Car Audio Test: Hyundai Genesis—Lexicon

Many of you may not know it, but Winding Road has several sister publications that play in the high-end audio space of the publishing world. We’ve decided that it was high time, then, that we unleashed the expertise of our audiophile reviewers into the often murky world of in-car audio. In each of our Car Audio Test reviews, you’ll find a concise summary of the stats, strengths, and weaknesses of the test car’s specific system that go far beyond the often irrelevant data provided by OEMs and the media alike. Be sure to check out Playback on AVguide.com, too, for even more content like this.

Car: 2012 Hyundai Genesis 3.8

Audio System: Lexicon
Features: 17 Speakers, 7.1 Channels, HD Radio, XM radio, 6 Disc CD/DVD changer

Scores:

Balance Of Bass/Midrange/Treble: 80
Clarity: 82
Low Distortion: 78
Dynamic Power: 86
Spaciousness: 85
Background Quiet: 89
User Interface: 82

Composite Score: 82

Testing Notes: This Lexicon system spreads the sound out nicely in front of the driver and is enhanced by the quiet cabin of the Genesis sedan. Even so, with a slightly depressed midrange, an edge to the treble and thickness in the bass, we didn’t get the ideal sense of realism that we’d like. A few bumps in the frequency response curve also detract from the punchiness on some songs, even though the system will play quite loudly (note, however, that subwoofer lovers won’t find anything like the ultimate low end here).