Genesis

G80/Electrified G80

With dynamic styling, a wealth of high-end technology and performance to match its stunning good looks, the Genesis G80 is a top quality four-door coupe-styled saloon car which aims to take on the big guns in the premium sector. Also available as an EV.

The good

Great styling, nice handling and well priced

The bad

Up against established competition

Tech Specs

Price from

£37,460

Combined Fuel up to

45.0mpg (EV driving range 323 miles)

0-62 from

4.9 seconds

max speed up to

155mph

co2 from

164g/km (0g/km EV)

Test Drive

Genesis G80 2.5T automatic RWD (2023)

If you are looking for a luxurious coupe-styled saloon car as an alternative to the well-established German marques, then Korean car maker Genesis may have the answer to all your prayers with its G80 model.

The G80 is a strikingly good looking car that is available in trim levels called Premium, Luxury and, more recently, Sport Line and it’s the latter that we put through its paces.

Okay, it’s not exactly cheap costing £49,450 (increased to £61,810 with options), but it’s worth remembering this is a premium car packed with high-end technology, along with the finest furnishings. And its price does compare very favourably with most rival models.

While earlier G80 cars were offered with a diesel engine, this has now been ditched and replaced by a 2.5-litre turbocharged, four-cylinder petrol engine mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

With 304PS and 422Nm of torque, the G80 Sport Line can power its way from 0-62mph in just 6.0 seconds and maxes out at a limited 155mph. According to official figures under WLTP testing, it can deliver a combined 31.2mpg with carbon emissions of 205g/km.

The G80 Sport Line boasts a powerful road presence with strong styling cues such as a stand-out grille, dynamic streamlining, tinted windows, sweeping light clusters, twin oval tailpipes and the GENESIS name sitting proudly on the tailgate.

Moving inside, you cannot fail to be wowed by the quality interior with a wealth of on-board technology at your fingertips. The main focal point and nerve centre is the smart 14.5-inch touchscreen with full navigation.

There is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, along with a premium 16-speaker Lexicon surround sound system sound system, head-up display, 3D instrument cluster, Bluetooth with hands-free phone and audio streaming system plus a DAB digital radio. Functions are easily controlled via a rotary dial and the touchscreen boasts sharp graphics too.

With 12-way powered, quilted Nappa leather seats and a power-adjustable steering wheel, you will quickly find the perfect driving position and all seats, front and back, can be heated or ventilated for extra comfort. And credit to Genesis designers for keeping physical controls to adjust the air con settings which causes far less distraction than searching through an over-complicated touchscreen menu simply to lower the temperature.

Back seat occupants are blessed with plenty of leg room even with the front seats pushed well back and they also have their own TV screens to watch movies on the go. And, of course, there are plenty of charging ports throughout the car to stay connected and keep devices fully charged.

When it comes to performance, the Genesis G80 Sport Line delivers on all counts. It’s sharp out the starting blocks with smooth acceleration through the automatic gearbox. It does feel quite weighty but the comfort levels are sublime.

While it can put in sharp bursts of pace when required, you feel this rear-wheel drive car is geared towards delivering a luxuriously cushioned ride rather than edge-of-the-seat exhilaration.

It is well poised on twisting country lanes and there is little sign of any body sway when pushed hard into and out of bends. And the good all-round visibility is another plus-point, especially in busier town centre settings.

There are drive modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport with the latter sharpening up the responses and this is a car in which you could enjoy hours of motorway cruising without a care in the world. In addition, the steering wheel-mounted paddles offer added driver engagement if you fancy taking control of the gear changes.

Noise cancelation inside the cabin, along with extra glazing results in a beautifully refined experience for all occupants. In addition, the G80 features clever electronic control suspension that scans the road ahead to adapt for any unexpected bumps and dips.

With a maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating under its belt, the G80 Sport Line is packed with a comprehensive list of features to protect occupants and other road users alike.

Safety specifications include smart cruise control with stop and start, lane following assist, blind spot collision avoidance with rear assist, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane keep assist, a driver attention monitor and plenty more besides.

The boot can swallow 424 litres of luggage, a limit that is increased thanks to the 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats and there are a number of handy storage compartments throughout the car, including a locking glovebox, a deep central cubby, door bins, seat back pockets, front and rear cup holders, a charging pad, plus some practical trays.

Another excellent selling point is that all Genesis models come with a comprehensive owner’s package that offers an attractive five-year care plan. This covers five years of warranty, servicing, roadside assistance, courtesy cars, maps and over-the-air updates.

All in all, the G80 Sport Line is a very welcome alternative to mainstream rivals and, despite initial concerns that it seemed to beep quite a lot, many of these annoying sounds can be thankfully deactivated.

It’s a very exciting time for Genesis with sales starting to grow considerably here in the UK. And we look forward to the next chapter in the story of this still very new and engaging brand.

Test Drive

Genesis Electrified G80 Luxury

Luxury Korean car maker, Genesis, has expanded its high-end saloon line-up with the introduction of a fully-electrified G80 model.

It follows hot on the heels of the already-launched G80 powered by traditional diesel and petrol engines, and it is seen as a strong competitor to rival the German marques.

Priced at £65,805, increased to £80,215 with options, the Electrified G80 is available in just one trim level called Luxury. It is all-wheel drive and powered by an 87.2kWh battery offering 370PS and 350Nm of torque. This results in dynamic performance stats completing the 0-62mph sprint in just 4.9 seconds and topping out 139mph.

The car certainly has a strong road presence with eye-catching good looks when viewed from any approach. Stretching more than five metres in length, it boasts sleek streamlining with powerful curves and an aerodynamic G-Matrix patterned crest grille. The look is completed by the GENESIS name sitting proudly on the boot plus 19-inch turbine shaped alloy wheels.

Move inside and the level of elegance and sophistication is apparent at every turn with the finest materials and skilled craftsmanship throughout. The luxurious Nappa leather seats are coloured using natural dyes and flashes of wooden inlays have been created using recycled materials.

The powered seats can be heated, along with the power-adjustable steering wheel and there is a wealth of technology to explore.

Creature comforts include a 14.5-inch infotainment display screen with functions accessed via a simple-to-use controller dial. There is a 17-speaker Lexicon surround sound system, a smart 3D instrument cluster that can be customised to taste and a head-up display. Full mobile phone connectivity is available via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a  navigation system, over-the-air software updates and lots more besides.

Being a high-end limousine-styled car, the Electrified G80 needs to cater for back seat passengers too and it does just that. They have powered and heated seats, side and rear window blinds (also power-operated), plus a pair of 9.2-inch infotainment screens that can be individually controlled.

When it comes to performance, the Electrified G80 is an absolute dream to drive. The acceleration out the starting blocks is instant and the car quickly reaches 70mph on motorways where it cruises effortlessly. On the twisting country lanes, the vehicle is composed and beautifully balanced with plenty of grip and little sign of body sway. At almost two metres across, it does feel quite wide on narrower lanes, but so would rivals from the likes of BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

The steering is perfectly weighted and there are drive modes to alter the characteristics of the Electrified G80 called Eco, Comfort and Sport with Sport really livening up the handling. In addition, a Snow mode can be selected for added grip in more adverse driving conditions.

The steering wheel paddles are not used to change gears as this is a single-speed automatic car. Instead they are used to vary the levels of regenerative braking and there is an i-Pedal setting for single pedal driving which is really practical in busy stop, start traffic.

And range anxiety won’t be an issue either as the official WLTP-tested range of the car is a combined 323 miles or 397 miles in city settings.

One area where the Electrified G80 falls short compared to its ICE siblings though is boot capacity. On the standard models it is an impressive 424 litres, but due to the positioning of the battery pack, this limit drops to 354 litres on the EV.

But there are numerous handy storage compartments throughout the cabin, including a lockable glovebox, door bins, cup holders, a deep cubby beneath the front armrest and seat back pockets. Rear passengers also get individual cup holders, door pockets and a deep storage box.

When it comes to charging, the Electrified G80 can be boosted from 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes on a 240kW fast charger, 67 minutes on a 50kW fast charge, seven hours, 33 minutes via a 11kW wallbox and 37 hours from a domestic charge cable.

The G80 gained a maximum five stars when tested for its Euro NCAP safety rating and the electrified version also boasts a wealth of safety systems and driver assistance aids to protect occupants and other road users alike.

Features include lane following assist, lane keeping assist, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear-cross traffic collision avoidance assist, blind spot collision avoidance, smart cruise control with stop & start, intelligent speed limit assist and driver attention warning.

All in all, the Genesis Electrified G80 is another very welcome newcomer to the premium executive saloon sector. And the Korean firm does go that extra mile with its customer service too. Buyers get their own personal assistant to see them through the entire process and when it comes to test drives, they come to you as they do with servicing. Customer time is viewed as very precious which is great to hear.

In addition, owners get a five year care plan as standard with five years of warranty, servicing, roadside assistance, courtesy cars, plus maps and over-the-air software updates.

So, quite an all-round package from Genesis and a company we are going to see a lot more from over the next few years.

Test Drive

Genesis G80 2.5 Auto Luxury Line AWD (2021)

When you think about premium quality, high performing saloon cars you automatically veer towards the German car makers such as BMW and Mercedes. But there is a new model just arrived in the UK and it’s making big waves.

It is called the Genesis G80 and if the name seems unfamiliar to anyone, the company stems from Korea and, while it was once a luxurious brand made by Hyundai, the company has set up as its own stand-alone manufacturer these days.

The G80 is a fully-sized, four-door luxury saloon that is very big on style, performance, comfort and quality – even the price-tag is competitive.

We tested the range-topping G80 Luxury Line costing £47,950 (£54,280 with options) and it was powered by a 2.5-litre turbo-petrol engine delivering 304PS and 422Nm of torque. This was mated to an eight-speed super-slick automatic gearbox and the car could sprint to 62mph from a standing start in just 6.0 seconds and maxed out at 155mph.

When it comes to economy, under WLTP testing, our G80 could deliver a combined 31.2mpg with carbon emissions of 205g/km.

There’s no denying the attractive and dynamic styling of the G80. It has a real road presence thanks to its muscular lines, long stretched body – it measures almost five metres in length – and huge stand-out grille. There are twin tail pipes, tinted windows, the name GENESIS sits proudly on the tailgate and it boasts beautiful alloy wheels.

Move inside and the cabin has a sense of quality and craftsmanship normally reserved for the premium sector with the main focal point being a 14.5-inch infotainment display screen, along with a neat 3D instrument cluster and head-up display.

There are powered seats that offer a soothing massaging function. Special mention to the clever display system that comes to life when you put your hands near the power buttons on the side of the driver’s seat so you easily see what switches you are adjusting. Clever stuff. The seats can also be heated or ventilated and the steering wheel can be warmed too.

On-board technology is impressive with a pitch perfect 16-speaker Lexicon surround sound system, full mobile phone connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, sat nav, over-the-air software updates and lots more besides.

The G80 also ticks all the right boxes when it comes to performance, cruising effortlessly at maximum motorway speeds. A Highway Assist function uses the front camera to detect lane markings to help keep the car centred in its lane.

It is also nicely responsive out on the country lanes with sharp acceleration through the automatic gearbox and steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement.

There is an electronically controlled suspension system with road preview and this monitors the road ahead detecting any potholes and speed bumps to help cushion the blow. And the all-wheel drive system offers added grip in more adverse driving conditions.

There are drive modes that are easy to switch through on the fly to alter the mannerisms of the G80 and these are called Comfort, Sport and Eco which are pretty self-explanatory.

Despite its size, the G80 proved deceptively agile in busier town centre traffic with all manner of driver assist systems to help with parking in tight spaces.

Comfort levels are excellent and there is ample space in the back for a trio of passengers to sit side by side. The boot has a 424-litre capacity and there are numerous convenient storage compartments throughout the car, including a lockable glovebox, a deep cubby box, door bins, front and rear cup holders, seat back pockets, trays and a charging pad.

On the downside, my one real criticism after a week behind the wheel of the G80, clocking up more than 600 miles, was the boot. When opened after a particularly heavy downpour, water ran into the boot area which is not what you expect on a premium executive car.

It’s also a car that likes to make lots of beeping noises to warn about speed limits, lane departure and numerous other alerts and there is even a welcome and exit jingle. These do get on your nerves after a while, but can be deactivated thankfully.

The vehicle is packed with safety features such as forward collision alert with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, smart cruise control, lane following assist and driver attention warning. There are 10 airbags with front centre airbags that are deployed if there is a side impact and these prevent the front occupants colliding with each other.

All in all, the Genesis G80 is a very welcome addition to the luxury car sector and offers extra choice, especially for customers wanting to avoid the German marques.