I took out a Genesis yesterday!

*Mr. Wyndham* · 04-03-2009, 11:56 AM

It was a nice day out yesterday...and I figured I'd head out and see what there is to see about this car - what the big deal is...

Right off the bat, let me tell you I was very pleased with the car, just not impressed.

The salesman I spoke to was very...'normal'. He was actively trying to sell me on the car, but not in an obnoxious way. He was very personable, and pretty funny. He was SO good, in fact, I'm going to call the dealership today and send my compliments to his general manager.

But on to the car...They had TWO on the lot. Both were premium turbo four's (automatic). They were still covered from nose to tail in plastic wrappings, and they were placed way out in 'left field': at least 200 yards from the dealership itself (in the back). He said they didn't want to let people see them, because they weren't allowed to let folks test-drive the cars. He also said that only the regional manager has any idea when they would get more cars -- his dealership just empty's the trucks that show up on their doorstep. I figured I'd take a look anyways, give the benefit of the doubt -- maybe the car isn't so fugly in person...

It is, imo.

But it's not as bad-looking as pictures make it seem. The front end does have an awkward look about it, and the bodywork isn't very attractive, imo. It has character, lots of creases, and body lines. All in all, it looks much better than a Tiburon, but that's not saying much because the Tiburon is at the very bottom of my list...below the Aztek.

I told him I understood about the test-driving thing...but I wondered if I could sit in it anyways? He said yes, and jogged cross-country back to the dealership to get the key. While he was gone, I took a moment to step back, and stare at them from a distance...the first thing I noticed was how wide the car is, then how low it is. Not Corvette, or 370z-low...but it's about as low as the Camaro, so I could see it's roof well enough.....very plain. I was able to appreciate the reverse-mohawk much more after that.

The salesman came back, and he waved around a license plate in his hand -- "I pulled some strings" he said. That's why I'm calling his manager -- these cars were clearly not for driving...what with the plastic, and the fuse box was still open - he said it wasn't 'cleared' in the shop, yet; so things like the radio didn't work. But he opened the door, started it up, and went to pop the plate on the back. I headed to the rear, and listened to the exhaust...for a 4-cylinder, it was very nice: Throaty, but high-pitched; most definitely not 'ricey'-sounding.

I hopped inside, and the seats just hugged me perfectly. Lots of support. The interior as a whole is...bleh, imo. I don't think anybody can give it points over the Camaro, unless you really don't like the Camaro's layout. Materials is also comparable with ONE exception -- the top of the dash was that soft-touch stuff. But the dash is so far away that I could barely reach it, so I don't think it matters. They look the same. But that was another thing I didn't like -- the distance of the dash from me. I adjusted the wheel as much as possible, but the guages were so far back, and the space in the steering wheel was shaped such that I couldn't see the twin-pod guages properly: Not good. The radio and HVAC knobs were flimsy...they wobbled back and forth when I tried turning them...the plastic surrounding the center stack felt thin, and brittle...not necessarily 'cheap'. Same with the doors -- the entire thing was one, big hunk of poorly-textured plastic, with the exception of the armrest. The guage pods were surrounded by a polished silver bezel -- like the Camaros. and as I looked, there was very little chrome touches to be found inside.

It had a few cool do-dads and gadgets. The most notable is the push-button start. You flip up a little door panel in the center console, and put the key fob in a slot. Then you hit the button, and the car starts up. It also had bluetooth, an up-level stereo, USB, and mp3 connectivity.

We went around the block...twice.

It turns out the sales guy had never driven the car, and he was enjoying the ride, so he told me to go around again. I figured I'd let him drive.

He had asked me to drive 'conservatively', being that we weren't even supposed to be driving it, but then he stomped on it

. This was only the turbo-4, as I mentioned -- it was very smooth, and it had a healthy bit of pickup (nothing to write home about), and the driving experience itself was engaging to a similar level as the G8GT, imo. Obviously, not as fast or torquey, but when turning, etc -- it felt about the same with a little less steering response. Which I thought was remarkable given the G8's weight disadvantage -- GM sure did hide those pounds well.

After we ended...I asked him to pop the hood...lots of space down there -- but I got hit with a blast of heat that took me off guard. I don't know what to think about that...

One final note -- it was rated at 20/30mpg....2.0L and a turbocharger...this dissapointed me. Either it needs more than 210hp, or more than 30mpg...

Overall...I'd give this particular car a 5/10. I expect the V6 model (which I'll be going back to drive...) will up that to 7/10. And that will give the Camaro some competition...but right now, I'd say the Camaro hands-down trumps this car.

Don't get me wrong, it was a solid car: fun-to-drive, and pretty engaging driving experience...but it wasn't 'fast', it wasn't impressive in terms of either the exterior, or the interior. Powertrain specs were dismissive, and interior quality especially rubbed me wrong. Both of these cars were priced at ~$26,000. I think, for the money, I'd rather get a Cobalt SS or something like that, most definitely a 1LT Camaro. I just can't see myself owning, much less feeling proud to own the Genesis coupe.

Blownhotrodder · 04-03-2009, 12:27 PM

Driving aside, my review of the genesis is a little different than yours but hey you know what they say about that.

Chevyrocker · 04-03-2009, 01:29 PM

Say it ain't so Dragon...what were you doing at a Hyundai dealer? I understand you didn't really like it and all, but you still went there. Why?

AZCamaroFan · 04-03-2009, 01:45 PM

I saw the thing at the auto show. It looks two thirds the size of the Camaro, but the demensions show it's not. It weighs more than a 4th gen. That suprised me. Anyway the new car and driver has a review, and it's only a couple tenths quicker to 60 than the V6 Camaro.. with the hot engine too. They even say the ride is kind of rough. So there is nothing to be gained with that car other than smaller size. Oh year the gas mileage is really no better either.

justmeron · 04-03-2009, 01:49 PM

that was a write up fitable for a car mag.

*DGthe3* · 04-03-2009, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by justmeron

that was a write up fitable for a car mag.

Bah, not even close. He didn't nitpick or exaggerate on the details. He didn't use overly flowery prose in describing the sensation of being behind the wheel, or explain its superiority to its competitors, or explain how he wished it was more.

No, it was written by a guy who took a car for a test drive and offered his opinion on that that drive, as well as the appearance and design of the car. No, this was better than your average magazine review.

OverAnxious · 04-03-2009, 01:58 PM

Great writeup, now where are the pictures?

*Mr. Wyndham* · 04-03-2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OverAnxious

Great writeup, now where are the pictures?

I didn't want to break my Camera...ugly thing....

As for being at a Hundai dealer...it hurt as I pulled in, but I had to experience this car for myself....

(And thanks for the compliments.

)

*DGthe3* · 04-03-2009, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I didn't want to break my Camera...ugly thing....

I saw one at the autoshow, it was on a turntable. I was going to take a picture when I saw a good angle. I never found a good angle.

ConceptVBS · 04-06-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azfan

They even say the ride is kind of rough. So there is nothing to be gained with that car other than smaller size. Oh year the gas mileage is really no better either.

Who is "they"? Of all the magazine reviews and anecdotal "test drives", I've yet to see anyone mention "rough" in its description.

With some mods, the 2.0T just broke the 300whp barrier.

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/3...Run_644732.htm

nUcLeArEnVoY · 04-06-2009, 07:24 PM

Remarkable review, Dragoneye. Your bias came out just a bit but was overshadowed by very fair and very just points regarding the assets of the Genesis coupe.

One thing I gotta say though... the Tiburon looks worse than an Aztek? Alright, no offense since I understand brand loyalty and all and the Aztek is still GM but really... the Aztek can't look good after a quart of Jagermeister. Tiburon looks better. xD

Inspector 17 · 04-06-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chevyrocker

Say it ain't so Dragon...what were you doing at a Hyundai dealer? I understand you didn't really like it and all, but you still went there. Why?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DGthe3

Bah, not even close. He didn't nitpick or exaggerate on the details. He didn't use overly flowery prose in describing the sensation of being behind the wheel, or explain its superiority to its competitors, or explain how he wished it was more.

No, it was written by a guy who took a car for a test drive and offered his opinion on that that drive, as well as the appearance and design of the car. No, this was better than your average magazine review.

Nice write-up Dragon!

*CamaroSpike23* · 04-06-2009, 09:16 PM

nice write up. I'll be adding 2 tomorrow.... one for the mustang and one for the chally... stay tuned

JaysonAych · 04-07-2009, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nUcLeArEnVoY

Remarkable review, Dragoneye. Your bias came out just a bit but was overshadowed by very fair and very just points regarding the assets of the Genesis coupe.

One thing I gotta say though... the Tiburon looks worse than an Aztek? Alright, no offense since I understand brand loyalty and all and the Aztek is still GM but really... the Aztek can't look good after a quart of Jagermeister. Tiburon looks better. xD

Yeah, automakers are going to have work harder and for many more years than those who built the pyramids to make a car uglier than the Aztek. The Tiburon is a pretty sharp car, but not so much the current facelift. In the current generation, there have been two facelifts, and the first facelift was better than the original and the current one. The current one is too busy.

When I'd bought my Elantra back in '01, I'd noticed that the salesman was pretty cool then too. He didn't really badger me...he picked up pretty quickly that I knew more about the car than he did, and we had a pretty good back-and-forth throughout the day. Extremely helpful and let me take all the time I wanted. The other Hyundai dealer in the area also has a great sales department.

04-03-2009, 11:56 AM	#1
Mr. Wyndham I used to be Dragoneye... Drives: 2018 ZL1 1LE Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 31,873 View My Garage	I took out a Genesis yesterday! It was a nice day out yesterday...and I figured I'd head out and see what there is to see about this car - what the big deal is... Right off the bat, let me tell you I was very pleased with the car, just not impressed. The salesman I spoke to was very...'normal'. He was actively trying to sell me on the car, but not in an obnoxious way. He was very personable, and pretty funny. He was SO good, in fact, I'm going to call the dealership today and send my compliments to his general manager. But on to the car...They had TWO on the lot. Both were premium turbo four's (automatic). They were still covered from nose to tail in plastic wrappings, and they were placed way out in 'left field': at least 200 yards from the dealership itself (in the back). He said they didn't want to let people see them, because they weren't allowed to let folks test-drive the cars. He also said that only the regional manager has any idea when they would get more cars -- his dealership just empty's the trucks that show up on their doorstep. I figured I'd take a look anyways, give the benefit of the doubt -- maybe the car isn't so fugly in person... It is, imo. But it's not as bad-looking as pictures make it seem. The front end does have an awkward look about it, and the bodywork isn't very attractive, imo. It has character, lots of creases, and body lines. All in all, it looks much better than a Tiburon, but that's not saying much because the Tiburon is at the very bottom of my list...below the Aztek. I told him I understood about the test-driving thing...but I wondered if I could sit in it anyways? He said yes, and jogged cross-country back to the dealership to get the key. While he was gone, I took a moment to step back, and stare at them from a distance...the first thing I noticed was how wide the car is, then how low it is. Not Corvette, or 370z-low...but it's about as low as the Camaro, so I could see it's roof well enough.....very plain. I was able to appreciate the reverse-mohawk much more after that. The salesman came back, and he waved around a license plate in his hand -- "I pulled some strings" he said. That's why I'm calling his manager -- these cars were clearly not for driving...what with the plastic, and the fuse box was still open - he said it wasn't 'cleared' in the shop, yet; so things like the radio didn't work. But he opened the door, started it up, and went to pop the plate on the back. I headed to the rear, and listened to the exhaust...for a 4-cylinder, it was very nice: Throaty, but high-pitched; most definitely not 'ricey'-sounding. I hopped inside, and the seats just hugged me perfectly. Lots of support. The interior as a whole is...bleh, imo. I don't think anybody can give it points over the Camaro, unless you really don't like the Camaro's layout. Materials is also comparable with ONE exception -- the top of the dash was that soft-touch stuff. But the dash is so far away that I could barely reach it, so I don't think it matters. They look the same. But that was another thing I didn't like -- the distance of the dash from me. I adjusted the wheel as much as possible, but the guages were so far back, and the space in the steering wheel was shaped such that I couldn't see the twin-pod guages properly: Not good. The radio and HVAC knobs were flimsy...they wobbled back and forth when I tried turning them...the plastic surrounding the center stack felt thin, and brittle...not necessarily 'cheap'. Same with the doors -- the entire thing was one, big hunk of poorly-textured plastic, with the exception of the armrest. The guage pods were surrounded by a polished silver bezel -- like the Camaros. and as I looked, there was very little chrome touches to be found inside. It had a few cool do-dads and gadgets. The most notable is the push-button start. You flip up a little door panel in the center console, and put the key fob in a slot. Then you hit the button, and the car starts up. It also had bluetooth, an up-level stereo, USB, and mp3 connectivity. We went around the block...twice. It turns out the sales guy had never driven the car, and he was enjoying the ride, so he told me to go around again. I figured I'd let him drive. He had asked me to drive 'conservatively', being that we weren't even supposed to be driving it, but then he stomped on it . This was only the turbo-4, as I mentioned -- it was very smooth, and it had a healthy bit of pickup (nothing to write home about), and the driving experience itself was engaging to a similar level as the G8GT, imo. Obviously, not as fast or torquey, but when turning, etc -- it felt about the same with a little less steering response. Which I thought was remarkable given the G8's weight disadvantage -- GM sure did hide those pounds well. After we ended...I asked him to pop the hood...lots of space down there -- but I got hit with a blast of heat that took me off guard. I don't know what to think about that... One final note -- it was rated at 20/30mpg....2.0L and a turbocharger...this dissapointed me. Either it needs more than 210hp, or more than 30mpg... Overall...I'd give this particular car a 5/10. I expect the V6 model (which I'll be going back to drive...) will up that to 7/10. And that will give the Camaro some competition...but right now, I'd say the Camaro hands-down trumps this car. Don't get me wrong, it was a solid car: fun-to-drive, and pretty engaging driving experience...but it wasn't 'fast', it wasn't impressive in terms of either the exterior, or the interior. Powertrain specs were dismissive, and interior quality especially rubbed me wrong. Both of these cars were priced at ~$26,000. I think, for the money, I'd rather get a Cobalt SS or something like that, most definitely a 1LT Camaro. I just can't see myself owning, much less feeling proud to own the Genesis coupe. __________________ *"Keep the faith."* - Fbodfather

04-03-2009, 01:49 PM	#5
justmeron Drives: 2010 camaro Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Northwest Indiana Posts: 1,256 View My Garage	that was a write up fitable for a car mag. __________________ 2010 2011 Chevrolet Camaro Faded Black Side Vent Highlight Decal Kit Life is not like a box of chocolates, its more like eating a whole jar of jalapenos.... what you do today may burn your ass tomorrow!!!!

04-03-2009, 01:58 PM	#7
OverAnxious Drives: 1967 RS/SS L78 Coupe Join Date: May 2006 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 799	Great writeup, now where are the pictures? __________________ Joe Over Anxious - 1967 Camaro RS/SS L78 5th Gen Camaro BLOG // My eBay auctions

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04-03-2009, 12:27 PM	#2
Blownhotrodder Drives: 2018 ZL1 1LE Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Clarkesville , GEORGIA Posts: 1,857	Driving aside, my review of the genesis is a little different than yours but hey you know what they say about that.

04-03-2009, 01:29 PM	#3
Chevyrocker Weekend Rockstar Drives: Depends on the day... Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: West Palm Beach Posts: 1,442	Say it ain't so Dragon...what were you doing at a Hyundai dealer? I understand you didn't really like it and all, but you still went there. Why?

04-03-2009, 01:45 PM	#4
AZCamaroFan Camaro6 2016-2018 Drives: sometimes Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Phoenix Posts: 18,469	I saw the thing at the auto show. It looks two thirds the size of the Camaro, but the demensions show it's not. It weighs more than a 4th gen. That suprised me. Anyway the new car and driver has a review, and it's only a couple tenths quicker to 60 than the V6 Camaro.. with the hot engine too. They even say the ride is kind of rough. So there is nothing to be gained with that car other than smaller size. Oh year the gas mileage is really no better either.

04-06-2009, 07:24 PM	#11
nUcLeArEnVoY Oldbie that nobody knows Drives: 2011 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Homestead, FL Posts: 3,459 View My Garage	Remarkable review, Dragoneye. Your bias came out just a bit but was overshadowed by very fair and very just points regarding the assets of the Genesis coupe. One thing I gotta say though... the Tiburon looks worse than an Aztek? Alright, no offense since I understand brand loyalty and all and the Aztek is still GM but really... the Aztek can't look good after a quart of Jagermeister. Tiburon looks better. xD