2024 Genesis GV80 SUV
Australians don’t like to take risks with luxury cars, which is why Germany’s “big three” (BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi) have dominated the sales race and why it took brands like Lexus, Volvo and Land Rover decades to become competitive.
Genesis will hope it doesn’t take decades before it’s seen as a serious challenger to its German rivals. Hyundai Motor Company’s luxury division, Genesis, has been sold in Australia for 10 years (it launched the Hyundai Genesis sedan in 2014) but has only strengthened its own position in the past five years or so, focusing more intensively on luxury vehicles.
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The company’s latest model is an updated version of its large GV80 SUV, which will be a direct rival to the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz GLE, and Audi Q7 — in other words, a model that sits at the heart of the luxury market.
To ensure it’s competitive, Genesis has opted to double down on its luxury ambitions, offering a more premium (and more expensive) product from 2024 onwards. The improved GV80 gets a dramatically revamped interior, the centrepiece of which is a massive 27-inch OLED display that serves as the instrument and infotainment screen. Unlike most other luxury cars with a similar setup, which split two screens into one housing, the Genesis version is one continuous display.
2024 Genesis GV80 SUV
The cabin design and materials also exude a premium feel. Nine interior colour options are available, including real wood and real carbon fibre inlays. A premium Bang & Olufsen sound system and UV-C sterilisation system complete the luxurious interior.
Indeed, when you step into the GV80 you really do feel like you’re driving a luxury car. There’s not the slightest hint of it having anything to do with Hyundai, and every aspect looks and feels bespoke. The quality of the materials really stands out, and it really feels luxurious.
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That feeling continues when you press the start button to fire up the 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine – the only engine currently available for the GV80 as Genesis Australia has focused on simplifying its line-up, dropping the previously offered V6 turbo diesel and four-cylinder turbo petrol engines.
That’s not a bad thing, because the V6 petrol engine produces 279kW of power and 530Nm of torque, offering solid, if not spectacular, performance and the kind of quiet, relaxing and well-powered engine that luxury car buyers have come to expect.
2024 Genesis GV80 SUV
The same can be said about the driving experience: it doesn’t reset the segment benchmark, but it does hold its own against the competition, with the same levels of quietness, refinement and comfort you’d expect from a modern luxury car.
The only major drawback to the driving experience is the constant beeps and buzzes from the car’s many safety systems. In an age where so much technology is required, from driver attention assists to lane keeping to speed monitoring, in theory this makes driving safer, but it also creates distraction and makes things somewhat less safe.
Still, it doesn’t detract from the overall premium experience the GV80 offers, so it’ll be interesting to see if Genesis can attract even more buyers to its more upscale offering. The brand’s sales are down about 20% in the first half of 2024, a surprising change from its steady growth thus far.
But there is hope for Genesis, and it comes in the form of the Lexus RX. Toyota’s luxury brand has taken a slow and steady approach, bit by bit edging out the German brands and successfully positioning itself relatively close to BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Specifically, the RX is a large SUV that is set to outsell both the Q7 and GLE in the first half of 2024.
But that’s for the future, and for now, the GV80 is a car worth considering for anyone considering the likes of the Lexus RX, Audi Q7 or BMW X5.
