After what has seemed like an eternity (the car was previewed in Malaysia as early as mid-2014), the second-gen Hyundai Genesis finally launches in Malaysia, bringing along with it a level of style, luxury and equipment usually only found in premium-brand offerings.
It’s perhaps fitting, then, that you won’t find a single Hyundai logo anywhere on the car; just the Genesis crest, for it is a grade above. Under the expansive bonnet lurks a direct-injected 3.8 litre V6 GDI engine that sends 315 PS at 6,000 rpm and 397 Nm of torque at 5,000 rpm to the rear wheels via an eight-speed auto. This is actually the biggest of three V6 GDI engines available on the Genesis (the others being 3.0 and 3.3 litre units).
The full-size luxury sedan measures 4,990 mm long, 1,890 mm wide and 1,480 mm tall. Its 3,010 mm wheelbase places it between the Mercedes E-Class‘ 2,874 mm and the long-wheelbase S-Class‘ 3,165 mm, while being 205 mm longer than the LF Sonata’s.
The Fluidic Sculpture 2.0-styled vehicle adopts electronically-controlled multi-link suspension front and rear; the damper settings change according to the Drive Mode selected. Front-ventilated disc and rear-solid disc brakes hide behind 245/55 R18 alloys. Electric power steering, of course.
Regarding lighting, there are self-levelling HID headlamps with cornering, LED fog lamps and LED combination tail lamps. You’ll find puddle lamps (projecting the Genesis logo) and door handle lights, too. Like the Sonata, there’s Smart Trunk – stay near the rear bumper with the key about your person and the boot automatically opens, revealing 433 litres of storage. The boot lid is powered as well, and the doors have a soft-closing mechanism.
Enter the vehicle to a really rather plush environment. Two interior choices are available at no extra cost – black, and beige two-tone (which you saw on the LHD preview car). The wood trim on the black interior is also slightly darker. Take it all in – the head-up display (shows speed, cruise control and side/rear warning info), power-adjustable steering wheel with memory and shift paddles, adaptive cruise control, electric parking brake and the seven-inch Supervision TFT LCD between the dials.
A Smart Parking Assist System provides auto parallel and perpendicular parking, while Drive Mode offers Eco, Normal, Sport and Snow modes that influence the steering, gearbox, throttle, and suspension. You sink into ventilated leather seats, which are eight-way power adjustable with memory, powered lumbar and powered extendable thigh support.
Also on are keyless entry and start, auto dual-zone air-con with ioniser, cabin CO2 sensor and rear vents, auto lights and wipers, pull-up rear side blinds, a powered rear blind, a panoramic sunroof and a tyre pressure monitoring system. Both the wing and inside rear-view mirrors are electro-chromatic. The rear centre armrest incorporates a cubbyhole and a control centre – the bosses can control audio, ventilation, door locks, rear blind and power slide/recline from here.
The front passenger seat can also be moved via switches on the side of the backrest. Infotainment is provided by an eight-inch touch-screen with AUX, USB, Bluetooth, reverse camera display and Around View Monitor, while a Lexicon Discrete Logic 7 Surround audio system provides sound through 14 speakers.
So much kit, and that’s before we even get to safety. As you’d expect, it’s loaded in this aspect – our Hyundai Genesis comes with nine airbags (two front, two front side, two rear side, two curtain, driver’s knee), ESC, VSM, Advanced Traction Cornering Control, Hill Start Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Active Bonnet System, Pre-Safety Belt, and Blind Spot Detection. The car actually achieved the highest score in ANCAP’s 21-year history, along with a maximum five-star crash safety rating.
The price to pay for all this is RM388,922, OTR with GST and without insurance (or RM399,888 with insurance), placing it pretty much in E-Class/5 Series territory. Like with the Sonata, the Genesis offers, on top of the standard five-year/300,000 km warranty, an eight-year/300,000 km engine and gearbox warranty for first-hand owners.
There’s more – first-hand Genesis owners will enjoy five years/100,000 km of free service. Also, a two-year free Leader Card membership (Sonata and Santa Fe offer just one year) offers four free chauffeur service passes for travel between major airports and the Klang Valley, four free visits to the Plaza Premium Lounge at selected major airports in Malaysia, plus other privileges including personalised hotel bookings, travel arrangements and showroom VIP lounge access.
The launch took place at Hyundai-Sime Darby’s new flagship GDSI (Global Dealership Space Identity) 3S centre on Old Klang Road – the first of its kind in South East Asia. The modern RM9.5 million, 38,000 sq ft, three-storey facility features lounges for customers and VIPs, plus 20 service bays. See CarBase.my for full Hyundai Genesis specifications, equipment, warranty details and moren.
- Source: paultan.org
No comments:
Post a Comment