Hyundai Motor (NASDAQ: HYMTF) is turning the Genesis brand into its luxury brand starting with the 2017 Genesis G80. This model is an attempt to take the best elements of their German and Japanese competitions and include them in the same vehicle.

The Genesis has been on sale since 2015, and the model made such an impact on the Korean company that is now going to work similar to Toyota’s Lexus or Honda’s Acura. The rebranding doesn’t bring many substantial apparent changes from the original model. The G80 will look largely the same as it did as a Hyundai, apart from a new badging and minor details.

Even as a brand of its own, it will still have the Hyundai trademark and it will still be an impressive and luxurious sedan.

The powertrain

The G80 will have a 3.8-liter V6 produces 311 horsepower and 293 pound-feet of torque, while a 5.0-liter  V8 makes 420 hp and 383 lb-ft. Both kinds of engines are matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission with a standard rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is also available on V6 models.

The interior design remains unchanged from the old Genesis, with the addition of new tech features: a standard 8.9-inch touch screen information system that includes navigation and GPS, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility; a Lexicon Discrete sound system with Logic 7 surround setup and 17 speakers. Twelve-position adjustable seats are standard.

Other standard safety perks include adaptive cruise control, and lane keeps assist, automated emergency breaks, a rearview camera, blind spot detection and high beam assist. Hyundai states the G80 can fully break itself at speeds from 5 to 50mph, and partially break at speeds ranging from 50 to 112 mph.

The cabin has a C02 sensor that monitors air quality and circulates fresh air around the cockpit once the C02 levels pass certain degree.

The model comes with bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lamps and 18 or 19-inch wheels.

The luxury sedan market

This space is currently dominated by three German companies–BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz-, although this new entry is a very promising one.

On comparison with the competition, the G80 offers 107.7 cubic feet for passengers, ten more than a Cadillac CTS and nine more than the new Mercedes E-Class. It also comes with more luggage space than any other of its kind.

When evaluating performance, Hyundai claims that the Genesis’s structure is stiffer for better handling, more than what we can find on a BMW 5 Series. Another advantage is that the choice, as the car comes with two engines – 311 horsepower 3.8 liters V& or 420 horsepower 5 liter V8 – and can be specified with the rear wheel or all-wheel drive.

In a matter of safety tech, the G80 will be the only car with an autonomous and automatic emergency braking system, with collision avoidance or mitigation, aside from the other perks already mentioned.

In retrospective, 2017 Genesis G80 will have more passenger space than a Mercedes E-Class, more horsepower than a Cadillac CTS and features safety system that most automakers offer as optional extras.

For the owners

Luxury comes in the Genesis also in the form of comfort for the owners. They receive three years (or 36.ooo miles) complimentary service that will be handled by a valet who collects the car and leaves a courtesy vehicle while the G80 is tuned-up. This will also be free of charge for the first three years.

Owners can schedule maintenance by phone, online, with the Genesis mobile app or via Genesis Connected Services. The valet will pick up the car at any given destination, any given time, and then return the vehicle in a similar fashion.

Genesis buyers will also get a three years free Genesis Connected Services, which includes an app that allows starting the vehicle, set climate controls, operate door locks and find the car remotely in, say, a parking lot. Genesis navigation system will be updated through the system’s SD card with the MyGenesis website.

SiriusXM traffic and data services will provide a three-year free real-time traffic, sports, weather, stocks, gas prices and movie times.

On paper, it looks like a promising option, but the real value will come once the pricing is set. Although people that search for cars in this segment tend not give money a significant role, pricing somehow determines the value of high-standard living, and a well-priced Genesis product can make his way to compete with the Germans.

The 2017 Genesis G80 goes on sale by the end of this year, and it will be one-half of a two-car lineup alongside the larger Genesis90, a new model that replaces de Hyundai Equus. After this release, the company plans to launch smaller sedan and a couple of crossovers.

Source: Bloomberg

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