2025 Genesis GV80

In profile, the GV80 has the long dash-to-front axle ratio and long hood of a rear-drive vehicle, which makes it look powerful. The roofline bends downward at the rear to suggest motion, and the window line comes to a point at the rear. The sides are decorated with more chrome than most rivals, including the window trim and large pieces above the rocker panels. At the rear, there’s more chrome and a mesh grille that dips down to hide the exhaust outlets. 

Genesis offers eight paint colors ranging from whites to silvers to blues to greens (including a matte green), and teams them with a choice of five interior color options to create what looks like a curated design experience. The Obsidian Black is the only solid interior color and the least adventurous. The others are two tones that look and feel great. They include Smoky Green/Earth Brown, Ultramarine Blue/Glacier White, Smoky Green/Vanilla Beige, and Slate Gray/Bordeau Brown. 

The biggest change in the GV80’s cabin is combining the instrument panel and infotainment screens into one 27.0-inch screen. It’s more ergonomically friendly and it looks appropriate for a luxury vehicle. Cool touches like knurled metal dials, diamond-pattern quilted upholstery, and numerous trim choices including wood and basalt-infused plastic only add to the upscale ambience.

The spend-up choice is a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that cranks out 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Expect 0-60 mph times in the six-second range. It has the easy power more expected in a luxury vehicle. The transmission shifts smoothly but not particularly quickly. Both engines can tow up to 6,000 pounds.

On the road, the GV80 feels like a mobile vault, with the isolating quiet and substantial feel that suggests. It’s not sporty, but is instead calm and controlled. Drivers can pick from Comfort, Eco, Sport, Snow, and My Mode driving modes that adjust throttle response, steering weight, and when outfitted with adjustable dampers, the damper tuning.

The GV80’s dynamic character won’t be mistaken for the sportiness of a BMW X5, but it’s also more controlled than the Lincoln Aviator.

The adjustable dampers have Comfort and Sport settings, and they come with a front-facing camera that reads the road ahead and adjusts the damper setting to smooth out road imperfections. The system isn’t as involved or as effective as a similar hydraulic system from Mercedes-Benz, but it does a great job of providing a smooth ride almost at all times. 

However, the dampers’ soft setting in Comfort mode allows a little too much body lean and the vehicle doesn’t turn in as quickly as some drivers might like. We found ourselves using the Sport mode any time we weren’t on the freeway. My Mode would also work with the Sport dampers chosen. 

We haven’t yet driven the GV80 coupe. It promises slightly more power and perhaps sportier moves.

In the second row, Genesis provides a standard three-person bench with a generous 38.7 inches of legroom, as well as good headroom. Available second-row captain’s chairs will make those occupants feel more cosseted, but three can also sit across in comfort.

An available power-folding third row will work best for kids.

Cargo room is not yet officially released, but the 2024 numbers should carry over. That gives the GV80 about 12 cubic feet behind the third row, about 35 cubic feet behind the second row, and about 84 cubes behind the first row. Power-folding second-row seats are also available, and we’re impressed that the second and third rows fold not only down but also up, which makes them simple to operate from the cargo area.

Even at the base level, the GV80 has an upscale feel, and it gets downright indulgent. Both leather and nappa leather are available, and at the top of the lineup the GV80 gets a synthetic suede headliner. That’s complemented by metal jewelry pieces and speaker grilles, and a variety of wood and stylish plastic trims.

Genesis warranties the GV80 for four years or 50,000 miles and includes free maintenance for three years or 36,000 miles.

How much is a fully loaded Genesis GV80?

The $80,650 3.5T Prestige AWD comes standard with nappa leather upholstery, driver’s seat air bladders, a heated steering wheel, power rear sunshades, a power-folding third-row seat, cooled front seats, heated rear seats, a panoramic sunroof, a head-up display, an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, a predictive suspension, a synthetic suede headliner, power-adjustable and cooled second-row seats, a heated front center console, power-closing doors, active noise cancelation, an electronic limited-slip differential, and 22-inch wheels. 

Genesis GV80 infotainment and relaxation

The new large dashboard screen has a touchscreen on its right side. It’s easier to reach and use than the higher set screen from last year, and it can still be controlled by voice commands or a rotary dial on the center console. Users can swipe through apps on several screens. It reacts quickly and is easy to use, making it an improvement over the outgoing version.

New this year is a standard Mood Curator system that uses the ambient lighting, sound, seat heating and cooling, seat massage, a fragrance system, and climate controls to help drivers relax or invigorate themselves. It’s another way Genesis emulates trusted luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz.

The base 2.5-liter turbo-4 is EPA-rated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, 21 combined, and it requires premium fuel. With the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, those ratings fall to 16/22/19 mpg. 

Expect the mild-hybrid system in the GV80 Coupe to deliver little if any increase in fuel economy over the twin-turbo V-6.