Tuesday, sunny and relatively warm, was a great day for a drive – Denver to Winter Park to Grand Lake to Trail Ridge Road to Estes Park to Loveland to home, 250 miles.
The mountainous terrain proved an excellent course for the redesigned 2015 Hyundai Genesis rear-wheel-drive, four-door sedan, which went on sale several weeks ago.
In the flowing style (“fluidic sculpture”) of the second-generation Genesis, the rear slope continues right on down over the short deck lid. Protruding out front of a broad hood is a grille shaped much like that of an Audi.
The wheelbase of the new Genesis has been stretched 3 inches to 118.5 inches, though its overall length grew by only about a quarter of an inch to 196.5. The added wheelbase, increased soundproofing and the use of more high-strength steel boosted curb weight almost 200 pounds to 4,138.
The new dimensions size up very evenly with the Chrysler 300, also a rear-wheel-drive four-door. And, for the first time, Hyundai is offering optional all-wheel-drive (with the V-6 only, a $2,500 option), long a feature of the 300.
At the risk of bringing more to this comparison than Hyundai intended, I will say the winged badge on the Genesis’ hood and steering wheel look like Chrysler’s.
Base engine is the 311-horsepower, 3.8-liter V-6 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with manual mode and paddle shifters. Optional is a 419-hp, 5.0-liter V-8. Pushing of a Sport mode button will firm up the suspension, increase throttle response and shifts, and quicken power steering assist.
Manual-mode shifting was ideal for maintaining tight control without heating up the brakes while following slowdown traffic through Rocky Mountain National Park. The revs remained at a responsible level in 3rd or 4th gear, and, slowing could be controlled by tapping down a gear either by paddle or shifter.
Acceleration is adequate with the V-6 power, even climbing the long grades to Milner Pass and the Trail Ridge Road Summit didn’t overly tax the Genesis. It is a decent handler and offers a comfortable, sometimes stiff ride from fully independent five-link front and rear suspensions. The V-6, which runs on regular gas, averaged 23.2 miles per gallon.
A bright feature for the new Genesis brought several persons into my garage to see – it’s the nighttime puddle lamps which project an image of the company’s winged logo onto the ground beside the car’s front doors.
The Genesis is filled with other high-tech innovations, which helped boost sticker price to $49,950 from a base of $38,000.
Among these is an automatic vehicle hold button, which keeps the car at dead stop at intersections or on a hill until the driver steps on the accelerator. Others are navigation with 9.2-inch screen, Lexicon 17-speaker audio system, blind-spot detection and lane-departure warning, power rear sunshade, smart cruise control and head-up display.
Among standard features are a rearview camera, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, heated front seats with power lumbar, Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and tilt and telescoping steering wheel.
The wood/aluminum-trimmed interior shows off new center stack and center console layouts. The longer wheelbase added more space to the rear-seating area. Trunk capacity is 15.3 cubic feet.
Notes from e-mail
Enjoyed your review, Bud, of the new BMW M235i. Your refere nce to the Z3 really hit home. I was fortunate enough to buy a very nice ’96 Z3 a few months ago. It is one of the very early models that had a 4-cylinder engine. This car embodies what I consider the essence of sports car motoring. I have owned a series of sports cars and convertibles dating back to a ’57 Austin Healey 100/6 and the Z3is the most fun of the bunch. It handles better than the newer Z3s with the 6-cylinder because it has better weight distribution. It has all the essentials, but no frills, with leather seats being the only option installed. I don’t mind that the AM radio doesn’t work. The manual top is a breeze to operate. I would love to see this car reincarnated as a basic Z2 based on the turbo 4-cylinder mechanicals of the 2 series. Nothing fancy. The Z3 exterior is a timeless design. As for the M235i, it is a strictly high-end performance 2+2 coupe and fine for people who want that and are willing to pay at the sticker and at the gas pump. – L.H.
I have heard a number of BMW devotees express preference for the little Z3 over the newer Z4, Lee. You were fortunate to find that ’96 with the 4-cylinder. You should have held on to that ’57 Austin Healey, too.
