Genesis Electrified G80 review

Introduction

The Genesis G80 has been on sale for around a year in the United Kingdom, but now it’s ready to go eco with a new battery-powered version.

After much uncertainty – indeed, initial reports indicated it wouldn’t be coming to these shores – the all-electric version is on its way to the UK after all.

Although it appears to follow the recent launch of the all-electric GV60, the 'Electrified G80' (as it's officially known) was the first in the company's range to come without an engine. How come? Well, it's already available in some regions of the world after its launch at the Shanghai Auto Show last April.

The G80 was also partly responsible for the birth of Genesis itself. Its spiritual predecessor was the Hyundai Genesis, which came along before Hyundai launched the brand as a separate spin-off altogether.

But is the G80 any good?

At A Glance

Well, if appearances were the sole factor in how good a car is, then the G80 would be a world-beater. It looks like a Mercedes CLS and a Jaguar XJ mixed together, that has then been given a Bentley grille and badge.

The grille is grandiose, although it differs from Bentley by dropping down slightly in a V-shape at the bottom. Then there are the G80’s headlights, that are made from two horizontal lights on each side.

The lower grille spans the entire width of the vehicle, almost looking like a bow tie thanks to the 'V' of the main grille. There’s a body-coloured mesh lower grille, too, whereas the equivalent petrol version features a bow tie-shaped lower section.

What’s more, a sporty side skirt extends down at the bottom. Meanwhile, a crease at the top of the doors becomes more prominent towards the back, shaping the rear, so it appears wide at the hips.

The car’s posterior is rather minimalist, while two more strips on each side make up the taillights, with the name of Genesis spelt out in wide, spaced-out capital letters.

The back slopes down in a coupe-style, showing the influence of the Mercedes-Benz CLS.

The G80 looks stunning and, sat next to a BMW 5 Series, Audi A6 or Mercedes-Benz E-Class, it is a case of 'no contest' regarding which one will get the most stares.

‘Striking’ really doesn’t do the South Korean car justice.

Key Features

While the petrol G80 is available in three grades (Premium, Luxury and Sport), the Electrified G80 is only arriving into the UK in Luxury trim.

The vehicle comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, heated 12-way adjustable electric seats in the front, a voice-activated 14.5-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. You also get a DAB radio and electronic control suspension, dual front LED headlights, smart cruise control and lumbar support in the front.

Nearly all items missing compared with the petrol G80 range are available as optional extras, including heated rear seats and steering wheel, plus three-zone climate control.

One add-on, though, is exclusive to the Electrified version: a solar roof which charges the batteries. Genesis claims it will add up to 715 miles of range a year, which is almost two full car charges.

Two electric motors power the vehicle. One drives each axle, producing a total of 370PS. That’s a fair few more horses than the petrol version of the G80.

Range & Batteries

The Electrified G80 has an 87.2kWh battery and, according to Genesis, it’s enough to propel you for 323 miles. However, the claimed range is rarely reflected in the real world in practice. If you want to know more about the range, we've got a guide to EV range that's got you covered.

The actual range depends on various factors, including temperature, road and weather conditions and driving style.

Performance & Drive

An extra bunch of horses compared with the petrol version is one thing, but the torque sets the Electrified G80 apart from its combustion-engined sibling.

It has 66 per cent more.

Whereas the 2.5-litre petrol produces 311lb/ft, the battery-powered version has 516lb/ft.

As a result, it feels lightning quick, with nought to 62mph dealt with in just 4.9-seconds. That is not bad for a big car like this, although it’s the slowest of the electric vehicles Genesis currently makes.

Nevertheless, the acceleration feels just as fierce when already on the move, with 50-70mph feeling like a breeze. Therefore, overtaking on the motorways isn’t a problem.

In terms of handling, there's good news, too. Although the Korean vehicle is heavier thanks to the large crate of batteries underneath the floor, this lowers the G80’s centre of gravity and improves things.

This needs to be taken in context, however. It is still a big saloon car – and now it's heavier still. You see, nimbleness wasn't the G80s strong point before, and it certainly isn't now.

Throwing the electric vehicle into a bend will generate some understeer, followed almost immediately by oversteer as gravity throws the weight to the side. So, spinning it is certainly possible.

Despite this, the tyres generate plenty of grip, and the G80 drives well for a car of its size. It is not as refined as a BMW 5 Series, nor does it have the prowess of a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, but Genesis has done an excellent job.

The ride comfort is good, too, thanks to the adaptive suspension system. This uses a front camera to scan the road surface ahead for bumps, adjusting the suspension accordingly to try and cancel out any approaching lumpiness in the terrain.

The Electrified G80 feels smooth to drive, helped no doubt by the silence of the electric motors. Meanwhile, the steering is direct with a reasonable level of feedback.

There are various driving modes, too, including Eco, Comfort and Sport, with each one making a noticeable difference to the throttle response and the car’s behaviour. All behave as you’d expect, and Sport certainly firms things up a bit for when the going gets twisty.

Eco softens things up and limits the power delivery, with Comfort being a nice in-between.

You can adjust the ferocity of the regenerative braking, too. Turned up to maximum, you can do one-pedal driving. You simply lift off the accelerator and let the car bring you to a halt, putting some electricity back into the batteries as you do so.

The settings can be adjusted downwards if you want less regenerative braking. But, in all settings, the brake pedal feels naturally consistent, unlike in many electric vehicles where it can feel grabby.

Charging

The Genesis Electrified G80 has ultra-rapid charging capabilities with speeds of up to 350kW – among the fastest you can lease.

That means a 10-80 per cent charge can be achieved in just 22 minutes. However, it should be noted that there are very few public chargers capable of those speeds at present, but they are increasing in the UK all the time. 

A 0-100 per cent charge using a 7.4kW home wall box will take around eleven and a half hours.

One nice feature about the Genesis G80 is that you can use the car to power other things. So, if you have a power outage at home, you could theoretically use it to keep essentials going until the electricity comes back on.

Unfortunately, although its sister car, the GV70 SUV, has an internal socket for the same purpose (so you could run a laptop off it while on the move), the G80 only has an external socket.

Running Costs & Emissions

Of course, no engine means no emissions, so those who are environmentally conscious will be very pleased.

Even if you're not bothered by environmental concerns, you'll still be happy when you realise you don't need to pay any road tax.

The Electrified G80 is also in the lowest band for company car tax. So, we suspect this could make it a popular option among those who need a work chariot that’s a bit different.

Regarding reliability, given it's an all-electric car, this might not be as clear-cut. But certainly, in terms of cars with engines, parent company Hyundai has been one of the industry leaders in recent years, so it should be a safe bet.

As you’re leasing, you may not be bothered to read this. But we’ll put it out there anyway – just for your peace of mind. Genesis offers a five-year warranty as standard – and it’s an unlimited mileage guarantee, too.

Interior & Technology

Inside, the G80’s cabin is extravagant - something we have come to expect from Genesis.

Much as the exterior hardly screams 'modesty', the interior has a level of luxury that any of its main rivals would struggle to match. It is not overly flashy, as some Genesis cars are, but it's fitted together beautifully and, certainly visually, is at least a match for any of its key competitors.

The seats are comfy, offering the best of both worlds in terms of sporty 'hug you in the bends' and softening mattress-like comfort. Meanwhile, there are plenty of soft-to-the-touch surfaces, and none of the more rigid materials feels like they've come from a cheap plastic lunchbox.

The steering wheel looks inviting, with horizontal spokes, and silver garnish bathes the centre console, making the car look and feel premium. At the same time, the dashboard has physical climate control dials which display the temperatures on them with digital numbers.

One slight frustration is that the infotainment screen is so broad that the far side of it might be beyond your reach if you're short. It sticks out from the top of the dashboard and, like the digital instrument cluster that replaces the conventional dials underneath a raised hood on the dashboard, it’s responsive, clear and informative.

We reckon it's clearer than on most premium cars, but the system itself isn't class-leading, so BMW and Audi still lead the way here. However, technophobes may prefer the relative simplicity of the Genesis system.

Practicality & Boot Space

The front seats are restful, and the cabin feels roomy, while there's a good deal of visibility out of the front.

The sloping coupe-styled roofline does impact visibility at the rear, though. Here, the pillars are much thicker, not helped by the fact that the side windows at the very back, behind the rear seats, are tiny and have a reasonably wide pillar in front of them.

Nevertheless, the rear camera included as standard helps with this, while back seat passengers certainly won't complain because they have plenty of legroom.

The headroom is a little limited due to the roofline, while the floor is slightly raised to accommodate the batteries. But there's plenty of space in the back, so you won't be struggling. However, three adults will still be a bit of a squeeze.

Unfortunately, one area that does suffer is boot space. It wasn't massive before at only 424 litres in the petrol version (the BMW 5 Series has 530 litres, by comparison).

Thanks to the batteries, the Electrified G80 must make do with just 354 litres, less than a petrol-powered 3 Series.

You will still get some golf clubs in the G80’s boot. But added to the shallow loading area (given it's a saloon car), it's not ideal if you're regularly making big shopping trips.

Safety

The petrol-powered Genesis G80 was tested last year and earned a five-star rating, scoring 91 per cent for adult occupants, 87 per cent for children, and 91 per cent for safety assists.

The latter score was partly because of the breadth of safety features included as standard.

You get ten airbags, smart cruise control, lane following assist, blind-spot collision avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance assist, highway driving assist and a rear-view camera.

There are several additional safety features available as optional extras, however.

Options

Added extras for the Genesis Electrified G80 include the Innovation Pack, which gives you a heads-up display and an intelligent front-lighting system.

You also get advanced highway driving assist, forward-collision avoidance assist, a blind-spot view monitor, reverse parking collision avoidance assist, remote smart parking assist, surround view monitor and rear seat alert.

You can add a few more options on the top two trims.

The Comfort Seat Pack is available for a four-figure sum, which adds ergo motion ventilated front seats, improved lumbar support and memory functions for the driver's seat and steering wheel.

If you're willing to stump up even more, you can have the Executive Pack. This bundle includes the Comfort Seat Pack, heated front and rear seats, front and rear ventilated seats, a dual rear monitor and remote controls. You also get powered rear curtains, soft door closing, a rear USB port, laminated rear glass and a rear wireless phone charger.

A Lexicon premium audio system is also available for a few hundred pounds.

Rival Cars

Regarding all-electric alternative electric vehicles, you're looking at a Tesla Model S, a Mercedes-Benz EQE or even a Porsche Taycan.

The Mercedes-Benz and Porsche are more refined, but you'll pay a premium.

If you're not sure about an all-electric car, then the petrol-powered Genesis G80 is an obvious alternative. Other contenders include the Jaguar XF, Lexus ES, Volvo S90, BMW 5-Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the Audi A6.

Verdict & Next Steps

The Genesis Electrified G80 is a very tempting car to lease.

It doesn't match the refinement and thrills of challengers such as the BMW 5-Series. But what it lacks in terms of purity compared with the German premium brands, it re-gains in the extravagance of its looks.

The all-electric model could be a top choice for executive company car users who want something different. And, with German reliability not always what it used to be, it provides a perfect opportunity for Genesis to steal a march thanks to the Hyundai-derived South Korean technology which has surpassed the Europeans for dependability.

The Genesis Electrified G80 is classy, luxurious, opulent – and it gives passers-by a Bentley-level of head-turning ability for a fraction of the leasing price.

Admittedly, in all-electric form, it's still expensive for what it is. So it depends if you can overlook the fact that it's a Hyundai by a different name or whether you're willing to give Genesis the benefit of the doubt as a new name on the block.

Compared with its rivals, the Genesis Electrified G80 is not quite good enough to win this contest. But, taken on its own merits, it's roomy, lovely to sit in, cheap to run, has lightning acceleration and is comfortable to drive with decent handling.

You can hardly ask for anymore.

Where to next?

View our latest Genesis G80 Electrified Leasing Deals  - from just £935.00 per month inc VAT**

Looking for a great leasing deal? Check out our incredible range of Special Offers

New Saloon? Read our latest Car Reviews and find the right model for you

Want to know more about leasing? Take a look at our comprehensive Leasing Guides

Interested in everything motoring? Why not catch up on all the latest Car Leasing News.

*Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top five leading independent car website reviews of the Genesis G80 Electrified

**Correct as of 10/11/2022. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments or £8,415.00 Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.