2025 Genesis GV80 prioritizes comfort over blistering performance

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Contrary to stereotype, not all citizens of the Great State of Texas wear Stetsons and pointy toed cowboy boots and drive pickup trucks. Well, at least not in and around fast-growing and thoroughly modern Fort Worth, where much like almost every other major urban centre in the U.S. and Canada, crossovers and sport-utes of varying size and price give pickups a run for their money. Considering the depth and breadth of Texas, though, bigger does appear to be better.

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And the newest version of Genesis’s flagship crossover was fitting in nicely, plying the more rural backroads to the west of Fort Worth city limits. The 2025 Genesis GV80 is bringing with it noticeable changes for the first time in three-plus years, with a subtle exterior tweaking and a far more comprehensive interior redesign.

Yet the basics remain in place for the award-winning, mid-sized crossover, which means the powertrain options are unchanged. The five-seat 2.5T — offered in Advanced and Technology Package trims — gets the 300-horsepower, 2.5-litre turbo four-cylinder under the hood. The seven-passenger 3.5T — available in Advanced Technology and Prestige trims — has the stronger 375-hp, 3.5L twin-turbo V6 for motivation. Both are gasoline-fueled engines, and both are mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drivetrain. (Note: the American-spec test vehicles were all five-seat 3.5T Prestige models, which will not be offered in Canada.)

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So, will the barstool pundits weigh in and decry the changes made to the 2025 GV80 as much ado about nothing? Sure, if they’re the type who don’t appreciate the effort that goes into finessing the details. They should. For instance:

What tweaks have been made to the 2025 GV80’s exterior?

Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the GV80’s design department created a distinctive, flowing and elegant look from what starts off as a two-box shape, necessary as a newer player going up against the legacy brands and their formidable, well-established models — think Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90, BMW X5, Audi Q7 and Mercedes GLE, among others.

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The front fascia includes a newly designed double-mesh G-Matrix crest grille and the signature “two-line” headlamps that define Genesis cars and crossovers. The grille is a refinement, smoothing the corner lines, and the two-line headlamps now feature what Genesis calls Micro Lens Array technology.

Larger air intakes and a wide skid plate define the front bumper, while the Guilloché-patterned emblem on the hood, now metal instead of plastic, is a finishing touch. Chrome, a welcome departure from the blacked-out trim overused on many vehicles, extends along the GV80’s sides as a complement to the two-line front fender blades. All in all, the right amount of bling is no bad thing.

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The Genesis GV80 cabin: Elegance meets high tech

All GV80 cabins exude a level of poshness well beyond that of many luxury vehicles costing much more; the top trim 3.5 Prestige, the model being driven, even more so, getting the really good stuff. The dash area on all trims is now dominated by a 27-inch-wide OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display that integrates the cluster and the AVN (audio, video, navigation) screen within its horizontal layout. Cloud-connected capabilities now include driver profiles, connected routing, dynamic voice recognition, over-the-air updates and more. The instrument cluster has several customizable modes, such as centre view, driver-assistance view and map view.

There’s also a new 12-inch head-up display that’s standard except for the base 2.5T Advanced, touted by Genesis as being the largest amongst the crossover’s main competitors.

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Meanwhile, the centre stack houses the touch-based heating, ventilation and air conditioning control. The redesigned crystal-like Shift by Wire now has a more comfortable grip to it. Minor improvements include a wireless smartphone charging tray that enable more convenient charging and provides improved visibility of the phone while it’s charging, an enlarged console cup holder, and new volume/tune adjustment knobs. The new two-tone steering wheel features an updated Genesis emblem, there’s an improved pedal design, and the cabin is rife with trim accents comprised of leather, aluminum, wood and even compressed newspaper.

Audiophiles will be interested to know that the Lexicon Premium audio system of the current model is being replaced by an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround-sound setup for the 2025 GV80, one that pumps out an additional 350 watts.

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Forking over the biggest bucks for the 3.5 Prestige brings with it Nappa leather seats, power second-row seating and the Ergo Motion driver’s seat, one with an ergonomic design that minimizes fatigue and ensures maximum lumbar comfort. Also a massage function.

Then there’s the Mood Curator, first found in the Genesis G90 sedan and now offered in the GV80. A combination of systems that provides four different moods — vitality, delight, care, and comfort — to stimulate the senses and help improve emotions, the Mood Curator “package” also features aroma cartridges and distinctive background music — which does not sound like it belongs in an elevator — played through the B&O audio system. How Zen.

What’s the 2025 Genesis GV80 like to drive?

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Genesis says the performance driving goal of the GV80 is one of “balanced character with consistent comfort regardless of the environment.” In other words, it’s skewed more for comfort than blistering performance, although the 3.5T Prestige will pick up its skirts and hustle its way to 100 km/h in something around 5.5 seconds, perfectly acceptable for a 375-hp, 2,300-kilogram crossover.

Indeed, it is a most calming ride, the Prestige’s available electronically controlled suspension with Road Preview actively adjusting so as not to disturb the serenity of the occupants. Using a front camera to spot potential potholes, the system adapts the damping force to reduce wheel impact from aftershocks. It also combines the camera with map navigation data to detect approaching speed bumps. If there is a criticism to be levelled in terms of handling, it is the amount of body roll when cornering, the drive route containing numerous sweepers that put a tilt on the crossover, even with the Sport drive mode selected.

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Genesis claims the GV80 is the world’s first vehicle featuring Road Active Noise Cancellation technology. Whether the first or not, the tech, which reduces all incoming sound from the road by producing an inverted soundwave, is nonetheless very effective in elevating the driving experience.

Final thoughts

One knock against the GV80 might be the lack of a hybrid powertrain option — increasingly popular in its segment — or, as in the case of the topline G80 sedan, an electrified version, seemingly shortsighted considering the brand’s stated vision of being 100 per cent EV by 2030. Not even the 3.5L twin-turbo V6 with 48V electric supercharger, which will power the soon-to-appear GV80 Coupe. 

This aside, with the numerous thoughtful improvements to the 2025 GV80, Hyundai’s upscale brand is reinvigorating the crossover’s reputation, moving it from merely appearing to be a luxury vehicle — as some legacy rivals and other naysayers have hinted — to providing an enhanced level of poshness and sophistication that will surely elevate the in-car experience and thus its appeal.

2025 Genesis GV80 Canadian pricing

Genesis Canada plans to announce 2025 pricing for the GV80 by the end of May. There is not expected to be much movement from 2024 pricing, which ranges from $76,150 to $92,650.