 2.0 Na and the 2.4 T in the Genesis coupe. These two engines are the Grenado engines. I still can't wrap my head around that one. Forgetting the coupe the sedan did do a lot to bring back what Kia/Hyundai is as a car manufacturer. They may not have the best tech or features, they may be lacking in quality but for what it is the value is definitely there. The genesis says this in only so many ways. With the implementation of new tech and old ideas, the Genesis is basic while still feeling premium. It just feels good to drive a car that can compete with the more expensive and arguably more unreliable BMWs and Benz.
For what it's worth the Genesis sedan gets a 9/10 stars for rating. My only biggest gripe is the choice to use such a terrible transmission.
That's my overall review of the genesis. I hope that answers any questions. Thank you for reading.
introduction
Over the four years of ownership of my 2011 Genesis, it has come to my attention that there are a lot of different variations and trim options on the 2009-2014 Genesis sedan lineup. Overall there has been a ton of misinformation with the various specs and trims and I plan to simplify this in this article.
In the beginning
I'm not too sure what made Hyundai/kia wake up one day and decide to build a full-on luxury car. Part of me thinks it was the earlier Lexus LS430 that inspired them, but another part thinks the horrible Theta II grenade engines pushed Hyundai to get a better reputation. Whatever the case is, in the late fall of 2007 Hyundai Motors started designing a concept car dubbed the Genesis. It was supposed to be as stylish as a Mercedes, with the performance of a BMW and the handling of a sports car. This is evident when you get into a genesis specced with the v6. Many had very mixed feelings towards the overall looks and body styling of the 2009 Genesis. Some believed it kinda looked like a Chinese Benz… not good at all. As for the genesis, it hit the floor running. It isn't too surprising when you see its predecessor the Equus which was already a car in the Korean market. A majority of the stuff from the Equus is extremely similar. The Equus was arguably the better car having a fridge in the back as well as seat massagers. The Genesis sold very well in the us straight from the get-go. It was a very cheap luxurious feeling sedan. It had technology at the time that wasn't really as mainstream at the time. Such as Bluetooth connection, HD radio, serious XM, 17 speaker surround, GPS navigation, and many driver aids.
Wow what's with all the options
Now I'm not too sure what was going through the minds of the people on the design team but one thing is clear…. There are a lot of variations.
The list of engines:
Lambda 3.3L v6 gmpi
Lambda I 3.8L v6 gmpi
Lambda II 3.8L v6 gdi
Tau 4.6L v8 GDI
Tau 5.0L v8 GDI
Transmission list:
All v6 engines were equipped with either the Aisin TB-(65)(60)N or the Aisin B-600.
The v8s were more like BMW with either the zf6hp26 or the zf6hp19. This is both the 4.6 and the 5.0 v8.
Some interesting facts
Very few Genesis sedans were ever made with the 3.3L v6. It did have multi-port injection but it was more marketed in Korea.
Just like the old faithful tried and true Chevy L26 3.8L the lambda II has been the most trustee steed of the herd. Initially, HP numbers were laughable considering they wanted it to be a somewhat quick car. In the early days of 2009, the 3.8L only put out a whopping 290HP. Many tuners and car enthusiasts proved this engine to be neutered of all its potential power. 2011 marked the year a famous mainstream car channel dynode the Genesis and found it to be pushing 385HP which was a far cry from the pathetic 290HP. This number was manipulated just a tad since they did small things like an intake and running it on 93 octane. It still was impressive and beat 4.6 v8…. At least out of the starting line.
The oil is burning I can smell it.
Now there were some cases of particular engines burning oil. Since these cars came out about the same time Toyota was replacing oil-burning engines, Hyundai had time to fix the issue before it ruined its name again. They had already worked hard with the genesis to say their cars were good. At the time the 3.8l v6 and the 4.6 v8 both were starting to come to the dealership's service departments in need of short blocks. Unlike any auto manufacturer Hyundai halted engine production and shifted away from low-tension oil control rings. And just like that, they put these better engines in the same cars on the assembly line like nothing ever happened. Unfortunately many have found out their engine was made before the manufacturing switch. Usually, the engine code will tell you right away if it is a bad burner. The good engines were stamped as g6da usually followed by numbers.
The car was too perfect so it must die early.
There was so much confusion on transmission type mainly because of all the different variations. Not to go too much off-topic but there were 3 different styles of intake manifolds on the 3.8l. Now marketing has overhyped it by a ton. If you ever find yourself in need of a transmission you might as well buy another used 1st gen with low miles. This is all the fault of Aisin. They basically said “Sure we will sell you Hyundai a transmission to put in your vehicles” Then they quietly discontinued it and not too many people thought too much about it. Now don't get me wrong, for the most part, aisins transmissions are pretty ok as far as reliability. I think the decision to put a sealed transmission in the Genesis was a horrible terrible marketing thing to get people to pre-order transmissions that hadn't been made in a decade. All is not lost if you haven't changed the fluid. If the transmission still operates decently that likely means the more vital components such as the planetaries are likely okay. A majority of the time a soft rebuild is all it needs. Just get the friction kit and keep up with your fluid drain and fill intervals.
What's funny is when you look at ZF, they made transmissions for many different automakers. The zf6hp26-19 can be found on many BMWs, Jaguar, Mercedes, Genesis, and Range Rover. It's funny how similar the Aisin and zf6 are yet the zf6 can be bought and paid for arriving at your doorstep in the blink of an eye for a fraction of the price of an Aisin. It's like ZF thought about this and Aisin just wants the money.
Is it truly luxurious?
On a hot summer night cruising down the windy country roads of Louisiana with the windows down and Beatles turned up it almost feels too good to be true. When going around the corners the whole car grips in and plants itself. The auto headlights adjust to the level of the ground making visibility great. The seats are almost premium too. Then in the blink of an eye, you put your foot into it and the v6 or v8 screams up to a whopping effortless 6500 rpms and the car becomes a race car for split second. As the engine winds back down the extra burbles and sputters make you feel like you're in an American muscle car. Is it a luxury car or is it a sports sedan? With the dual climate controls and heated and cooled seats, the outstanding driver aids and the fine leather bolstering on the seats it seems like a luxury car. But underneath its plush appearance lies a beast waiting to handle the corners like a NASCAR and scream up to RPM like an American muscle car, it definitely carries a distinguished personality.
Unfortunately, this puts the Genesis in a weird spot, is it a luxury car, a sports sedan, or a masculine sports car? Personally, I know and understand what identity crisis is and I can only imagine what it's like for the 1st gen Genesis sedan. It seems to be a little of everything and that's just cool.
Racing to a close
In my opinion, the 3.8l v6 is better than the 4.6 v8. They did have more issues with oil burning and if you want a true v8 the 5.0 r spec is the way to go. The genesis seems like Hyundais saving grace. It's kind of ironic they used the 2.0 Na and the 2.4 T in the Genesis coupe. These two engines are the Grenado engines. I still can't wrap my head around that one. Forgetting the coupe the sedan did do a lot to bring back what Kia/Hyundai is as a car manufacturer. They may not have the best tech or features, they may be lacking in quality but for what it is the value is definitely there. The genesis says this in only so many ways. With the implementation of new tech and old ideas, the Genesis is basic while still feeling premium. It just feels good to drive a car that can compete with the more expensive and arguably more unreliable BMWs and Benz.
For what it's worth the Genesis sedan gets a 9/10 stars for rating. My only biggest gripe is the choice to use such a terrible transmission.
That's my overall review of the genesis. I hope that answers any questions. Thank you for reading.
