For some cars I review it takes much deliberation and research to be able to develop a decisive opinion, but after only 20 minutes of research on the GV80 I came to a conclusion. The new GV80, like any other Genesis model, comes down purely to the idea of perspective. It’s a nice car, make no mistake, but whether you would actually buy one, well that depends on what you count as favorable or unfavorable. 

One aspect that I feel is hard to argue is this car’s strength: its aesthetic. I believe that with a car like this Genesis are not only targeting competition such as Lexus or Infiniti, but also potentially providing a threat to the German manufacturers such as BMW and Audi that have traditionally dominated this portion of the market. Simply by looking better than any of its immediate competitors, I think that the GV80 makes a case for itself to at least be included in the discussion. When examining the shape of the car and lines of the body I get a whiff of Bentely Bentayga, which is not a bad quality at all. With amenities such as a two-toned leather steering wheel and diamond quilted seats, the interior is filled with the cliche luxuries you would expect of a pricier car, but not necessarily expect from a Genesis. Therein lies the GV80’s advantage. 

The performance of the car as of now is something that can be discussed with more speculation than fact admittedly, but based on some pragmatic thinking I can somewhat confidently say what this car will be like to drive. The GV80 comes with a choice of three engines: a turbocharged 2.5 liter, turbocharged 3.5 liter, or a turbocharged 3.5 liter diesel engine. On paper, the power output of both the gas powered engines is actually quite comparable to that of a mid-range BMW X5 and at the same time both cars have curb weights which are in similar ranges. Something not so encouraging, however, is the fact that the car was built upon the chassis used in the Hyundai Palisade. To compete with the best cars in its class, the GV80 needs to be able to be sporty as well, which with this chassis I find it will be difficult to achieve. Not to say that it will be slower than its rivals, but I certainly do not think it would provide the same excitement or driving experience that its German competition offers. 

Simply put, this is how I view the Genesis GV80: the GV80 is like the less flattering cousin of the Bentley Bentayga that is still interesting in its own way. This takes me back to the idea of perspective that I mentioned earlier. The fact that the GV80 has many traits of other more expensive luxury SUVs while still being relatively affordable (starting at just under $50k for the base model) may be enticing to some as they see it as a great deal. To others, owning a car such as this may seem like an attempt at buying into this luxury lifestyle which in reality comes up just a little short. To be quite honest I can’t make the decision for myself whether the car is a rip-off or great value, but I suspect there is no one answer to this. It’s all a matter of perspective. 

Citations:

“2021 Genesis GV80: A Detailed Look At The New Luxury SUV”. Motor1.Com, 2020, https://www.motor1.com/features/396303/genesis-gv80-first-look-video/. Accessed 21 Mar 2020.

“New 2021 Genesis GV80 Is A Stylish 3-Row Luxury SUV”. Consumer Reports, 2020, https://www.consumerreports.org/suvs/2021-genesis-gv80-is-stylish-three-row-luxury-suv/. Accessed 21 Mar 2020.

“Genesis GV80”. En.Wikipedia.Org, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_GV80. Accessed 21 Mar 2020.

“2021 Genesis GV80 First Look | Kelley Blue Book”. Kelley Blue Book, 2020, https://www.kbb.com/articles/car-news/2021-genesis-gv80-first-look/. Accessed 21 Mar 2020.

“2021 Genesis GV80 Luxury Crossover SUV Deserves Attention”. The Car Connection, 2020, https://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1126982_2021-genesis-gv80-luxury-crossover-suv-deserves-attention. Accessed 21 Mar 2020.