Fit for a family or the luxury sedan you’ll want to drive once you retire? After a quick 40 minute test drive, these are our first impressions of the 2015 Hyundai Genesis.

Exterior:

With a sculpted exterior that looks like the love child of an Audi and a Kia, the Genesis looks every bit of its $38,950 price tag. It is aggressive and sporty with a lower profile than the 2014 model making the comparable BMW 328d look downright vintage.

Interior:

A first look at the Genesis reveals that it is very similar to a Kia Cadenza. While the Cadenza has what we feel is a better finishing look, the Genesis certainly steps up the usual sedan game with real wood accents and touch screen technology. The soft leather is extremely comfortable, even on a hot, sticky Atlanta day.

Handling:

Smooth steering that feels size-appropriate is the hallmark of the Genesis. Simply put, driving the Genesis is easy. It reacts the way you think it will react. When you drive the Genesis, you still feel like you’re driving the Genesis even though it is easy to get lost in the ease and comfort of the ride.

Seating/Storage:

The Genesis’s seats feel plush without feeling like your sofa. The back seat offers abundant leg room for adults with proportions that seemingly were made adult sizes and shapes.  Storage at the front of the vehicle is plentiful and placement makes sense.

Infotainment:

The 9.2” HD infotainment touchscreen runs the audio and navigation system. While the audio system features Hyundai’s GRAMMY -award winning technology, the navigation system runs on Google Maps which also sends information to the heads-up display which can feature the road’s speed limit as part of your driving experience.

The Drive:

One word- smooth. From smooth rapid acceleration to smooth rapid braking, the Hyundai Genesis has evolved from it’s 2014 version seemingly working out the stuttering brake issues that were a bit of an annoyance to drivers.

40 minutes was just enough time to get used to the Genesis’s bells and whistles- automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, rear cross traffic alert, and smart cruise control.

We drove the V-8 version of the Genesis which had no problem rapidly reaching 65 mph from a standstill without even the slightest feel of a gear change.

top image courtesy of Hyundai