First drive: 2015 Hyundai Genesis in the UAE
The first-generation Genesis sedan was supposed to be Hyundai’s game-changer. A valiant effort at building a contemporary luxury sedan with a sporting streak, it was a hit everywhere else except the Middle East. Now Hyundai has gone in a slightly different direction with the Genesis, not just improving it for the 2015 model year, but also choosing a more controversial approach to the styling.
While we’re not huge fans of that upright new grille, everyone we spoke with seemed to love the new styling direction, so Hyundai must be doing something right with their market research. The latest model is only slightly longer than the conservative outgoing version, but the new proportions make it look a lot lengthier. Apparently it also boasts a near-perfect 52:48 weight distribution because of it as well.
Inside, it’s premium all the way, easily punching above its weight with extensive use of soft-touch surfaces, padded leather inserts, metal trim bits and matte wood panels, all easily matching European luxury brands that cost twice as much. The overall design is clean and understated.
Cabin space is slightly better than the high-end midsizers that Hyundai says are its rivals, such as the BMW 5-Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, although the Genesis approaches full-size length in terms of size.
There’s no shortage of tech, and includes a large capacitive touchscreen with additional rotary-dial control, HID headlights with LEDs, colour heads-up display, cooled seats, memory power-adjustable seats, panoramic glass roof, solid stereo, adaptive cruise, lane-departure warning with steering vibration, and all sorts of other gadgets and safety features. This isn’t your typical entry-level Hyundai.
We drove both the 420 hp 5.0-litre V8 with 519 Nm as well as the 311 hp 3.8-litre with 397 Nm of torque. Both direct-injection engines were mildly retuned and mated to an 8-speed automatic with paddle-shifters.
The V8 and V6 cars we drove both were optioned up exactly the same, and the only way to tell the difference between the two were the boot-lid badges and the shape of the exhaust tips.
In terms of power, the V8 can hustle with decent verve, as well as can be expected from a 2-tonne car. But surprisingly, the V6 is no slouch either, as the latter has been retuned for better mid-range torque at the expense of slightly-higher drag-launch times, so there’s more passing power instead. And we’re glad Hyundai finally got their 8-speed’s programming right, compared to their previous models, as it smoothly shifted from gear to gear without bumbling around.
The Genesis is also rides very well, like a proper luxury car should, smooth and mostly quiet, aside from a bit of noticeable wind-buffeting around the mirrors at 120 kph. We didn’t get the opportunity for any high-speed turns during our convoy drive, but from what little we could tell, it seemed to handle just fine, if not overly sporting. The steering has a bit of artificial feedback dialled in, and varies firmness with speed. The pedals also had decent weightage, making it a better drive than some of its light-pedalled rivals, but again, not really conveying a sporty streak.
Overall, the Genesis sedan is a very good car, easily rivalling all the premium brands in comfort and ambience. There are no trademarks gimmicks, such as Jaguar’s rising rotary shifter or Cadillac’s pop-up nav screen, but that doesn’t detract from an otherwise perfect luxury car, as long as you aren’t planning to hit mountain roads to chase Porsches. The only question is whether you’re ready to give up your Lexus for a Hyundai.
Comments
prado
i don’t understand middle east buying habits…. they are willing to AED 155K for 2.5L ES lexus with no where near the options list rather than a well equipped genesis for AED 150K!….
personally i find this car stunning throughout…
Hussain Al-Khalaf
the problem is that Toyota ( so Lexus included ) cars tends to have the best resale price compared to any other car, then Honda and Nissan… all other brands will fall below the original price very quickly…
The other thing, when the car entered the area, most brands just imported their cars without any modifications, or with slight modifications, except Japanese makers, they test the car for the the ME market and simulate both weather and road conditions.. this made these japanese brands more reliable over other brands, specially Toyota and Honda… of course this is only compared to other brands at the early days of wide spread cars ( in late 60’s and 70, before that cars were expensive for the majority of peoples )…
Other companies like Koreans are new to the market, they came like in the 80’s if I’m not mistaken, and they took too much time building there reputation… even now if you asks any one he will say Hyundai are okay but only new models from 2012 onward, and in some models from 2013… some other guys are saying KIA for example is only viable while it’s in the warranty ( eg. 3 – 5 years ).. only later ( these days ) peoples started to have KIA’s and Hyundai coz of there low prices and great features and look compared to the japanese ones… but when the price goes up, like in the 130K and up then the old days of ( Koreans are low ends ) will come again and they think ( no way I’m spending 130K on a korean !! ), it’s like how a lot of peoples afraid of having the genesis ( it’s still Hyundai = korean = cheapo ) with it’s 150K this thinking was from the 80’s & 90’s and still going till now, the koreans reputation is still not that much, and hyundai is in better situation compared to kia
aqasem
Lexus ranked as #1 reliable vehicle while hyundai too far from that, so that’t main aspect to save great resale value as well. I hope now you do understand. By the way I liked the Genises anyway, but will not buy it ever!
aqasem
I agree with you, even a Galant 2008 much more reliable than sonata 2011 ! Reality not a joke.
Sunil
The last line in the write up hit the bulls eye! The most important question.
Thanks Mash for the nice article.
Mosa
Lexus excels to be the brand with the most minimal mechanical issues and the most long lasting vehicle one can afford in that price range. Hyundai – I am sorry…but you will have to make several visits to the dealer for minor-major issues every now and then..
One needs to think – Option 1 gives 5 options for Dhs 100/-, Option 2 gives 10 options for Dhs 100/- – So..who’s saving on material and quality and who is investing in it?
Amer Murad
Niiiiiiiiiiiice!
moaz
dear prado….for most people here two things count the most and should so rightly…extreme heat weather and dead bolt relaibility…both are hallmarks for ToyoTA products….you can still see original 1991 lexus ls400 on the road…now not much can be said about hyundai or any other brand…most of the world people buy (volume segments) for a hassle free ownership exp. When advocacy from manufacturer as well as from public and most important and lest factored in opinion of good mechanics…its preety much universal…and what is that? Buy a toyota product and you get two basic things ROI (highest resale value) + relaibility (one of the top if not the top) + carefree maintence…. no one really complains about toyota products..their whole engineering core is based on making it last 10X longer than any thing else on the road…and that it self is testiment enough for people to go pay top $ for the car they get…even i drive a 2011-2012 maxima..always been a nissan driver…and yet my next luxry car if i plan to inshallah will be a lexus….due to the above reasons..you might be a bit young i suppose…so yes options make you happy…i can live without too many gagets if the car will give me two basic things…closed eyes reliability and cost of owner ship…so its always almost a combination of factors that count into a purchase! 🙂 performance, specs, reliability and roi are some of the key factors…now how you go ahead and give them weight-age depends on a lot of personal factors..such as age..ethnicity..income group..and personal preference 🙂
and last not least…i think thing looks absolutely gorgeous… and when i do go finally shop for a lexus es350 most likely i will cross shop and test drive most segment cars…maybe who knows i take a chance on this fine looking sedan!
Samer
It is a nice car, and regarding all the comments above, I agree that Toyota has good reliability record, but there are two things to consider; first their reliability is not as before, and others’ reliability is not like before, you mention 91 Lexus LS as example and toyota products now are not as reliable as in 91, and bad reliability of Hyundai or American cars (Ford for example) is not as bad as in 91, we are now in 2014 and we need to have more awareness about the culture of (value for money)…. Toyota dealer here is monopolizing the market and knows they will sell no matter how they price their cars eg. FJ cruiser costs 115k dhs in the US, here they sell it for 151 K ???!!! and people still buy them, maybe you know my story …. toyota even charge high for regular service, in my avalon they charged me 550 dhs for 5k minor service and aroun 1000 dhs for 10k major service i drive 5k a month so that is 750 dhs average per month which is too much, for my Genesis now, I have 5 years unlimited mileage warranty, free insurance for first year and registration and I have dedicated bay in service center and I go to service whenever i want without the need to book, and i have replacement car as long as the car in service, ah and I forgot to mention that I have free service till 100k, you do the calculation, and tell me which one is better
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Always good to hear from an actual owner.
gv
Well said samer!
About reliability issues of American cars and quality and pricing of service with Japanese especially with Toyota….toyota service is not even close to how it use to be….considering the fact that they sell insane amount of cars…they no that people will blindly buy ther cars coz of the reliability and resale value…..which is a “myth” according to me…..and plzzz…..for heaven sake ….y du people buy hardplastic Toyota’s for such insane prices….dunt u want to feel comfortable..?what’s the difference between a cab driver using a Camry and say manager driving a Camry….88000.for base Camry….seriously….and the gimmicks of putting scrappy aftermarket nonsense…n calling it street…extremme…sport…touring(badge=50 hp+) ?
American cars may have slightly more expensive services….but they have 10000 km service intervals compared to japanese 5000 kms
Not really
Husnain
There was once a time of toyota and lexus
Not anymore…
gv
Not really sure Bout Hyundai service…coz I dunt e ny experience…but I have seen the deals wher they give u value for money services like 5 year warranty…. free insurance….free service …etc I think dats fair fprnthe price u pay….Hyundai and Kia are giving stiff competition …its only a matter of time…
aqasem
Before you share personal thoughts, refer to this yourself, http://autos.jdpower.com/ratings/2014-Vehicle-Dependability-Study-Press-Release.htm you compare what to what reliability noway, maybe you can talk and compare value for howmany options I get for less howmuch I pay !
RB47E
Having been driving the Centennial for 2 years now, super car with super reliability. Its a bit big though and I do feel removed from the road sensation. Test drove the New Genesis a while back in Korea, did not get that feel. Think will be trading in my Centennial for the Genesis since the new Centennial / Equus is atleast 2 years away.
Love the buyback/trade in guarantee that locks in the price.
Finishing is not at par with Germans, however at 250k versus a fully loaded E500 at 350k+ properly specd out I am not complaining.
Germans and Toyota have become more of symbol than a sensisble option.
Hyundai Luxury is value for money, Hyundai is doing the same thing to Toyota that it did to Germans when they launched Lexus.
Samer
@Mash … its been a while, I want to officially apologize after our quarrel on FB hahaha, it was big misunderstanding it seems.
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
Don’t worry about that, man.
Adarsh
@sameer Perfecto!
moaz
dear samer..impressed! you are right as well…but preseptions take way longer to change than we like…i was about to sign up for a hyundai azera..with far more gadgets and coolness factor..but was swayed back to nissan…due to my exp with maximas and their known reliability and fun factors..but new genesis does look promising no question asked…regarding reliability….cars made after year 2000 are reported to have far less issues and hence will be around much longer…its not from me and i am quoting a JD POWER and Associate study conducted almost 3-4 years ago….so all cars are improving….
even from my exp from 1991-1993-1996-2000 and now 2011 the newest one is far more of higher quality…as the name plate has been around for almost 30 years or so….
Jasim
Moaz, You are right.
The VQ Nissan Engine is the one with the most number of total wins and consecutive year wins in Ward annual top 10 engines.
Hyundai is improving no doubt but it always takes time to reach the top since others are also tweaking their products to be better.
marc
only the position of the front number plates looks odd..
Xalan Mustafa
No undai when you can get decent Bmw or any other car in the market.
Ironman
What a stunner this is and lovely interiors.
However look at Toyota or Lexus, they offer 5 years unlimited mileage warranty as they trust their own product.
Hyundai on the other hand offers 3 years or 60,000kms whichever comes first.
That should normally tell you something on reliability apart from owners experience.
Samer
That warranty only on small cars like Sonata and Elantra etc, the Genesis also comes with 5 years unlimited warranty, if you buy toyota and want to keep that (unlimited) warranty valid, you will have to pay 20-30k dhs in service along the 5 years, while the genesis comes with 100k kms free service
gv
What samer said is absolutely rite…
prado
Japanese V korean quarrel again!
anyway i can’t justifying paying 155K for Lexus ES 2.5L well dressed avalon!… people are not even considering technology or even engineering that has gone behind building this vehicle.
if reliability is such an issue go buy a yaris : a four wheel scooter with an umbrella… oh ya you need to AED 50K for that too plus AED 500 for normal service.. unbelievable
gv
Hahaha…..so true….and have u noticed…..people have stopped buying Camry and avalons……es250 and 350 it is……I see a gazillion of dem…..n most of dem r taxis…
Abdirahman
What is 2-tonne car? I tried to search it on google and could not find any usefull info
Omar
It’s the weight of the car. 2 Tons, 2000kgs.
Abdirahman
Thank you for clarification
aZero
Long awaited article, looking for the full review in the near future, Mashfique!
The fact that we continue to talk more and more lately about Hyundai vs other premium brands is stunning by itself. That only shows how decisive the Koreans are and that even late comers like them can catch up with the big boys.
Dependability rankings are great, but keep in mind that Lexus is not comparable to rest of the world as it represents only premium segment where every other brand covers a wide selection of models the the offerings to the masses are much greater in numbers and therefore statistically speaking chances for problems are higher.
Not bashing on the Toyota god, but exactly Toyota has had the two biggest recalls in world history last one of which took place only last week with 7Mio vehicles worldwide affected by many mechanical faults.
Surely we are human beings and we do not make rational choices (as much as we wanted) – have you checked the specs of latest corolla vs all other competitors? It comes to ME with outdated engine and gearbox, full of hard plastics, etc. for the same price. I dare asking why? Why would on earth anybody be blinded to such extend to spend so much dough for a car 15 yrs old right off the showroom? Surely if one masters the old technology long enough it may even become one day almost flawless but i thought the objective of driving a car is much more than A to B..there’s sheer driving pleasure and comfort to say the least…where’s the progress and why Toyota wants you to still look in the past?
Answer is of course that they still sell the old myth of your parents and grandparents. But hey, guess what – times are changing and so is the status quo.
I for one reason do not want to swim in the sea of Accords, Altimas and Camrys, I want to be different, I do not care about resale value because surely there are more important things in life than 5-10k AED difference of resale value one day, I am anyways inclined not to change cars to often as it is an expensive exercise no matter the brand.
Q: what’s the suspension of the new Genesis like, Hyundai is somewhat famous for their soft and bouncy suspensions, save for one good exception – Genesis coupe (track version imported in ME).
Samer
Excatly …. no one is saying Hyundai is the best car in the world, we are talking about value for money, people mentioned ES as example, most people just talk on out looks and general talk that is far from having good knowledge in cars, for example, Genesis is RWD car, its only comparable to Lexus GS not the ES, the GS is being retailed for 265K dhs and BTW that is V6, while this new Genesis is sold for 210K (fully loaded V8 engine) that will leave the GS eating dust, we need to compare cars in same category not in price range, they keep comparing the SantaFe with Rav4 and CRV because they are close in price range but in reality the Santafe is bigger than both and both of the japanese cars come only with 4 Cyl engines, so the Santafe should be compared to the likes of Murano for example which costs 30-40 k more than the Santafe. besides my genesis I have 2014 V6 santafe (but the basic options) i got it for 99 K with free insurance, free registration and 40k free service last Ramadan in August 2013 (they offered 2014 model) when I went to check the Rav4 and CRV, i didnt take a second look at them especially the Rav4 with its crappy plastic interior and the bulge in the trunk for full size spare tire that is taking 20% of the space already, at that time Rav4 and CRV were offering 2013 models and when I asked about Ramadan offers guess what? they said (we are offering Mont Blanc pen worth of 1500 dhs) hahahahaha what should I do with that pen, sell it on Dubizzle???!!!!
Tariq
why doesnt anyone talk about nissan?? its relaible too..much better than toyota these days. the servicing is 100 times better, than toyota-pricey and unprofessional. never a toyota for me, merely due to the hopeless dealer.Camrys and lexus are no more the same.
Samer
Nissan is the most competitively priced among Japanese, they cost less than Honda and Toyota, take the Altima, Camry and Accord for example, the Altima is the cheapest, but frankly and from personal experience they are not reliable as Toyota and Honda and the interior quality is not good, they tend to use low quality materials (except in few models) and also start to have mechanical problems when they pass 60-80k kms, I faced many problems with my 2007 altima, my friend also faced many problems with the CVT of his 2009 altima, but again at least they are priced reasonably and have good reputation in service centers
Rhymes
woww wat a design I love it 😀
prado
@mash
can you fast track a full detailed review on the Genisis?
if hyundai did get this car right this time around it might be a game changer for them… the car seem to have even get the driving experience right. (lotus helped out apparently)
Mashfique Hussain Chowdhury
This is probably as much as you’ll get I’m afraid.
Saeed Alam
you didn’t mention 3.3 trim in your review
K
Wow that looks like a Lexus ES from the rear..
moaz
putting down down payment for a factory customized 5.0 v8 best buy in the segment for the price performance value quality features and looks
darn elegente
Shah
Can someone answer my question. Is there Lane KEEP Assist in the new Genisis sedan that actively tries to bring the car back in the lane. I know there is a lane departure warning that warns if the car departs from its lane.
Elie
Nope. Not the GCC version, only the US one. The reason being that probably only the UAE in the GCC has well drawn lanes everywhere…
it has the lane deviation warning option (steering wheel vibrates), and it’s cool 🙂
Test driven one two days ago… fell in love!
Geoff
Like everyone else, my perception of Hyundai and KIA was of bargain basement standards. However, read this this and you’ll understand why Hyundai and KIA are as good as German premium cars now, and better than all the Japanese brands, Lexus and Infiniti included.
“Peter Schreyer (born 1953) is a German automobile designer widely known for his design input to the Audi TT, A6 & A3. In 2006, Car Design News called the Audi TT one of “the most influential automotive design in recent time”. Peter has been the Chief Design Officer at Kia Motors since 2006 and on 28 December 2012, was named one of three presidents of the company. Three weeks later, he became the Chief Design Officer of Hyundai Motor as well as Kia Motors.”
I have previously owned BMW 5 series and Lexus ES350. At the beginning of March 2014, I bought the updated KIA Cadenza fully loaded for 117k for my wife. Forget the badge, look at the “Peter Schreyer/Audi” quality, and drive it to feel how good it really is. I’m a British aircraft engineer, and I’m hooked on the latest KIA and Hyundai premium quality cars. Unfortunately for my wife, she doesn’t get to drive it very often!With such excellence at these prices, I would feel a sucker to pay 100k more for a badge. With like for like quality, that’s just a rip-off. My own next car will probably be the re-styled 2015 KIA Quoris(K900), sister of the Genesis.
Elie
Did anybody run a Total Cost of Ownership calculation on this car for 5 years?
Considering that they buy it back from you after 3 years at 50% is kind of good.. and bad…? what is the depreciation on other cars like japanese and german after 3 years in the UAE?
prado
50% for a luxury car is pretty good..
SMathew
Just wanted to check with the Genesis owners on the service levels you experience at Juma Al Majid.
I own a Genesis 2014 model and let me tell you the service levels are far from premium .I have no complaints on the quality of the ride and comfort of the car.
Unfortunately, I am fed up with the service levels. The complaints mentioned during service are not rectified, the service time taken is long and they do not update you of when you will receive your car, so you can plan accordingly. Moreover, the service agent does not return your call and switches off his mobile exactly at 5pm without updating you of the status of your car.
In comparison, I find Trading Enterprises (dealer of my Jeep) much better.
Forums like drivearabia would be very helpful to raise the bar in terms of service delivery. My suggestion is to have a customer rating linked to the vendor so that they get a feedback. Trading enterprises at least now have begun using a feedback mechanism to check with the customer on the quality of their last service. This feedback is linked to the service advisor’s KPI’s or performance due to which I am sure the service advisor will go the extra mile to sort the customer’s issue.
aZero
I am also curious to compare service from other dealerships. For what is worth i understand from friends and colleagues that Juma Al Majid in Abu Dhabi offers better customer service than the one in Dubai.