Most shoppers in the luxury segment naturally gravitate toward four options: Mercedes-Benz, Audi, BMW, and Lexus. Since 2015, Genesis has been giving luxury shoppers a less conventional brand to choose from, but it’s first attempt at a luxury vehicle actually arrived back in 2009 with the Hyundai Genesis sedan. Marketed as a “premium sports sedan,” the Hyundai Genesis sedan showcased the South Korean brand’s bona fide ability as a luxury brand.
Things have changed immensely since 2009, but the 2025 Genesis G80 channels the first Hyundai Genesis to follow the same mission – get shoppers to entertain the thought of going against the grain. While the original Hyundai Genesis sedan primarily relied on value to woo shoppers, the 2025 Genesis G80 is more of a complete package. Not only does it stand out as a great alternative to more established competitors, but it delivers a premium experience that will have most asking why they should pay extra for a badge.
What The 2025 Genesis G80 Gets Right
The 2025 Genesis G80 isn’t the strong value play that it once was, but it still undercuts most of its rivals by a wide margin. There’s also its bold exterior design, high-end cabin, and dazzling tech that doesn’t feel overbearing. On the road, the G80 is comfortable and quiet, which are great qualities for a luxury midsize sedan.
Brave Exterior Design
Have you noticed how similar modern vehicles look? SUVs are by far the worst in this regard, practically sharing 90% of the same overall design as one another. This isn’t the case with sedans, which have become far more distinctive, and the 2025 Genesis G80 has one of the best-looking designs in the midsize class. It’s not as polarizing as the BMW 5-Series, but not as elegant as the Volvo S90, landing somewhere in between where you’ll turn heads, but won’t draw angry glances.
For 2025, the G80 received a mild refresh, including an updated design. The sedan arrived with updated headlights, a new grille design, fresh wheel designs, and overhauled bumpers. The Sport Prestige trim you see here gets a few special updates, including a different grille and larger air intakes in the front bumper.
Impressive Tech
Tech dominates modern vehicles with cars becoming computers on wheels. The 2025 Genesis G80 benefits from updated tech for 2025, with the revised dashboard now featuring a 27-inch OLED display that looks like it could double as a monitor for a gaming PC. The displays are gorgeous, the menus and graphics are crystal clear, and it manages to fit in with the rest of the G80’s grand cabin.
Good, Not Great Value
With a starting price tag of $58,595 and an as-tested price tag of $78,280 for the G80 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD that Genesis let me test, the G80 isn’t the standout value option it once was. There was a moment where my in-laws guessed how much the G80 cost and proudly put out an estimate of $58,000. Boy were they surprised to learn that they were $20,000 off the mark. If the very shoppers who can afford one of your vehicles is $20,000 off on estimating how much the vehicle costs, it doesn’t bode well for potential sales.
What The 2025 Genesis G80 Gets Wrong
There’s not a lot you can subjectively fault the 2025 Genesis G80 for. Sure, it’s not the prettiest car on the market and it’s certainly not an SUV, but if you’re being realistic, the G80 is a testament to what makes midsize sedans so good.
Sporty Only In Name
I may have tested the 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD, but the sedan has little in the way of performance. The twin-turbo 3.5-liter v6 engine cranks out 375 horsepower, but up against monsters from AMG, M, and RS, it’s far away from being a performance car.
That’s not to say that the G80 has bad performance. That’s not exactly true, as the V6-powered G8 can sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in roughly five seconds. It’s just that against rivals, the G80 is slow.
Handling isn’t on par with competitors, either. The G80 is relaxed and plush, but lacks the aggressive, track-ready handling of more powerful options from Germany. I don’t think most shoppers in need of a daily driver will complain, but shoppers purchasing an $80,000 sedan that’s supposed to be a do-it-all vehicle could find the G80’s lack of performance and dull handling to be a strike against the vehicle.
Subpar Fuel Economy
Fuel economy isn’t great with the 2025 Genesis G80. The base turbo-four G80 is rated at 24 mpg combined and the V6 model is rated to get up to 19 mpg combined. Premium fuel makes fill-ups pricey and takes the luster out of long road trips.
Tricky HVAC Controls
The 2025 Genesis G80 utilizes a touch display for the HVAC controls, while also having some redundant physical controls. The touch display can be difficult to get used to because of the way the controls are laid out, but once you get the hang of things, it becomes more intuitive. The infotainment system has a similarly steep learning curve that takes some time to get used to.
Verdict
Even against newer competitors, the 2025 Genesis G80 is a standout choice. If you’re open to getting a luxury vehicle that’s not from Germany and aren’t upset about having to constantly explain what Genesis is, you could do a lot worse than the G80.
