The Genesis GV80 is a sleek midsize luxury SUV with a wealth of options and a sophisticated driving experience.
Overview
With the GV80, Genesis, a Korean luxury car brand owned by Hyundai, debuts its first SUV, and it’s a nice one. The GV80 is a convincing luxury SUV thanks to its elegant interior and exterior design, upmarket materials, and extensive feature set. The midsize SUV, like the Mercedes-Benz GLE and BMW X5, is built on a rear-wheel-drive/all-wheel-drive platform. A turbocharged four-cylinder and a twin-turbo V6 are the two powertrain options. Both are powerful enough, but none offers a specific performance model like the Germans do. The GV80 is essentially a five-seater with two rows. There’s a cramped third row, but it’s only available in one trim level.
Trims and Costs
The 2021 Genesis GV80 comes in four different engine and drivetrain configurations. 2.5T RWD, 2.5T AWD, 3.5T AWD, and 3.5T AWD Advanced+ are the four options. The Advanced and Prestige packages are trim levels that allow purchasers to customize their vehicle. The most common 2.5T is the base four-cylinder engine with all-wheel drive. We’ll explain why in a moment.
RWD 2.5T
The 2.5T variants are powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and start at $49,945 (with a $1,045 destination cost). 19-inch wheels, LED headlights and taillights, automatic high beams, power-folding mirrors, proximity keyless entry, a hands-free power liftgate, and rain-sensing wipers are all included as standard features. Imitated leather upholstery, heated 12-way power front seats with memory, a power-adjustable steering column, ambient lighting, a 12-speaker audio system, and a navigation-equipped 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are all available on the inside. Forward-collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking are among the standard driver-assist safety features, as are blind-spot warning with automatic steering assist, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, lane-keeping assist, front and rear parking sensors, safe exit assist, and adaptive cruise control with lane-centering.
AWD 2.5T
A panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, gloss-black inside trim, wireless charging, and Digital Key are included in the 2.5T AWD ($55,695). For the best value, we recommend adding the Advanced package, which includes leather, as well as the super-sharp surround-view monitor and the handy blind-spot vision monitor, among other amenities.
AWD 3.5T
A twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine and all-wheel drive are standard on the 3.5T AWD ($60,695) versions. Adaptive dampers, 20-inch wheels, and matte-finish wood trim are also included in this variant.
Advanced+ 3.5T AWD
The only GV80 with a third-row seat is the 3.5T AWD Advanced+ ($66,595). It also includes the Advanced package’s contents.
Leather, a 16-way power driver’s seat, three-zone automatic climate control, heated second-row seats, a 21-speaker Lexicon audio system, a head-up display, a blind-spot view monitor, a surround-view monitor, and remote smart parking aid are all included in the Advanced package for most models.
Nappa leather, a microsuede headliner, ventilated second-row seats, power-adjustable second-row seats, 22-inch wheels, power door closure, power rear side window sunshades, a 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument cluster, and active noise cancellation are all included in the Prestige package.
Performance and Engine
Two engines are available for the Genesis GV80. The 2.5T features a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, while the 3.5T has a 3.5-liter V6 with dual turbochargers. The eight-speed automatic transmission is shared by both cars. The 3.5T comes standard with all-wheel drive, whilst the 2.5T can be purchased with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The maximum towing capability with either engine is 6,000 pounds, which is more than the Acura MDX (5,000 pounds) but less than the BMW X5 (7,200).
The 3.5T’s 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque provide quick, fluid acceleration with admirable smoothness. With 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, the standard turbo four-cylinder is no slouch. And a recent drive in a GV80 2.5T confirmed that engine to be sufficiently powerful, with the only drawback being a slightly more gravelly engine tone when compared to the V6.
On the 3.5T, adaptive dampers are standard, and the Prestige option on the 2.5T includes them. They read the road surface with a forward-looking camera and adapt accordingly. Drivers can also pick from five other driving modes, albeit the variations are minor. The GV80’s adaptive suspension provides a smooth ride — somewhat better than the regular suspension we tested before — while maintaining firm body motion control. The steering is crisp and well-weighted, but it could use a stronger sense of on-center.
Highway Driving Assist II, one of the best semi-automated driving systems, is included in the GV80’s standard adaptive cruise control. It can keep its lane position without having to make a lot of steering adjustments. It also has a lane-change feature that is automatic (like the BMW and Mercedes-Benz systems). In practice, however, the system is often hesitant to make a lane change. Another automated feature is remote smart parking, which allows you to use the key fob to maneuver the GV80 into or out of a parking space while standing outside the vehicle.
Interior
The Genesis GV80’s Zen-like interior features expensive materials and a minimalist design. A modern, opulent ambience is created by open-pore wood trim, matte-finish metal, and (in our top-drawer Prestige package example) Nappa leather with diamond-pattern stitching.
From the two-spoke steering wheel to the integration of the dash vents, a clean, spare style dominates. The two-tiered center console features a storage area beneath it. A dial shifter, a drive-mode selector knob, and a rotary controller for the infotainment system are all located on the top.
The rear seat is spacious, and the rear seat in the higher trims is power-adjustable and may be heated and cooled. Only the 3.5T Advanced+ variant has a third row. It’s difficult to get in. The second-row seat can be scooted forward by pressing a button, but not far enough to create a doorway. Anyone above the age of ten will notice a lack of headroom and a cushion that is barely off the floor once they get back there. In the end, if you truly require three-row functionality, look elsewhere.
Despite its sleek exterior, the GV80 can carry up to 84 cubic feet of cargo when all rear seatbacks are folded, which is more than the BMW X5 and Lincoln Aviator. There’s 34.9 cubic feet behind the second row, which is on par with the X5 but falls short of the Lincoln. With the third row in use, the GV80 offers only 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space (the Aviator has 50 percent more).
