2013 Hyundai Genesis: More Technology, Fewer Engines

Something odd happened to the Hyundai Genesis sedan in July: After setting a new record for annual sales volume in 2011 and running off a string of year-over-year gains in 2012, Hyundai’s entry-premium sedan actually endured a bit of a slowdown last month. Sales dropped almost 12 percent, to 3,103 units; during the same time, one of its prime rivals, the Lexus GS, saw sales skyrocket by more than 400 percent, albeit on just 1,662 deliveries.

Some of that has to do with the Lexus’ poor showing in 2011, when a series of natural disasters struck Japan, but the sales disparity also reflects the fact that the GS was introduced with an all-new design earlier this year while the Genesis didn’t. But now it’s the Hyundai’s turn to get buffed up for the new model year, and while the changes aren’t extreme, they should be extremely helpful in boosting interest in the 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan.

Oh, and it is scheduled to go on sale this fall.

2013 Hyundai Genesis Sedan: R-Spec Is Only V8 Model

The automaker says the lineup will be “simplified” for the 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan, and that’s autospeak for reducing the number of models being offered. In this case, it means moving forward with just the Genesis 3.6—with a 3.6-liter V6 and three increasingly premium trim levels—and the Genesis 5.0 R-Spec, now the exclusive V8-powered model. (Gone is the Genesis with old-school 4.6-liter V8, while the advanced 5.0-liter powerplant only will be offered in the range-topping R-Spec edition.)

Frankly, this should be no great loss, as the deleted models were all relatively close in price to the starting point of the R-Spec, which is certainly the better-equipped choice. And that still leaves customers with two impressive powertrain options, with the V6 producing 333 hp, 291 lb.-ft. of torque, and an EPA line of 19 mpg city/29 mpg highway/22 mpg combined. The premium V8 makes 429 hp, 376 lb.-ft. of torque and EPA marks of 16/25/19. Also, it’s worth noting that both engines deliver that output with regular fuel and each is hooked up to an eight-speed SHIFTRONIC automatic transmission developed in-house by Hyundai.

2013 Hyundai Genesis Sedan: Connecting with New Technologies

From a customer's standpoint, however, the bigger news is that the 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan will gain some welcome upgrades to its “ultimate navigation system,” and also offer the automaker’s Blue Link telematics platform. The Genesis is a little late to the game with some of this, but that will work to its owners’ advantage: The added time it’s taken to bring these features to the car means engineers have had that much more of an opportunity to improve their functionality.

For example, the Genesis’ updated navigation setup boasts:

• Hyundai’s easy-to-use dial/joystick multi-media controller and “hot keys” that allow users to quickly jump to commonly used features
• Superior voice-command capabilities that can recognize full addresses spoken in a single sentence
• An eight-inch color touchscreen that can display route guidance (even at highway junctions), actual road signs, speed limits, and directions for both the current navigation maneuver and the next two
• A solid-state drive that can hold 64 gigabytes worth of music, photos and/or video
• Zagat restaurant ratings and expanded Sirius/XM data services for sports, stock and weather updates

2013 Hyundai Genesis Sedan: Looking at the Lineup

To make things easy for shoppers, here is a quick look at the 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan lineup:

• Genesis 3.8—The entry point to the Genesis sedan lineup holsters the 3.8-liter V6 and includes SACHS Amplitude Damping Shock Absorbers, 17-inch wheels, electronic safety measures like traction and stability control, fog lamps and LED accent lights, heated outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, climate control with an air-quality system, push-button start, Bluetooth, heated front seats, leather seating surfaces, and a leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel.
• Genesis 3.8 with Premium package—Owners enjoy all the features of the entry model, then add a power glass sunroof, leather dash and door trim accents, an integrated memory system (for driver’s seat, side mirrors and steering column), power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, power rear sunshade, rain-sensing wipers, navigation and a 90-day complimentary subscription to XM NavTraffic, 18-inch wheels, a rearview camera, power-folding outside mirrors, and a 14-speaker Lexicon surround-sound system.
• Genesis 3.8 with Technology package—Moving up the line, the Technology package also brings everything from the Premium and then adds/upgrades to a 17-speaker Lexicon “7.1 Discrete” audio setup with HD radio, the ultimate navigation system, a six-disc DVD changer, smart cruise control, lane-departure warning, a TFT/LCD cluster display, adaptive HID/Xenon headlights, ultra-premium leather seating, park assist, a cooled driver’s seat, and heated rear seats.
• Genesis 5.0 R-Spec—The leader of the Genesis pack caps things off by making all those goodies standard, then packing in a high-performance V8 engine, sport-tuned suspension, 19-inch wheels and some nifty R-Spec badging.

Note: Pricing for the 2013 Hyundai Genesis sedan will be released in the near-term future.