2015 Hyundai Genesis

2015 Hyundai Genesis 3.8 Review

It's getting harder and harder to recommend German.

By: Andrew Krok

Web2Carz Contributing Writer

Published: October 24th, 2014



We already spent some time with the 2015 Hyundai Genesis on roads in and around Scottsdale, Arizona. However, Arizona and Chicago are completely different beasts; Chicagoans, for example, aren't used to traffic-free, pothole-free expanses of curvy state highways. While a car might perform well in the media-drive environment, a more-or-less handpicked location, things might not be that great in locations with dubious road quality.

That's why we put our finest begging shoes on to secure a weeklong test of the 2015 Genesis in a more, um, traditional environment. And - just as we predicted - the Genesis succeeded with flying colors, proving once again that the new Genesis is a world-class luxury car with a bargain-basement price tag.


  • Interior

    From the second you open one of the Genesis' doors, you'll be gobsmacked at how, well, European it looks. The dash is simply arranged, with plenty of physical buttons to keep you from guess-tapping the screen. The infotainment can be controlled with just the rotary dial on the center console, but most of those button presses can be done with the touchscreen alone; so it's basically up to the owner to pick the method they prefer. It's nice to have a choice, for once.

    As for the seating surfaces, they're just as comfortable as any German seats are. Our tester came with the upgraded leather interior (part of the $3,500 Ultimate Package), and we found it soft, with plenty of power-seat articulation to keep even thinner-framed writers comfortable. The rear seats are cavernous for a car that starts at $38,000, as well. There's not a bad place to sit in this car; maybe the trunk, but even then, it's quite spacious, and we enjoyed the hands-free operation of the optional power trunk lid - just stand behind the trunk for three seconds with the key in your pocket, and it'll pop open. No fancy under-bumper footwork provided.

  • Exterior

    This is honestly one of the best-looking sedans currently on the market. Gone are the swoopy, awkward angles of the previous Genesis; now, we've got some sharp angles, pronounced shoulder lines, and a honkin' front grille that actually fits the car's appearance (we can't say the same for every massively-grilled car out there). We had a gentleman in a brand-new Camaro stop next to us on the road, honk his horn, and give us a thumbs-up. Even muscle-car aficionados have respect for this Korean mid-size luxury sedan, a sentence we didn't think we'd ever write, but one we're glad to.

  • On the Road

    We had a little trepidation when driving the Genesis around the streets of the Chicagoland area; would the smooth driving qualities we experienced in Scottsdale remain the stuff of pipe dreams, or would the Genesis bring its gentle mannerisms to some of the worst roads in the middle of the country?

    Thankfully, the Genesis remains a calm, poised sedan no matter what kind of road is underneath it. The 3.8's suspension is not active, but it's still more than capable of giving the driver feedback about road quality while isolating most of the nastiness. We still prefer the slightly more agile feeling that comes from an Audi A6 or a BMW 5-Series, but if you're not driving aggressively, the Genesis will provide exactly the sort of ride you'd expect from a luxury car.

    There are three modes to choose from with the Genesis - Eco, Normal, and Sport. Eco keeps the revs low and it gives the electronic power steering plenty of loosey-goosey feeling. Sport tightens up both the throttle and the transmission, putting every inch of the 3.8-liter V-6's thrust at your disposal. Acceleration isn't world-changing, but it's smooth and predictable, more than enough for your average urban or suburban jaunt. We kept the car in Normal most of the time; the standard throttle and steering settings are just about perfect for nearly every scenario.

    Just make sure you shut the door all the way - more than once, our departure was stymied by an alert that the door was still open, despite our heavy-handed attempts to close it. You really need to slam those bastards shut.

  • Final Thoughts

    As we've already said, it's getting harder to recommend German mid-size luxury cars over the 2015 Hyundai Genesis. For most buyers, it's basically the exact same experience, but with an obscenely long factory warranty and a price tag that's about $10,000 less than an equally-equipped vaterländer. Only those buyers that really, truly care about every last inch of chassis engineering will notice a serious change between the Genesis and its competition. For everybody else, the Genesis is a wonderful mid-sizer, and between the price and the equipment (a fully-loaded V-6 Genesis comes in under $50,000), it's practically the value proposition of the century.

  • Specs & Price

    Engine: 3.8-liter naturally-aspirated V-6

    Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

    Drivetrain Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel drive

    Power Output: 311 horsepower / 293 lb-ft

    Fuel Economy (mpg): 18 city / 29 highway

    Base Price: $38,000

    As Tested: $49,950 (incl. $950 destination)

    Available Features:

    Signature Package: Panoramic moonroof, seat memory, seat ventilation, power tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, blind-spot detection, power rear sunshade

    Tech Package: Upgraded leather seats, seven-inch instrument cluster display, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, haptic-feedback steering wheel, forward-collision warning, electronic parking brake with auto hold, front and rear parking sensors

    Ultimate Package: Matte-finish interior trim, head-up display, power trunk lid, navigation, 17-speaker Lexicon premium audio system

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