Hyundai Prices Updated 2012 Genesis Sedan

Hyundai's Genesis Sedan was a complete surprise when it debuted in 2008. No one was really expecting Hyundai, of all brands, to come out with a full-size, rear-wheel drive pseudo-luxury sedan.  Even fewer people were expecting it to be as good as it was, either - it was more than a match for luxury-biased mid-sizers like the Lexus GS, Acura TL, Chrysler 300C, etc.

But even with a really good product, it's basically market suicide to leave it untouched on the market for a few years as the competition gets better.  So Hyundai has made some changes and updates to their now 2nd-tier luxury sedan (since they started selling the LS460-sized Equus in the US.)

The biggest changes occur under the skin.  All the Genesis sedan models receive a brand-new 8-speed automatic, which replaces the 6-speed automatic in the previous Genesis.  While the previous model used an Aisin-Warner supplied 6-speed in the V6 model, and a ZF-supplied 6 speed in the V8, the new Genesis will use a Hyundai in-house developed 8-speed in all models, which promises better performance as well as better fuel economy and emissions levels.

The base Genesis motor, the 3.8L Lambda V6, received an upgrade from port to direct injection, which boosts power from 290bhp to 333bhp (the same amount the US-spec E46 BMW M3 made, I might add) and an increase in torque from 264lb-ft to 291lb-ft.  The neat hat trick here is even though there's another 43bhp under the hood, the V6 Genesis' highway fuel economy increases from 27 to 29mpg, primarily thanks to that new transmission.  Pricing for the V6 model starts at $34,200, with option packages available to equip it with luxury and technology features from the upper-end models.

The 4.6L Tau V8, previously the top model, is now the mid-range Genesis.  It's all-aluminum 32v V8 still produces 385bhp (on premium fuel, 378 on regular) but is now attached to the Hyundai 8-speed automatic transmission as well.  Fuel economy is a reasonable 17 city/ 26 highway for the 4.6L model.  The 4.6L comes priced at $44,500 before options.

Chassis revisions for the 3.8 and 4.6L Genesis aim to make the big sedan more of a handler.  Although Hyundai didn't go into a whole lot of specifics, they do say the rear swaybar on the V6 models increases from 17mm to 18mm.  The front brakes on the 3.8L model grow in size from 12.6" to 13" and gain four-piston calipers for increased stoppping power, while the 4.6L front brakes jump from 13.0" to 13.6" as well.

But the big news for the Genesis line is the new Genesis R-Spec.  Under the hood is a further development of the Tau 32v V8, with displacement increased from 4.6L to 5.0L as well as the addition of direct fuel injection.  Power output is now a massive 429bhp@6,400rpm, along with 376lb-ft of torque @ 5,000 rpm.  In addition to being the most powerful engine Hyundai has ever produced, this new V8 stacks up quite well with some competitors.

The pricing is surprising, too: the R-Spec is only marginally more expensive than the 4.6, starting at $46,500 before destination charges, only $2k more than the smaller V8.  Perhaps the most direct competitor to the R-Spec will be the Infiniti M56, which houses a 420 horsepower 5.6L 32v V8 at it's base pride of...  whoa, $59,100.  In fact, you can't even get out the door of an Infiniti dealer with a base-model M37 for less than the price of the Genesis R-Spec.  While Hyundai's models have become completely class-competitive, they do still trade on their relative value.  Want a BMW 5-series with enough power to compete with the R-Spec?  Better pull out a second mortgage on the house, as a 550i's 4.4L twin-turbo V8 will cost you $60,200 - before the overpriced options that BMW is famous for.  The Jaguar XF Supercharged is gorgeous, British, and powerful - with a supercharger atop it's 5.0L 32v DI V8, it cranks out a tire-melting 470bhp.  But it's $67,200 for starters, and the base V8's 385 horsepower isn't enough to keep up with the Hyundai, either.

Fuel economy for the 5.0L engine is hardly different than the 4.6, rating at 16/25 to the smaller V8's 17/26.  In addition to the more powerful motor, the R-spec also has other upgrades to make it a more sporting drive.  19" alloy wheels shod with Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position tires (seriously?) provide grip, along with stiffer suspension, specific transmission programming, and heavier steering, along with visual goodies like black-housing headlights, R-Spec badging (so people know not to race you), and other changes.

All the Genesis sedans get a facelift for 2012, mainly on the front end.  There are now LED running lights in the headlights, a new grille, a new front bumper with larger air intakes, and the 17" base wheels have been redesigned.  Around back, the tail lights are new and the exhaust exits have been redesigned.  All these small changes mean it still looks like a Genesis, but the aggressiveness factor - something the original was sort of lacking - is increased, and the new model definitely stands out more among a sea of import sedans than it did before.

With these updates, Hyundai continues to keep the Genesis sedan ahead of it's competitors in a lot of ways.  It's remarkable - they're doing what Lexus was doing when it first started, constant updates to keep their cars up to date rather than settling for "good enough."  With the Hyundai/Kia corporation set to become the biggest import seller in the US this year, it's hardly surprising.