2025 Genesis G80 First Drive Review
The G80 sedan helped launch the Genesis brand, and it gets significant updates for 2025.
Perry Stern
As the only Korean luxury car brand in the United States, Genesis is unique. Eight years after it launched, the automaker now offers a stylish lineup of SUVs and sedans, and the G80 is the freshest of them all. For 2025, the midsize luxury sedan is receiving numerous improvements to entice buyers.
The G80 resides between the smaller G70 and larger flagship G90 sedans, and it was one of the original Genesis models available. Here's a fun fact: Before it was the Genesis G80, it was the Hyundai Genesis.
That original G80 received a redesign for the 2021 model year, and since then, it's set itself apart from rivals such as the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It's packed with high-end features and materials, and to my eyes, its standout looks provide an appealing exclusivity.
Perry Stern
This year, the 2025 Genesis G80 receives freshened exterior styling and an updated cabin that provides a satisfying blend of luxury and technology. New features and popular updates are also on the menu, including wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. New G80 prices start in the high $50,000s and range into the high $70,000s.
Genesis invited me to Lexington, Kentucky, to drive the updated 2025 G80. It didn't take me long to conclude that this Korean luxury car easily meets or exceeds its European rivals in elegance, features, and performance. Please note this review concerns the gas-powered G80, not the Electrified G80 model.
Perry Stern
What's New on the 2025 Genesis G80
The refreshed 2025 G80's styling modifications are subtle. The signature crest-shaped grille gets a dual-layered design, new Micro Lens Array LED headlights debut, and new wheels are available. Sport versions have a more dynamic look with dark trim, unique front detailing, and exposed exhaust tips.
Slide inside the sedan and the updates are more pronounced. An all-new 27.0-inch OLED display seamlessly blends the digital driver display with the infotainment system, one of the most intuitive I've used.
High-quality materials coddle occupants. For example, my top-of-the-line 3.5T Sport Prestige test car had soft nappa leather-trimmed seats with pleated surfaces and contrast-color piping, along with carbon-fiber trim. A new three-spoke steering wheel debuts, replacing the two-spoke design in the previous car.
While there are style and feature changes for 2025, the G80's excellent chassis and engine offerings remain the same as the outgoing model.
Perry Stern
Strong, Satisfying Performance
The 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige has an extensive list of standard equipment. The only options on my test vehicle were the eye-catching Tasman Blue paint and an NFC card, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $78,930. That price includes the $1,250 destination charge to ship it from the Ulsan, South Korea, factory that builds it to your local dealership.
Buy a 2025 Genesis G80 2.5T and you get a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 300 horsepower. The G80 3.5T features a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 generating 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. All G80s have an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.
With its potent twin-turbo V6, my test car provided plenty of power and rapid acceleration, whether blasting away from a stoplight or quickly getting by a slower vehicle on a two-lane road. Given the performance, fuel-economy ratings are reasonable. The G80 3.5T AWD is EPA rated at 16/24/19 mpg in city/highway/combined driving, and I averaged just over 21 mpg during my drive.
Perry Stern
Tackling the winding country roads outside Lexington, the G80 proved quite competent. The handling was balanced, the grip was good, and I found the steering excellent. An electronic limited-slip rear differential and rear-wheel steering — features exclusive to the top-level 3.5T Sport Prestige — added to the car's impressive drivability.
Enhancing the driver's perception of performance, a new Sport Active Sound feature pipes artificial engine notes into the cabin through the audio system's speakers. They're based on engine output and sync so well with the engine revs that, at first, I thought it was real. Nobody outside could hear it, though. When I turned off this feature, the powertrain's natural exhaust note proved pleasing enough that I wondered why Genesis thought the G80 needed the artificial-sound generator.
As good as the G80 is on a winding road, it feels more at home motoring around town or cruising down the highway. But with its quiet cabin, smooth ride, and confident performance, I found the Genesis an absolute pleasure to drive in any situation.
Perry Stern
High-Tech Features for Safety and Comfort
Genesis equips every version of the G80 with the latest advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), including the company's semi-autonomous driving technology, Highway Driving Assist (HDA) 2.
While driving on Interstate 75, I activated HDA 2. The tech pairs adaptive cruise control with lane-centering assist, but it is not a hands-free system. If you remove your hands from the steering wheel, you'll get a warning to retake control. Eventually. After I did so, HDA 2 continued operating for several miles before I got that alert.
The new G80 also has an updated Remote Park Assist 2 system. Exit the car, stand nearby, and use the controls on the remote key fob to instruct the G80 to park itself in a perpendicular, parallel, or angled parking space. The technology is especially helpful when putting the car into or retrieving it from a narrow spot where it would be difficult to open the door.
Perry Stern
In addition to its long list of ADAS, there's plenty of other tech aboard this luxury car. However, despite the new displays, and unlike many of its competitors, the 2025 G80 retains many of its physical controls, including knobs for adjusting stereo volume, tuning the radio, and altering the cabin temperature.
New soft-touch controls on a stylish piano-black panel provide quick access to the main infotainment menus, such as navigation, climate, and music source. On the center console, a large dial and additional shortcut buttons provide more ways to interact with the infotainment system.
For the first time in the G80, wireless versions of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard. I quickly connected my Samsung Galaxy S23+ via Bluetooth, and when Android Auto launched, it used the entire infotainment section of the screen for a clear presentation. I thought my Spotify playlist sounded amazing through the 18-speaker, 1,400-watt Bang & Olufsen premium audio system.
I preferred using Google Maps to the native navigation system. The Genesis navigation worked fine, and it could find my destinations via voice commands. However, in stark contrast to the advanced tech and luxury surroundings, I thought the car's digital assistant sounded like a computer-synthesized voice from the 1980s.
Perry Stern
Standing Out from the Competition
Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are among the best-known luxury car brands, and their midsize sedans are impressive automobiles.
While the Genesis G80 might be less well known, however, I feel it's as good, if not better, than its German competitors. So drivers looking to stand out from the crowd may find this Korean alternative an antidote to alikeness.
Genesis provided the vehicle for this 2025 G80 review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Perry SternI have loved cars and trucks since childhood, and that fascination with anything that drives is just as strong today. As a teenager, I knew I wanted to become an automotive journalist, and during the past three decades, I have driven, written about, and photographed all manner of automobiles ranging from affordable econocars to exotic supercars. With the idea that there is a perfect car, truck, or SUV for everyone, my goal is to help consumers determine the right one for their wants and needs.
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