Genesis G80 drive by Steve Rogers
If looks alone sold cars this would be a best seller.
People are often interested in cars I drive but the
Genesis G80 stole the show. May be they were looking at the badge and wondering
‘what the heck is that’?
More likely they were wowed by its stunning design,
bold in your face grille and stylish wafer thin headlight signature. Make no
mistake G80 is eye candy.
So why don’t we see Genesis models flooding our roads?
Here’s the story (briefly).
Genesis is a new premium brand funded by Hyundai and
launched during the pandemic in 2021. Not a great start. Oh, and there are no
flashy showrooms, the cars are sold online, the customer getting a virtual tour
of the models, buys one and gets a personal assistant who looks after you for
the duration. Any problems and the car is collected and the customer left with
a courtesy car.
Initially marketing was concentrated in London and
south east but the message has spread quicker than expected and test drives are
now being arranged nationwide.
G80 is the flagship saloon and has a job on its hands
because the opposition is the dominant German trio, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz,
with Jaguar XF, Volvo S90 and Lexus ES providing another hurdle.
So does it measure up to the opposition, and is it
value for money? Hyundai is too savvy to do things by half measures and have
ploughed money and expertise into its premium brand. G80 does not look good
just on the outside, the cabin has a true luxury look and feel with high
quality materials and finish and can match the big names. My passengers were
stunned by what they saw.
It comes in three trim levels, rear wheel or all wheel
drive, with a starting price of £41,650, is well equipped although to be really
pampered go to the Luxury model which has just about everything you would
expect on a premium car and more.
Major functions are power assisted, even for adjusting
the steering wheel, front seats have 12-way adjustment, are ventilated or
heated, there is a belting sound system, 360 degree camera, and you are
protected by an impressive list of safety features.
G80 has bucked the trend for the wide screen style
dashboard display opting for a more conventional twin digital dial binnacle and
a central 8in screen for navigation, radio, general information, mobile phone
connections et cetera. Thankfully heating related functions are dealt with in a
digital display which can be affected by sun glare but let’s not make too much
of that because it is looks classy.
And let’s hand out bonus points for a rotary
controller for the screen functions which is far safer than leaning forward and
dabbing through touchscreen menus.
Bucket shaped rear seats mean the car is best suited
as a four seater, it takes five but the middle passenger sits perched up and
has to contend with a wide transmission tunnel.
Performance from the petrol 2.5 litre turbo is brisk
via an eight speed automatic box but economy is not a strong point and you will
be lucky to get more than 30mpg.
So everything in the garden is generally rosy but there
is always a but and in the case of G80 it is the ride. Premium saloon buyers
expect a magic carpet ride which you get it in an Audi A6 or Mercedes E-Class
but you will not get it in the G80. This is not an Achilles heal, more a
sprained ankle because it is comfortable enough on motorways and good A-road tarmac but a tad choppy on lesser
roads.
The Genesis brand is no half hearted attempt to put a
spoke into the German juggernaut and G80 is a fine first effort and good value
with a five year warranty and five years free servicing.
Backer Hyundai is in no rush and will iron out any
niggles down the line but it is going to take time so do not expect to be
seeing a mass of Genesis models on our roads just yet.
Fast facts
Genesis G80 Luxury Line
£47,950 (£54,280 with extras)
2.5 litre turbo, 8-speed auto AWD
0-62mph 6secs; 155mph
31.2mpg combined
210g/km. 1st tax £1,420
Insurance group 43
Boot 424 litres
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