Ask the Best and Brightest, Round 2: Stop Us Before We Buy!
My wife and I have been studiously and dutifully test driving cars because we are about to buy two. So far she is insisting upon the better look, roominess and fun to drive 2009 Mazda6. I can't blame her as it is fun and I love our 05 3 hatch. And as of now, after driving the Accord and Nissan and Fusion it has now become my very favorite smooth and buttery 4 cylinder car.But here's the problem… We drive long distances to visit out second home in the mountains of southern MO and we are also looking for a great road cruiser. This is done every two weeks. We want the luxury, but still some hinting of sportiness. Now, after testing so many cars, is it possible that the very best drive for the money is a Hyundai? We half jokingly tested the Genesis…but after the drive, we both stood there with our six foot son and wondered what had just happened. It was absolutely wonderful:
Powerful and quiet 6.
So help us! Please tell us what we missed before we buy! This cannot be true! – PPellico
More by Frank Williams
Comments
Join the conversation
Ppellico, I made the exact same call for my father who wanted something other than a Lincoln for his NYC commutes and trips to Florida. It's the best car he ever had... period. For all the harping about the elitism and supposed price premium of Toyota products, they truly earn their accolades in the luxury realm. I do like Hyundai. Heck, the Genesis is a wonderful opportunity for those wanting a full-sized upscale luxury cruiser. But most folks are perfectly happy with a mid-sized luxury cruiser. When you have to haul all that extra room that you never use, the pain at the pump becomes all the much greater... which reflects on Toyota's recent decision to eschew full-sized models in this price range like the Avalon for mid-sized offerings like the Camry and ES. Congrats again on a great decision.
I'm with Paul N. I went to test drive the Genesis and came away astounded, not just impressed, astounded. This is honestly an excellent car. No wonder a recent comparo placed the Genesis a winner ahead of the Lexus GS. I would not call it a Mercedes / BMW / Audi competitor, not for any substantive reason, but simply on styling. This car has the Infiniti M and Lexus LS/GS firmly on target. The interior is incredibly good in production form, very quiet, performance is adequate with the V6 and certainly on par with the M & LS with the V8.
Alex d... How did you get to try the Genesis V8 when it’s not available? Next, finished with all the help needed by this great group with advice on the luxury touring car, I have a disappointment I want to share. It’s the new Mazda6. First, as far as 4 cyl cars go, they did an excellent job. The new 6 4 is really on par with any other and kills all with design and fun. But Jesus! What in Almighty Hell were they thinking with the 6! 25 PMG in a car? OK, OK...it uses regular so it scores points there. But come on, its only 1 mile per gallon better than the FLEX, all the GM crossovers including the new Traverse. Only 2 MPG better than the CX9! THESE ARE TRUCKS! And having driven it now 2 times, the pick up sucks for that mileage! What were they thinking! As a bleeding Mazda lover, owner of 2 Mazda3 cars...a (some day I will own one) Mazdaspeed3 lover, I feel deeply disappointed. I so longed for this new 6. But I simply cannot understand what they did here. There had better be a mid year correction. There had better be one of those EcoBoost engines put in real soon or this car will not do well. Your thoughts everybody... Paul
ppellico: I should be a bit more clear. I have tested the V6 in base form and the V6 with all options. I have not tested the V8, however there are a number of V8 Genesis reviews out there. The only real changes are the engine and transmission. The ZF transmission is of course on par with the Euro brands since it is essentially the same unit BMW, Jaguar and a number of other marques use. The engine has received rave reviews and if the V6 is any indication I am inclined to believe everything I have been told. Without doubt the biggest problems facing the Genesis are: snob value and dealership experience. The dealers I have visited have on the whole been good, but I can't speak to the service experience. On the whole, don't expect the same level of experience as Volvo, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, Lexus, etc. But then again. you are getting GS/LS quality for at least 10K off. So for you bargain luxury hunters, this is the deal for you. If you are after quality rather than the label, you are much better off with the Genesis than the ES350/GS350/GS460/Infiniti M. I'd say if you are after a 3 series or an IS or Infiniti G, then you are not in the Genesis' target market. If you are looking at a BMW 5 or Mercedes E, then you might give it a look, but it might not be your style. If you are looking Infiniti M and GS but the price makes you think a bit, this is your ride. Similarly if you are looking for somehting more solid and luxurious than Acura, Buick, Chrysler, Cadillac STS/DTS, this could be a big step up in luxury for very little extra cash.