Mindful sort
FOR Looks, beautifully made, fabulous interior refinement
AGAINST Drive, 2.5-litre petrol engine is vocal when pushed
Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury diffusion line, a well-known quantity in its home market and the US, now tilting at the establishment in the UK and Europe. Many have tried and indeed are still trying, but Hyundai’s top brass see it as a matter of honour to lock swords with the big players. And they want to do it by being different. Last year, Genesis shifted 130,000 cars globally so the ambition is certainly not being thwarted.
The G80 really does do different, an imperious looking saloon whose dropping rear roofline and cut-off tail suggest coupe-like grace in a sector populated by largely trad saloons. And it’s big, measuring 5mm shy of five metres long.
It’s available with the choice of a 2.2-litre, 207bhp four-cylinder diesel in rear-drive only form, or a 2.5-litre, 300bhp turbocharged four-cylinder petrol which gains all-wheel drive, as tested. It may seem nuts coming to market with only two ICE options while everyone else embraces electrification, but the truth is that these cars are here to establish a bridgehead for the brand and the Genesis modus operandi.
As it happens, the G80’s engine isn’t its best feature. It’s vocal when stretched and expresses only modest enthusiasm for high revs or spirited acceleration, should you decide to energise its two-tonne mass. Better to wind it all in and enjoy its terrific rolling refinement. Double glazing is standard on the front windows, an option on the rear, while it also has a system that’s similar to the technology you’d find in noise-cancelling headphones. The upshot is a car of phenomenal decorum.
It’s a road-test trope to nominate Audi as architect of the best car interiors. Well, Genesis is here to raze the traditional hierachy. The G80’s cabin is superbly screwed together, thoughtfully conceived, and delivers the perfect blend of digital and analogue.
In some respects the Genesis G80 is as soothingly reassuring as a BBC Sunday night sitcom. Whatever else is bothering you, the G80’s goal is to make all the bad stuff go away. At least for the duration of your journey.
Provided you don’t start asking it dynamic questions it doesn’t really want to answer, it’s generally impressive. It’s extremely well made, easier to operate and less showy than some of its rivals, and ticks all the tech boxes. The interior experience, in particular, is worldclass. We suspect that what’s coming might be more exciting, but as a mobile manifesto for a new brand this’ll do just fine.