Speaking totally subjectively, the new Hyundai Genesis is a very exciting car to look at. If you ignore the badge and just take it at face value, it's not only better to look at than its predecessor, but also superior to some German rivals.
Hyundai has just announced pricing for the 2015 Genesis ahead of its on sale-debut this summer. Production hasn't started yet, so nobody has been able to test drive one yet, but Consumer Reports was able to get its hands on a pre-production prototype. It hasn't got badges or hub center caps, but the rest of it is positively spectacular.
The real surprise here is the interior, filled with all the things we've come to expect from Mercedes or Audi – nicely grained wood, fine perforated leather and a knob to control the infotainment. We like how Hyundai has sidetracked the touchscreen trend and is offering conventional buttons, something Cadillac and Lincoln have failed to do.
You guys should know you're not looking at the basic Genesis here. To get the genuine matte wood and aluminum trim, you have to order the $3,500 Ultimate Package, but only after you've also added the $3,500 Technology pack and the $4,000 signature pack. By that time, the Genesis 3.8 RWD costs $49,000, but is basically fully equipped.
Another option would be to go for the Genesis 5.0L RWD which gets the genuine matte wood as standard. Its optional pack costs just $3,250 and brings a very interesting feature – continuous damping control. You can't get all-wheel drive with the V8 though.
The first generation Genesis achieved quite a lot in a short amount of time. It was the first Hyundai to be fitted with an in-hose developed automatic and V8 engine, plus it managed to outsell in Infiniti M and Lexus GS on a number of occasions. It looks like this new one will achieve even more!
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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