I Drove The 2025 Genesis G80 2.5T Prestige. Here's My Brutally Honest Take originally appeared on Autoblog.
A challenger enters the ring
For a long time, it seemed like the Germans had a chokehold on wealthy Americans with their posh, comfortable, and remarkably agile land yacht luxury sedans. The Brits tried their hand at capturing the hearts of the Yanks with their growly, V8-powered Jaguar and Aston Martin convertibles, but they never caught on as well as BMW, Mercedes, or Audi have. For a moment, Japan entered the market with reliable and stylish models from Lexus, America brought in big guns from Lincoln and Mercury, but it was quite hard to shake Bimmers from the top. Especially since, for the price, the others didn’t come with quite as much. Most were leather-laden, huge, and squishy, but lacked the spirit the Germans had.
Then South Korea quietly emerged with Genesis, namely the G80 sedan. Compared to its competitors, the styling is a little muted, but that’s all part of the brand’s strategy. Like your mother always said, it’s what’s on the inside (and under the hood) that counts. With a price range of $58,350 for the 2.5T and $78,250 for the 3.5T Sport Prestige, it puts its competitors at a disadvantage. If they don’t make their sedans truly unique, more buyers will flock to Genesis to have the same (or more) features for a significantly lower price. After driving a 2.5T Sport Prestige for a week, I understand now why Genesis owners want to keep the small luxury brand under wraps.
Don’t be fooled–the 3.5T has plenty of pep, but there’s more if you want it
The Genesis G80 I drove had the larger 3.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. It seems like a modest amount for a sedan that weighs 4,200 lbs, but the 8-speed automatic transmission shifted smoothly and swiftly. There are a few different drive modes: Eco, Sport, Comfort, Snow, and a Custom mode. In Custom, you can adjust the steering feel, throttle response, and suspension stiffness (it's standard on the 3.5T Sport Prestige; otherwise, it’s fixed for the 2.5T). Eco is the default drive mode, but it’s obviously very comfortable in Sport mode. The model I drove was AWD, but the standard configuration is 2WD, which helps with mileage, but doesn’t feel as planted.
If you want decent power but better mileage, you can save a few Gs for the 2.5-liter turbo four that whips up 300 horsepower. Paired with all-wheel drive would be an amazing combination, but you’d have to be prepared to visit your local gas station a lot more often, especially since it’s not likely you’ll be in Eco mode a majority of the time. This is the most expensive option, but it’s still plenty powerful. Both engines have a very pleasant exhaust note, too.
The G80’s ride quality feels like first class, every time
The Genesis was delivered to me the day before I returned from a work trip. My home flight came in late, thanks to a four-hour delay, so I asked my husband if he could install the car seats for me and pick me up in the G80. Let me tell you–throwing my luggage into the cavernous trunk, getting into the passenger’s seat of a G80 after a grueling flight, stricken with hunger, exhausted, in need of a shower and a strong drink, felt like a warm hug on a cold day. The seats were extremely comfortable, and there was about a mile of foot space, a place to put my elbow on each side, and the seat’s bolstering helped keep me steady after such a long day. My toddlers loved looking at the moon through the large panoramic sunroof and enjoyed “magically” changing the ambient lighting settings (I’d adjust it from the center media screen). The only thing my oldest didn’t like about it was not being able to kick the back of my chair because there was so much space between the passenger’s seat and the rear.
The driver’s seat was even better. The steering feel was perfectly balanced and only subtly changed depending on the drive modes. Bolstering was just the right amount–just enough to be comfortable running daily errands, but also stiff enough to remind you that you can take the long, windy way back home and not have to worry about being thrown around. I typically don’t like sedans because of the low seating position, high door panels, and small windows, but the G80 had excellent visibility compared to its competition. It came with a myriad of cameras, but I rarely needed them. Except when reversing, since the Genesis is the length of a football field (196.7 inches), and the rear window is tiny.
Once I was able to test the Sport mode, I truly experienced the G80’s best-kept secret: the power. It’s tame in Eco, but once in Sport, it really comes to life. Whether I was bringing my husband coffee at work or driving to Safeway, the G80 was a completely different animal. The duality made me excited to drive it every single day.
With kids, you’re better off buying the GV80
My toddler’s car seats were very easy to install, with easily visible upper and lower latch and tether points that were simple to secure. However, getting my youngest in and out was rough due to the very low entry point and roofline. My oldest loved how easy it was to crawl in and out of, and they both loved the large windows and sunroof, but bending over and picking up my youngest was quite the feat when I also had to manage an eager three-year-old in a Costco parking lot. The G80 would be a great car to cart older kids around, but I struggled with my toddlers. For toddlers or infants, I’d recommend the GV80, since it has everything I love about the G80–down to the length and engine options–but with a higher roofline and more ground clearance (and electronic rear window shades–truly a game changer. The shades in the G80 were manual).
Otherwise, if you’re not looking to upgrade by trading in your Camry for the G80, it’s perfectly fine. Adults have plenty of room in the rear seats. Both my husband and I rode in the back, and we both felt like we were being chauffeured with all the amenities offered to rear passengers.
The interior was very technology-focused, intuitive, clean, and vibrant
One of my favorite features about any Genesis vehicle I’ve tested was the interior. The G80 I reviewed had the Vanilla Beige interior, but it can be configured with a luxe and sophisticated “obsidian black” color. Black is a bit boring to me, so I enjoyed the break from the typical interior color. The vanilla was paired with a royal navy accent color on the dashboard and wood paneling on the center console, which added a pop of color and helped keep things fresh. The white wasn’t particularly fond of my toddlers and their dirty shoes or sticky fingers, but they were surprisingly easy to keep clean if they did spill their milk or juice. Regular cleaning and conditioning would keep the seats bright and supple, no problem.
The 20.7-inch OLED screen was crisp, responsive, and very easy to figure out, and all the gauges and driver information section was simple to customize. It’s cheesy, but I loved that the screen’s background would change depending on the weather or time of day. When my husband picked me up from the airport, it was dark and raining, so the driver's screen had raindrops in the background with a little moon in the corner. Android Auto was so easy to set up that my toddler could probably do it, and the connection was always quick and seamless. Call quality was excellent, and the Bang & Olufsen sound system was crisp–thanks to a ton of speakers and a dedicated subwoofer. Less common controls were on the screen, but many frequently used controls, like A/C, seat heating/ventilation, and media settings, were “buttons” on a dedicated space above the wireless chargers.
The charging rate of the wireless phone charger can be adjusted to be either slow or fast, or can be turned off completely, which I adored. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve picked my phone up from the charging spot to nearly burn my fingers. Since many manufacturers are gearing towards making the charging spot the main storage area for a phone, it was nice to know I can choose to charge my phone or to keep it in a designated, safe area. I know Genesis isn’t the only one to make charging optional, but it was a nice change from other cars I’ve reviewed.
Its competitors should be taking notes, specifically the feature-to-price ratio
The closest competitors to the Genesis G80 are the BMW 5 Series sedans, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans, and the Audi A6. Lexus has entered the ring with the all-new 2026 Lexus ES, and Cadillac gets a good jab in with the CT5 sedan. The Volvo S90 is on its way out, but I’d argue it still presents some solid competition for Genesis. Price-wise, the Lexus is the least expensive, with a starting price projected to be around $42,000. The Cadillac CT5 ranges between $47,595 and just over $58,000 (unless you count the Blackwing, which maxes out at $141,000) and comes with a loud and proud engine with expected Caddie-esque luxury. The BMW 5 Series starts at around $10,000 more, offering more engine options and renowned driving dynamics, but a less tech-forward interior, and no leather unless you opt for an upgrade. The maximum MSRP for the BMW 5 Series is just above $84,000 if we include the EV and PHEV models.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is significantly more expensive, with a starting price of $63,600 and a maximum price of $91,500 if we count the AMG or hybrid models. Genesis doesn’t offer any hybrids (at least not yet), but it does have a few EVs to choose from, which are equally luxurious for a fair price. The GV60 is the smallest one, the GV70 is the feisty middle child, and there is an all-electric G80, just not in America.
Compared to the creature comforts, safety features, amenities, sound system quality, connectivity, interior color options, and design, the Genesis G80 has a lot to offer with a price range between $58,350 and $78,250. Genesis’s ride quality, driver features, comfort level, and feature list make it feel significantly more expensive than it is, which is greatly appreciated, as luxury cars seem to be becoming less and less attainable.
Final thoughts
Genesis is still fairly new (and don’t you dare say anything about Hyundai being the parent company), but it hit the market with a car that feels like it’s been developed, refined, and perfected over decades. It’s balanced, it’s fun, it’s beautiful, and it comes from the factory ready to impress the skeptics with a wonderful driving feel, gorgeous interior, and lively engine options. The only tough thing was the low roofline and entry point with car seats and toddlers, otherwise, it was damn near perfect–and I don’t even really like sedans. I hope Genesis sets a new standard for luxury cars. Just because something’s name brand doesn’t mean it has to make people go broke, and the G80 proves that.
I Drove The 2025 Genesis G80 2.5T Prestige. Here's My Brutally Honest Take first appeared on Autoblog on Aug 18, 2025
This story was originally reported by Autoblog on Aug 18, 2025, where it first appeared.
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