True Luxury for a Modern Family

It took the Hyundai group about 20 years to move into the Lexus/Acura phase of foreign automakers selling in the United States. The brand started out as the name on the top Hyundai model but spun off in 2007 with its own sedan. Since then, it has introduced a few more sedans, and now the brand has a full line of SUVs, minus a full-size.

The Genesis GV80 is its biggest SUV and its most luxurious. The Crest Grille emphasizes bold luxury while the trademark Parabolic Line runs along the side. The quad lamps, a hallmark of the brand, will certainly be the most recognizable feature and Genesis says they were inspired by orchids.

Though three-rows, the GV80 competes with luxury SUVs like the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE and the three-row Audi Q8. It’s almost the exact same size as the Audi.

The 2024 Genesis GV80 has two engine options. The first is a turbocharged four-cylinder delivering 300 horsepower (hp). Upgraded models come with a turbocharged 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine making a healthy 375 hp. This Prestige model (the GV80 comes in standard and Prestige Signature trims) has the V6, standard all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission with paddle shifters.

That engine provides plenty of power to accelerate from a stop quickly to get in front of traffic. It can also downshift several gears at a time as when getting on the expressway behind a super slow semitruck. If a driver needs to get from 25 mph to 75 mph quickly, it can do that. It’s also comfortable and quiet as legal and extra legal expressway speeds, though the brakes are a bit soft. That makes for more of a luxury feel, but in a panic situation it makes the heart skip a beat.

It has a steering assist feature that is better than most. It does notify the driver to keep their hands on the wheel if it doesn’t sense movement. It sometimes feels like it lines up too close to oncoming traffic, but if you look in the mirrors the car is actually centered in the lane. The adaptive cruise control works perfectly, being especially useful in slow-going traffic situations.

The suspension is compliant, but maybe a little stiff in Normal mode. It does jiggle a little bit over uneven pavement and the suspension does transmit sound to cabin but most of the time it’s perfectly smooth. It was also great on bumpy grass and dirt roads in mid-Michigan with more than 8 inches of ground clearance. Thankfully the doors wrap around the bottom of the car mud is kept off the sills. That means when you step out you won’t have muddy calves.

The cabin in this tester was excellent with light and dark brown perforated leather along with diamond patters on the seats and wave patterns on the doors. The heating and massaging functions work great and the seats have extra adjustments for side bolsters and under the knee. Our only complaint is that they don’t go low enough. It feels like you’re balancing on top of the vehicle.

The four-spoke steering wheel features redundant controls while most of everything else is controlled through the rotary dial. The low, wide, centrally mounted screen is touch sensitive, but it’s far from the driver’s reach. Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.

The in-house infotainment system works well with the rotary dial. The large icons are laid out horizontally and are easy to read. The navigation is great and swapping through functions is easy. But Apple’s interface is still the king.

The 2024 GV80 features a digital instrument cluster with a 3D effect. It looks cool with different gauges on different planes and isn’t as disorienting as some from Mercedes and Hyundai. The head-up display is one of the best on the market with blind spot indicators, and little boxes showing the cars moving around the vehicle.

The GV80 comes standard with loads of safety and convenience features including adaptive cruise control that also uses the navigation system and predictions to serve the driver. Highway Driving Assist helps assist the driver in a wider variety of situations than before, including lane change when the turn signal is used.

Emergency braking, blind spot collision avoidance and rear cross-traffic alert are also standard and none of it felt intrusive while on the road for a few hours. Like many cars today, it also has a driver attention warning to monitor the driver and warn them when they seem fatigued.

The 2024 Genesis GV80 starts at $57,450. That lines up closely with the Mercedes GLE at $57,700 but it much less than the BMW X5, which starts at $65,200. The aging Volvo XC90 is also an option at $56,000. The leader in the segment is the Acura MDX, with a price of about $50,000

The Genesis offers something the Germans can’t. It’s a coolness that says to the world, “I can afford a German luxury SUV, but this has more style and character and that’s what is important.” And because we know car buying is an emotional purchase, the GV80 should have plenty of handraisers, however, it’ not only behind the Acura and Volvo in sales, but it’s also slightly behind the Lincoln Nautilus as well. If you’re in the market it is definitely worth a test drive.