2020 Genesis G80 3.5T Review

It’s been a long road so far for Genesis in Australia. Launched initially as a car – not a brand – under the Hyundai badge in 2014, Genesis decided to become more than a car and launched a few different products in markets such as North America in 2016. After a series of false starts, it finally launched locally in 2019 with the G70 mid-sizer and the G80 (itself a rebadged and facelifted version of the Hyundai Genesis launched here in 2014) large sedan and sales have been modest. Now though, Genesis has new product, including the large GV80 SUV. But it’s also replaced the car that launched the brand: enter the 2020 Genesis G80.

Like the previous G80, the new model is a large luxury sedan aimed at many famous names: the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Audi A6 and Jaguar XF, for example. We also think it will appeal to buyers of the former Holden Caprice and Ford Fairlane, may they both rest in peace.

When we say ‘all-new’ Genesis G80, we mean all-new – it sits on a new platform, is equipped with new engines and new tech and has been styled with a completely new look. We tested the top of the range G80 3.5T to find out what a challenger brand in the luxury segment can offer new car buyers in Australia.

Price & Specs: 9/10

The 2020 Genesis G80 range is very simple in Australia: there’s the 2.5T, or the AWD V6 3.5T and that’s it. Both are offered purely in a sedan body and unlike its rivals, there is just one available package – more on that later. Buyers can choose from several exterior colours and interior themes as well and most – aside from the two matte exterior options – are no-cost.

Pricing for the 2020 Genesis G80 starts at $84,900 plus on-road costs, and the 3.5T V6 AWD we tested starts at $99,900 – equivalent Audi A6s start from $96,900 and $116,000 respectively, plus options. Standard kit on even the entry-level G80 is extensive, with kit such as 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lighting, leather upholstery, genuine wood trim, keyless entry and start with keyless start, an electric steering column, a 14.5-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, inbuilt navigation with live traffic reporting, digital radio, a 12-inch heads-up display, a panoramic dual-pane sunroof, a 21-speaker Lexicon sound system, dual-zone climate control, 12-way electrically adjustable front seats with heating and cooling and wireless charging are all standard kit.

Safety kit is strong as well with 10 airbags – including a front centre unit that will allow the G80 a five-star ANCAP safety rating, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and car detection, turning/junction assist, lane keep assist with lane follow assist, leading vehicle departure alert, blind-spot monitoring with a blind-spot camera in the dials, rear cross-traffic alert, rear occupant alert, safe exit assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, a 360-degree parking camera with a 3D surround view, front and rear parking sensors, auto high beam and traffic sign recognition.

The G80 3.5T V6 also gets larger 20-inch wheels with larger brakes, a larger fuel tank (73-litres versus 65L on the 2.5T) and adaptive suspension with a camera that predicts road conditions for greater comfort.

On both the 2.5T and 3.5T, just one option pack is available: the $13,000 Luxury Package. This includes a 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument cluster, an extra zone for the climate control, Nappa leather upholstery, Matrix headlights with adaptive high beam functionality, soft-close doors, suede-finished roof and pillar trims, an 18-way electrically adjustable driver’s seat with massaging functionality, electrically adjustable outboard rear seats, two rear 9.2-inch touchscreens, a power rear sun-blind, driver attention monitoring, rear auto barking, a heated steering wheel and auto parking with remote functionality from the key.

Of course, the 2020 Genesis G80 is not cheap but we think it’s excellent value for money. Even with the Luxury Package ticked, the G80 is around $31,000 less expensive than a similarly equipped Audi A6 – and that’s before considering that the Genesis has a five-year/unlimited km warranty and five years/50,000km of servicing with a valet service included.

Our criticisms of the value equation are simply that features such as rear auto braking, driver attention monitoring, the heated steering wheel, the 12.3-inch digital driver’s display and tri-zone climate control should be standard – that would make the Luxury Package less expensive and easier to swallow for prospective buyers, if they actually need it.

Performance & Fuel Economy: 8/10

Both variants of the 2020 Genesis G80 range are more than adequately powered, thanks to the brand’s North American focus – a market that typically prefers higher-powered entries to segments. Even the entry-level G80 2.5T uses a 223kW/421Nm 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, though we tested the more powerful 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 G80 3.5T. Both are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and while the 2.5T is rear-wheel drive, the 3.5T is all-wheel drive.

With a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 5.1 seconds and a top speed of 250km/h, the G80 3.5T is rapid – though the 73kg-lighter Audi A6 55 TFSI quattro produces 29kW/30Nm less and yet, it has the same performance figures. The new 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is a peach of an engine, though. It’s punchy, very refined and it also sounds pretty good as well. The eight-speed automatic transmission is completely seamless too – it’s responsive, direct and proves that a dual-clutch transmission really isn’t needed for swift performance.

Fuel economy is perhaps the G80’s downfall. It’s not a light car at 2,023kg tare, it’s all-wheel drive and with a big and powerful twin-turbo V6 at the front, the turbocharged four-cylinder rivals that the G80 competes with on price use a lot less fuel. Genesis claims 10.7L/100km on a combined cycle, and we struggled to get it below 12L/100km, even with reasonable highway driving stints and that exposes one of our few criticisms of this car: there’s no hybrid, electric or even mild-hybrid variants available.

Ride & Handling: 7/10

Aside from its exterior styling and value proposition, where the 2020 Genesis G80 stands out from the pack is with its ride and handling balance – there’s no Nurburgring-tuned false sporty pretence here. Locally tuned, as are all local Hyundai Kia products, the G80 3.5T features adaptive dampers with a camera that allows the car to predict upcoming bumps and adjust the suspension for the best comfort levels, and it’s excellent…

Perhaps a little too excellent. The G80 rides softly – too softly, to be honest. We love a luxurious ride as much as the next automotive reviewer, but the G80’s suspension travel is just too large – higher-speed undulations have you riding up and down like a pogo stick!

Of course, those coming from a big 90s or 00s Aussie luxury car will feel right at home – you get big seats, it’s easy to drive and very comfortable. But we can’t help but feel as though it’s perhaps a touch underdamped – slightly firmer suspension would allow the car to ride better and be more comfortable as well.

As for handling, well the G80 is certainly no BMW 5 Series, but that’s what gives it a point of difference. Too many luxury brands attempt to provide a sports sedan experience, even in something like a base-model 520i, but Genesis knows that the majority of buyers don’t care about how fast it goes around a track, and have tuned even the handling to favour comfort over sportiness. Despite that, it’s still very sure footed and it can be fun too.

The steering is light and largely feel-free, the throttle is dull and thanks to excellent sound deadening, you can’t really hear much of what’s happening outside. We also hear that the 2.5T is the keener-driving G80, thanks to its lighter front end and lack of all-wheel drive.

Interior & Practicality: 9.5/10

Of course, the biggest part of presenting a proper premium automobile product is offering a luxurious interior, and on that front, the 2020 Genesis G80 delivers massively. Using a similar dashboard layout to the GV80 SUV that also sits on the company’s new ‘M3’ platform, the cabin of the G80 is modern, excellent quality and yet, much like the Genesis brand, marches to its own beat.

The quality of the materials is mostly excellent, with acres of soft touch plastics and leathers, real wood trim, lovely Nappa leather seating and even knurled metal controls for the switchgear. It’s built very well with an extremely solid feel – and one that’s built to last, as well. There’s none of the creaking noises from behind the dashboard that we’ve experienced in modern Audis either, it’s all rattle-free.

Centre of the 2020 Genesis G80’s dashboard is a huge 14.5-inch touchscreen that can also be controlled by a rotary dial in front of the gear selector – just be careful not to confuse the two! The screen’s quality is excellent, as are its use of colours – it’s also fully featured, with (wired) Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as inbuilt navigation with live traffic and digital radio. Matching the screen’s excellence is a pumping 21-speaker Lexicon sound system, with excellent clarity and bass.

Ahead of the driver in the 2020 Genesis G80 Luxury Package is a 3D 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, which goes beyond a normal trip computer with features such as the blind-spot camera – though no map in the dials is a touch annoying. The 12-inch colour heads-up display is excellent, though, and overall visibility is as well.

It’s a reasonably practical cabin as well – there are plenty of spots to hide your bits and bobs, including large door bins, a big centre console bin, large cup holders and even a wireless phone charger ahead of the gear selector. The rear seat’s door bins are smaller, but still reasonable, and occupants also have a huge rear centre armrest, rear blinds and a sunroof that extends to their area of the car.

Seat comfort is excellent as well, with 18 ways of adjustment for the driver’s seat in the Luxury Pack, including a wonderful massaging function – though why it’s not available for any of the passengers we’re not sure. The rear seat is equally as good, especially in the Luxury Pack with its electrically adjustable seats. Headroom and legroom is also plentiful for even taller passengers, and the twin 9.2-inch rear entertainment touchscreens are perfect for entertaining rear passengers too – they also feature an alarming amount of functionality, including changing the car’s lighting colours and even setting the entertainment.

The boot of the 2020 Genesis G80 is not as large as competitors, it must be said, at only 424-litres of space – an Audi A6 offers more than 100L more at 530L, and the A6’s rear seats fold to help practicality as well. There’s no spare wheel either, just a repair kit – at least there’s a ski port, if you’re into that.

Service & Warranty: 9.5/10

Part of the 2020 Genesis G80’s strong value equation is that the first five years or 50,000km of servicing is included in the cost of the car. That’s on top of a five-year/unlimited km warranty, and five years of roadside assistance – that’s very positive, especially when BMW and Audi still persist with shorter three-year warranties. Genesis will even valet your car and provide a loan car for each service if you live within 70km of a service centre.

Sounds like a good deal to us – especially when Audi charges $3,150 for a five-year/75,000km service plan, BMW charged $1,950 for a five-year/80,000km service plan and Mercedes-Benz charges a huge $4,800 for a five-year plan. Really, only the short 10,000km service intervals make the Genesis’ service and maintenance short of perfect – the Mercedes-Benz offers much longer 25,000km service intervals, if that matters to you.

The 2020 Genesis G80 DiscoverAuto Score: 8.6/10

It’s clear that the 2020 Genesis G80 3.5T AWD is an excellent car – certainly one of our favourites since we started DiscoverAuto. It features many great qualities, including a great value proposition, excellent build quality, a range of colours and interior trim options, strong – if not that efficient – drivetrains and pretty handsome styling to boot.

But what we love most about it is that it’s unique in the luxury sedan segment – it’s not tuned to run around racetracks, it’s not styled like every other competitor and unlike a lot of competitors, it’s pretty cost effective to run as well. Add a tiny bit of equipment to the non-Luxury Pack car, make the ride a bit firmer and add a hybrid drivetrain option and we think the 2020 Genesis G80 would be the best

Photos by Michael Frazer