For Fort Worth, the 2025 Genesis GV80, the fifth model year of the luxury SUV, will get its first big makeover. However, the term “major” can have a variety of meanings between individuals. The upgrades this year are mostly small changes to style and features. The internal work, in particular, has made it the best in its class. It would have been nice if the technical parts had been given as much attention to detail as the cosmetic parts, but most of the rest is still great.
The changes to the outside are small. The front grille mesh now has two bars that match the accents and lighting on the fenders. Before, those lamps only had one or two LEDs per unit. Now, they have a bunch of tiny LEDs. The bottom side of the front bumper gets a fake skid plate garnish. The rear bumper loses its exhaust cutouts but keeps pieces of the Genesis grille at each end. The GV80 looks like a beautiful SUV, even though its lines are flowing and arcing. Additionally, the brand-new metal hood badge featuring guilloche-style engraving is easy to see up close.
The 2025 GV80’s cabin is a lot better than the current one. The dashboard has been fully redone, and now it has a new 27-inch OLED screen that holds the entertainment and instrumentation. On the other hand, the light beige images aren’t as easy to read as light writing and dials on a black background, even though it’s clean and smooth as silk. The fact that Hyundai kept the dual touchscreen and rotary controller setup for the center console’s entertainment controls is a good thing. The old disk that looked like an iPod has been changed on the new controller with a knob that feels better and responds better. It also has convincingly “crystal-like” edges that give it a nice shine and a quality feel. This is good for both the shifter dial and the gadget. The climate control display and touch buttons are a bit silly, but they’re not too hard to use, and the temperature knobs are a great feature.
It used only to have two spokes, but now it has three. We’d call it a lateral step in terms of style, but the interior designer said that the new plan makes it easier to put buttons in the right places for comfort. It may make a difference, but the wheel buttons work fine for us.
Besides the decorations that looked like crystals, Genesis really went the extra mile with the colors and materials they used inside. The dashboard, doors, and steering wheel are a clear shade of pale forest green that stands out against the brown or crème leather seats (see picture above left). A blue driving wheel, door, and dashboard with white seats is another choice (see picture above right). There’s a basic all-black one, a dark gray one, and a dark, rust-colored brown one for when you’re not feeling very brave. The bolder two-tones are highly recommended, especially since they come with two interesting trim choices. Our green and brown mixture had a hardened woven cloth made of basalt and recycled PET plastic thread on the inside. Basalt is a volcanic rock that has been ground up and used to make thread for clothes. That’s great. Also, newspaper wood is pretty smooth. The composite wood is made from stacks and stacks of newspaper. It is often strengthened with a small piece of real wood. After that, it is cut and trimmed to fit the trim points. Gloss black plastic and natural finish wood are two more traditional and conservative materials that look great, but we would choose the new ones. They help the GV80 look like a one-of-a-kind, high-end machine.
The set of features has also been improved on the inside. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are finally at the top of the list of standard Wi-Fiwifi features, but there are many other improvements. The glass inside the dashboard has been laminated, and the SUV has more soundproofing added to it. The GV80 is very quiet when all of these features are used together, and it also has active noise cancellation. The available Digital Key can be sent through Apple iMessage and works with Google, Samsung, and Apple phones right now. You can also use a fingerprint reader to prove your identity even more. The first person to buy a GV80 gets free Connected Services for as long as they own the car. These services include a wifi hotspot, online access, help after a crash, and recording of images from surround-view cameras. Lastly, an extra Bang & Olufsen sound system adds 350 watts of power over the last Lexicon audio update.
One more feature, though, really falls into the “gimmick” group. Genesis’s new “GV80” ambient noise player is better than the old “Nature Sounds” model because it combines dramatic sounds with lights and scents (yes, the GV80 has several perfume cartridges) to create a wide range of moods, from energizing to relaxing. The high-end Mercedes can give you the same sights and smells, but Genesis arranges everything more elegantly. It’s a waste of time, but that doesn’t make it boring. Of course, your mood and mileage may be different.
The inside of the 2025 GV80 is where most of the changes have been made, so it makes sense that we spent a lot of time writing about it. In that way, too, this SUV does a great job. The 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine are still available. All-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox are the only options.
We were only able to try the V6, and going inside still takes a lot of guts. Also, the driving is sharp and heavy, even though it feels a little slow. These cars have adjustable suspension, which is tuned to be soft and makes the ride feel floaty and rolly. That it doesn’t hide its 5,100 pounds (or 4,800 pounds for the four-cylinder) weight makes the GV80 less sporty than other cars in its class. The eight-speed transmission inside the SUV works fine, but it could be faster and smoother than those in high-end German SUVs. It would have been nice to see more focus on this particular point.
Genesis did say that the GV80 now has front brake calipers that are made of a single piece and that the steering can be changed to account for crosswinds. In the past, this could only be done by lightly applying the brakes. You probably won’t notice those changes, though, or the small ones Genesis made to the different driving assistance systems.
Thankfully, Genesis’ prices haven’t changed all that much. The base price for the regular four-cylinder trim and most of the other trims stays at $59,050. The only trim that goes up significantly is the 2.5T Advanced trim, which costs $66,950. It costs a few thousand dollars less than the Mercedes-Benz GLE and the BMW X5, which are two of its main rivals. The V6 cars ranged in price from $75,150 to $80,650, with the 3.5T Prestige being the most expensive. These two prices have stayed the same since before. The BMW and Mercedes models are similar in price and power, but they won’t have as many of the extras that come with the Genesis basic V6. While both cars have about the same features, the Mercedes costs several thousand dollars more than the BMW.
However, the GV80 could be better when it comes to driving, but it’s not any worse now, which is a good place to start. The GV80 is one of the most appealing luxury choices in its class because its interior has been updated. Its low price also makes it stand out as a great SUV that you should consider.
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