Genesis GV80 SUV Quickly Has Validated Brand’s Luxury Chops

Dec 03, 2023

Genesis GV80.

The rise of Genesis as a formidable luxury brand has been a fast one, bringing the Hyundai-owned mark the kind of huge measure of success in just several years that it took Japanese luxury brands Lexus, Infiniti and Acura decades to achieve.

Genesis GV80, of course, is one of the main reasons. As the first SUV offered by Genesis after fielding a couple of worthy luxury sedans, GV80 had some high bars to hit. But the midsize model has proven itself already with a striking design, plenty of amenities including some unique ones, a comfortable interior, great drivability, and a price that gives it consideration underneath the levels of German competitors.

GV80 leads with its looks, and its bold styling — including an oversized, shield-shaped grill and double-stripe lighting — demands a decision. Genesis has carved its own unique silhouette and overall physical presence, taking some design chances that competing luxury brands can't quite bring themselves to take.

Genesis is reminiscent of the early years of Lexus when the Toyota-owned luxury brand established superior drivability as a main calling card. GV80 can be outfitted with a four- or six-cylinder engine, each of which can be turbocharged, and presents high levels of agility for such a large vehicle. The 300-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder as well as the 375-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter engine each comes paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. GV80 provides average fuel economy for its class, with EPA-rated 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on thre highway with the four-cylinder; the six-cylinder reduces these estimates to 18 mpg in the city and 23 on the highway.

The ride is comfortable even over unforgiving pavement, especially in versions that are outfitted with an available adaptive suspension that scans the road ahead and rapidly adjusts shock absorbers to adjust for upcoming irregularities. Inside, first- and second-row seats are sumptuous, and while there's a third row, it is a bit cramped. High-end materials cover throughout the cabin, including many leather-wrapped surfaces, wood accents and even knurled switchgear. Design lines stretch from front to rear, unifying the interior experience.

GV80 also makes a big splash with its 14.5-inch touch screen, which is accompanied by Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, four UsB ports, wireless device charging, HD Radio, satellite radio and a 12-speaker stereo. The screen's graphic are crisp and the presentation of driving information is clear and straightfoward. The screen's placement high on the dashboard makes for great visibility, though some drivers can find it far to reach.

The utility of GV80 also is class-leading, with 34.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seats and a vast 84 cubic feat with those seats folded, presenting among the largest cavities of any luxury midsize SUV. Wide load dimensions make it easy to fit everything up to and including pieces of furniture. However, the optional third row, while not providing tons of room for passengers, also reduces cargo room to just 11.6 feet when all seats are in use.

Other major features include the fact that Genesis discontinued the rear-wheel-drive version of GV80 for 2023 and now makes it available only in all-wheel drive, which has become the preference of the vast majority of luxury-SUV buyers anyway.

Sticker prices range from $67,000 to $75,000, which gives competitors fits when they have to stack up pricier models against something as appealing as the Genesis GV80.