GV80 Exudes Luxury with Every Mile Traveled

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CHATHAM, Mass. – My 171-mile ride home from the recent New England Motor Press Association Ragtop Ramble to Kennebunkport, Maine was a delightful one despite encountering Boston rush-hour traffic thanks to the quiet, opulent, comfortable 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T AWD Prestige mid-size sport utility (SUV).

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.

The latest edition of the SUV-flagship GV80, which we experienced in top-of-the-range Prestige trim, continues this legacy.

Powertrain worthy of the marque

Motivating the mid-size SUV is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine with 24 valves, double overhead camshafts, aluminum block and heads capable of producing 375 horsepower and 391 pounds feet of torque.

This power flows through the automatic eight-speed transmission into the standard computer-controlled all-wheel-drive (AWD) system. The system has five selectable drive modes (Comfort, Smart, Eco, Sport and Custom) to further tailor the GV80 to the owner’s preferences.

The V6 moves the 5,115-pound five-door with alacrity and efficiency. Car and Driver testing returned a 0-60 miles per hour acceleration time of 5.4 seconds (electric-vehicle territory), performance I felt every time I needed to maneuver while navigating the highway traffic in Metro Boston.

In addition, during my almost 500 miles of highway, highway traffic and congested mid-summer-season Cape Cod driving, I saw a fuel consumption rate of 22.3 miles per gallon which bettered the federal Environmental Protection Agency rating of 19 mpg overall (16 urban, 22 highway). This represents part of the aforementioned value story.

Even though the GV80 Prestige looks, acts and is priced as a premium SUV, there are those who will still want to pull a trailer – perhaps with their polo ponies. For the towing crowd, this vehicle can accommodate trailers up to 6,000 pounds (when equipped with trailer brakes).

Translating powertrain prowess to on-road action

This is a lot of vehicle, with a lot of power and the GV80’s platform is up to the task of handling it all. The ride is firm, but quite comfortable. This is no sports car, but never did I feel like it was overmatched by a twisting road, whether in the Kennebunkport area or the coasts of Cape Cod (and I am a bit heavy with my right foot).

The chassis pieces include a multi-link setup front and rear with high-performance shock absorbers. Electronics and computers control the suspension in the 3.5T version helping ensure the stability I realized is always present.

Bringing the GV80 to a stop rests on the capabilities of the anti-lock (ABS) equipped, with electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronically boosted braking system featuring 14.9-inch vented rotors up front and 14.2-inch vented ones in the rear.

The unique to the Prestige 22-inch alloy wheels wear 265/40R22 all-season tires.

ADAS supplements safety systems and increases driver convenience

Befitting a vehicle of this pedigree, the GV80 Prestige features an extensive list of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) for both added safety and making driving simpler and more pleasurable.

The list includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist; Lane Keeping Assist; Lane Following Assist; Forward Attention Warning; Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist; Blind-Spot View Monitor; Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist; Parking Distance Warning; Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, and 360° view monitor.

There is one additional system listed by Genesis as Driver Attention Warning (DAW). The system uses artificial intelligence and advanced sensors to monitor a driver’s behavior and warn if the driver is inattentive or drowsy. If the SUV decides the driver is not paying attention, it sounds a chime while cutting the volume of the infotainment system, flashes an orange, steaming coffee cup on the information cluster along with the phrase (also in orange) “Consider taking a break.”

Unfortunately, DAW can no longer be disabled and is quite annoying as the vehicle decides what actions determine driver inattention, drowsiness and, potentially, drunkenness or other impairment.

As in many other AI systems, it is an inexact science, prone to many errors and should include the ability for a driver to disable it. As good as the Genesis GV80 is (and other new products from Hyundai and Kia), this could be deal breaker, sending a driver to another brand.

Luxury, technology an immediate impact upon entering the cabin

Upon opening the door, then sitting on the Nappa leather tufted, heated, ventilated and power-adjustable seats (the steering wheel is also power adjustable and heated), then starting the GV80 Prestige, then the OLED screen, which stretches 27 inches across the dash from behind the steering wheel to just above the spot where the center console meets the dash, comes to life as one continuous display.

The area behind the steering wheel is devoted to the customizable information cluster. Moving your eyes right along the seamless picture and the infotainment system’s features (as well as vehicle settings) can be viewed. This is the first example of a seamless display I can remember and the affect is quite impactful and striking.

The infotainment system includes cloud-based navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (though you will need a USB-C cable to activate these; wireless versions are slowly coming to Hyundai-family vehicles as its contract with Tom Tom navigation expires), SiriusXM satellite radio and Bluetooth streaming audio.

The audio plays through an 18-speaker, 14-channel amplifier with 1,400 Watts of output Bang & Olufsen sound system.

The automatic, three-zone climate-control system is controlled by a central panel located below the large display. The buttons pictured on the flat-screen display actually require a push to make a selection, not simply a touch.

Moving to the rear, again Nappa leather seating greets the occupants who also have power adjustment, heating and ventilation. In addition, to help keep the interior comfortable, the rear-door windows have power shades.

That is a quick rundown of some of the primary features, amenities and technology toys found in the 2025 Genesis GV80 Prestige, but I have not done it complete justice. If a feature can be found in a luxury SUV, it will be part of this vehicle’s package (like the panoramic moonroof).

A lot for the money in this segment

Genesis made sure to fill it to the brim with said items and the results worked. This is a comfortable vehicle to drive and in which to be driven. There is plenty of room for two to five persons and their stuff.

The GV80 range starts with the GV80 2.5T Standard AWD at $57,700, one of four with the smaller engine, through the model I drove, the 2025 GV80 3.5T PRESTIGE AWD at $79,300. The test version had one option, Capri Blue paint at $650, so with the $1,350 for inland freight & handling, the total was $81,300.

This vehicle is not inexpensive, but in comparison to others in the mid-size SUV luxury segment, Genesis offers a lot of vehicle for the money.

Next week TBR Drives the 2024 Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness subcompact SUV