The 2011 Hyundai Genesis is an impressive example of a premium sedan, providing a luxury driving experience, with premium comfort, and high-performance all for an unbelievable and very affordable price considering its segment. While the Genesis may not have a luxury vehicle price, it certainly has plenty of luxury vehicle competition such as the Mercedes E-Class, Lexus GS and Cadillac CTS; to name a few. With a striking exterior design and all the necessary assets to compete, the Genesis has definitely earned its place amongst its counterparts.
At first glance, the 2011 Hyundai Genesis can easily be mistaken for one of its high-end luxury competitors. You can’t help but stare at its smooth, delicate lines, lean elegant body, dual chrome exhaust and chrome accents. Hints of elegance shine through the Genesis from the chrome handles, chrome grill, and chrome trim along the windows and bumper. The 2011 Hyundai Genesis comes in eight different exterior colors (Black Noir Pearl, Cabernet Red Pearl, Champagne Beige Metallic, Platinum Metallic, Sapphire Blue Pearl, Sterling Blue Metallic, Titanium Gray Metallic and White Satin Pearl) and three different interior colors (Cashmere, Jet Black, and Saddle), giving the consumer a pretty good variety of combination options regarding appearance. The Genesis also comes equipped with 18-inch Hypersilver alloy wheels, HID Xenon adaptive (auto-cornering) headlights and heated auto-dimming outside mirrors with turn signal indicators. The auto-dimming mirrors provide ample ground light as you approach or leave the vehicle; a great safety feature, especially at night.
The Hyundai Genesis comes equipped with a 4.6L DOHC V8 Aluminum Engine with Dual CVVT providing 378 horsepower at a mere 17city/25hwy MPG; definitely has the power but lacks the fuel efficiency. When Hyundai is compared to its counterparts in the arena of power and fuel efficiency, Lexus, Mercedes Benz and Infiniti all share similar and better fuel efficiency however, they don’t compare to the power under the hood of the Genesis. The Genesis demonstrates easy handling and a smooth driving experience with its 6 speed automatic transmission with SHIFTRONIC , Electronic Stability Control with Traction Control, ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution and Brake Assist plus Electro Hydraulic Power Steering. In the safety department, Hyundai made sure not to skip a beat. The Genesis has full air bag safety coverage which includes: driver-front, passenger-front (with on/off switch), side-body-front and rear, side-head front and rear. In addition to the extensive airbag safety coverage, the Genesis has front and a rear parking assistance system with rearview camera, smart cruise control which allows the driver to set a distance to be maintained from the vehicle in front so that the vehicle knows when to slow down and speed up on its own, plus rain-sensing windshield wipers with an auto-defogging windshield system.
Hyundai covered the interior with a plush but simple layout which builds on the vehicle’s ability to keep you quite comfortable. The leather seats are extremely easy to get cozy in with heated options for both seats and a cooled option for the driver seat plus 8 way power controls for a combination of adjustments. The Genesis also has dual climate control which is always a nice feature in my book, considering driver and passenger rarely are both content in the same temperature. The dashboard has smooth lines and flows seamlessly into the door panels with unique leather stitched trim and wood accents. The leather and wood trimmed steering wheel is comfortable and the power tilt-and-telescopic steering column allows for easy adjustment for driver steering comfort. The steering column also provides driver control of entertainment mode, Bluetooth, entertainment volume and tuning as well as driver instrument display modes to track MPG, trip, distance to empty and much more. Hyundai kept the control panels very subtle which added to the overall clean and simple look to the interior, which shouldn’t be mistaken for lack of technology. The Genesis entertainment system is extremely intuitive and fun to use. The ultimate navigation system is displayed on an 8-inch LCD screen and all entertainment can be controlled using the center console controls. Although this might take getting used to for some, it really is quite easy to navigate through radio/menu/navigation options via the turn dial. Just below the display screen is a disc changer which is MP3 CD and DVD compatible.
The 2011 Hyundai Genesis provides everything a luxury vehicle provides at a fraction of the price: high performance, luxury comfort and ultra-rich features, an ultimate driving experience and advanced technology. The Genesis is just beginning to give competitors a run for their money, and will only continue to be improved upon by Hyundai with high quality enhancements. Starting at only $33,000 MSRP the Genesis brings more to the table than any vehicle in its class and with the direction Hyundai is moving, it will only get bigger and better in years to come.
