Test Drove a Genesis

It's a nice car and I drove the 6 not the 8. Is it worth $40,000,
nope. We have a Maxima (besides my XG300) and we were looking at
another Maxima. For $435 a month, with not a penny down and tax
included (but we are paying dealer prep and the first months lease
payment), we are getting the Maxima SV Premium fully loaded with
everything but the GPS. It is a beautiful car that feels a lot more
powerful than the Genesis, Hyundai wanted $530 for the lease and
$40,000 for the car, whose resale value will not be what the Maxima's
is. I don't know how Hyundai makes their comparisons but the salesmen
told me you have to compare the Genesis to the BMW 700 series, the
Mercedes E series and the Lexus 430.

It is a very nice car and even though I like the Maxima better (a car
that Hyundai says is well below the Genesis hahaha) I do like the
steering which is very tight.

They talk about Hyundai quality control and I think about how they
chinced on the leathere on the XG300, how the power seat now doesn't,
go up (they think it does--it tilts), the dashboard is separating, as
if the screws underneath them are stripped and the left top vent on
the driver's side keeps popping out and will not seat properly. This
is with only 48,000 miles.

When I bought my XG300, Hyundai then said that their car needs to be
comapred to the step above the Maxima, like an Infinity something and
a Lexus 350.


Alan

 

I dont remember you saying what year your XG is.

Jim

 

I'd say it'd be fair to compare the Genesis to E-Series and 5-Series.
LS430 may be a step above. Of course, that doesn't imply the Hyundai
will win the comparison. Regardless, the Genesis and Maxima aren't
very similar beasts. One is a large rear-drive luxury sedan and the
other is a mid-size front-drive luxury sedan. Azera makes a much
better comparison point for Maxima in terms of apples-to-apples
comparisons. And again, this doesn't imply the Hyundai comes out on
top in the comparison.

Additionally, anything longer than a 3-year lease on a Hyundai doesn't
make financial sense (if we believe there's some financial benefit to
leasing to begin with). Hyundai's depreciation is enough that you'd
probably pay the same or more than a comparable Lexus or similar car.

XG wasn't Hyundai's best effort. Even so, its reliability and quality
when introduced was very much ahead of anything they'd made five years
earlier. I've seen Hyundai take steps with the Genesis that I've not
seen them take with any other vehicle. There's a separate technical
assistance staff available for the Genesis. This is to not only
assist the technician in fixing the problem right the first time, but
also to develop a database of issues to aid in design changes to
prevent future problems.

On the XG seat adjustment, the front and rear are up/down adjustable
separately. You can raise or lower the seat by adjusting both up or
both down.

 

The XG was really Ok but where they scrimped, like on the leather or
the dash design were just being stupid. I needed a new battery pretty
quickly after I picked up the car and at about 12,000 miles, the
transmission went. These are things that I can understand, even
thought they cost a lot more than the leather or the way the dashboard
attaches. My car was never garaged and the weather in NY can be tough
on a car, especially the bottom where it can get surrounded by snow.

The seat tilts up and down, diagonally but it does not raise up and
down vertically. I brought the car in and expected it would be fixed
for free because it was within the 6 years (the 1 extra year due to
the HP overstatment) but Hyundai did not not have me registered for
the extra 1 year and they wouldn't fix it without charge. I was
pissed because I had the copy of the form I sent in. I complained to
Hyundai in California and they gave me back $200 for the parts that
were changed (but did nothing) and I had to absorb $80 labor. I gave
up complaining when their best Hyundai mechanic said the seat was
going up and down.

As far as the Genesis, it's a nce car and yes it has rear wheel drive
but sizewise, I don't think it is any bigger than a Maxima (but I
could be wrong). Interestingly, Nissan did something to the Maxima
transmission to make the acceleration feel smooth like a rear wheel
drive car. The Maxima we are getting is the same price as the 6 cyl
Genesis.

 

2001. I think by 2002 it was the XG350

 

I'd be happy with that. When the seat heater on my Buick died after 36,000
miles but only 18 months old, they suggested I buy a new car. I did, a
Hyundai. The Buick continues to fall apart. Never fixed the seat for $672
either