We’ve already shown you preview images of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis sedan, where we likened its new styling to both Audi and Volvo. Now that we’ve seen it in the flesh at this year Detroit Auto Show, we can officially say that it’s a real looker, and the car finally has the personality that it lacked in its first generation.
From the outside, this budget-friendly premium sedan looks assertive with its oversized, shield-shaped grille and LED daytime running lights. Its rear is raked back more dramatically than past models to its full-LED taillights, keeping in more in tune with Hyundai’s “Fluidic Motion” design language.
Inside, the Genesis remains a little sedate for our taste, but the design is handsome and straightforward. There’s even the option for open-pore wood, something that we’ve come to really love in the current lineup of Audi sedans. Hyundai also claims to include high-quality materials throughout the cabin, and the feature list is extensive, ranging from heated and ventilated seats to a heated steering wheel and high-grade leather.
The Genesis’ new platform is even more rigid than the BMW 5 Series, thanks to the use of high-tensile steel. In addition to improving the vehicle’s handling dynamics, the new platform also makes room an all-new all-wheel drive drivetrain, should you want to take the Genesis into the snow. The suspension has also been upgraded for V8-powered models for better traction during spirited drives.
Under the hood, the base engine is Hyundai’s 311-horsepower 3.8-liter V6, but shoppers can opt for the 420-hp 5.0-liter V8 if they’re looking for a car that can run with the BMW 550i or Mercedes-Benz E550.
The 2015 Hyundai Genesis will also include a long list of available driver safety systems, including automatic emergency braking, lane departure warnings, radar cruise control, blind spot detection, and several others that you’d expect to see on a more expensive vehicle. There’s even a mobile app available for Genesis owners that will allow them to keep tabs on their car when they’re on the go.
We’ve liked what we’ve seen from the Genesis in the past; it’s been a comfortable cruiser with ample power and plenty of features. However, we’ve never been wild about its styling or driving dynamics. While the car has always felt like a step above its other Hyundai stable mates, we’ve never really felt like it landed squarely in the luxury category. This new model definitely takes a few steps closer to that designation, and if the cars drives half as well as it looks, we might have just found the right value statement to convince shoppers to think twice about their next Lexus GS.
What do you think about the 2015 Hyundai Genesis? Let us know if the comments below.
Take a look at the rest of our coverage from the 2014 Detroit Auto Show.
