Hyundai’s new flagship model the “Genesis”, due out in 2009, gets a pretty standard reaction from most people who see it; “That’s a Hyundai?!”

I’m definitely not one to assume that lowest price automatically equals best value, take for example the Kia Amanti. In this case though, I think the Hyundai may be worth looking at. For a long time Hyundai has been trying to shed its very negative image in the Automotive Market. Lately they have been doing a great job and I for one think this car goes a long way towards that goal. The styling is very similar to the latest Lexus LS series. The Hyundai may not be able to park itself, but for about $35,000 less, I’ll park it myself, thanks. With cool features like Adaptive cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, stability control, heated and cooled seats, and nav system, I doubt you’ll even notice the one time a year when you actually have to parallel park.

Hyundai is directly targeting cars like the Bimmer 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class. It does this well in terms of features, drivetrain (it’s rear wheel drive!) and even out-does them in terms of warranty. I especially love the fact that the Hyundai is going to be available with a 375 HP engine which Hyunda is calling their “Tau V8.” Just for comparison, the newest BMW 550i only has 362 HP. Another bit of interesting news is their Coupe version of the car is available with your choice of a turbo four cylinder or high output V-6 which produces more HP than a 4.6L Mustang GT. Either way, it should be a fun car.

All that being said, am I going to be the first one at the dealer signing my name on the line? Psssh, I can’t be seen driving a Hyundai.