As we witness the slow demise of the sedan, thanks in part to the popularity of SUVs, crossovers, and pickups, glimmers of hope can still be found. One of those is the 2025 Genesis G80 luxury sedan. At a time when Ford no longer makes a sedan and GM has announced that this will be the final year of its remaining four-door car (the Chevrolet Malibu), on the other side of the world, Genesis has injected new life into their G80, in hopes it will pull in those that still want four doors and a trunk.
We first saw the Genesis name back in 2009 when Hyundai launched it as a luxury sedan in their lineup. By 2017, the Genesis brand was spun off, thus marking the first luxury brand from a Korean automaker. Today, the Genesis brand consists of three luxury sedans, three luxury SUVs and two EVs.
Slotted between the smaller G70 and the larger G90, the G80 is a midsize luxury sedan that takes on the Audi A6, BMW 5- Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Inspired by the GV80 SUV, the G80 is a rolling beauty with unique double headlights, gigantic pentagonal grille, slippery bodywork and a sloping roofline.
For 2025, the G80 has a slightly sharper look, with a revised grille, front and rear bumpers as well as updated headlamps and new wheel designs. Sport trims now come with a unique front bumper with larger air intakes. Inside, there is a new, larger OLED display screen and new touch-sensitive climate control buttons.
Riding on the same platform as the GV80, the G80 also shares the same powertrains. The entry-level Genesis G80 comes with a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four-cylinder engine that makes 300 horsepower. For those seeking more power, there is an optional twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 375 horsepower. An eight-speed automatic transmission is used with both engines, and the G80 can be had as either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Even if you’re used to being in an Audi, BMW, Lexus or Mercedes-Benz, the cabin of the G80 will still impress you. The upscale interior is very rich and well-trimmed in high-end materials and tech. Fit and finish is top-notch. A distinguished upscale look is achieved by covering virtually every surface with either leather or open-pore wood trim. The streamlined dashboard features a huge 27-inch display that includes the instrument panel – all of which happens to span across two-thirds of the dashboard.
Enter the G80 and you will notice there is no bad seat to be found. The front seats offer a wide range of seat adjustments, making them very comfortable for the short trip or the long haul. But the rear seats are impressive as well. Nicely bolstered, a fold-down armrest has seat heater controls, cupholders, power ports and storage space. Additionally, there are side-window sunshades along with a rear-window shade. Too often the comfort of rear passengers goes unnoticed, but not in the G80.
There are some oddities inside the G80. Using the rotary shift knob is like handling a glass jewel, which is nice – but it’s not as intuitive to use when in a rush, and at the end of the day, an old fashion shifter works better. And the rotary infotainment controller takes some getting used to and makes me appreciate those automakers that still use simple knobs. Thankfully, you can use the touchscreen to bypass the knob. These minor things aside, overall, the inside of the G80 looks wonderful and is a great place to spend time in.
The tester arrived equipped with the optional 3.5 V6 and all-wheel drive. On my initial drive, I found the G80 to have plenty of power, as Genesis claims a 0-60 mph time in around 5 seconds. It handles well too and feels nicely balanced. On paper, the G80 comes up a little short in performance when compared to its German rivals, but it’s hardly noticeable on the road. In fact, put the G80 in Sport+ mode and it turns into a real sport sedan, with a nice rumble in its exhaust note. Comfort mode is where most will keep it, where it delivers a nice combination of power and comfort. The ride isn’t nearly as smooth and settled as I would like it to be when in Comfort mode, but the 20-inch wheels may have a matter in that.
The base G80, the 2.5T, starts at just under $58,500, which seems like a steal. Move up to the 3.5T Sport and the price take a substantial step up, starting at just under $71,000. The tester, a 3.5T Sport with the Prestige package and all-wheel drive carries an estimated price tag of $78,280. While these numbers seem high for normal cars, compared to the G80’s luxury rivals and they are thousands of dollars less.
As mentioned, the sedan market is sadly dying. But for those that dare to be different and still want a well-done luxury sedan, and one with value, there are still some gems out there, one of them being the 2025 Genesis G80.
— Christopher A. Randazzo
By The Numbers:
2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD
Base Price: $77,000.00
Price as Tested: $78,280.00
Layout: front-engine / all-wheel drive
Engine: 3.5 liter turbocharged V6
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Horsepower: 375 hp
Torque: 391 ft-lbs
EPA Fuel Economy: 16 mpg city / 24 mpg highway
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