The GV80 is the first SUV from Genesis, and it’s likely to put Hyundai’s luxury brand on the radar screen for many buyers. We found it to be quick, quiet, beautifully-appointed, and enjoyable to drive. Its two biggest downsides—a frustrating infotainment system and sub-par fuel economy—could give buyers pause when shopping against other luxury midsized SUVs such as the Audi Q7 and BMW X5, though.
The driving experience is an absolute treat, thanks in large part to our test vehicle’s uplevel turbocharged V6. It belts out a super-smooth 375 horsepower and gets up to speed lickety-split, running from 0 to 60 mph in 6.0 seconds, making it one of the quickest in the class. The eight-speed automatic transmission works in perfect harmony with the engine, providing nearly imperceptible shifts exactly when the driver needs them. Unfortunately, our tested all-wheel-drive model (rear-wheel drive comes standard) only managed 18 mpg overall, which is a few mpg behind the GV80’s direct competitors.
A 300-hp, 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine comes standard. We found it powerful enough to move the GV80 with decent alacrity, but there’s no question that the turbo V6 is a better fit, thanks to its lush power delivery and deep well of reserve forward thrust.
Curvy roads are no threat to this planted and composed SUV. Quick, well-weighted steering and minimal body roll help it carve through corners with ease, with a tautness that brings to mind the GV80’s European competitors. The suspension is firm but delivers a comfortable ride that remains settled and controlled over most road imperfections, and the interior stays quiet.
The finely-crafted cabin includes matte wood, leather, chrome, and plenty of padded surfaces. Attention to detail is impressive, from the textured buttons and knobs to the fine stitchwork. The front seats are wide and supportive with thick torso bolsters. The center console hems in the driver’s right knee a bit, but there’s good padding there, and the armrests and left footrest are well-placed. We found the rear seat less impressive, as it’s short on thigh support and tight on foot space. A third-row seat is optional, but it’s tiny, as is the case with most midsized, three-row SUVs.
The biggest knock against the GV80—and one that could seriously turn off buyers—is the interaction with the controls and infotainment system. Although beautiful to look at, the infotainment system’s controller dial requires a level of precision to use it that takes the driver’s eyes away from the road for too long. Also, some buttons on the center console and the steering wheel are silver on silver, and thus lack proper contrast in the daytime. Finally, the unconventional operation of the rotary gear selector makes it too easy to end up in Reverse when trying to shift to Park.
Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, lane departure warning, and lane keeping assistance all come standard. On most versions, the blind spot warning system includes a video image of the adjacent lane within the instrument cluster when the driver flicks the turn signal on. We had mixed feelings about this feature; on the one hand, it’s tempting to rely on the camera image instead of looking at your side mirrors, but it also adds driver-distraction and potentially more eyes-off-the-road time.