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CHATHAM, Mass. – The most challenging aspect of driving the new 2025 Genesis GV80 Couple 3.5T E-SC was keeping it at or below the speed limit as the swoopy four-door sport utility’s (SUV) power delivery was so smooth, effortless and quiet I constantly found myself going much faster than I imagined.
Last August, after a 171-mile drive from Brookline, Mass., to Kennebunkport, Me., I wrote, In less than a decade, the Genesis brand from the Hyundai Motor Company has established itself as a legitimate luxury marque in the United States, offering products on a par with the best from Germany, Japan, Sweden and the United States. And, like other products produced by Hyundai and Kia, the company’s other brands, often offer more value than their traditional competitors.
And the mid-size SUV reflected its Germanic competence by forcing me to pay close attention to my speed, a characteristic I had only noticed before in luxury brands from that Northern European nation.
Supercharged powerplant at the Coupe’s heart
Providing the sublime power is a 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged gasoline-fueled, six-cylinder engine with 24 valves, double overhead camshafts, aluminum block and heads capable of producing 405 horsepower and 409 pounds feet of torque.
Aiding the two turbos in boosting power output is a 48-Volt electric supercharger which increases the engine’s capabilities as well as helping provide the vehicle’s scintillating performance with quick response to a driver’s right foot. The 5,159-pound SUV can go from rest to 60 miles per hour in 5.2 seconds according to Car and Driver testing. And it does it without drama, just smooth acceleration, without much noticeable shifts by the eight-speed, automatic transmission (which can manually manipulated via paddle shifters.
The power is delivered to the road via the standard all-wheel-drive (AWD)system.
The powertrain produces reasonable fuel economy considering the engine/power, weight and size of the GV80 Coupe. I saw 21.1 miles per gallon during my week behind the heated/electrically adjustable steering wheel of the luxurious, comprehensively equipped, better than the federal Environmental Protection Agency’s rating of 20 mpg overall (18 urban, 22 highway).
The raw number is not impressive, but considering the type/size of the vehicle, and comparing it to what a vehicle with the GV80 Coupe’s capabilities would have produced a couple of decades ago (maybe single digits or very low teens), the GV80 Coupe showcases engineering progress once thought impossible.

Platform provides both excellent ride and handling characteristics
The suspension setup is independent multi-link both front and rear with high-performance gas shock absorbers at all four corners. Electronics control the suspension featuring Road Preview which uses the GPS-based navigation system to help the suspension anticipate road characteristics and then make suitable adjustments. Additional electronics facilitate the vehicle stability management system; Electronic Stability Control System (ESC) with Traction Control System (TCS) and brake assist.
Also at each corner are ventilated brake rotors with the front’s 14.9 inches, the rear’s 14.2. The calipers are black, while those of the other GV80 Coupe trim level (matching the E-SC in every way except supercharging) are silver.
Anti-lock (ABS), electronic booster and electronic parking brake are also part of the braking system.
The brakes live inside 22×9.5J aluminum wheels wearing 265/40R22 all-season tires.
Again, the sum of these parts equals excellence in ride and handling. The platform is a prime reason the GV80 Coupe 3.5T E-SC performs so well; it is not just the silkiness of the powertrain. I never felt out of control even as I pushed it through the curves of the bayside (Cape Cod Bay) roads through Truro and Wellfleet.
Comprehensive suite of ADAS
Aiding the driver’s peace of mind is the long list of well-integrated advanced driver assistance system (ADAS). Again, regardless of trim level (supercharged or not, 405 horsepower or 391), the list is the same, including forward collision-avoidance assist; land-keeping assist; lane-following assist; driver-attention warning; forward-attention warning; blind-spot collision-avoidance assist; blind-spot-view monitor; rear cross-traffic collision-avoidance assist; parking-distance warning front/rear, and parking collision-avoidance assist.
Luxury, technology and amenities fill every corner of the cabin
As befitting a near-$90,000-luxury SUV, the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe 3.5T E-SC has virtually every feature the brand’s planners could envision, right down to doors which pull themselves closed.
Genesis has redesigned the panoramic display from previous models (including the sibling GV80 traditional SUV shape) from two distinctive 12.3-inch screens in the panel to one OLED which appears to be a seamless 27-inch swath of black glass filled with customizable instrumentation on the left and a touchscreen to control the infotainment/navigation system and vehicle systems on the right.
Genesis supplements the touchscreen with a console-control wheel and buttons to activate many of the commands. The infotainment system features wireless Apple CarPlayÒ and Android AutoÔ; Bluetooth streaming audio; SiriusXMÒ satellite radio, and sound courtesy of a Bang & OlufsenÒ Premium Audio system.
Nappa Leather covers the seats which are power adjustable front and rear as well as being heated/ventilated front and rear (sharing these characteristics with the steering wheel, sans the ventilation).
Speaking of ventilation, the tri-zone automatic climate control system has its own dedicated control panel at the center of the dash just above the intersection with the console, a design much more convenient (and safer) than vehicles in which you must hunt through touchscreen menus to adjust cabin climate.
There are far too many features to describe here, like the panoramic moonroof, heated console armrest (in conjunction with the near-seat heating) and power hands-free liftgate. The liftgate may be an advanced hands-free design, but a glaring oversight can be found there: no wiper/washer. Maybe Genesis executives thought this unnecessary due to the inclusion of a digital mirror, but inclement weather, when the wiper system is most necessary, is also the time when the camera for a digital mirror might be compromised. Or maybe they felt with the sloping coupe shape a wiper would look out of place? Regardless, a mistake and glaring omission.
Top of the brand
The GV80 family – new Coupe and traditional SUV shape – are the flagship of the Genesis brand. The term Coupe traditionally referred to a racy TWO-DOOR car, but those German brands Genesis has targeted put this moniker on four door sedans and SUVs with sloping rear windows and it has stuck, becoming a common theme.
The GV80 coupe with turbocharged engine carries a MSRP of $79,950 while opting for the supercharged version like I experienced, comes in at $85,750. The review unit added Bering Blue paint ($650) and NFC key ($30) as well as the $1,350 inland freight & handling charge for an as-reviewed total of $87,780.
This is not an inexpensive vehicle. It rivals those even more expensive European marques in every way except 100-years of existence and name. If you are in the market for an extraordinary luxury-performance SUV, Genesis deserves serious contention. This choice shows common sense, appreciation of value over name and courage to not be influenced by superficial outside pressure to conform. You might not make a strong statement to your neighbors, but you will know how smart your choice was.
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