Back in 2021, when luxury car manufacturer Genesis introduced the GV80 SUV (and we reviewed that vehicle), it was a big hit and, in the years following, the awards have kept on coming, ranging from top safety accolades to design and engineering kudos.
Genesis, which is the luxury marque of the Hyundai Motor Group, launches a new redesign of the popular SUV for 2025, so we took it through its paces to see just what the new GV80 has to offer. Driving it from big freeways up to circuitous mountain passes, into small towns and through big-city traffic, this updated version of the vehicle we loved in 2021 is a delight to drive.
THE BEST FEATURES
Part of that is because of the updated interior, which was on display in the top-of-the-line GV80 3.5T Prestige AWD version we tested. Completely tricked out with all the new elements added to the car, its retail price is $81,300; this version includes a 3.5L twin turbo V6 with 375hp, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and electronically controlled suspension.
The base model of the GV80 is the 2.5T Select AWD that starts at $62,100 and features a 2.5L Inline-4 turbo all-wheel drive engine, 20-inch alloy wheels, and is equipped with 10 airbags. All 2025 versions boast new standard features that encompass an eye-popping 27-inch OLED instrument panel with touchscreen navigation as well as a redesigned wireless smartphone charging tray (which works impeccably well), and even larger cup holders for you Big Gulp addicts.
Expect heated and ventilated front and rear seats, with the driver’s seat offering an automatic lumbar massage when driving long distances. That’s a most welcome feature, as are the extremely comfortable Nappa leather seats themselves. Set your personal positioning and the car remembers, and on cold days the telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel warms up nicely.
EXTERIOR UPDATES &
TECHNOLOGY
The SUV’s exterior has new elements as well, including new deep-green color choices and state-of-the-art two-line headlights with Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology, which means clear, sharp nighttime road vision lighting that does not dazzle the eyes of oncoming drivers.
These adaptive headlights also make driving in rain and fog safer by reducing light reflection, an asset that has to be seen to be appreciated.
The SUV’s exterior has new elements as well, including new deep-green color choices and state-of-the-art two-line headlights with Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology, which means clear, sharp nighttime road vision lighting that does not dazzle the eyes of oncoming drivers. These adaptive headlights also make driving in rain and fog safer by reducing light reflection, an asset that has to be seen to be appreciated.
Five drive modes mean you can pick your favorite handling setting, with Sport mode giving it ultimate performance and Snow mode switching it into driving settings designed to make it easier to handle in bad weather environments. And as its continuing safety accolades keep proving, the GV80 has eleven standard safety systems that keep everyone inside as safe as possible.
Key systems include Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, which actually stops the car for you when it senses a pedestrian, cyclist, electric scooter, or a stopped vehicle ahead of you, and Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, designed to help you avoid crash incidents in crowded parking lots by sensing side-approaching vehicles and applying the brakes. We still love the blind-spot indicator on the side mirrors, but now the GV80 also has Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, which alerts you with a live camera feed of the blind spot that pops up on the driver’s display. Then it beeps and flashes warning lights, and if you still ignore it, it takes control of the car and keeps you from changing lanes.
We still dislike the Heads-Up Display, that pops up on the driver’s windshield and shows you the speed limit and your current speed as well as other options, but it’s there if you like it (we find it incredibly distracting), as are the Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Lane Following Assist, all designed to keep you paying attention as you drive.
POWER IS THE NAME OF THE GAME
As in the vehicle’s earlier iterations, the 2025 GV80’s gas-powered engine has plenty of power, reflected in its ease of climbing mountains as well as quick merging and strong passing capabilities on the highway. It’s still a large SUV that averages about 19mpg, with plenty of room for five passengers, luggage, sports equipment, or a big run to Costco.
With the upgraded exterior and interior features put in place in the new GV80, Genesis continues to create luxury vehicles that are filled with comfort, safety, and a sleek driving experience. What more could you want in the car you drive?
For more information about the 2025 Genesis GV80
go to genesis.com/us/en/gv80