So I drove a Genesis tonight.......(not specR but almost)...

[redgtxdi]

So, I'm still stuck in this "big sedan vs. CUV/SUV" debacle. I had avoided Hyundai as Kia appeals to me a bit more since Hyundai's gone all fluidic, but tonight I drove:

Sonata
Santa Fe
Genesis 4.6 & 3.8 (spec R had dead battery & I don't have $50K)

So, Sonata felt ok, but just about as expected. Rear seat legroom was less than I expected & other than that it was just a "car".

The Santa Fe (though not updated til next year, thus a bit behind its Sorrento cousin) was not bad. Sat up a little too high in the thing than I liked but not a deal breaker. Rear seat legroom a little less than expected....oh well.

The Genesis.......First I drove the 4.6 in a beautiful blue metallic.......HOLY !$^@#!% What a car!!!

Vault silent, except for the beautiful hum of the 4.6 (non GDI) and that 8 speed tranny is silk! Everything about the car was butter, although I could probably improve the drive gage cluster. Everything about that sucker drips "king of the world". If it was $30K, I'd have driven it home tonight. However, it was $45K!

Also drove a $35K 3.8 version. Nice, but really loses a lot of bells & whistles. The 19/29 mpg is IMPRESSIVE but after the 4.6 w/ the Lexicon 17 speaker surround w/DVD/TV/camera/lighted "Genesis" sills/seat cooler/etc. etc. etc., it makes the base model feel a little wanting. Still nice, just not as nice.

My heart now aches. I think I ruined my car shopping experience. Can I still save myself & go buy a Chevy Equinox after my experience tonight???

 

[AgentUnknown]

Yeah, Hyundai is getting really good. Remember when Audi was crap in the early 90's? OH my how times have changed. You would be laughed at if you bought an Audi back then.

 

[madoka]

If it was $30K, I'd have driven it home tonight. However, it was $45K!

Spend some time researching the car and you'll find that the $45K 4.6 often sells for $40K or less after incentives.

 

[brainhulk]

i just took a quick look @ autotrader. cpoe 4.6's are going for 30k

 

[Doppel]

So, I'm still stuck in this "big sedan vs. CUV/SUV" debacle. I had avoided Hyundai as Kia appeals to me a bit more since Hyundai's gone all fluidic, but tonight I drove:

Sonata
Santa Fe
Genesis 4.6 & 3.8 (spec R had dead battery & I don't have $50K)

So, Sonata felt ok, but just about as expected. Rear seat legroom was less than I expected & other than that it was just a "car".

The Santa Fe (though not updated til next year, thus a bit behind its Sorrento cousin) was not bad. Sat up a little too high in the thing than I liked but not a deal breaker. Rear seat legroom a little less than expected....oh well.

The Genesis.......First I drove the 4.6 in a beautiful blue metallic.......HOLY !$^@#!% What a car!!!

Vault silent, except for the beautiful hum of the 4.6 (non GDI) and that 8 speed tranny is silk! Everything about the car was butter, although I could probably improve the drive gage cluster. Everything about that sucker drips "king of the world". If it was $30K, I'd have driven it home tonight. However, it was $45K!

Also drove a $35K 3.8 version. Nice, but really loses a lot of bells & whistles. The 19/29 mpg is IMPRESSIVE but after the 4.6 w/ the Lexicon 17 speaker surround w/DVD/TV/camera/lighted "Genesis" sills/seat cooler/etc. etc. etc., it makes the base model feel a little wanting. Still nice, just not as nice.

My heart now aches. I think I ruined my car shopping experience. Can I still save myself & go buy a Chevy Equinox after my experience tonight???

Defend yourself, sir!

Why do you need an SUV? If it's for a couple kids you still don't. Even without more than hinting at "when I was a boy we didn't have these and families did fine with sedans", I can tell you that despite assumptions to the contrary by many there are in fact successful families who continue to live and live well with sedans. It can be done. And if you think outside the box just a little with a trailer hitch you can get a cargo box to jut out the back of your car, a utility trailer if you need for trips to lowes, and even a roofrack with those plastic boxes (or a flexible bag like roofbag.com) and these things hold a sh*tload of stuff in them.

Those smaller SUVs have terrible cargo capacity anyway, they honestly do. Man, with a budget of $30k there are a ton of cars out now that will be a blast to drive and better on gas.

 

[jlee]

I drove a (2009, I think) Genesis sedan from NH to FL - I really liked it, though the V8 would've been nice (it was the V6 model). Hyundai is definitely moving up in the world.

 

[GoatMonkey]

There are a lot of good deals on used Genesis sedans out there. You could probably get a used Genesis for less than a new loaded Sonata.

 

[redgtxdi]

One of the things missing in anything pre 2012 in a Genesis is their buttery smooth 8-speed tranny. That sucker was a dream. I'd have to drive a pre-2012 to see how it felt, but I also know I probably should stay away. While they're extremely nice, I'm getting away from "practical".

SUV is for the wife, really. We have 2 sedans and a truck. She wants something "different". (shrug)

Can somebody please ask my wife if I can have my juevos back?

 

[dug777]

FJ Cruiser

You get the six-speed manual in the States, no?

 

[Zap]

If it's for a couple kids you still don't. Even without more than hinting at "when I was a boy we didn't have these and families did fine with sedans", I can tell you that despite assumptions to the contrary by many there are in fact successful families who continue to live and live well with sedans. It can be done.

"When I was a boy, my family had a Ford Pinto."

True story. It was some metallic orange color and had a trunk and not hatchback. Family of four. Going from that to a Ford Fairmont was a HUGE upgrade. We didn't know what to do with all that extra room.

 

[xSkyDrAx]

Genesis 3.8 Spec R is like MSRP 28k. Haggle them down and call it a day!

 

[redgtxdi]

Genesis 3.8 Spec R is like MSRP 28k. Haggle them down and call it a day!

I think you're thinking the coupe?

I'm talking the sedan. sedan Spec R is a 5.0 with 429 HP!!!

I also forgot I've got to check a couple used Mazda CX-9s in the local area. I think CX-9 or Traverse are ultimate front runners after learning that while the Equinox shows 22/32 mpg, Fuelly reports that few even get 20+ which is very disheartening & now has me thinking I might as well go big if I di go true SUV!

 

[Eli]

I have a friend with a Genesis, he LOVES it.

They really do seem like great cars.

 

[jlee1]

There's rumored to be a 5.0L Genesis debuting soon. 429hp 400lb ft. ))))

 

[redgtxdi]

There's rumored to be a 5.0L Genesis debuting soon. 429hp 400lb ft. ))))

That's already here. It's the Spec R. I almost got to drive it, except the battery was dead so the key fob wouldn't unlock it. Probably better. I didn't need any more than the 4.6L had. That was pure sex on wheels all by itself!!

The 3.8L was good too and the mpg is great, but I read a review I agree with that said it takes just another second for the 3.8L setup to jump than the 4.6L. The 4.6L just reacts the instant you ask it to. No hesitation whatsoever. Even though the 3.8L is DI and the 4.6L is still not. (Writer considered it to be part of the trans setup too although they both share the new for 2012, 8-speed silk box)

If my goal was 20+ mpg in a small to mid-sized SUV (a la Equinox) and I end up with a Genesis 4.6L (17/24) then what the heck went wrong?

 

[jlee]

there's rumored to be a 5.0l genesis debuting soon. 429hp 400lb ft. ))))

D:

IMPOSTER!

 

[Tristicus]

D:

IMPOSTER!

Wait wat.

 

[satyajitmenon]

There's rumored to be a 5.0L Genesis debuting soon. 429hp 400lb ft. ))))

D:

IMPOSTER!

WTF?

 

[Ferzerp]

Oops

 

[redgtxdi]

Maybe I should just get a Toyota Sienna & call it a day.

 

[pauldun170]

FJ Cruiser

You get the six-speed manual in the States, no?

Yes and no.
Yes it was an option
No - meaning no dealer would ever have it in stock.

 

[redgtxdi]

So I went & drove a Dodge Durango (base w/ a couple options) and Dodge Journey (SXT). I cringed at the respective 16/23 and 17/25 mpg in the windows but whatever.

The Durango was blissful......EXCEPT.....that stinkin tranny. Just like MotorTrend's article said, it lost to the CX9 because its tranny shifts too soon, & is missing at least 1 more gear. (I concur & while MT said it's getting an 8spd tranny Q4 of 2011, I ain't seein anything about that) The dealer said that the motor was some "Ward's 10 best" motor and that it was a $2K option in the Journey in 2011 but included in the SXT version for 2012. In the Durango, that 270hp V6 was barely sufficient. I was surprised but that's the truth. (Journey SXT's 6 speed tranny helped significantly)

As for the Journey. It was a surprisingly "small outside, big inside" vehicle. You sit up higher in the Journey which I didn't really like and the seat bottom was hard & uncomfortable. (weird). The Journey has a big blind spot at the D pillar which the Durango didn't but otherwise similar just a tad smaller all around. Not bad though. Again, I note the ride was impressively smooth.

Oh......speaking of seats......on the Durango I drove, you couldn't adjust the driver's seat height. I was seriously WTF about that one. A $30K+ vehicle & you can't adjust the seat height???

Anyway.....if I *had* to pick one, I'd probably still pick the Durango for overall experience but gonna check out the CX-9 tonight.

 

[JulesMaximus]

So I went & drove a Dodge Durango (base w/ a couple options) and Dodge Journey (SXT). I cringed at the respective 16/23 and 17/25 mpg in the windows but whatever.

The Durango was blissful......EXCEPT.....that stinkin tranny. Just like MotorTrend's article said, it lost to the CX9 because its tranny shifts too soon, & is missing at least 1 more gear. (I concur & while MT said it's getting an 8spd tranny Q4 of 2011, I ain't seein anything about that) The dealer said that the motor was some "Ward's 10 best" motor and that it was a $2K option in the Journey in 2011 but included in the SXT version for 2012. In the Durango, that 270hp V6 was barely sufficient. I was surprised but that's the truth. (Journey SXT's 6 speed tranny helped significantly)

As for the Journey. It was a surprisingly "small outside, big inside" vehicle. You sit up higher in the Journey which I didn't really like and the seat bottom was hard & uncomfortable. (weird). The Journey has a big blind spot at the D pillar which the Durango didn't but otherwise similar just a tad smaller all around. Not bad though. Again, I note the ride was impressively smooth.

Oh......speaking of seats......on the Durango I drove, you couldn't adjust the driver's seat height. I was seriously WTF about that one. A $30K+ vehicle & you can't adjust the seat height???

Anyway.....if I *had* to pick one, I'd probably still pick the Durango for overall experience but gonna check out the CX-9 tonight.

Durangos are junk. No way would I buy a Dodge.

Oh, and gas mileage is horrible.

 

[master7045]

Check out a new Jeep Grand Cherokee for a "big" SUV, the V6 returns decent mpg. For a CUV, the new Jeep compass looks much better and again gets decent mpg. For a larger sedan, look at a used E series from Mercedes Benz or 5 series from BMW. I think the 528/530 series returns about 30mpg at highway speeds. Just a thought.

 

[redgtxdi]

Durangos are junk. No way would I buy a Dodge.

Oh, and gas mileage is horrible.

Aside from the bad taste of the old Durangos, why would you say that about the current model??

I'm telling you, *IF* they actually do stick an 8 speed in that sucker, it will be one heck of an SUV. It was far & away the quietest & smoothest SUV I've driven so far. The comfort was a 10 and ergonomics were great. A truly ADULT-style 3rd row and room to spare. No typical D pillar blind spot, the thing literally turned on a dime & could almost rotate in place!! (THAT was truly amazing).

The driver's seat not going up/down was a dumb shortfall but I just can't knock it otherwise. Get the right tranny in there & everybody else will have to up their game.