Genesis GV80 review: Upstart luxury SUV takes the fight to the Germans

You might not have heard of this brand yet, but it has landed in Australia and is ready to take on the Germans with an exciting new SUV.

Genesis is the new luxury kid on the block, it is taking the fight to the Germans by offering lots of bang for your buck and bulletproof reliability.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Genesis GV80 large SUV.

Hyundai is following the same path as Toyota did with Lexus.

It’s Hyundai’s answer to the Lexus RX

Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury sub-brand and it follows a similar formula to Toyota’s Lexus offshoot, offering a cheaper, better equipped and more reliable alternative to the big three German luxury brands. For the past two years it has ranked higher than BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi in JD Power’s authoritative US vehicle dependability study. The GV80 lines up against popular large luxury SUVs such as the BMW X5 Audi Q7. It’s not cheap — drive-away prices start at a fraction short of six figures for the rear-drive, five-seater 2.5-litre turbo petrol version and top out at about $118,000 for the all-wheel-drive 3.5-litre turbo V6. A 3.0-litre diesel sits in between at about $113,000. The price points are brave when you can get into a diesel Q7 or X5 for about $115,000, but the upstart offers more bang for the same bucks.

Genesis has been on sale in the US for several years and has performed well in reliability surveys.

The level of standard kit is generous

Designers have gone all out to match the luxury finishes found in German rivals. The genuine leather upholstery is matched by real wood highlights on the dash, centre console and doors, while the ambient lighting gives the cabin an up-market glow at night. The front seats are heated and ventilated, the narrow, long centre screen has sharp, modern graphics and the 12-inch head-up display gives you all the vital information in your line of sight. Tech goodies include Apple CarPlay/Android Audio, digital radio, satnav with live traffic updates, wireless phone charging, hands-free tailgate and a booming 21-speaker audio system. An optional $10,000 luxury package ups the ante with quilted Nappa leather seats, suede headlining, a digital cockpit display, remote parking and more driver aids.

The interior is impressive with high-quality materials used throughout.

Safety is well covered

The GV80 has an array of driver aids to stop you from making a fatal mistake. It will slam on the brakes if it detects a potential crash with another car, cyclist or pedestrian, keep you from drifting out of your lane on the freeway and analyse your driving inputs to detect whether you’re becoming fatigued. Warnings will flash in the side mirrors and on the head-up display if there’s a car in your blind spot. When you indicate, a video feed of the road behind you will let you know whether it’s safe to go. If all else fails, ten airbags will cushion you from the impact of a crash.

The GV80 competes with the BMW X5 and Audi Q7.

Owners are well looked after

Genesis has taken a leaf out of the Lexus manual by wooing customers with the promise of first-class treatment after you buy the car. The standard warranty of five years — longer than Audi or BMW — is backed up with five years of free service and roadside assistance. Customers within 70km of the Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane CBD are eligible for a concierge service where a representative will pick up your car when it’s due for a service and leave you a loan car.

It’s not all good news

As with a luxury watch, part of the ownership experience is the satisfaction you get from owning the very best in terms of design and engineering innovation. Unfortunately, the GV80 lags behind the Germans in this regard. All three engines are refined and have plenty of punch — from the 224kW four-cylinder turbo to the 204kW diesel and 279kW turbo V6 — but they are thirsty compared with rivals. During our time with the turbo four we averaged close to 15L/100km in city driving, while the V6 used even more. The GV80 also lacks the composure and balance of a Q7 or X5 through corners and on bumpy surfaces.

Originally published as Genesis GV80 review: Upstart luxury SUV takes the fight to the Germans