2021 Genesis GV80 3.5T review: A lead-off home run

Nobody’s truly excellent at something the initially time they try out it, but Genesis is doing the job to buck that development. The 2021 Genesis GV80 is the freshly spawned Korean automaker’s initially SUV of its very own and, just like the greatly revised G80 in advance of it, this midsize luxurious SUV is all set to make its mark in a hectic phase — and speedy.

A stunner, within and out

The 2021 Genesis GV80 seriously instructions attention. One particular driver rolled correct up up coming to me on the highway and honked the horn of their sedan until finally I turned my head, at which issue I was achieved with a auto full of thumbs up. The GV80’s exterior is exceptional in reality, I’d consider it the prettiest ute in the phase. The headlights are like no other and the way the fastback-style roof line carries by itself backwards leads to a auto that appears to be like like it is continuously in movement.

The GV80’s inside manages to impress even far more than the exterior does. This pretty design is aspect and parcel with the GV80 experience, regardless of trim. I might not totally embrace the two-spoke steering wheel, which is a very little extra fat for 9-and-3 hand positioning, but the structure is uncluttered and the designs baked into the leather-based ooze luxurious. The GV80 is correct up there with Mercedes-Benz in terms of inside top quality and at its price tag issue, I’d say it actually trounces the Merc on value alone. My tester’s a very little monotone with its beige getup, but there are some truly wild combinations out there, which includes a two-tone motif with heaps of blue leather-based.

Almost everything I contact is produced of either leather-based or metal, with higher-top quality knurling on the stalks and infotainment controller the GV80’s cabin feels extremely-high quality. One particular of my favourite parts is the climate manage, which has a tiny touchscreen that allows me configure airflow and supporter pace unbiased of the computerized operate. Even the temperature dials seem and really feel high priced.

The GV80’s inside isn’t going to forego operate in favor of all that kind, either. Certain, the doorway panels are a very little gentle on storage room, but the flowing heart console has a decently sized cubby underneath the transmission dial and the armrest opens up for a bit far more storage. It can be roomy as heck, much too, with a 2nd row that isn’t going to scrimp on headroom inspite of a marginally reduce roof line. Advanced Plus trims have an optional 3rd row as very well that, according to my colleagues, isn’t proper for totally developed individuals, but it functions for young children.

On-highway serenity 

The 2021 GV80 is not a svelte fellow, clocking in at some 5,000 kilos with AWD and all the bells and whistles, but my tester packs Genesis’ greater motor choice. The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 produces 375 horsepower and 391 pound-toes of torque, and while it might not be the most sonorous 6-pot on the block, it will press the GV80 ahead with alacrity. Shoot regardless of what gap you want there’s far more than more than enough torque on tap and the 8-pace computerized transmission effortlessly swaps cogs as required. You can find loads of throttle and brake modulation on give for serene, dip-totally free starts off and stops, taking part in into the proper-luxurious angle very properly.

Most European midsize luxurious SUVs try out to bake some sportiness into their existence, with relative success. The GV80 tries to consider far more of a pure-luxurious angle to its driving traits and it is generally profitable. The Advanced-trim product in my driveway arrives with Genesis’ highway-scanning adaptive suspension, which makes use of cameras to preload the suspension in the celebration it has to handle some nastiness, which can be a alternatively major offer on the automaker’s Korean household turf. In Michigan, it does a commendable career taking in up gross roadways, but the total experience feels a bit stiffer than I’d choose, even with anything dialed to its plushest environment. An optional air suspension would transform this factor into a freakin’ cloud, so here is hoping Genesis finds a way to shoehorn something like that in in this article later on. The GV80 is never ever seriously remarkable to toss close to, due to the fact that is not what it is produced for, but it is loads confident if your commute includes a few twists and turns.

Luxury proceeds to be the precedence when looking at other parts of the driving experience, much too. The cabin is loads tranquil, thanks in aspect to thick glass and an energetic sound-cancellation method that functions like the headphones on your desk. It can be a properly placid time for each the driver and the driven.

Gasoline financial system is competitive for the GV80’s course, but outside of that bubble, it is not seriously all that and a bag of chips. 3.5-liter types, which occur typical with all-wheel drive, are EPA-rated at 18 miles for every gallon town, 23 mpg highway and 20 mpg blended — with high quality gas, no considerably less. 2.5-liter variants are a very little considerably less thirsty at 21 town and twenty five highway, but it is even now adequately thirsty.

Leading-notch tech

In my G80 overview, I spoke at length about how much I loved Genesis’ new infotainment method — and it is no unique on the 2021 GV80, which is to say that it policies. The 14.5-inch screen atop the dashboard instructions attention with its delightfully quiet household display screen and simple navigation, regardless of whether I am achieving to contact the display screen by itself or (far more probably) manipulating the rotary dial on the heart console. Buttons earlier mentioned the climate manage deliver quick accessibility to the standard functions like the navigation, audio or options menus. Every corner of the method isn’t just desirable, it is intuitive and it isn’t going to consider long for me to determine out my desired way of accomplishing things. Apple CarPlay and Android Automobile are obtainable, but not wirelessly, and as my boss Chris Paukert pointed out in his overview, there is no choice for a Wi-Fi hotspot or rear-seat leisure in this article, which seems like a silly omission when most of the GV80’s competitors have all that. It can be not a offer-breaker, just a head-scratcher.

Only Status trims get the wild gauge-cluster display screen that makes use of electronic trickery to give the impression of physical depth, which implies my GV80 is trapped with the tried out-and-genuine physical cluster that contains a moderately sized information screen in the middle. This is about the only corner of the car that reminds me of the car’s Hyundai-centered provenance, since it appears to be like and acts like the exact getup found in cars like the Sonata. It can be wonderful it does the career it is supposed to, it is just the only aspect of the cabin that I wouldn’t simply call specific.

Every GV80 arrives with an extraordinary amount of security tech, which includes parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, adaptive cruise manage, lane-preserving assist, blind-place checking and computerized crisis braking that can detect each pedestrians and cyclists. The Advanced trim throws a encompass-view observe, mirror-mounted cameras and rear computerized braking into the combine, as very well as Remote Good Parking Support (aka Smaht Pahk), which can roll the car ahead and backward while the driver presses the remote from outside. It can be some cool stuff, even if I only ever use it to show off.

All GV80s also consist of Genesis’ Freeway Driving Support, which brings together the energetic and passive security aids to hold the car in its lane on the highway while preserving speed with traffic. It will help lower some of the tedium of a traffic-laden commute, but it is a fingers-on method so vigilance stays a necessity. It does a commendable career, but the GV80’s lane-centering tech can be a very little intense at instances and I am a rather energetic driver so I typically go away the method off.

Down to brass tacks

Inspite of embodying the full-on luxurious experience greater than nearly all its competitors, the 2021 Genesis G80 isn’t a lender-breaker. Starting up at $49,925 which includes desired destination, the GV80 3.5T AWD Advanced in advance of me kicks off at $sixty five,375, which is extraordinary in context a BMW X5 xDrive40i starts off at about $62,000, while a Mercedes-Benz GLE450 is about a grand earlier mentioned that. And then there’s the Audi Q8, which instructions nearly $70,000. All 3 of these autos are in advance of options, much too. Hoo boy.

It can be a weird working day when a auto can be each a severe value and an example-setter in its storied phase, but that is the 2021 Genesis GV80 in a nutshell. It manages to deliver an fantastic luxurious experience in its truest kind, eschewing the idea that every single car desires some underlying sporty angle, while by some means beating its most significant competitors on price tag while protecting top quality that rivals them. You would consider that the GV80 was Genesis’ 3rd crack at a luxurious SUV, but nope in some cases, you strike gold on the initially swing.