"Party-vi" (party-vi)
04/01/2015 at 11:05 • Filed to: oppositelock review, hyundai
6
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"Party-vi" (party-vi)
04/01/2015 at 11:05 • Filed to: oppositelock review, hyundai | 6
| 8 |
I wanted to do a full review, but I'm just too damn lazy for all that, so I'll just give a general description of what it was like to have one of these over 96 hours and 1,300 miles.
The ride is smooth but a bit bouncy over rough roads. On the highway it's glorious. Handling is good for a +4000lb car - not exactly a canyon carver, but it doesn't wallow through the corners and that's a good thing.
Acceloration is brisk, and the direct-injection V6 makes a good sound when you push down the pedal. Multiple publications put 0-60 in about 6 seconds, and it feels like it goes this quick when you're in the driver's seat (my fiance did not appreciate me testing this). There's plenty of power available for passing on the highway, and with the traction control off it's easy to burn off bits of tire in the back fiance was not happy about this either). Don't bother opening the hood to inspect the engine, as it's just a field of plastic. The hood is however held up with a gas strut, so that's a nice touch. I averaged 30mpg on 87 octane gas with about 90% highway driving, going between 70-80mph on average. Pretty damn impressive for a vehicle this large. From what I've read the transmission is lazy and slow to react, but in real world driving I didn't have any issues. It's an 8-speed automatic developed internally by Hyundai and it's good. I would not recommend manual mode though, as it seems like more of a gimmick at this point than something actually useful. With so many gears available you really need to skip more than one at a time to get any use out of downshifting, but it is fun to wring out the engine as you approach highway speeds. The gating on the shifter is a bit awkward as well, and takes some getting used to in order to go from drive to park, or drive to reverse, or drive to just about any other damn position.
The car is quiet at any speed, and the leather is very soft, making the seats in my E46 feel like cardboard, but then again there are razor strops softer than 3-Series leather. The ergonomics inside are good, and the buttons while plastic have a good feel to them when used. The only negative notes on the interior would be the cheap-looking silver paint on the radio and HVAC buttons and the steering wheel, which is all hard plastic except the leather-wrapping. The wheel is also thin for my tastes; additional padding or thumb rests would be nicer for any driving situation. The window sill is too high to comfortably rest your elbow on for one-handed steering action, but that's not really an issue. Also, the sun visors are just in a terrible position or are too large, because flipping them over to the side windows requires you either having no head at all or ducking out of the way. It's the only thing that doesn't make sense about the car. The backseat is a very nice place to be, as there is a ton of rear legroom and vents on the B pillars which was a nice touch. I may have made my fiance chauffeur me around while I fiddled with the vents. It almost seems like a waste if you're the only one in the car. I also found that the back seat can fit three adults comfortably, regardless of sobriety level. My favorite feature was the sound the doors made when closing, a nice solid thud.
I had a base model and with it came some pretty good standard features: automatic lights, fog lights, bluetooth, XM Radio, dual zone climate control, heated seats, self dimming rear-view mirror, etc. The amount of standard features on this car was quite a pleasant surprise. You don't really find yourself wanting anything or missing out on anything, although personally I would have one with a sunroof because that's how I roll. The base stereo is nothing to write home about, and desperately needs a subwoofer. The bluetooth system is a bit awkward to use, and you can only pair a device if the vehicle is at a stop. I'm sure if I had the car for longer I could have worked this out, but it was workable for the short time I was driving.
My rental was a 2013 with 35k miles, and a comparable base model can be had for around $20k at your local Carmax or similar used car dealer, which is an amazing deal for an almost-new car that is warrantied for 10 years or 100,000 miles. You get RWD, 333hp, leather, bluetooth, etc. for the same price as a half-decade old 3-Series or C-Class with twice the mileage.
I think anyone looking at getting an entry-level luxury or midsize sedan would be mistaken if they do not consider the Genesis sedan as an option. It's just that good.
Good: standard features are great, good drivetrain, excellent highway mpg
Bad: Stupid-ass sunvisors, base stereo not all about that bass, steering wheel leaves a lot to be desired
ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
> Party-vi
04/01/2015 at 11:25 |
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I'd consider it with a V8, V10, or maybe Twin Turbo'd 6! Otherwise....blah. Thats why I have an E60 5 Series. Stately and powerful. Pretty Sleeper!
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Party-vi
> ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
04/01/2015 at 11:33 |
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The NA V6 in the base Genesis makes more horsepower than the middle-of-the-road straight-6 in your 535, like 33 more :3.
It's a great amount of power for the car, and the fuel economy is excellent. I think given the option I would lean towards the V8, but with an 80-90 mile daily commute the V6 would be the engine for me.
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ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
> Party-vi
04/01/2015 at 12:09 |
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Yes but 0-60 times are still shorter in the 535 and because it's TT there are a ton of legitimate aftermarket tuning options. The JB4, which I have, is a piggy-back ECU that bumps HP up to about 375.
Don't get me wrong, I love the look of the Genesis, I just don't think it would really drive the way I'd want it to.
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Party-vi
> ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
04/01/2015 at 12:15 |
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To be fair, the 5-Series is a sport luxury sedan while the Genesis is just a luxury sedan. There is the tuner argument and the 0-60 time argument, but Genesis buyers and people that Hyundai are after with the Genesis aren't concerned about 0-60 times. Plus, apples to apples I think the features list on the Genesis compares well with the 5-Series and E-Class cars at a much lower price point. That's why the Genesis was made; so you could have all the same option and features but not pay for the badge or expensive materials. It truly is a great car.
Put it this way, if it were my money, I'd have a Genesis. If it were a free choice, I'd take the 5-Series.
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ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
> Party-vi
04/01/2015 at 12:26 |
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I agree with you. The only thing that really prevents me from seriously considering the Genesis, because I do like it, are the engine options. A sporty suspension and V-8 or Turbo option would really make this very competitive. But yes I realize that's not quite the market they are after.
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Party-vi
> ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
04/01/2015 at 12:31 |
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The Genesis has always had a V8 option. The early 4.6L had 385hp on 97 octane gas, while the newer 5.0L has 420hp if I recall correctly. I'm not sure of the take rate for the V8 models, but there seems to be little difference on the pricing from a used standpoint. Granted, a turbo-6 engine can easily see those numbers with some tuning, but that' an extra cost while the Genesis has the power under a 10 year warranty.
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ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
> Party-vi
04/01/2015 at 12:37 |
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Ill have to look into that whenever I end up looking to replace this car.
I think the Genesis is a great platform, I just want Hyundai to take advantage of it more! I want to want it more.
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Party-vi
> ArmadaExpress drives a turbo outback
04/01/2015 at 12:38 |
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If you want straight-line speed I think this would be the one for you. If you need handling you should probably look elsewhere.