In a comparative test with the Tuareg, the Genesis GV80 crossover did not perform well. Now we get to know the Genesis all-wheel drive.
G80, which was paired with almost the class leader – BMW 530d xDrive. The Korean sedan is not as high-profile and expensive as the soplatform GV80, and under the hood it has a trivial turbo four. Cool turbodiesel is not available to him in our market. However, the G80 not only turned out to be more pleasant than its sister SUV on the move, but also looks very dignified against the background of the “five”.
The salon at the test “eighty” is solid. The layered front panel is optionally trimmed with leather and decorated with a solid matt wood strip, under which is a convenient climate control sensor unit. The pleasant metallized surface of the buttons, pliable plastic in the main places and the expensive smell enhance the feeling of quality. But just like the GV80, the steering wheel levers and steering wheel hub are made of cheap plastic.
Ergonomic slips are familiar from the crossover. You need to reach for a widescreen touchscreen display with a cool picture, completely lifting your back from the chair. The turntable of the multimedia system with indistinct controls is more morally exhausting than helping. Despite the fact that another passenger of business class prefers the right front seat, an extension cushion, a massager and adjustable side bolsters are put only to the driver. Its seat, by the way, is more comfortable than in the same GV80, due to the less convex backrest. The four spokes on the steering wheel are more convenient for me to use than the two massive ones.
Genesis’s trump card is the second row, chic by the standards of the segment. Even without taking into account the electric drive, the sofa beckons with soft padding and headrests, a pacifying fit and a large margin of space in front of the knees. Under the barely audible buzz of an electric motor, the halves of the back row, independently of each other, are laid out almost into sleeping places. As soon as you move the front right seat away from you and curtain the glass, your eyes stick together. In such an atmosphere, you instantly forget that there could have been more headroom, the interior could have been wider, and the floor tunnel narrower.
Discussing the second row of the “five” is awkward. The sofa does not move, the filling under the leather upholstery is dense, the fit geometry is strict, and there is half the space in front of the knees (although this is enough for people up to 185 cm). Rear passengers have their own dual-zone climate control unit, heating, window shades and soft headrests, but no magic. And it is no longer so important that the BMW interior is preferable in width and headroom, that the rear door openings are freer.
“Five” takes revenge with the driver’s seat – the best in the class! It’s like you were poured into this seat – it fits the body so cool. More dense than in Genesis, the padding is already a plus. Not only the length of the cushion and the side bolsters are adjustable, but also the upper part of the back, which promises good shoulder support (which is lacking in the G80). BMW has more adjustment ranges for the steering wheel and front seats, noticeably more headroom and the ability to sit in a sporty low.
The interior of the BMW is not so pompous in appearance, but at least not inferior in finish and build quality. The steering wheel with a plump M-rim is more comfortable, the display of the multimedia system is more contrasting and more colorful, the font on it is larger and the touchscreen is located closer to the driver. The convenience of operating the multimedia system makes no sense to compare: it is a pleasure to use the BMW swivel washer and the “hot” keys around it.
However, not everything is so rosy. The virtual dashboard in the fifth series looks cheap, does not spoil the variety of design and complicates the reading of information. The front pillars of BMW are larger, which spoils visibility. The platform for wireless charging of smartphones and the cup holders are poorly located relative to each other: by occupying them, you block access to the gadget lying in a narrow niche.
On the go, the Genesis G80 has comfort, especially acoustics. The Korean sedan outperforms the diesel “five” on wide Run Flat tires in one gate. The “eighty” has a quieter motor that raises its voice only during kickdown, better soundproofing of wheel arches and doorways. The G80’s interior is also quiet thanks to the double-glazed windows. The “five” has a single-layer side glazing.
The same is with the smoothness of the ride. On a non-blemish surface, the Genesis sways gently on the waves, perfectly smoothing the micro-profile. Goes on the course nobly and serenely. But the very first joint disconnects me from the Matrix and shows the harsh reality. The adaptive suspension transmits the bump to the passengers in the form of a solid bump, although the shock absorbers must proactively adjust, receiving guidance from the cameras. As soon as the pits and potholes fly under the wheels in bursts, the flabbiness of the chassis and a slight buildup of the body appear. Although the GV80 is even more pitiful in such circumstances.
“Five hundred and thirtieth” does not play. A sports package, 20-inch wheels (the G80 has an inch less) and tires with reinforced sidewalls immediately hint – it won’t be soft. In any mode, electronically controlled am
Ortizator sedan rides tightly, shaking riders on medium and large bumps. More noticeable in the “top five” and the micro-profile of the road, which always gives a sound, and the impacts when driving through expansion joints. However, in the German car, you can feel the breed – the suspension does not allow itself to be lax under any circumstances.
As soon as the road begins to curl like an eel – and the composure of the “five” is already a plus. How vividly a large and heavy machine responds to commands! Reactions are quick and unambiguous, rolls are minimal, and the steering wheel does not hide information. The suspension seems to grow into the body: the levers-bones and hinges-joints are tightened by the muscles of a single organism. And when the impressive grip on the high-speed arc dries up, the sedan glides on four wheels. The brakes are also perfectly tuned – tenacious, understandable, with a dosage of deceleration only by effort.
However, the Genesis of its opponent slightly overdid the brakes: after several attempts to stop from 100 km / h, the G80 suffices an average of 36.9 m instead of 37.4 m for BMW. But in normal situations, the “Korean” upsets the unimportant calibration of the system: the pedal almost immediately becomes a stake, and it is necessary to press on it with great effort. Enough to discourage the urge to drive fast. The steering wheel devoid of feedback is also not available, large rolls and laziness when changing direction. At the limit, the G80 corny goes off the trajectory with its beautiful front end.
It is incorrect to compare the dynamics, but no one bothers us to evaluate the performance of the motors individually. At the disposal of the “eighties” – a gasoline supercharged “four”, BMW is powered by an inline six-cylinder turbodiesel. The 2.5 unit is vigorous on paper (249 hp, 422 N • m) and provides good elasticity, but its maximum capacity is only enough for a compulsory program. The traction character is even, the responses to the fuel supply are soft even in the sport mode, the engine does not bother the passengers with its voice.
With a fast acceleration from a standstill, the “Korean” hesitates at the beginning of the start, and Racelogic fixes the set of the first hundred in 7.1 seconds instead of the declared 6.5. Up to 120–130 km / h, the speed grows briskly, and after the dynamics it sags noticeably. In general, if you press on the gas without hesitation, it is as if you are taking the G80 out of your comfort zone: it does what you ask, but with an effort. Quiet driving to the liking and eight-speed “automatic”, changing gears gradually and imperceptibly even in S mode. The box seems to be trained to go down five steps at once, but it does it slowly.
In the 530d, the engine and the eight-speed automatic are allies. Under the same conditions, a 249-horsepower turbodiesel with 620 Newton meters and a rapid-fire gearbox accelerated the German sedan to 100 km / h in 5.5 seconds, surpassing the catalog value by one tenth. There is also a pause at the start, but it is shorter than that of the G80, and after it the show begins. You are pushed into the chair with force, and the car rushes forward with a powerful jerk. Even when on the virtual speedometer the arrow crosses the mark of one and a half hundred, the thrust almost does not fade.
All modes of the BMW power unit are operational, and the range of proposed settings is wide. For a phlegmatic mood, there is Eco and Comfort with a sluggish response to the accelerator. For everyday use in city traffic, the optimal Standard is suitable, and for fast driving – Sport. But then there is Adaptive, which adapts to the driver’s habits, and Individual, where you can adjust each component separately. The box has its own “Sport”, but if it is combined with the engine mode of the same name, the “five” becomes unnecessarily nervous.
Some might say that a business sedan doesn’t have to be like that. I partially agree. A more comfortable sofa with plenty of legroom would have been nice for the fifth series. In a test M configuration with a 20-inch ranflet, the car also lacks a smooth ride and quietness in the cabin. But this is just a matter of equipment, as any car-sharing “five” on modest wheels demonstrates. If the convenience behind the wheel, handling and delicacy of settings is not an empty phrase for you, then the diesel “five hundred and thirty” with the M-package is your choice. And mine at the same time.
The Genesis G80 is good, with interior quality, second-row seating hospitality and acoustic comfort at the forefront of the segment. Unfussy owners will also appreciate the soft operation of the power unit. But Genesis’s family has not only advantages, but also problems: with ergonomics, with the steering settings, with the operation of the suspension … True, in the case of the G80, the scale of driving flaws is more modest than that of the GV-crossover. Therefore, the sedan is more convenient for the driver, clearer on the steering wheel and more comfortable on the go.
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