arstechnica.com
good seats The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe proves to be a real crowd-pleaser The Korean automaker has come a long way in 10 years. Jonathan M. Gitlin Mar 3, 2025 12:37 pm | 7 This SUV drew more compliments than most of the cars we've tested recently. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin This SUV drew more compliments than most of the cars we've tested recently. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreWatching Genesis' cars evolve and mature over the years has been interesting. Originally part of Hyundai's lineup, Genesis stood up as a brand in its own right at the end of 2015. Those early Hyundai-badged Genesises (Geneses?) were impressive considering the H on the nose, the dealerships they were found in, and the price out the door. The soft bigotry of low expectations, perhaps.As Genesis has become its own thing, its vehicles no longer get that kind of benefit of the doubt. They have to stand against competitors from established luxury brands, the old-timers from Europe and now-middle-aged Japanese competitors. Recruiting the people associated with many of Bentley and Audi's more memorable designs was a good move in that regard.This GV80 Coupe's design proved to be a hit with neighbors and the general publicfew cars we've tested in the past couple of years have garnered as many compliments. The coupe was a relatively recent addition to the normal GV80 SUV, sacrificing a little volume at the back for a rakish ducktail rear end. All four corners are wrapped in what's now Genesis' light signature, a pair of thin horizontal stripes with microlens arrays supplying the brightness at the front. Modern lighting technology allows for the twin line light signature. Jonathan Gitlin Modern lighting technology allows for the twin line light signature. Jonathan Gitlin At the rear, a cute ducktail spoiler. Jonathan Gitlin At the rear, a cute ducktail spoiler. Jonathan Gitlin Modern lighting technology allows for the twin line light signature. Jonathan Gitlin At the rear, a cute ducktail spoiler. Jonathan Gitlin As much as everyone else liked the exterior, I think it's the interior that shows how far Genesis has come. That includes seemingly minor stuff, including the size of the typefaces or the amount of visual noise. It's been with this final few percent that previous cars from Genesis haven't quite matched up to the best in class, but that's a much harder argument to make about this one. It feels a bit more cohesive and less cluttered than previous Genesis designs.The 27-inch OLED screen combines the main instrument display and an infotainment screen. It's a big improvement on what you'll find in older GV80s (and G80sand GV70s), and the native system is by no means unpleasant to use. Although with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, most drivers will probably just cast their phones. That will require a wirewhile there is a Qi wireless charging pad, I was not able to wirelessly cast my iPhone using CarPlay; I had to plug into the USB-C port. (The press specs say it should have wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, for what it's worth.)Having a jog dial to interact with the infotainment is a plus in terms of driver distraction, but that's immediately negated by having to use a touchscreen for the climate controls.Beyond those gripes, the dark leather and contrast stitching look and feel good, and I appreciate the way the driver's seat side bolsters hug you a little tighter when you switch into Sport mode or accelerate hard in one of the other modes. Our week with the Genesis GV80 coincided with some below-freezing weather, and I was glad to find that the seat heaters got warm very quicklywithin a block of leaving the house, in fact. The interior is a big tech upgrade over last year's GV80, but it's not perfect. Genesis The interior is a big tech upgrade over last year's GV80, but it's not perfect. Genesis This carbon fiber trim is rather attractive. Genesis This carbon fiber trim is rather attractive. Genesis The interior is a big tech upgrade over last year's GV80, but it's not perfect. Genesis This carbon fiber trim is rather attractive. Genesis I was also grateful for the fact that the center console armrest warms up when you turn on your seat heaterI'm not sure I've come across that feature in a car until now.Tempting the former boss of BMW's M division, Albert Biermann, away to set up Genesis' vehicle dynamics department was also a good move. Biermann has been retired for a while now, but he evidently passed on some skills before that happened. The GV80 Coupe is particularly well-damped and won't bounce you around in your seat over low-speed obstacles like potholes or speed bumps that, in other SUVs, can result in the occupants being shaken from side to side in their seats.With 409 hp (305 kW) and 405 lb-ft (550 Nm) from the 3.5 L V6, you could probably generate enough lateral Gs on a skidpad to keep everyone pinned to their seats instead. The engine uses a pair of turbochargers, plus a 48 V electric supercharger. The supercharger operates below 1,750 rpm, boosting torque before there are sufficient exhaust gasses for the turbochargers to be effective. You won't hear the traditional engine-driven supercharger whine from under the hood, though.There's also a 48 V mild hybrid starter/generator that can add some torque fill, but in the cold weather, I wasn't able to average better than a not-great 18 mpg (13 L/100 km) compared to the 20 mpg (11.8 L/100 km) on the sticker. Sadly, there's no hybrid or EV version of the GV80 coupeGenesis has put its very good EV powertrain in the smaller GV70 SUV, as well as the G80 sedan, so there's probably no technical reason that it couldn't go in one of these GV80 Coupes, too. I'm too short to tell you if rear headroom is compromised by the more rakish roofline. Genesis I'm too short to tell you if rear headroom is compromised by the more rakish roofline. Genesis How about an electric version? Jonathan Gitlin How about an electric version? Jonathan Gitlin I'm too short to tell you if rear headroom is compromised by the more rakish roofline. Genesis How about an electric version? Jonathan Gitlin On the other hand, the added weight of a lithium-ion battery would do deleterious things to the curb weight and asking price. For this turbo- and supercharged V6, the MSRP is an already-hefty $85,750, although a less-powerful V6 version that doesn't use the electric supercharger is $5,800 cheaper and comes with almost the same equipment, bar slightly smaller wheels and without the rather handsome carbon fiber trim.Jonathan M. GitlinAutomotive EditorJonathan M. GitlinAutomotive Editor Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica's automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC. 7 Comments