Luxury Review: 2021 Genesis G80

Article content

“What the hell?”, I hear from the kitchen. “Nobody told me we had a showing today!”

Article content

Imagine the relief when it sunk in that the Genesis G80 in the driveway wasn’t an estate agent here to see our unwashed dishes and slovenly shoe rack, but rather my tester for the week. Standing out front, its navy metallic paint contrasting with that glistening full-height grille, I can see where the confusion arose. 

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

Try refreshing your browser, or
tap here to see other videos from our team.

Luxury Review: 2021 Genesis G80 Back to video

I eventually finish laughing and I take the poor, panicked handwringer out for a tour. 

“Wait… who makes this?”

I still have a hard time believing this is a Hyund — er, sorry — Genesis. The G80 is Genesis’ answer to the midsize executive sedan, slotting between the G70 and flagship G90, and taking approximate aim at — dare I say it — the BMW 5 series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. 

Article content

Statistics show that sedans are on their way out. It isn’t news that shoppers can’t get enough ungainly crossovers and hulking SUVs, of course, but here comes Genesis with a high-calibre demonstration of what the Costco crowd is missing out on. 

The G80 is a media darling, joining the larger GV80 SUV to claim two of AJAC’s eight 2021 vehicle of the year awards for Genesis. It brings impressive quality and distinct character to bear against the complacent German offerings, and for an unusually reasonable price. 

It certainly looks the part, too. Genesis got off to something of a vague start, previously offering a premium lineup that ran alongside Hyundai’s mass-market offerings without significant fanfare. Though it’s put out some strong cars in recent years, they always remained somewhat unremarkable, anonymous, and peripheral. No longer, however.

Article content

The new Genesis lineup marks a sort of soft relaunch for the brand. The marque has pinned down an identity, a distinct design language, and a clear emphasis on delivering a stylish, premium product. Drawing on German design and leadership talent from standards including Audi and BMW, these new offerings are a serious curveball for the European luxury market. 

Penned by Germans, the new Genesis line shrugs off the uninspired, store-brand Lexus styling of past models in favour of this roundly-celebrated original design language. The G80 is an imposing vehicle, with a massive (but somehow tactful) front grille, lights that boldly continue past the front wheels, and a pinched decklid that aerodynamically funnels onlookers’ attention to the Genesis badge across the rear. 

Toggle full screen mode Previous Gallery Image

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

11. 

Next Gallery Image Toggle gallery captions

View All 11 Photos

1 of 11

All 11 Photos for Gallery

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 
11. 

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

OK

Article content

Lot presence is striking, with a bold grille effectively framed by dual-row LED headlamps that carry lines into complementary side indicators behind the front wheels. A creased beltline leads the eyes back to a trunk that offers whiffs of shooting-brake inspiration, and where equally striking dual-row taillamps are set within a uniquely scalloped decklid. Light is used as a key visual element, and it brings a lot of life to the car’s design. It’s all a lot more direct than I’d usually like, but it’s just so well executed here and across the Genesis lineup. 

It’s a handsome package, but is this beauty only skin-deep? Surprisingly not.

Drop inside, and the G80’s interior strikes a clean balance. The Genesis offers more texture and visual presence than BMW’s notoriously dull cabins, yet not so much as to be overbearing like a Mercedes-Benz high-gloss LED light show. To date this stands out as my preferred upper-mid-tier highway cruiser. 

Article content

Open-pore wood spans the dash, its dull finish handsomely contrasting the sheen of the wide multifunction display above. Tucked between these features is a tidy accenting strip, into which Genesis has integrated some of the subtlest vents I’ve come across. Intuitive HVAC controls lie beneath, along with hefty rotary knobs for screen content and gear selection. The steering wheel looks a bit too much like a sci-fi alien’s face for my liking, but interior features are otherwise coherent, purposeful, and tasteful. 

Toggle full screen mode Previous Gallery Image

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

7. 

8. 

9. 

10. 

Next Gallery Image Toggle gallery captions

View All 10 Photos

1 of 10

All 10 Photos for Gallery

1. 
2. 
3. 
4. 
5. 
6. 
7. 
8. 
9. 
10. 

Function Not Available

Full Screen is not supported on this browser version.

You may use a different browser or device to view this in full screen.

OK

Article content

Seats are inviting, comfortable, and wrapped in a soft, perforated leather. Heated rears and ventilated fronts come standard, and the up-trimmed driver’s seat offers a kneading massage function to keep the body from getting sore on long hauls. The patterned stitching will be a matter of taste and feels like detail for detail’s sake, but it’s ultimately inoffensive and looks upmarket. 

Overhead, a panoramic sunroof comes standard. This top-trim Prestige model accents this with a suede headliner and, in a nice touch, suede sun visors.

On the tech front, Hyundai’s R&D investment has paid off. Driver assists are excellent and make highway cruising a breeze. The G80’s standard lane keeping, follow, and steering assists behave firmly and predictably, and the adaptive cruise control maintains a far smoother ride than many of the other systems on the market. Also standard are a heated steering wheel, head-up display, wireless charging, excellent LED headlamps, all-wheel drive, and forward collision assistance. 

Article content

Genesis is also the first manufacturer to offer a digital instrument cluster that I actually like. Instead of feeling gimmicky, the switchable 3D effect imparts pleasing depth to the gauges and makes things feel more natural. Flip a signal on, and the gauge on that side flips to a neatly-enclosed camera view of the respective blind spot while retaining information readout around the perimeter. Most digital dashes feel cheap, but this one is actually worthwhile. Indeed, even Rolls-Royce could learn something from the Koreans. 

The switches and knobs themselves model a knurled, watch-like motif. They look good, but unfortunately feel like conventional Hyundai plastics and leave something to be desired. Still, their inputs register quickly and the touchpad handwriting system actually works rather well. If you’re really itching for the feel of metal, the grilles for the upgraded 23-speaker audio package are nice touch points that double as conduits for some phenomenal musical playback with clear response across the range. 

Article content

It’d be nice to spend all day on how fabulous the G80 is to look at and sit in, but practicality still matters. On the grocery run, the G80’s boot is an entirely average 433 litres. This falls in line with premium midsize sedans like the 5 Series, but doesn’t particularly impress. Rear legroom is ample, and space never felt like an issue even with adult passengers. Less pleasing are the V6’s economy figures, which NRCan puts 1-2 litres higher than competitors at 9.0 L/100km and 12.9 city. My experience bears these out, though the fun of the G80’s turbocharged torque had a tendency to run each of these about a litre higher.

Which do you buy? The G80 is available in 2.5 L ‘Advanced,’ and 3.5 L ‘Prestige’ trims, both all-wheel drive and turbocharged. The Advanced starts at $66,000 and comes with most of the highlights as standard, so your big reasons for the $10,000 step up to the Prestige will be the more powerful 375 hp engine, 16-way massaging driver’s seat, nappa leather with wood and suede trim, soft-close doors, larger 20” wheels (as if the base 19s aren’t enough), park assistance, and a fancier digital cluster. You also get remote parking, but this party trick is incredibly slow, awkward, and you are almost guaranteed never to use it in the real world. The extra polish on the Prestige is definitely nice, but the 300 hp Advanced is still a whole lot of car for the money. 

Article content

Having said that, the Prestige is quite a treat. Despite its weight of nearly 1,900 kilograms, it takes off with little worry and lots of excitement. The 375 hp G80 is surprisingly fast, and carries its low-slung weight confidently. For those who care about Sport Mode, drivers will detect similarities to the thrilling Kia Stinger, albeit with greater refinement and a different sense of occasion. The eight-speed automatic transmission isn’t always as immediately responsive as the engine’s performance might have you wishing, but delivery is effective.

This isn’t our first G80 review, but it remains a car worth revisiting. Put simply, Hyundai got good.

It’s rare for me to feel such personal interest in modern cars, but I’m thoroughly intrigued by these things. I want to drive more of them, I want to photograph more of them, and I genuinely want to see them succeed. 

Article content

The real test, now, is how these vehicles will hold up over the long haul. Lexus earned its throne through consistent quality and reliability backed by proven Toyota engineering. In the short term, the G80 seems a fabulous premium vehicle to lease. Having established the competitive strength of the G80’s feature content, this is also where the BMW and Mercedes-Benz comparisons will be put to their greatest test. Though the Germans have their own reputation for mechanical issues past the lease period, both have established their synonymity with quality of materials and construction. 

It’s too early to speculate on how the new G80’s advanced systems or pleasant materials will hold up, but future used-market buyers will likely want to pay attention to the G80’s myriad motorized features (massagers, etc.), infotainment operation (gone are the days of easily-replaced, affordable universal DIN units), as well as construction curiosities such as the unpainted (only primed!) metal that can be found behind door seals and weatherstripping. 

Only time will tell whether this new litter of Gennies puts the old guard on notice. Stay tuned: I know I will be.