2015 Hyundai Genesis HTRAC 5.0 Review

2015 Hyundai Genesis Overview

Shoving a plateful of high-tech gadgetry into a car is one thing.  But properly executing all its features in a flawless manner possesses an entirely different realm of difficulties.  Somehow, Hyundai managed to perfectly polish both sides of the coin.  The 2015 Hyundai Genesis is quite possibly the most technologically sound luxury sedan that’s out on open roads.

But technology is not all that it has to offer as the all new 2015 Hyundai Genesis aims to break the barrier luxury qualities.  Pull on the chrome door levers and hop in – almost every detail you can physically touch is as good as it gets.  And on that note; it is quite entertaining watching an underdog give the higher up luxury brands a run for its money.

The Torque Factory

Popping the hood on the Hyundai Genesis reveals the Tau 5.0 liter 8 cylinder engine with direct injection valves producing a menacing 420 horsepower and 383 ft.lbs of torque.  Coupled to its shaft is an 8 speed automatic gear box transmission assembled to a rear-wheel drive power train configuration.

In addition to the smooth and quick shifts, the 8 speed automatic transmission supports manual Shift-tronic support.  While this feature gives the driver more control in selecting gears, the response time is a bit sluggish.  But it’s not a lost cause.  As an alternative, the Hyundai Genesis incorporates intelligence in automatic shift mode. Various on-board sensors continuously monitor the vehicle dynamics to determine optimal gear shift points.  That means, the automatic transmission will automatically detect hard brake events when entering a corner and down-shift to the optimal gear for you – and it actually works quite well.

The Hyundai Genesis offers three drive modes to select from: “Eco”, “Normal” and “Sport Mode”.  Under Eco mode, the throttle response is relaxed to offer better fuel efficiency while normal mode gives the driver a hybrid between fuel mileage and performance.  In Sport mode, throttle response is significantly tightened up with its transmission shift points set to hold onto its gears in higher RPM ranges.

The Hyundai Genesis is also equipped with an electric power steering system and an adaptive suspensions that is able to dynamically adjust its compression and rebound settings on the fly.  Under different drive mode selections, we didn’t notice a significant difference in performance, but steering response and suspension stiffness was noticeable in sport mode.

Safe and Sound

Safety features on the Hyundai Genesis is as up to date as it gets.  Included in our fully loaded 5.0 liter Hyundai Genesis R-Spec model is a rear view camera, front and rear proximity sensor and an onboard camera mounted on the front windshield to detect when the vehicle drifts out of its lane and the blind-spot detector comes standard in all flavors of the Hyundai Genesis models.  The Hyundai Genesis also includes a cross-traffic alert system that detects oncoming vehicles when backing out of parking stalls.

Speaking of blind spot detection, a neat feature exclusive to the Hyundai Genesis is the haptic feedback steering wheel that gently vibrates when attempting to merge lanes while a vehicle is in its blind spot.  Last but not least, the Hyundai Genesis has emergency braking where the system automatically applies the brakes when the safety system detects a potential front collision based on vehicle speed and the proximity of the object in front of it.

Interior Features

Trust me when I say this, the interior quality of the Hyundai Genesis does not disappoint.  I have always been a believer that Lexus does offer the best leather material, but the Hyundai Genesis is right on par with its creamy perforated leather seats – the looks and feel of the fabric really doesn’t get much better.

Considering the massive amount of complexity of technology in the Genesis sedan, Hyundai engineers did an excellent job in designing the center console layout.  The result is a subtle, clean and simple user interface while keeping drivers and passengers conscious of all available features.  All button and knobs are ergonomically and intuitively laid out where it really should be.

One of the neat features in the Hyundai Genesis is its integrated Heads Up Display that shows the vehicle speed and even the current speed limit displayed on the windshield.  This technology has proven to be a valuable feature to help drivers keep their eyes on the road.  But I did find that some of the information displayed on the Heads Up Display was a bit too frequent and excessive, such as showing a vehicle is within the proximity of the vehicle’s blind spot even when there are no lane merge attempts.  I would have also liked to have the transmission gear displayed on the heads up display while in manual shift mode.

Drive Impressions and Final Thoughts

The numbers of a 5.0 liter 8 cylinder engine with 420 horsepower is generally perceived as a muscle machine with neck snapping acceleration.  But the Hyundai Genesis is quite a divergent from this fantasized expectation.  Rather, acceleration in the Hyundai Genesis is very subtle but smooth.  It’s 0-60 time scores in at 5.1 seconds, which are still quick numbers to begin with.

The adaptive suspension is not quite up to par with some of its competitors such as Cadillac’s amazing magnetic suspension and Lexus’s own implementation, but it’s still good.  The Hyundai Genesis ride offers both a good balance of comfort and performance.

Steering is silky smooth with good but not great steering response and feedback.  The heavy curb weight of 3824 lbs is to be blamed, but the suspensions and chassis stiffness manages to harmonize weight balance while hanging around corners with minimal body roll.

Our tested model came priced in at $55,700.  Considering that similarly equipped luxury branded vehicles with muscle V8’s such as the BMW 5 series, Lexus LS are atleast 15,000$ more, the Hyundai Genesis is quite the bang for the buck for what it has to offer.

Unfortunately, Hyundai has established its identity as a mediocre brand in the past.  But the all new 2015 Hyundai Genesis marks a revolution in what the brand can truly offer in a technological and luxury stand point.