Despite its name, the Genesis GV80 Coupe is a midsize, two-row SUV, albeit one with a sloping rear roofline.
Monikers aside, Hyundai’s luxury brand thought of almost everything when it came to putting this not-really-a-coupe together, and it pretty much had to, since it’s going up against other top marques.
Some of the things Hyundai thought up are especially useful. For one, the Genesis really doesn’t want you to get a traffic camera ticket.
“Speed camera ahead,” it will say, unprompted.
Also useful: When you hit the turn signal, a camera helpfully shows video of your blind spot right on the dash display.
Not everything is quite as impactful.
A “mood curator” can change the vehicle’s interior lighting and music. Moods include “vitality,” “delight,” “care,” and “comfort,” and some options come with seat massages. The car also gave me seemingly random massages, which I didn’t object to.
Also, from Hyundai’s thought-of-everything department: When you hit the windshield washer switch, outside air will be blocked from coming in. This is done “to prevent the odor of washer fluid from entering the vehicle,” according to the infotainment screen.
A built-in scent diffuser helps things smell nice, too. And the rear doors will fully close themselves if left the tiniest bit open.
When it comes to the actual driving experience, the brakes were touchy to me in sport mode but fine in comfort mode, while the twin-turbo V6 moved the SUV with ease. The dashboard said I averaged just over 17 miles per gallon.
The interior looked nifty with lots of carbon fiber, and the seats were black diamond-patterned leather with red stitching and red seat belts. I found out that the heated seat button also heats up the center armrest, which was nice.
The incredibly wide 27-inch display in front of the driver stretched seamlessly into the middle of the car, though that display liked to default to a map and hide the radio from view.
There were my usual struggles involving a rotary dial for the transmission. It didn’t help that the dial for the infotainment system was nearby and looked basically the same. Imagine the hilarity of me attempting a three-point turn. Also, the trunk floor only revealed a tire mobility kit, not a spare.
It’s worth mentioning that Genesis offers a 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty. For maintenance, you can “have your vehicle picked up wherever and whenever you choose,” per the Genesis website, under the Complimentary Service Valet program.
According to the J.D. Power 2024 Vehicle Dependability Study, Genesis ranks just below average. Consumer Reports puts the brand’s predicted reliability also just below the median. The GV80 aces crash tests from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Overall, this is a luxurious, speedy, comfortable and amply-sized SUV, designed to take on the best — a mission it largely accomplishes. All of this will set you back $87,780, in this exact case, which is apparently the cost of having every little need met.
