We recently brought you the 2017 Genesis G90, the flagship of the new Hyundai spinoff luxury brand. This week I am behind the wheel of its little sister, the G80. In years past, the G80 was known as the Hyundai Genesis. As we now know, Genesis will have two more new cars, and two SUVs in the next few years to add to the line-up.
The 2017 Genesis G80 comes in rear wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and most come with the 3.8-liter six-cylinder, but there is a 5-liter V8 available. Both engines come with an 8-speed automatic that can be shifted from paddles on the steering wheel.
You have a choice of three trim levels; the base model has a starting price of $43,900. From there the Premium package comes next, and finally, the top-of-the-line is the Ultimate.
What you see in my video is the 3.8-liter V6, rear-wheel drive Ultimate. This 3.8 with an 8-speed is putting out 311-horses.
The G80 is a visibly pretty car, set off by 18” wheels, a bold grille, a swooping roofline, a chrome strip running along the bottom of the car, and you can’t help but notice the beautiful Genesis emblems on the hood and trunk.
As you move into the interior, you see elegant premium leather seats and a mix of real wood and aluminum. There is very little plastic anywhere, and the leather heated and cooled seats are soft to the touch.
Gauges are large and easy to read, and between the tachometer and speedometer is a driver info center that lets you see your fuel economy stats, range, a digital speedometer, compass, and more.
G80 has a nice center console which houses switches for the Drive modes, the auto brake hold, cup holders, and a sliding compartment for your phone.
Also on the console are the controls to operate the 9.2” touchscreen navigation and rearview camera, and the menus to move around the screen. You operate most everything from the large round knob on the console, including Bluetooth and Genesis Blue Link.
Blue Link is a fully integrated and connected vehicle system using telematics to gather vehicle Car Care information such as Monthly Vehicle Health Report, and Automatic Crash Notifications. The system utilizes mobile apps to allow the customer to remotely start, stop, lock or unlock his or her G80.
You can operate the radio and tune it by knobs manually, or you can change everything from the steering wheel controls. The air conditioning controls sit below the touchscreen and are easy to reach and operate. The Drive Mode switch on the console allows you to change the dynamics of the car, the way it steers, and the way it shifts. You can choose Eco, Normal or Sport, which is really fun.
Headroom is good, and it has a nice sized back seat that has a fold-down center console that has rear climate controls. You can manually raise sunscreens on the back passenger doors, and there is a power sunshade that covers the back window and can be operated by the driver or the back seat passengers. Trunk space is huge and comes with a handy net to secure items back there.
The G80 Ultimate is super loaded with great features like a 17-speaker sound system, heads-up display that reads speed limit signs, a 12-way power driver and passenger seat, power tilt steering wheel, and power panoramic moonroof.
It also has keyless remote, push-button start, parking sensors in the front and back, high beam assist, and a power trunk that will open by itself if you stand behind the car with the keys in your pocket for more than 3 seconds.
On the safety front, you get blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning that will steer you back into your lane automatically, and emergency braking.
The G80 practically drives itself with the adaptive cruise control and lane keeping alert on at the same time, but if you have your hands off the wheel, which is not a good idea, the G80 will remind you every 15 seconds to grab the wheel. This way the car knows you are paying attention.
I like the way the G80 rides and drives, it is very smooth. In Sport Mode, the car handles and corners very well, and in normal mode you get a smooth luxury car ride.
Warranty and fuel economy numbers sweeten the deal. As Hyundai products are known for, it has the 10-year/100.000 mile powertrain warranty and a 5-year/60,000 mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. It also comes with 3 years of complimentary maintenance and 3 years of valet service. Your Genesis dealer will pick up your car for any service you need, give you a loaner, and bring your car back to you, all at no charge.
Fuel economy is 18 in town, 28 on the highway, which I think is good for a car this size. It's priced under $60,000. MSRP on this particular car is $51,300 and that makes me wonder how Hyundai can build a car like this, super loaded, and have a window sticker price under $60,000, like the others in its class.
Photo Credit: Genesis
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