DRIVEN: 2021 Genesis G80 Takes On The Elite, But How Does It Stack Up In The Real World?

Genesis has one of the best lineups of any luxury manufacturer at the moment. That's bold to say considering the alternatives – but look at the product. The latest G90 is a full-sized hit, the GV80 (which we drove last week) wowed us in our early impression, and the G70 was a standout from the start – now it looks even better with the brand's new look.

As for the 2021 Genesis G80, it follows the same blueprint: thoughtful styling, heaps of luxury, and lots of standard safety. This once innocuous and often overlooked mid-sizer is now a real competitor in a very tough segment. And after spending a week with it, we’re well convinced that the G80 is the very best car that Genesis makes – in fact, it could be the best option in the entire class.

MDarringer - 10/26/2020 5:54:40 PM

+1 Boost

On what planet: "The latest G90 is a full-sized hit"?

mpls - 10/26/2020 6:21:48 PM

+2 Boost

Not very appealing Genesis/Hyundai. Finished copying Lexus/BMW now it;s onto Merc and Jaguar.

MDarringer - 10/26/2020 9:01:10 PM

+1 Boost

Hyundai needs to buy a name. I'm sure the Indians would be thrilled to lose Jaguar. The G90 would make a brilliant XJ. The real XJ isn't good enough to be a Genesis. Maybe Stellantis would ditch Maserati even.

cidflekken - 10/26/2020 11:35:27 PM

+3 Boost

Well Motor trend just posted a comparison of the 3.5L G80 vs. the E450 and it sounds like it wasn't really a close competition. Though the as-tested prices were significantly different, with the Benz hitting almost $80K, it was still easily declared the victor. To be truthful, I was very surprised by the result.

bnilhome - 10/27/2020 8:37:30 AM

0 Boost

Genesis needs to call it a day and Hyundai needs to make Kia their premium brand moving forward. Why?

1. Genesis sales are not great and their designs are worse than some Kias today.

2. Kia already has dealerships which is something Genesis needs.

3. We live in an SUV world and it's taken Genesis over 10 years to have an SUV to offer. Meanwhile, the Telluride has shown the success Kia can have in the SUV market.

cidflekken - 10/27/2020 10:52:42 AM

+3 Boost

Kia can't compete in the non-premium segment, what makes you think they can compete in the premium segment? The Telluride is the only competitive product they have and it still falls behind the segment leaders in sales, despite the tremendous exposure and hype it has received. It still lags behind even one of the older models, the Pilot and is far behind the Highlander.
And the Kia dealerships that I've seen are not located in areas to be competitive with other premium brands.

bnilhome - 10/27/2020 1:11:39 PM

+2 Boost

Well the Telluride is doing better than any Genesis product has to date. Customers have had to wait months in some cases for the Telluride and are paying well above premium. I am not aware of any Genesis products that can claim the same. Moreover, Genesis has been trying to become a premium brand for a decade and have made one mistake after another. It's gotten to the point where they missed the boat and will never be taken seriously. I would rather see Hyundai invest in one premium brand than two and think that Kia has more going for it than Genesis.

cidflekken - 10/28/2020 12:00:14 AM

+1 Boost

It doesn't matter if that the Telluride is doing better than Genesis. That's such an invalid comparison point especially considering the GV80 hasn't even been released to dealerships yet. the Telluride starts at a lower price point. The appropriate comparison points for the "success" or perceived success of the Telluride is against its direct peer rivals.

bnilhome - 10/28/2020 10:47:04 AM

+1 Boost

The point is that the Telluride has been deemed a premium SUV by many car outlets who have compared it to some other premium/luxury brands. There are buyers willing to purchase Kia as a premium brand, and given they already have dealerships, I don't believe it would be too difficult for Hyundia motors to focus on one mainstream brand (Hyundai) and one premium brand (Kia). This venture with Genesis has been a mess from the beginning and it does not appear to be turning around.