2012 Hyundai Genesis Review and Prices

Styling: The 2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan will continue to far outsell the 2012 Genesis Coupe and that’s where Hyundai is concentrating the model-year 2012 changes. The 2012 Genesis Sedan gets revised front-end styling courtesy of a reshaped grille, more aggressive lower fascia, and new headlamps with daytime running lights and trendy LED accents.

A revamped rump includes new taillamps and a reshaped fascia with integrated dual exhaust tips. The 2012 Sedan’s body sides feature skirted rocker panels and the chrome-trim window surround is replaced by classier brushed aluminum.

The 2012 Genesis 5.0 R-Spec Sedan has its own headlamp look thanks to dark-chrome lens inserts; it’s further distinguished by exclusive 19-inch alloy wheels and “R-Spec” badging. The 5.0 R-Spec is available in just three exterior colors – black, gray, and platinum – each with a black leather interior. The 2012 Genesis V-6 Sedan gets new-look 17-inch alloy wheels.

Inside, the 2012 Genesis Sedan stays with the basic cabin décor it’s used since its model-year 2009 introduction but does add new woodgrain colors.

Neither the Genesis Sedan nor the Coupe changes in size or concept for model-year 2012. As it was upon its model-year 2009 introduction, the Sedan remains a midsize four-door with an essentially conservative demeanor. The 2012 version is still styled to fit in with upscale cars Hyundai hopes it will displace on the driveways of prosperous buyers, but judging by this year’s styling tweaks, the automaker is obviously more confident the car’s ability to carry a bit of flash.

The Genesis Sedan has been modestly successful in terms of sales and a revelation to elite automotive journalists, who voted it the 2009 North American Car of the Year. Hyundai will continue to pitch the 2012 Genesis sedan against entrenched luxury cars such as the Lexus ES and GS and even the Mercedes E-Class, positioning it as their equal for luxury and performance and their superior for features-per-dollar.

The 2012 Hyundai Genesis sedan lineup grows from two models to three, each named for its engine displacement. The returning Genesis 3.8 and 4.6 sedans return are joined by the 2012 Genesis 5.0 R-Spec.

Less hard data about the 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe was available at the time of this review. But it’ll continue to follow a different tack than the sedan. Its swept-back lines and swoopy sheet metal are designed to turn heads – and do. The coupe uses the same basic understructure as the Genesis sedan but is more compact to the benefit of agile handling at the sacrifice of cabin space. Indeed, where the sedan is a roomy five-seater, the coupe is a close-cropped four-passenger car with a rear seat best suited to parcels or small kids.  

The 2012 Genesis Coupe lineup will also be divided into two groups based on engine type. The 2.0T series should return the equivalent of base trim, sport-focused R-Spec, and plush Premium models. Expect 2012 Genesis V-6 coupes to mirror a 2011 lineup that started with R-Spec trim, included an uplevel Grand Touring model, and was topped by the racecourse-ready Track model.

Mechanical: The 2012 Hyundai Genesis Sedan again marches to the premium-segment drummer with rear-wheel-drive and a choice of V-6 and V-8 engines. But there are important mechanical advancements for model-year 2012.

The 2012 Genesis 3.8 Sedan retains a 3.8-liter V-6 but gains direct-injection technology that boosts both power and fuel economy. Horsepower increases to 333, from 290, and torque rises to 291 pound-feet, from 264. (Torque is responsible for the surge you feel when you hit the gas, horsepower is the energy you summon to sustain momentum.)
Consider 300 horsepower the threshold for a leading-edge V-6 these days; the 2012 changes help the Genesis 3.8 Sedan cross it. However, most alternatives with similar output, such as the 300-horse BMW 535i and the 330-horsepower Infiniti M37, will again cost around $50,000, substantially more than the Genesis 3.8 sedan’s expected base price of around $35,000.

The 2012 Genesis 4.6 sedan retains its 4.6-liter V-8 with 385 horsepower and 333 pound-feet of torque. Those are impressive figures for this a V-8 of this displacement, regardless of brand but especially at the 2012 Genesis 4.6’s expected base price of under $45,000.

The 2012 Genesis 5.0 R-Spec has a 5.0-liter V-8 rated at 429 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. In tune with Hyundai’s value imperative, the 2012 Genesis 5.0 R-Spec sedan is likely to have a base price under $50,000, a relative bargain in the $60,000-neighborhood occupied by V-8 sedans such as the BMW 550i, Infiniti M56, and Mercedes-Benz E550.

Direct competitors or not, those European- and Japanese-brand rivals have been ahead of the Genesis on the transmission front, offering automatics with seven and even eight speeds versus Hyundai’s six-speed. However, every 2012 Genesis sedan graduates to an eight-speed automatic. More gear ratios means more efficient conveyance of engine power and potentially better fuel economy. Indeed, Hyundai says the eight-speed automatic triggers a 15 percent fuel-economy improvement for the 3.8 Sedan V-6 and gives the 4.6 a slight bump, as well. A separate gate for manual-type gear control is included. Hyundai designed this transmission and bills it as the first eight-speed automatic available in a car from an automaker that isn’t a “premium” brand.          

The South Korean carmaker is spot-on in specifying rear-wheel drive for its Genesis Sedan and Coupe. Virtually all true premium sedans – and most bona fide sports coupes, too – are rear-wheel drive. Unlike front-wheel drive, which concentrates the mass of the powertrain over the wheels that also propel the car, rear-drive spreads the weight more equitably front-to-rear. Rear-wheel drive benefits handling balance but generally isn’t as good as front-drive for wet-surface traction.

The 2012 Hyundai Sedan and Coupe will again feature all the expected grip- and stability-enhancing technology, including traction control and antiskid systems. But they won’t offer all-wheel drive (AWD) for that added dimension of stability in snow or other slippery conditions. That’s a more serious issue for the 2012 Genesis Sedan, because AWD is available on all its competitors, be they based on front- or rear-drive platforms.

The 2012 Genesis Sedans do get some running-gear enhancements, however. The 3.8 Sedan gets a larger rear stabilizer bar and the heavier duty brakes previously exclusive to the 4.6 Sedan; the 2012 4.6 Sedan gets larger-still brakes. The 5.0 R-Spec, meanwhile, introduces a higher level of chassis tuning corresponding to its stronger engine output.  It has specially calibrated steering, sportier suspension settings, and is optionally available with Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 summer performance tires.

The 2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe will again have a mission distinct from that of the sedan. It’ll occupy an automotive-enthusiast niche between heavier pony cars such as the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro, and all-out two-seat sports cars, such as the Nissan 370Z and Mazda MX5 Miata. Unlike the front-wheel-drive layout of similarly sized sporty coupes such as the 2012 Scion tC and Mitsubishi Eclipse, the 2012 Genesis Coupe’s rear-wheel drive layout gives it credibility with serious performance drivers. Hyundai will again hammer home this standing by offering the 2012 Genesis Coupe with a range of racetrack-grade suspension and tire setups more commonly found via the aftermarket than on a factory options list.

The 2012 Genesis Coupe 2.0T line will again use a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that should remain rated around 210 horsepower and 223 pound-feet of torque. The 2012 Genesis Coupe 3.8 models will likely return with the sedan’s 3.8-liter V-6 tuned for 306 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque.

Both the 2012 Genesis 2.0T and 3.8 coupes are likely to again offer a six-speed manual transmission. They’ll also remain available with an automatic transmission, though the 2.0T could exchange its five-speed automatic for a six-speed, while the 3.8 shelves its six-speed automatic for the new eight-speed going into the 2012 Genesis sedan.

Features: The 2012 Hyundai Genesis features list expands strategically, improving upon a catalog that already included virtually all the essentials appropriate to the premium-sedan and sporty-coupe segments. And unlike a good number of competitors, Hyundai treats many of the most desirable features as standard equipment, not as extra-cost options.

Every 2012 Genesis Sedan again comes with leather upholstery, heated power front seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control. The steering wheel includes controls for the standard Bluetooth mobile-phone link and audio system. As per Hyundai practice, both an auxiliary jack and a USB iPod interface are standard.

The 2012 Genesis 4.6 Sedan includes a passel of amenities available on the 3.8 Sedan as part of broad options packages. These should include 18-inch alloy wheels in place of 17s, upgraded leather upholstery, a power tilt/telescope steering wheel, power tilt/slide sunroof, a power rear sunshade, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.

The 2012 3.8 Sedan’s Premium Package option again includes a navigation system with a 7-inch touchscreen, 40-gigabyte hard drive, and rear backup camera, and 18-inch Hyper Silver split-spoke alloy wheels. For model-year 2012, the package gains heated rear seats with console controls and newly developed power-folding outside mirrors. Also enhanced for model-year 2012 is the 3.8 Sedan’s Technology Package. This option gains a departure warning system that sounds an alert if the car strays from its intended highway lane, and it applies the thin-film-transfer LCD gauge-cluster readout found in the V-8 models.

The 2012 Genesis 4.6 and 5.0 R-Spec sedans come with all the appropriate 3.8 Sedan standard equipment and most of its options. They also include a power tilt/telescope steering column,  an expanded navigation system with an 8-inch touch screen, a 528-watt Lexicon 17-speaker 7.1 discrete audio system, radar cruise control, steering-linked xenon headlamps, and a cooled driver’s seat.

All 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupes will again come with power windows, locks and mirrors, steering-wheel-mounted cruise and audio controls, air conditioning with outside temperature display, and remote keyless entry. Like Genesis sedans, all 2012 Genesis coupes will include as standard Bluetooth phone connectivity as well as a USB interface and an auxiliary jack to interface with iPods and other digital music devices.  

With the various models catering to specific sub-niches, expect the 2012 Genesis coupes to again range from road-racer Spartan to grand-touring opulent. Performance-oriented versions of both the 2.0T and 3.8 models will include such features as rear tires wider than the fronts, competition-tuned suspension, Brembo-brand brakes, and grippy sport bucket seats. Uplevel versions will again offer comfort-tuned suspensions, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, and a navigation system as standard or optional, depending on model.