Hyundai Genesis (2014-2017)

Incredible car – I have had 2016 Hyundai Genesis for 10 months and have loved it from the first day. I had been looking for a used low kms Audi, BMW or Mercedes but am so glad I purchased the Genesis. It more than competes in every way. I live in S.A but bought the car in Victoria as there only one dealer who sells them here & I received a really good deal from Doncaster Hyundai. I would highly recommend this car & the guys at Doncaster to anyone.

World Class car – I have owned a 2015 Hyundai Genesis for 15 months and covered 25000km in that time. I had been shopping for a used low kms Audi, BMW or Mercedes after driving my daughter's new Mercedes C250 Coupe, and saw this car in a Hyundai dealer yard in Canberra. From a distance side on I thought it was a traded 7 series BMW, and when I realised my mistake I was about to leave the yard when the salesman made a curious claim. He said 'Give me five minutes to sell you this car. I will not take your name or phone number unless at the end of my pitch you are interested in purchasing the car.' He took only five minutes and a test drive to convince me it was a better value for money car than the German marques, for the following reasons.

It had the highest ANCAP safety rating of any motor vehicle ever assessed in Australia at the time of purchase (and may still have).

All service costs for the first five years are free.

Roadside assist in the event of mechanical problems is free.

After five years, service costs are a set price before the service.

Service schedules are annually or at 15000km intervals.

During the test drive, it was considerably more comfortable, smoother and quieter than my daughter's Mercedes.

Some pertinent points.

The sticker on the windscreen stated that average fuel consumption is 11.2 litres per 100km, which was of some concern to me. I have averaged 8.7!

I bought the car intending to tow a small caravan, only to be told after purchase that Hyundai will not fit a towbar to the Genesis due to it's luxury car status. This is the only big minus for me. It is a 1900 plus kg rear wheel drive 230kw car which should be ideal as a tow car.

The HID headlights are nowhere near as illuminating as the Zenon lights of the Skoda Superb I owned previously.

The front seats are nowhere near as cosseting as those of the Skoda Superb, I think because it is aimed at the US market, for larger stature drivers and passengers.

I was a Commonwealth Car driver for many years up to 2008, hence my preference for a larger car. The quality of the Genesis is immeasurably superior to the Fairlanes and Statesmans I drove. It may not have achieved the standards of the German brands, but is very close, much less expensive to purchase and maintain, and with ride, handling and quietness in many ways superior. It lacks the sharpness of handling of the German cars, but Hyundai have concentrated on comfort and quietness. It will accelerate from 0_100kph in 6.6 seconds, only .1 of a second slower than the Subaru WRX, so overtaking can be done quickly, safely and confidently.

It has so many safety, performance and luxury features that I cannot list them all here and it is easier for the reader to look these up online. However, several little touches that really appealed for their novelty are the rear window blind to keep the sun off the rear passengers, the projector image onto the ground from underneath the external rearview mirrors of the Genesis logo and the amazing Lexicon sound system as supplied to Rolls Royce. Oh, and the rear seat passengers are able to select via the controls on the rear centre armrest the radio channel, the internal temperature, and the distance of the front passenger seat in relation to the left rear passenger. This feature is of course can be overidden by the driver if necessary.

I am 71, and I have driven for over 8 hours with only fuel and refreshment stops on a number of occasions and arrived fresh at the end. These are amazingly relaxing cars for long distance driving.