Hyundai

THE NEW GENESIS G80 REVEALS A DIFFERENCE IN PREMIUM SEDANS

The Genesis G80 is the latest muckraker from the upstart Genesis brand, which is adept at bringing out new and innovative products and policies that send other established brands into a tizzy. Well, it looks like they have done it again with their latest Genesis model, and recently Napleton.news had a chance to take a look. Here’s our report.

A CLOSER LOOK: THE NEW GENESIS G80

The Genesis head on.

Like Lexus breaking off from the Toyota company, Genesis is the new kid on the block, having broken off from Hyundai to form a free-standing luxury brand. Now featuring sedans and SUVs, the new Genesis G80 is the newest version of the brand’s premium mid-size sedan. A four-door, five-seater, it features the latest facelift already seen on the G90 sedan and GV80 SUV. It features the latest in features, build quality and value.

The new Genesis G80 has a new array of engines and powertrains that include a base 2.5-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm and 311 lb-ft of torque @ 1,650-4,000 rpm. The high-line step-up engine is a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine that produces 375 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm and 391 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm.

The 3.5-liter Twin-turbo V6.

Both engines match up to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Normally a rear-wheel-drive platform, it can be optioned with available all-wheel-drive for improved traction for inclement weather and other challenging surfaces.

The G80 sedan shares its platform with the GV80 SUV. Steering is precisely tuned with accuracy in steering and handling. There’s no jostling over irregular surfaces and features a rather compliant setup that communicates exactly what the G80 is doing at any moment.

The rear view of the new G80.

A LOOK AROUND THE G80’s OUTSIDE

Bolder than ever, the G80 includes a largish shield-shaped grille that is the new face of the brand. New twin-bar lighting elements wrap around the LED headlamps onto the fenders. They are repeated down the flanks, just behind the front wheel wells and continue around the rear LED taillights.

The overall appearance of the G80, which has the same wheelbase as the previous model, includes a long hood with a short rear deck, enhanced by a sweeping fastback profile. The appearance is very much like the grand touring form as seen on cars from Audi and BMW.

WHAT ABOUT THE GENESIS INTERIOR?

An artist rendering of the G80.

The first thing you notice inside the Genesis G80 is how clean the interior appears. Minimal buttons on the steering wheel are a good start, with most major or daily use controls located on the center console. Air conditioning registers seemingly spread all the way across the dashboard. Directly in front of the driver, they will find a configurable screen that includes rear views when you flip on the turn indicators to turn left or right. You will instead see what the car is seeing behind you in place of the tachometer or speedometer. It is a perfect piece of technology but still requires a glance in the rearview mirrors for added safety.

Rotary controls.

There are two control knobs on the center console. The first is a large dial for gear selection. In contrast, the second is a beautifully knurled dial with a touchpad utilizing handwriting-recognition to trace letters spelling out a contact or address.

The rear seat of the Genesis.

Front and rear seats are heated and ventilated. Active bolsters use air bladders to keep you in place depending on what drive mode you have selected. There is almost limo-like legroom in the rear seat footwells.

WHAT’S INCLUDED, WHAT’S NOT.

The high-performance braking of the new G80.

Standard on the new G80 is a set of 18-inch alloy wheels, LED Lighting, leatherette upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, 12-way power seats, keyless entry, Apple CarPlay / Android Auto, Adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring system and a rear cross-traffic collision avoidance system.

But that doesn’t mean the G80 has everything you could want. Consider these options:

The interior of the G80.

First off is the G80’s camera-based adaptive suspension with surround view monitoring. There are also 19- and 20-inch wheels, all-wheel-drive, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, three-zone climate controls, wireless charging, a panoramic sunroof and much more. And in case the paparazzi are hounding you, there are the rear door and rear window privacy screens that come up with the push of a button.

BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE GENESIS G80.

The left front view.

Stepping behind the wheel, we found the new Genesis G80 like a mildly stretched G70. That means it was every bit as capable as its smaller brother but with larger accommodations and a more comfortable ride inside. While the 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder delivers 300 horsepower and is adequate for most cases, the car leaps to life when powered by the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6. It truly lifts it to another level.

Acceleration was absolutely brisk and fearless, making kids play out of an on-ramp merge. There was plenty of passing power and even a nice auditory grunt coming from the twin exhausts from the G80’s rear. Switching to Sport mode found the suspension and steering firm up while the engine seemed to snap to attention a lot faster. We found the Smart driving mode the most to our liking as it picked up our driving cues and adapted them into its own type of program. Overall, we couldn’t have mapped it better ourselves.

The new Genesis G80 sedan.

After a week in the new G80, we saw that Genesis has improved on the model in almost every way. It’s large and in charge, but at the same time, a very capable runner that can easily take up to four passengers, in rapid comfort, wherever they would like to go. It’s another winner from Genesis, and it’s on sale now.

Mark Elias

I've loved everything on wheels: Trains, Planes and definitely Automobiles. I am constantly in search of the latest in new technology, which makes our lives better each day, but will always respect the classics. You can't continue forward without first taking a look back at where you've been.

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