[asrapid1]

2021 Genesis G80 Starts At $47,700, Undercuts European Rivals
Motor1
MAY 19, 2020
By: Chris Bruce

he 2021 Genesis G80 will start at $47,700 (which does not include the mandatory $1,025 destination fee). Sales will start in the second half of the year.

The base engine will be a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 300 horsepower (223 kilowatts) and 311 pound-feet (421 Newton-meters) of torque. The least expensive model with the 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 will be $59,100. The powerplant produces 375 hp (279 kW) and 391 lb-ft (530 Nm). Regardless of the engine choice, the sedan comes standard with rear-wheel drive, and all-wheel drive is an option.

The four-cylinder G80 comes full of standard features like LED headlights, power-folding mirrors, and high beam assist. There are 12-way, heated front seats and dual-zone climate control. The safety technology suite includes features like forward collision assist, smart cruise control with machine learning, lane keep assist, and blind-spot monitoring. The cabin has a 14.5-inch infotainment screen with a 12-speaker stereo.

The V6-powered G80 comes standard with many of the amenities from the four-cylinder variant's Advanced trim level. It also has an electronically controlled suspension with road preview and monobloc front brake calipers. The range-topping Prestige grade of the six-cylinder model gets amenities like Nappa leather upholstery and a suede headliner.

The table above shows the price of some of the G80's major competitors. The Genesis' starting cost undercuts them all. In fact, you can get the mid-range Advanced trim of the four-cylinder model for around the same amount of money as most of them.

Competitive Model Price

Audi A6 45 TFSI $54,900

BMW 530i $53,900

Jaguar XF P250 $51,100

Mercedes-Benz E350 $54,050

 

[big swede]

$11,000 for the 6 cylinder option. Ouch!

 

[LowRider]

$11,000 for the 6 cylinder option. Ouch!

It's not just the engine though. It comes standard with a lot of amenities that are optional on the four cylinder.

 

[sdotjeezy]

It turns out that Genesis isnt a joke and should be taken seriously...it appears right now that they've got the stomach for the fight. G70/80/90 (minus that ridiculous grille) are serious luxury entries and the GX80 appears to be the real deal offering all the tech and theoretical performance of the Germans at a 10-15% discount

 

[eaton53]

The G80 Ultimate started at $57K, with a V8 engine that I'd much rather have than a TTV6.
I test drove a K900 with that engine and it was nice... very smooth and quiet.

 

[JimmyDiablo]

Yikes that thing is ugly! They undercut too far, cheap luxury is always seen as a knockoff. You may have to earn the price you charge for cars, but not by that much... a few thousand less is where they should be.

 

[Ruperts Trooper]

Yikes that thing is ugly! They undercut too far, cheap luxury is always seen as a knockoff. You may have to earn the price you charge for cars, but not by that much... a few thousand less is where they should be.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - the G80 isn't as unattractive than other cars in its segment - the ones not sold in Europe, thankfully.

 

[wallus13]

I have respect for Genesis but this is ugly as hell.

 

[Sneakers]

Don’t know what’s worse, that grille or Lexus.

 

[big swede]

Don’t know what’s worse, that grille or Lexus.

They both look extra terrible in the states that require a front license plate.

 

[kool1]

It turns out that Genesis isnt a joke and should be taken seriously...it appears right now that they've got the stomach for the fight. G70/80/90 (minus that ridiculous grille) are serious luxury entries and the GX80 appears to be the real deal offering all the tech and theoretical performance of the Germans at a 10-15% discount

Genesis is not a joke but it will never have the European prestige. Discount is not worth it for most people who buy these.

Let's face it, many non-luxury vehicles are almost as nice as luxury vehicles. A big reason people buy is the name on the trunk.

 

[Neanderthal]

Genesis is not a joke but it will never have the European prestige. Discount is not worth it for most people who buy these.

Let's face it, many non-luxury vehicles are almost as nice as luxury vehicles. A big reason people buy is the name on the trunk.

Have to agree with that. I'd just go ahead and buy the Merc or Bimmah or Audi and put KIA tags on it. I too am quite status-conscious, I want all drivers to think I'm cool.

 

[sdotjeezy]

Genesis is not a joke but it will never have the European prestige. Discount is not worth it for most people who buy these.

Let's face it, many non-luxury vehicles are almost as nice as luxury vehicles. A big reason people buy is the name on the trunk.

They may not be there yet, but they're seriously working towards that status...remember 30 years ago when "Lexus" first showed up? Genesis is trying to capture that same magic by putting out well thought out and developed products.

 

[gkr778]

I'd just go ahead and buy the Merc or Bimmah or Audi and put KIA tags on it.

Nah, you'll be better off sticking with the genuine article - Elwood and his Kia brothers and sisters. Not only are Kia products cool, but they are also more trouble-free than Merc or Bimmah according to J.D. Power's 2019 IQS:

 

[Neanderthal]

Nah, you'll be better off sticking with the genuine article - Elwood and his Kia brothers and sisters. Not only are Kia products cool, but they are also more trouble-free than Merc or Bimmah according to J.D. Power's 2019 IQS:

Curses! Foiled again!

Maybe they should re-spell the Genesis brand. To Geniuses.:drive:

I think that would boost sales. In a yoojely fashion. Every underachiever with fitty grand in his pocket would LUV to be driving a Geniuses. Yes we can!

 

[Robert1969]

Nah, you'll be better off sticking with the genuine article - Elwood and his Kia brothers and sisters. Not only are Kia products cool, but they are also more trouble-free than Merc or Bimmah according to J.D. Power's 2019 IQS:

What I find interesting about this chart is that it shows how much initial quality has improved over the last decade. A decade ago every body from Volkswagen on up would have been at or near the industry average or better. Now the industry average is 93. That was where the best brands were a decade ago. It tells me that you are not going to have a whole lot of problems with just about any vehicle you buys except 4 or 5 brands.

I am guessing the improvement in these scores are due to vastly improved infotainment systems.

 

[Syclone478]

There are things I like and things I don't. Unfortunately the styling is a tad overwrought for my tastes. Early Genesis-brand vehicles impressed me mostly because they managed to look stately and unpretentious, I can't say that of their current direction which is also increasingly derivative. Late last year I had 'spied' a prototype of one of these G80s parked amongst a half-dozen or so Genesis SUV prototypes (I posted the pictures on here). Honestly, it didn't even register on my radar because I believed it to be merely some sort of Sonata variant. Granted it was camouflaged but its figure was not eye-catching.

The G80's interior is a mixed bag for me (the horrid interior color choices in the article's picture doesn't help); the overall layout looks okay and comfortable but some elements come across a little too Hyundai-ish for the segment.

With that said, it's got some really nice exterior proportions and I do like its rear 3/4 angle a lot. And kudos for the fearlessly-unique and highly visible (thus safer) signal lighting.

Congrats to Ford, Lincoln and Chevy. Nice to see some domestic names so high up. (How could I not have seen this before??) Who do Hyundai/Kia think they are... Honda? Oh wait.

And dang Genesis is in its own IQS league. They are behaving a lot like Lexus in their early days, obsessively crafting their image by obsessing over quality; plus they are willing to take risks to fill their portfolio. To their credit they fielded another RWD-based sedan in a sedanaphobic culture, and it looks like a substantial effort. I hope they're able to keep the G80 around, it will be interesting to watch it mature.

 

[mbukukanyau]

We know Kia Stinger did not do well, neither did Lexus GS

 

[Scrambler]

Get rid of the ugly mouth, give it better wheels and we have a nice CT6-based Lexus-beating Buick
With GM stupid, illogical decisions it's an utopia In reality even Cadillac is left without a big sedan. Not improving but killing of the best products they have is even worse publicity-wise than offering Cimmaron 40 years ago (back then they at least had a crisis excuse). It's like admiting 'we are worse than competition, we failed'. If I was American, I would be forced either to look for a used CT6 or buy a new Continetal which soon will be axed too

 

[sdotjeezy]

Get rid of the ugly mouth, give it better wheels and we have a nice CT6-based Lexus-beating Buick
With GM stupid, illogical decisions it's an utopia In reality even Cadillac is left without a big sedan. Not improving but killing of the best products they have is even worse publicity-wise than offering Cimmaron 40 years ago (back then they at least had a crisis excuse). It's like admiting 'we are worse than competition, we failed'. If I was American, I would be forced either to look for a used CT6 or buy a new Continetal which soon will be axed too

It's kinda sad that the country that pretty much invented the large luxury sedan will no longer have one.