THE NEXT GENERATION; THE HYUNDAI GENESIS BOLDLY GOES WHERE NO KOREAN CAR HAS GONE BEFORE.

Byline: NATALIE NEFF

Nothing in Hyundai's lineup has recalled the 1986 Excel in a long time, and thank goodness for that. From the ashes of that less-than-stellar entree into the American market, the Korean automaker has forged a reputation for building high-quality cars with an exceptional value equation. If various surveys that place Hyundai on par with the likes of Honda for quality don't offer convincing-enough evidence, then these numbers should: Hyundai's U.S. sales have quadrupled over the last decade.

Yet nothing in Hyundai's lineup could prefigure the 2009 Genesis, either. Bigger, more powerful, more well-appointed, more high-techand more expensivethan any other car in the automaker's history, the Genesis thrusts Hyundai headlong into the strange, new world of the luxury segment.

That the Genesis features rear-wheel drive and optional V8 power only adds to its legitimacy; Hyundai didn't just gussy up an Azera, stuff it full of electronic whiz-bangery and slap a fancier badge on its butt. The Genesis is a clean-sheet design, and a more-impressive first effort than expected.

Initially, you might not guess that. The exterior looks weirdly familiaras with many Korean cars, its design feels like an amalgam of several identifiable modelsand surprisingly conservative. There's little in the way of surface excitement; it's fairly slab-sided, and the rear end is forgettable. But its face is somewhat handsome, marked by a large grille sporting sensuously curving slats.

Inside, the Genesis comes with nearly as many luxury, comfort and electronic features as any vehicle in its class, housed in a plush environment that's not only pleasing to the senses but looks well made of high-quality materialsrich-looking wood, leather and brushed-aluminum cover most surfaces. It's a clutter-free interior, too, the center stack housing most controls laid out in a compact, easy-to-navigate fashion. Opting for the Driver Information System with its 30-gig hard drive puts a now-ubiquitous shuttle wheel on the center console, while the optional navigation system removes separate radio controls.

Auxiliary audio input jacks and Bluetooth connectivity come standard on every model, while the options list includes high-intensity discharge lamps, adaptive front lights, front and rear parking sensors, a 17-speaker Lexicon audio system featuring 7.1 premium surround audio and six-disc in-dash CD player, backup camera, cooled driver's seat and rain-sensing wipers.