Tested: 2021 Genesis G80 2.5T luxury outer wrap in value

Richly equipped and beautifully built, genesis’s redesigned G80 resembles the well-known mid-size luxury sedans but costs thousands less.

To become a globally accepted luxury car manufacturer: attractive products — natural — and time. Although Hyundai has been selling cars in the United States under the name Genesis since 2008, Genesis only became a separate brand in 2015. That’s just a small sign from the long history of long-standing brands like Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. It will take some time for Genesis to become a familiar name in the affluent lands of America. But the new Genesis G80 shows that Hyundai’s ambitious luxury division already knows how to build the right vehicle.

The redesigned G80 sedan is a very different car than the previous generation. It reminds us of a sassy teenager who, seemingly after just one night, grew up from a sassy child to a young, mature person. The transformation of the G80 begins with its well-designed metal plate, which is full of careful details. Note the surrounding headlights and suitable front mudguard lights. Its contours are sleek but not rooted, and its proportions make up its presence. Unfortunately, Genesis has embraced the trend of luxury design for funny oversized mesh panels, but unlike that, we think the G80 creates a premium look.

HIGHS: Luxurious furniture, features and rich equipment, great price.

Built on Genesis’ new M3 rear-wheel-drive architecture, the base length, overall length, and width are 1 to 2 inches larger than its main midsize competitors: the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, and Mercedes E-class. That may not sound like much difference, but Genesis used those excess inches to create impressive interior space on the G80. It feels half bigger than the German trio.

Even more impressive is the luxurious atmosphere of the cabin. The interior of the G80 is stylish, elegant, and beautifully made from high-end materials. The dashboard scans throughout the cabin and is decorated with matte finishing wooden accents and is equipped with a 14.5-inch info screen that looks half larger. Upholstered seats at the front door are sewn in a cool wave style repeated on the luxury seats. Just like in the new GV80 SUV that the G80 shares in architecture and design, the metal shifter knob and info informal swivel button of the sedan are designed. Other and additive controls have an attractive polished metal finish.

The G80 series offers two engine options – a 2.5-liter 300-horsepower in-line inducing engine or a 3.5-liter dual-voltage 375-horsepower V-6 engine – along with the option of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and three-wheel drive. Levels. Our rear-wheel-drive test car is equipped with a four-cylinder Prestige trim package and top specifications, giving it everything you’d expect in a luxury sedan — from a 21-speaker Lexicon sound system to a range of proactive safety features that support the ability to play a variety of calming natural sounds through an information system. We especially liked the cozy dull style of the Rain soundtrack.

LOW: Oversized cheese grille, seat massage function, does anyone know what Genesis is?
The Prestige package also includes Genesis’s Ergo Motion multi-point adjustable front seat, which has lightweight massage capabilities. But their weak vibrating action is like an uneasy back rub from your important person who wants to binge-watch “Succession.”

The chair massage function may be the only place where the German rival has a significant advantage over the G80. Genesis er leads as well as the base four-cylinder versions of its rivals. Its turbo-four engine was muted at low speeds and provided greater thrust, accelerating the 4,143-pound sedan to 60 miles per hour in 5.7 seconds. The gearboxes of the standard eight-level automatic gearbox are coordinated smoothly. The driving quality is tough, the handling is nimble enough to appeal to the border and the G80 only releases 66 decibels of internal noise at 70 miles per hour – just like the Bentley Flying Spur.

Although its name does not bear the gold star brand value, the Genesis G80 is still attractive because of its great value. Its base price was $48,725 and even the $58,025 sticker of our well-equipped test car lowered the prices of similarly equipped rivals. Lexus has proven that this strategy works if there is enough time. The G80 is a luxury car just waiting for its reputation to catch up.

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