Genesis GV80 review

“Genesis, if you don’t already know,
is Hyundai’s luxury offering in the UK.
The range-topping GV80 Sport is
a full-size SUV rival for the Audi Q7,
BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport.
And priced at Ł69K it definitely
deserves your attention...”

LUXURY SPIN-OFFS are exceedingly tricky to do successfully. Toyota is pretty much the only company that's pulled it off with its Lexus line-up. Nissan's effort, Infiniti, really didn't go to plan in the UK, and even Mercedes-Benz came unstuck with its Maybach brand.

It's been a similar story with Genesis, which since 2021 has been Hyundai's luxury offering here in the UK. But with sales languishing at one-tenth of rival Lexus, January 2024 saw Genesis Motor UK cease to exist as a standalone company and be merged with Hyundai UK. That said, customers won't notice any difference as the full Genesis range continues to be offered.

“The range-topping
GV80 is a full-size SUV
rival for Audi’s Q7,
the BMW X5, and Range
Rover Sport.
In terms of looks and
ambiance, it’s
surprisingly similar to
a Bentley Bentayga —
not really surprising,
perhaps, since the GV80
and Bentayga were
designed by the same
Luc Donckerwolke...”

Genesis definitely deserves a place in the market. Korea is doing today what Japan did a generation ago: providing credible, popular products that are reliable, well made, and good value.

The GV80, which is the range-topper that I've been driving recently, very much falls into this category. This full-size SUV is a rival for the Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Range Rover Sport. In terms of looks and ambiance, it's surprisingly similar to a Bentley Bentayga — not really surprising, perhaps, since the GV80 and Bentayga were designed by the same Luc Donckerwolke!

Measuring almost five metres long and two metres wide, and weighing in at 2,145kg (in tested spec), this GV80 is a BIG machine. My test car is the 2.5T Sport model, with its 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine pumping out 304bhp (the line-up's 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel has now been axed).

It's so refreshing to drive a brand-new pure petrol car — almost everything these days is hybrid or electric, which is clearly a good thing (by and large) for environmental reasons, but you could argue that buyers of gigantic SUVs don't have environmental concerns high on their list of priorities.

The petrol engine is smooth and punchy, if not as refined as the best six-cylinder units on the market, nor as high-performing: 62mph comes up in a languid 6.9 seconds. Fuel consumption is a bit juicy, too: during my week with the car I only averaged 26mpg.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox delivers commendably smooth, fast gear changes. The standard four-wheel drive system offers excellent traction, even on wet roads, but I wouldn't describe this as a sports car around corners. The steering is light and vague, with very little feedback, which I suppose chimes with its luxury-car role. Its body also pitches and rolls like a boat but on the flipside it does hold its line tenaciously.

You have a choice of two suspension settings: Comfort and Sport. While Comfort mode gives a very smooth ride over most surfaces, the GV80's enormously heavy 22-inch wheels thump and rattle a lot over bumps. I can think of a few air-suspension competitors with a superior ride quality. Sport mode firms things up even more.

“It’s so refreshing to
drive a brand-new pure
petrol car when almost
everything these days
is hybrid or electric.
The GV80’s petrol engine
is smooth and punchy,
the eight-speed
automatic ’box delivers
commendably smooth,
fast gear changes,
and the standard four-
wheel drive system offers
excellent traction.
Enjoy it while you still can!”

The cockpit feels great to sit in: a true luxury experience. The standard of fit and finish is superb, with fine quality materials throughout and a complete absence of squeaks and rattles. The big 14.5-inch central touchscreen is positioned high up and has very clear graphics, but it's complicated to use. Better to spin the rotary controller for most operations. There's certainly no escaping just how cumbersome this car is to manoeuvre, with its wide turning circle, huge dimensions, and iffy rear visibility.

I tested the five-seat GV80 (you can get a seven-seater too) and there's certainly no lack of space on board; even the tallest basketball players would be perfectly happy up front or behind. And there's a massive boot, too.

Genesis certainly piles on the equipment, with standard features including 12-way power front seats, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, nine-speaker audio system with streaming, and loads of safety gear.

I came away from my week with the GV80 feeling pretty good about it. It really delivers on the luxury and quality side of things and is a very decent car to drive. But it remains a quirky choice in the elevated company of Range Rovers, Volvos and BMWs, not really standing out in any one area. However, with such striking looks and presence, I guarantee you'll get lots of people asking you what on earth it is — I certainly did. ~ Chris Rees

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