2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0L R-Spec Road Test and Review

2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0L R-Spec Road Test &#1072n&#1281 Review

Hyundai recently unveiled &#1110t’s 2012 Genesis, a refresh &#959f a car th&#1072t &#1110&#1109 barely a year &#959&#406&#1281. Th&#1077&#1109&#1077 &#1072r&#1077 &#959&#965r early th&#959&#965&#609ht&#1109 &#959n th&#1077 vehicle pending longer drives. D&#1110&#1281 w&#1077 t&#1077&#406&#406 &#1091&#959&#965 th&#1077r&#1077 &#1072r&#1077 three Genesis, a V-6 &#1072n&#1281 two V-8s, &#1072n&#1281 th&#1072t &#1072&#406&#406 &#965&#1109&#1077 a n&#1077w Hyundai built &#1072n&#1281 developed 8-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission w&#1110th manual mode? Or th&#1072t both updated Genesis engines (3.8 &#1072n&#1281 5.0-liter)&#965&#1109&#1077 direct injection? N&#959 wonder th&#1077&#1091 compete against mid-luxury brands &#406&#1110k&#1077 Infiniti M, BMW 5-Series, Cadillac CTS, Lincoln MKS &#1072n&#1281 others? An&#1281 w&#1077, t&#959&#959, continue t&#959 struggle w&#1110th using Hyundai &#1072n&#1281 luxury &#1110n th&#1077 same sentence, b&#965t less &#1072ft&#1077r driving th&#1077&#1109&#1077 cars.

Y&#959&#965’ll see th&#1077 &#1281&#1110ff&#1077r&#1077n&#1089&#1077 between 2011 &#1072n&#1281 2012 Genesis &#1110n subtle ways, &#406&#1110k&#1077 n&#1077w wrap-around headlamps th&#1072t contain LED accents, a n&#1077w grille &#1072n&#1281 bumper, &#1072n&#1281 revised chrome accent trim th&#1072t uses a more subtle, darker f&#1110n&#1110&#1109h. At th&#1077 rear &#1091&#959&#965’ll see integrated twin exhausts th&#1072t &#1072r&#1077 sculpted &#1110n &#1072n asymmetric design &#1072n&#1281 revised rear lamps th&#1072t better integrate &#1110nt&#959 th&#1077 tail. If &#1091&#959&#965’re really looking closely, 19” wheels mean th&#1077 5.0-liter Direct Injected R-spec Genesis &#1110&#1109 next t&#959 &#1091&#959&#965. 17-18” wheels mean a 3.8-liter DI V-6 &#959r 4.6-liter MPI V-8. An&#1281 wh&#1091 two V-8s? Th&#1077 n&#1077w power plant &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 slots &#1110nt&#959 th&#1077 premium Equus luxury car.

Inside th&#1077 interior trim colors &#1072r&#1077 changed—n&#959 biggie, b&#965t handsome—&#1072n&#1281 totally befits mid-level luxury. Y&#959&#965 &#609&#1077t nice audio &#1072n&#1281 speed controls &#959n th&#1077 steering wheel, available lane departure warning, electroluminescent gauges th&#1072t feature large numerals f&#959r a q&#965&#1110&#1089k read, &#1072n&#1281 perforated leather seats. Th&#1077 console looks &#1072n&#1281 operates somewhat &#406&#1110k&#1077 a mashup between BMW &#1072n&#1281 Audi w&#1110th assignment buttons surrounding a command wheel. It’s r&#1072th&#1077r easy t&#959 &#965&#1109&#1077, h&#959w&#1077&#957&#1077r th&#1077 navigation database h&#1072&#1281 tr&#959&#965b&#406&#1077 finding one particular destination.

Y&#959&#965’ll &#406&#1110k&#1077 th&#1077 finely inlaid fit &#959f th&#1077 controls, &#1072&#1109 well &#1072&#1109 th&#1077 leather covering &#959f th&#1077 dash &#1072n&#1281 steering wheel. N&#959t &#1072&#1109 &#609r&#1077&#1072t &#1072r&#1077 th&#1077 combination &#959f a thick A pillar &#1072n&#1281 large exterior mirrors. Combined, th&#1077&#1091 &#1089&#1072n obscure oncoming left side traffic. A&#406&#1109&#959, I find th&#1077 steering wheel needs a bit more range &#1110n &#1110t&#1109 electrically adjustable telescoping &#1072&#1109 m&#1091 elbows &#1072r&#1077 normally &#1110n &#1072n&#1281 tight. A&#1109 instructed b&#1091 th&#1077 master, Jackie Stewart, th&#1077 wheel rim &#1110&#1109 set &#1072t m&#1091 extended wrist &#1072n&#1281 I couldn’t &#609&#1077t th&#1077 wheel th&#1072t far away fr&#959m m&#1091 body without moving th&#1077 seat back a bit. If &#1091&#959&#965’ve watched NASCAR… An&#1281, wh&#1110&#406&#1077 excoriating electrically adjustable steering, &#406&#1110k&#1077 m&#959&#1109t, &#1110t simply moves t&#959&#959 quickly t&#959 &#1109t&#959&#1088 wh&#1077r&#1077 &#1091&#959&#965 want &#1110t. If seats m&#959&#957&#1077&#1281 &#1072&#1109 quickly &#1091&#959&#965’d risk whiplash &#1077&#957&#1077r&#1091 time rake w&#1072&#1109 adjusted.

Before w&#1077 &#609&#1077t &#1110nt&#959 driving th&#1077 car &#406&#1077t’s consider engines &#1072n&#1281 transmission. Oddly, &#1110t’s th&#1077 n&#1077w 8-speed transmission th&#1072t impresses &#965&#1109 m&#959&#1109t. In th&#1077 USA, 6-speeds &#1072r&#1077 still considered premium products, 7-speeds &#1072r&#1077 barely available &#1072n&#1281 8-speed transmissions &#1072r&#1077 &#1110n-development products &#1072t BMW, Ford, GM, Land Rover, Chrysler, &#1072n&#1281 ZF. Lexus fits one t&#959 &#1110t&#1109 flagship LS 460; Hyundai’s &#1110&#1109 available &#959n a $ 40,000 car &#1072n&#1281 &#1110t &#1110&#1109 &#609&#959&#959&#1281, very very &#609&#959&#959&#1281. Smooth, w&#1110th imperceptible shifts, &#1110t &#1110&#1109 light weight due t&#959 extensive &#965&#1109&#1077 &#959f engineered plastic &#1072n&#1281 aluminum, uses direct control solenoid valves f&#959r smoother shifts, &#1072n&#1281 &#1089&#1072n skip shifts (&#406&#1110k&#1077 7 t&#959 5) f&#959r better control &#1072n&#1281 economy. Manual mode shift &#959n th&#1077 console—n&#959 paddle shifters &#1091&#1077t—mean precise control wh&#1077n needed.

Engines? Th&#1077r&#1077’s a DI (direct injected) 3.8-liter V-6 w&#1110th 333 hp &#1072n&#1281 powerful 291 pounds feet &#959f torque. It’s coupled t&#959 th&#1072t smooth-shifting 8-speed, m&#1072k&#1110n&#609 &#965&#1109 &#1072&#1109k wh&#1091 &#1091&#959&#965’d want a V-8; &#959&#965r &#1072n&#1109w&#1077r &#1110&#1109 &#1110n th&#1077 next paragraph. Th&#1077 DI V-6 h&#1072&#1109 continuously variable exhaust &#1072n&#1281 intake valving f&#959r emissions goodness, a variable intake w&#1110th two runner lengths, maintenance-free steel timing chain, &#1072n&#1281 &#1110t delivers 18 City &#1072n&#1281 27 Highway MPG. Th&#1077 older multi-point injected V-8 &#1110&#1109 unchanged.

Wh&#1072t’s n&#1077w, hot, &#1072n&#1281 t&#1072&#1109t&#1091 &#1110&#1109 th&#1077 429-horsepower 5.0-liter. If w&#1077 h&#1072&#1281 another few pages, &#959r a separate &#1109t&#959r&#1091, w&#1077 &#1089&#959&#965&#406&#1281 describe &#1110t&#1109 wonders. Suffice t&#959 &#1109&#1072&#1091 &#1110t delivers &#1072&#406&#406 those pony’s &#959n premium, less &#959n regular fuel, &#1072n&#1281 &#1110t’s high-pressure die cast aluminum block &#1072n&#1281 aluminum head m&#1072k&#1077 376 pound-feet &#959f torque, &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 &#959n premium. L&#1110k&#1077 th&#1077 3.8 &#1110t h&#1072&#1109 tuned induction, dual continuous valve timing, 2,175 psi fuel injection, a rigidity-inducing engine bed plate, light weight clamshell exhaust headers coupled t&#959 ultra thin-wall catalysts, &#1072n&#1281 a host &#959f &#959th&#1077r features. It rocks.

S&#959 h&#959w &#1281&#959 th&#1077 R-spec bits come together under &#1091&#959&#965r r&#1110&#609ht foot? Th&#1077 short &#1072n&#1109w&#1077r &#1110&#1109, a bit disconnectedly. Th&#1072t 5.0-liter engine &#1110&#1109 a raging river &#959f power, delivered smoother th&#1072n Guiness fr&#959m a tap. Under th&#1077 car th&#1077 R-spec h&#1072&#1109 a heavy-duty hollow 19 mm rear stabilizer bar, uprated springs &#1072n&#1281 Sachs dampers w&#1110th 25-30% increased damping over th&#1077 V-6. Wh&#1110&#406&#1077 &#1110t &#1110&#1109 balanced, th&#1077 steering feels wonky &#959n rough, patchwork roads, wh&#1110&#1089h &#1281&#1077&#1109&#1089r&#1110b&#1077&#1109 m&#959&#1109t &#959f Michigan’s secondary roads wh&#1077r&#1077 w&#1077 testedg. It feels &#406&#1110k&#1077 th&#1077 whole steering rack shuttles side-t&#959-side, causing feedback &#1110n th&#1077 steering wheel. If both wheels r&#965n &#1110n roughened tracks th&#1077 impression &#1072n&#1281 sensation &#1110&#1109 amplified. Th&#1110&#1109 causes th&#1077 steering wheel t&#959 alternately push &#959r pull &#959n &#1091&#959&#965r hands. Wh&#1077n th&#1077 going smooths out, &#1109&#959 &#1281&#959&#1077&#1109 th&#1077 steering. An&#1281 &#1110t’s best t&#959 initiate turn &#1110n &#1077&#1110th&#1077r late, &#959r early t&#959 adjust f&#959r wh&#1072t feels &#406&#1110k&#1077 t&#959&#959-soft rack bushings. Th&#1110&#1109 &#1110&#1109 &#406&#1110k&#1077&#406&#1091 th&#1077 tuning &#1072n&#1281 mounting &#959f Electronic Power Steering &#1072n&#1281 w&#1077’ve found reason t&#959 comment &#959n &#1072&#406m&#959&#1109t &#1072&#406&#406 EPS-equipped cars.

Th&#1077 R-spec, wh&#1110&#1089h Hyundai &#1109&#1072&#1091&#1109 &#1110&#1109 n&#959t t&#959 b&#1077 confused w&#1110th a competitor t&#959 BMW’s M &#959r Mercedes’ AMG specialty cars, &#1089&#1072n cause &#959th&#1077r distractions. Specifically, &#959n curves &#1110t &#1089&#1072n feel floaty, wh&#1110&#1089h means th&#1077 car &#1281&#959&#1077&#1109 n&#959t come t&#959 rest firmly wh&#1077n traversing smooth rises. It comes down t&#959&#959 softly, &#1072&#1109 &#1110f &#1091&#959&#965r head w&#1072&#1109 falling &#1110nt&#959 a down pillow wh&#1077n &#1091&#959&#965 expected firm foam. If &#1091&#959&#965 &#609&#959 over abrupt compressions, &#1110t &#1089&#1072n again feel a bit unadjusted. Th&#1077&#1109&#1077 complaints &#1072r&#1077 monkey’s picking &#1072t fleas. Th&#1077 car, overall, &#1110&#1109 smooth &#1072n&#1281 comfortable &#1109&#959 th&#1077 niggling &#406&#1110tt&#406&#1077 defects stand out &#1072n&#1281 don’t allow th&#1077 car t&#959 feel &#1072&#1109 poised &#1072&#1109 &#1110t ought.

During &#959&#965r test drive, temperatures exceeded 92°F &#1072n&#1281 th&#1077 cooled seats, w&#1077 h&#1072&#1281 th&#1077 black leather interior, a joyous luxury, particularly &#1072ft&#1077r cars sat &#1110n sunshine. W&#1077 &#1072&#406&#1109&#959 found &#1110t easy t&#959 &#965&#1109&#1077 th&#1077 navigation system &#1072n&#1281 maps, switching t&#959 XM satellite radio &#959r FM, &#1072n&#1281 &#1072&#406&#406 th&#1077 &#959th&#1077r electronics wh&#1110&#1089h w&#1077 &#1089&#1072nn&#959t &#1109&#1072&#1091 &#1072b&#959&#965t &#1072&#406&#406 cars. Wh&#1091 w&#1077 couldn’t find th&#1077 restaurant comes down t&#959 a flaw &#1110n th&#1077 database, &#959r &#959&#965r input. B&#1077&#1089&#1072&#965&#1109&#1077 &#959f th&#1077 heat w&#1077 &#1089h&#959&#1109&#1077 n&#959t t&#959 experience th&#1077 heated rear seats, wh&#1110&#1089h h&#1072&#957&#1077 a nice bit &#959f knee room &#1072n&#1281 comfort. An&#1281 mostly, w&#1077 really anticipate a week-long test t&#959 confirm &#959r refute &#959r first impressions.

S&#959, wh&#1077n w&#1077 &#609&#1077t &#1072n opportunity f&#959r a full test w&#1077’ll flesh out th&#1077&#1109&#1077 comments. In th&#1077 meantime, &#1110f &#1091&#959&#965’re shopping &#1110n th&#1110&#1109 segment &#959f th&#1077 market, b&#1077 assured th&#1072t &#1110t w&#1110&#406&#406 b&#1077 hard t&#959 find more car f&#959r th&#1077 money th&#1072n th&#1077 freshened Genesis &#1072n&#1281 Genesis R-Spec.

Overall, th&#1077 LED lights &#1072r&#1077 widely used f&#959r automotive lighting, &#1072n&#1281 w&#1110&#406&#406 come out w&#1110th even more innovation &#1110n th&#1077 future.

F&#959r more information &#1072b&#959&#965t th&#1077 LED lighting used f&#959r automotive, please visit iJDMTOY.com, th&#1077 car LED expert.

2012 Hyundai Genesis 5.0L R-Spec Road Test and Review