2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Plus AWD
Price: $89,000 CAD
Colour: Makalu Grey Matte
Genesis as a separate brand was introduced to the world in 2017 in North America. It was the first all-new luxury marque for a generation, and I was excited to see what they offered. Of even more interest to me was how they differentiated themselves from their Hyundai DNA. Lexus, Acura and Infiniti all faced the same challenges upon their respective launches and it’s gone better for some than others. Genesis has since slowly expanded worldwide with mixed success and results. Their success or failure in various markets hasn’t been the results of bad cars. In fact, Genesis has a really solid lineup. They’ve employed a strategy of matching their German rivals and beating them on price and equipment. It works if you’re not addicted to the status associated with the European offerings. It’s also great if you like money as cars like the 2025 G80 offer a lot of vehicle for a very competitive price point and for some that’s what matters most.
Power & Performance
You can get the 2025 Genesis G80 with two power plants. You can have a 2.5L turbocharged 4 cylinder which delivers 300hp and 311 lb/ft. It’s a good engine and gives you all you need for daily driving. If you’re like me and feel that a car the size of the G80 should come with no less than 6 cylinders (preferably 8 but I must pick my battles), you can also get a 3.5L twin-turbocharged V6 that gives you 375hp and 395 lb/ft. This is a very fitting power and torque complement to a vehicle the size of the G80. The V6 will propel you down the road and through traffic with ease and makes the rather large vehicle feel lighter than it is. When you combine this with AWD it makes the G80 a proper driver’s car.
Something of note in the G80 is that it’s fitted with Rear Wheel Steering when you opt for the 3.5L drivetrain. RWS isn’t a very common feature in a lot of cars and that’s a shame as it makes maneuvering this boat an absolute breeze. You can squeeze your G80 into any parking spot you can find, and it doesn’t require a 100-point turn. I hope we see more of this feature in the market as it makes a subtle but valuable improvement to any vehicle.
Exterior
Whether or not a car is pretty is purely subjective. Subjectively, the G80 is beautiful. This design is pushing 5 years old, and it feels right up to date. The lines flow from one end to the other with uninterrupted elegance. It sits low (but not too low) which makes it look a little regal. The wheels are fabulous and remind me of how good Genesis is at the rim game (that sounds inappropriate but I assure you, I’m only talking about the wheels). They got the proportions right with this car, so it looks capable and fun as well as holding onto its classy look.
Interior
Any luxury vehicle lives or dies on its interior. Genesis knows this and goes all out on their layouts. From the bottom of the range to the top, their cars are nice places to spend time. The G80 is one of the best examples. It’s an elegant, sophisticated and truly luxurious place to sit. They’re still carrying the mantle of the quilted leather and I’ve learned to accept this. To be honest, it looks really good in this car. The test vehicle I’m driving has the “Sevilla Red” and while it is indeed very red, it’s a good red. It’s a bold splash in an otherwise restrained interior.
Rear window screens, rear HVAC controls and a lovely center armrest means you’ll enjoy being driven around in the G80 as much as driving it. The aforementioned rear wheel steering can slosh you around a bit in the back so be prepared for it.
You get the same infotainment system the vehicle has had since its inception. It’s a good unit with a well-sized interface. My only complaint is it doesn’t feature wireless Carplay/Android Auto. I’m truly flummoxed by this. In an age of endless over the air updates I don’t know how Genesis can’t squirt out an update to fix this. That being said, at least you still have Carplay/Android Auto if you can live with a wire which is more than can be said for other manufacturers (looking at you GM).
Quality
The Genesis G80 feels extremely well built, like all Genesis products. Does this mean we’ll have million mile G80’s 20 years from now? No idea. I do hope that Genesis took the Lexus approach in how they decided to build their cars. Over engineer for long term value. Only time will tell. As a new car, it feels fantastic and solid.
CQI – 9. There’s a very nice carpet in this car. Anything else would be criminal.
Value
Comparing price points of luxury barges feels like an exercise in self flagellation if you earn a pedestrian amount of money like I do. If you are in the market for a vehicle in this category however, you could much worse and spend much more than the G80. It competes with the likes of the BMW 5 Series, Audi A7, Mercedes E Class etc. The G80 starts just under $75k CAD and tops out just under $90k. These other offerings (similarly equipped) start where the G80 ends. This is a good strategy that will pay dividends as they build their brand over time. It also means you can get a well-equipped luxury yacht for reasonable(ish) money.
Final Thoughts
Genesis continues to do the right thing with their lineup. They’re approaching their first major round of refresh/redesigns, and it will be interesting to see where they go next. Car design is a process of iterative improvement, and some companies do it well, others struggle. I think Genesis is a company on the rise and their overall strategy is push the envelope of excellence. Hopefully, this means we’ll see more great vehicles like the G80 in the future.
