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2009 Hyundai Genesis....

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Now that I've gotten a chance to look at the pictures...I'm honestly a bit disappointed. The car looks to Japanese for my taste and is a bit on the boring/conservative end of things (this coming from a guy who loves Audi designs is probably laughable to most). I really dislike the interior though... and I don't think it is just the colors...it just isn't anything great. I much prefer the interior of a CTS, A4, TSX, or even a BMW...although I'm not a huge fan of those interior designs as well.

Also...the grill just looks too generic. I think Hyundai should have stuck with their branding and put their logo on it. As it stands it looks like a knock off of an Acura or a Lexus or something...no real brand identity. I'd much rather have it obviously be a Hyundai. Hyundai should be proud of what they created...regardless of my taste in aesthetics...I still consider this to be a great car from what I'm reading.
 
Everyone remember what happen to the VW Phaeton? This is the Hyundai version.

And what happens when a smaller car company tries to create a luxury division (Mazda Amati anyone?) They ended up with a Mazda Millenia. Good sports sedan, but sold as a Mazda, faded into oblivion.
 
Originally posted by: caspur
Everyone remember what happen to the VW Phaeton? This is the Hyundai version.

And what happens when a smaller car company tries to create a luxury division (Mazda Amati anyone?) They ended up with a Mazda Millenia. Good sports sedan, but sold as a Mazda, faded into oblivion.

The Phaeton did cost a lot more though.
 
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
It's a beautiful car, but I don't think Hyundai is at the point where it can compete in the luxury sports sedan segment.

Exactly the same was said of Lexus when that brand was launched. Now look at them.

Lexus is a high end brand in the Toyota family. Same with Acura, infiniti, etc. Hyundai cannot compete in both the entry level market (Sonata, Accord, Camry) and in the Luxury market (BMW, Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes). Hyundai should create a new luxury brand to compete in this market.

Not at all. I actually think it's better to go into that segment without a new Faux brand to try and make out like it's something new. It's a much more honest approach. 'Hi. We're Hyundai and this is our entry into the segment.' I say well done.

Take Acura for example. They are mostly badge-engineered Euro spec vehicles. Wow, now it's suddenly not a Honda? No, everyone knows it's a flipping Honda. Then Lexus. It's a rebadged Toyota. They again have a few Lexus-only models, but they also have rebadged Toyota models. Infiniti is more of the same. Note I'm not saying these car brands don't peddle luxury, I'm simply saying they're not kidding anyone.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: senseamp
Toyota Avalon is not RWD.

Fixed.

So? I doubt the average buyer of this car is going to be doing power slides.
It's not a sports sedan. It's a luxury barge.

Luxury vehicles are traditionaly RWD. The Avalon is a nice full size car, but not 'Luxury'.
 
Originally posted by: bigi
Front = Mercedez
Rear = Infinity/New Accord

That front grill is not only a Mercedes rip off, it also screams "placeholder" for a signature front end.

Looks like a nice car, but I think this 1st revision has some aesthetic flaws, and then there's always the reliability question.
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
It's a beautiful car, but I don't think Hyundai is at the point where it can compete in the luxury sports sedan segment.

Exactly the same was said of Lexus when that brand was launched. Now look at them.

Lexus is a high end brand in the Toyota family. Same with Acura, infiniti, etc. Hyundai cannot compete in both the entry level market (Sonata, Accord, Camry) and in the Luxury market (BMW, Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes). Hyundai should create a new luxury brand to compete in this market.

Not at all. I actually think it's better to go into that segment without a new Faux brand to try and make out like it's something new. It's a much more honest approach. 'Hi. We're Hyundai and this is our entry into the segment.' I say well done.

Take Acura for example. They are mostly badge-engineered Euro spec vehicles. Wow, now it's suddenly not a Honda? No, everyone knows it's a flipping Honda. Then Lexus. It's a rebadged Toyota. They again have a few Lexus-only models, but they also have rebadged Toyota models. Infiniti is more of the same. Note I'm not saying these car brands don't peddle luxury, I'm simply saying they're not kidding anyone.

Your right; Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti are pretty much just rebadged Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans. So why don't people buy the fully loaded, thousands less Accord instead of the TL? Because of the badge. Hyundai already tried this with the Azera and I don't believe it worked. Much of the reason people buy luxury brand cars is because of the badge. If that wasn't the case, they'd buy cheaper fully loaded Hondas and Toyotas.
 
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: krunchykrome
It's a beautiful car, but I don't think Hyundai is at the point where it can compete in the luxury sports sedan segment.

Exactly the same was said of Lexus when that brand was launched. Now look at them.

Lexus is a high end brand in the Toyota family. Same with Acura, infiniti, etc. Hyundai cannot compete in both the entry level market (Sonata, Accord, Camry) and in the Luxury market (BMW, Acura, Infiniti, Lexus, Mercedes). Hyundai should create a new luxury brand to compete in this market.

Not at all. I actually think it's better to go into that segment without a new Faux brand to try and make out like it's something new. It's a much more honest approach. 'Hi. We're Hyundai and this is our entry into the segment.' I say well done.

Take Acura for example. They are mostly badge-engineered Euro spec vehicles. Wow, now it's suddenly not a Honda? No, everyone knows it's a flipping Honda. Then Lexus. It's a rebadged Toyota. They again have a few Lexus-only models, but they also have rebadged Toyota models. Infiniti is more of the same. Note I'm not saying these car brands don't peddle luxury, I'm simply saying they're not kidding anyone.

Your right; Lexus, Acura, and Infiniti are pretty much just rebadged Toyotas, Hondas, and Nissans. So why don't people buy the fully loaded, thousands less Accord instead of the TL? Because of the badge. Hyundai already tried this with the Azera and I don't believe it worked. Much of the reason people buy luxury brand cars is because of the badge. If that wasn't the case, they'd buy cheaper fully loaded Hondas and Toyotas.


Now i do agree with a lot of things you say. But aside from the name, the styling aren't exactly the same nor are your options, engine size and powertrain.

if you liked the accord and wanted AWD u had to go TL with the SH-AWD. if you wanted a maxima with RWD or AWD you had go to G35.

But the badge is about 90% of the game.
 
Originally posted by: Ktulu
Originally posted by: mariok2006
http://www.edmunds.com/insidel...Tests/articleId=126514

Originally posted by: Edmunds
Your socks had better be firmly affixed or the Genesis will blow them clean off; there isn't a better rear-wheel-drive sport sedan for the money.

Pretty bold statement...

Yeah, sounds like they completely forgot about the Cadillac CTS which starts at 33,990.

CTS>>>>>>>>>>Genesis.

For one thing, those two cars don't even compete in the same category. For another, how is the CTS SO much better than a Genesis? The CTS isn't even the best in its own class against the likes of the G35 and 3 series. In a recent Car and Driver comparison test, a top of the line CTS with the 304 HP engine finished third out of 4 cars, getting beat by the BMW 328 and Infiniti G35...so I don't see how it's as amazing as you say it is.

Some quotes from the C/D test:

?The CTS has more strange sounds than a haunted house.?

"Even with 304 horsepower and a superior power-to-weight ratio, the CTS clipped through the 0-to-60 sprint in the same time as the 328i (6.1 seconds)"

Link to comparison test:
http://www.caranddriver.com/bu...cts_di_comparison_test
 
CTS may or may not be the best of its class, but its class is a class above the Genesis' class. Most of the complains wrt Caddy in that review have to do with the manual gearbox, which is not even available on the Genesis, and which most buyers won't be picking anyways.
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

That's what everyone was saying about the Lexus LS400 when it came out in the early 1990s. People could not believe that a Japanese car could become a serious competitor for cars like the Mercedes S class, BMW 7 series, or Jaguar XJ. Look where Lexus is now. When Honda first entered the US market, they were shipping cars with chain drive and < 1 liter engines. Nobody took them seriously at first either, but eventually they built up a brand image of quality in the US market.

It may take Hyundai a long time to achieve the same level as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc, but being such a large business conglomerate they definitely have the resources to accomplish this.
 
Originally posted by: 996GT2
Originally posted by: senseamp
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

That's what everyone was saying about the Lexus LS400 when it came out in the early 1990s. Look where Lexus is now. When Honda first entered the US market, they were shipping cars with chain drive and < 1 liter engines. Nobody took them seriously at first either, but eventually they built up a brand image of quality in the US market.

It may take Hyundai a long time to achieve the same level as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc, but being such a large business conglomerate they definitely have the resources to accomplish this.

They certainly won't be able to do it under "Hyundai" brand that also makes $15K cars.
And they won't be able to do it with generic derivative styling like this car. They need to establish a luxury brand identity, now they have neither a luxury brand nor an identity.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
Originally posted by: 996GT2
Originally posted by: senseamp
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

That's what everyone was saying about the Lexus LS400 when it came out in the early 1990s. Look where Lexus is now. When Honda first entered the US market, they were shipping cars with chain drive and < 1 liter engines. Nobody took them seriously at first either, but eventually they built up a brand image of quality in the US market.

It may take Hyundai a long time to achieve the same level as Lexus, Acura, Infiniti, etc, but being such a large business conglomerate they definitely have the resources to accomplish this.

They certainly won't be able to do it under "Hyundai" brand that also makes $15K cars.
And they won't be able to do it with generic derivative styling like this car. They need to establish a luxury brand identity, now they have neither a luxury brand nor an identity.

Whether the car will be successful depends on the minds of buyers. Sure, the Genesis can't boast an impressively original design, but come on, would you really consider the LS400 an original design when it came out? It was (and still is) one of the most conservatively styled cars out there. And while the Genesis's design may be derivative, I don't think it's a bad looking car. Also, money talks, so we'll have to see whether people are willing to trade the badge for $10,000+ in savings, just like they did with Lexus when it was a no-name brand soon after being established.

Also, Hyundai definitely has the funding and size to start a luxury brand. It's possible they could just be testing the waters with the Genesis to see what kind of people will bite. Who knows...in 10 or 15 years, Hyundai (or whatever Luxury division they choose to establish) may be right up there with the likes of MB, BMW, and Lexus.
 
Originally posted by: caspur
Everyone remember what happen to the VW Phaeton? This is the Hyundai version.

And what happens when a smaller car company tries to create a luxury division (Mazda Amati anyone?) They ended up with a Mazda Millenia. Good sports sedan, but sold as a Mazda, faded into oblivion.

The last gen millenias were excellent cars though, ford should have never squashed Amati.
 
Originally posted by: caspur
Everyone remember what happen to the VW Phaeton? This is the Hyundai version.

And what happens when a smaller car company tries to create a luxury division (Mazda Amati anyone?) They ended up with a Mazda Millenia. Good sports sedan, but sold as a Mazda, faded into oblivion.

the phaeton was priced well beyond what it should have - a base phaeton was $66k, as i recall.. basically the same as an Audi A8. of course no one would buy it.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
CTS may or may not be the best of its class, but its class is a class above the Genesis' class. Most of the complains wrt Caddy in that review have to do with the manual gearbox, which is not even available on the Genesis, and which most buyers won't be picking anyways.
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

Pftt. Cadillac is only considered a luxury brand in North America. No where else. I would not be so bold as to say Caddy is a class above Hyundai. Not at all.
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: senseamp
CTS may or may not be the best of its class, but its class is a class above the Genesis' class. Most of the complains wrt Caddy in that review have to do with the manual gearbox, which is not even available on the Genesis, and which most buyers won't be picking anyways.
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

Pftt. Cadillac is only considered a luxury brand in North America. No where else. I would not be so bold as to say Caddy is a class above Hyundai. Not at all.

Um.....Cadillac has been selling luxury cars since before Lexus was ever imagined and was considered the world standard for a good part of it's existence. And I'm not just talking about here in the US. To eve say they are just above Hyundai is absolutely blasphemous, in that case Lexus is just barely a notch above Toyota. We both know that's not true, but if I wanted to be a a-hole that's what I'd say.
 
Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Originally posted by: senseamp
CTS may or may not be the best of its class, but its class is a class above the Genesis' class. Most of the complains wrt Caddy in that review have to do with the manual gearbox, which is not even available on the Genesis, and which most buyers won't be picking anyways.
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

Pftt. Cadillac is only considered a luxury brand in North America. No where else. I would not be so bold as to say Caddy is a class above Hyundai. Not at all.

Hyundai is the bottom of the barrel.
 
Originally posted by: iamwiz82
Do you mean the engine or the entire car? Bigger engine with more power usually calls for a beefier transmission, then you have to think about features that become standard with the more expensive engine.

according to the article the only differences for this car are the engine, transmission and a small badge. so more in line with the stang than the bmw, which probably adds a bunch of stuff. maybe the stang's V6 is just that heavy, seeing as how the V8 isn't exactly svelte.

my numbers for the stang and the 5 series come from carpoint. which may or may not be correct.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
CTS may or may not be the best of its class, but its class is a class above the Genesis' class. Most of the complains wrt Caddy in that review have to do with the manual gearbox, which is not even available on the Genesis, and which most buyers won't be picking anyways.
Let's face it, Hyundai is not a luxury brand. It's not even on level with Buick, much less Cadillac.

What are you judging this on? Preconceptions about the Hyundai brand or the merits of this car?

I have to say if the Genesis lives up to the early hype and comes in at a very good price point, Hyundai may have a hit on its hand. Cars like the Acura RL flopped b/c it was priced at 55K - the Genesis at 35K sounds ike a winner.

I recently had a 2008 Sonata as a rental car for a week and was very impressed with it - the slickness of the controls were a substantial improvement over the normal full size Pontaic or Dodge I get, fit and finish were just as good as an Accord, and it drove very simliar to a last generation Accord.

It was a very competent car and in the 20K family hauler range, I don't think I'd pick any US car over it.
 
Originally posted by: senseamp
We heard same thing about Azera. How is that selling?

The Azera was mid-pack power and spec wise, front wheel drive, and looked pretty average. Even though the Genesis's design is not very original, I think it's a good looking car. And it's offering 375HP, RWD, and Fit/Finish on par with MB and BMW for HALF of the price if you compare it to a 7 series (which actually has less power). The Azera wasn't an attempt to go after the big guns in the industry...this is.
 
Originally posted by: 996GT2
Originally posted by: senseamp
We heard same thing about Azera. How is that selling?

The Azera was mid-pack power and spec wise, front wheel drive, and looked pretty average. Even though the Genesis's design is not very original, I think it's a good looking car. And it's offering 375HP, RWD, and Fit/Finish on par with MB and BMW for HALF of the price if you compare it to a 7 series (which actually has less power). The Azera wasn't an attempt to go after the big guns in the industry...this is.

The problem for Genesis is that the image conscious buyer won't be seen in a Hyundai, and the average value luxo boat shopper doesn't care about RWD.
 
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