2020 Genesis G80 3.3T Sport — A nice car to own
By Dan Scanlan - MyCarData
The genesis of the plan, if you pardon the pun, began 11 years ago to go head-to-head with Nissan’s Infiniti, Toyota’s Lexus, and maybe even Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The first sporty big coupe and bland-if-luxurious sedans had two names — Hyundai and Genesis.
Now Hyundai’s name is gone, and so is that coupe. But the line-up now includes the G70 sports sedan, the ultra-lux flagship G90, and multiple flavors of our in-between large lux G80 soon to be joined by a crossover based on the bones of its successor.
• The G80 is really the first Genesis, introduced in 2013 with a few “H” badges around. Refreshed in 2018 with all Hyundai references vanished, with just over 7,600 last year. That makes it somewhat rare. So when many people walked up to admire its design, metallic Havana Red paint and luxury content, some did not know Genesis was Hyundai’s flagship.
Its what’s under the prominent grill that gets the aggressive Sport redesign with large dark chrome-trimmed side intakes that flow off the fenders. They contain slits to smoothly flow air around the front tires for better aerodynamics. Under the main grill, a slim center slit over a deep, wide-mouth mesh intake also trimmed in dark chrome, with flaring winglets under each intake.
The curved roofline gets a long, tinted glass moonroof before flowing down a semi-fastback rear window and ending with a gentle spoiler molded into the trunk lid. A gray lower splitter-like lower fascia is framed by quad pipes.
The deep metallic red paint job shone in the sun, panel shutlines clean and precise. It’s a distinctive yet subtle luxury shape with incised design lines, sitting well on big rubber.
Overhead, a new black suede headliner. The power tilt and telescoping steering wheel has thick padded leather rim and more copper stitching. Controls for audio, smart cruise, voice command and phone are on the spokes, with small alloy paddle shifters behind. The redesigned instrument cluster has concise analog 180-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach framing a color digital screen with navigation/compass, audio, trip, navigation and car settings. The color head-up display has speedometer, area speed limit, audio, navigation, smart cruise distance and more.
Dual-zone climate control buttons frame an analog clock with copper face. Below stereo controls, USB and MP3 input with induction charger for smartphones that’s large enough for my bigger one, but a bit awkward to use due to its placement behind the shifter. There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Voice command worked fairly well, although navigation requests resulted in a series of questions and answers.
The front bucket seats were plush and very comfortable, with 12-way power adjustments plus lumbar, motorized upper side bolsters and bottom thigh support. In back, I had to duck a bit under the low roofline to get into a roomy seat with great head and leg room, the wide center armrest with controls for seat heating and power rear sunshade. Manual sunshades are in the side windows.
• There are three powertrain options — a 3.8-liter V-6 with 311-hp, a 5-liter V-8 with 420-hp (on premium), and our G80 Sport’s twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter 24-Valve V6 with 365-hp and 376 lb.ft. of torque, with eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts. We had rear-wheel-drive; all-wheel is an option.
Our 4,000-mile-old test car was basically a luxury muscle car, and I loved its power. The engine gave out a great snarl, hitting 60 mph in 5.5 seconds in Eco setting with turbo boost noticeable at 2,900 rpm, and 5.2 seconds in Sport. The transmission upshifted nicely under power, and smoothly downshifted for quick and ample passing power.
The G80 Sport has independent 5-link front and rear suspension with gas shock absorbers and stabilizer bars, and selectable continuous damping control. Even though the G80 Sport edition is more firmly tuned, it’s still biased toward ride comfort and shock absorption. Yet it was fun to hustle this 196.5-inch-long, 4,519-lb. sedan around.
The ride is plush, yet fairly well controlled in “Normal,” bumps absorbed with a soft, refined rebound, a hint of float and a bit more suspension travel than you’d expect in a sporty sedan.
The 14.2-inch front/12.4-inch rear disc brakes bit well as the big sedan stopped quickly, no fade after some repeated hard use. The lane departure warning vibrates steering if you wander over a line, then gently helps steer back in line. Smart cruise control holds speed and distance down to full stop, where the “resume” button restarts it. There’s auto high beams and a 360-degree overhead camera for parking.
The Genesis G80 has lots of competition, from the $43,000 Infiniti Q70 and $53,000 Mercedes-Benz E350 to the $56,000 BMW 5401, $61,000 Audi A6 Premium and $80,000 Lexus LS500F Sport. All are rear wheel drive bar the Audi, which is all-wheel. Engines vary from BMW’s inline 6 with 335-hp and Audi’s 3-liter V-6 with 333-hp, to the Benz’s 255 turbocharged 2-liter four, Lexus’ turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 with 416-hp and Infiniti’s 3.7-liter V-6 with 330-hp. The BMW, Lexus and Audi all hit 60 mph in under 5 seconds, while Infiniti’s V-6 gets it to 60 mph in just over 5.5 seconds, and the Mercedes take about 6.
All have sophisticated suspensions that smooth the road, all but the Infiniti with adaptive systems, the Germans offering a more athletic driving experience. All have full-size interior room and trunk space, with a plethora of electronic systems for convenience and safety. In looks, the Germans are more restrained, the Infiniti curvaceous, and the Lexus aggressive.
• Bottom line — To Genesis G80’s broad swathe of luxury and tech for under $60,000, plus room, comfort and sheer drivability, add a very nice warranty with free service and it’s a very nice car to have. But its competition does edge it a bit in driving.
2020 Genesis G8 3.3T Sport RWD
Vehicle type -- full-size 4-door luxury sports sedan
Base price -- $55,250 (as tested - $56,245)
Engine type – DOHC 24-valve alloy V-6
Displacement – 3.3-liter
Net horsepower (net) – 365 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 376 @ 1,300 - 4,500 rpm
Transmission- 8-speed electronic automatic w/paddle shifters
Wheelbase – 118.5 inches
Overall length – 196.5 inches
Overall width – 74.4 inches
Height – 58.3 inches
Front headroom – 39.4 inches w/sunroof
Front legroom – 45.7 inches
Rear headroom – 38.2 inches
Rear legroom – 35 inches
Cargo capacity – 15.3 cubic feet
Curb weight – 4,519 pounds
Fuel capacity – 20.3 gallons
Mileage rating – 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway
The genesis of the plan, if you pardon the pun, began 11 years ago to go head-to-head with Nissan’s Infiniti, Toyota’s Lexus, and maybe even Mercedes-Benz, Audi and BMW. The first sporty big coupe and bland-if-luxurious sedans had two names — Hyundai and Genesis.
Now Hyundai’s name is gone, and so is that coupe. But the line-up now includes the G70 sports sedan, the ultra-lux flagship G90, and multiple flavors of our in-between large lux G80 soon to be joined by a crossover based on the bones of its successor.
In our case, we tested the rear-wheel-drive 2020 G80 3.3T Sport, with a lot of tech, cushy lux and powerful V-6.
• The G80 is really the first Genesis, introduced in 2013 with a few “H” badges around. Refreshed in 2018 with all Hyundai references vanished, with just over 7,600 last year. That makes it somewhat rare. So when many people walked up to admire its design, metallic Havana Red paint and luxury content, some did not know Genesis was Hyundai’s flagship.
• The shape is still vaguely big Bimmer, but mostly a style of its own with new headlights, lower front grille as well as front and rear fascia in the latest redesign. The 7-sided grill is prominent, framed in dark chrome with a unique mesh as part of the “Sport” model. The clear plastic shield high center that protects its smart cruise sensors does tend to stand out. Full LED headlights framed in smoked chrome bends into turns, outlined in J-shaped LED DRLs.
Its what’s under the prominent grill that gets the aggressive Sport redesign with large dark chrome-trimmed side intakes that flow off the fenders. They contain slits to smoothly flow air around the front tires for better aerodynamics. Under the main grill, a slim center slit over a deep, wide-mouth mesh intake also trimmed in dark chrome, with flaring winglets under each intake.
The 19-inch Continental rubber is a bit wider in back, neatly filling the lightly flared fenders and ride on pewter 20-spoke alloy wheels. Big gray Genesis-badged disc brake calipers are visible up front. The flanks get smoked chrome lower sills with flared design lines underneath, and gently-arcing design lines flowing off headlights. They run through chrome-accented door handles and under wraparound LED taillights before dipping down to become the rear bumper’s upper design edge.
The curved roofline gets a long, tinted glass moonroof before flowing down a semi-fastback rear window and ending with a gentle spoiler molded into the trunk lid. A gray lower splitter-like lower fascia is framed by quad pipes.
The deep metallic red paint job shone in the sun, panel shutlines clean and precise. It’s a distinctive yet subtle luxury shape with incised design lines, sitting well on big rubber.
• The G80 knows when you walk up, door handles and interior lights glowing, while side mirrors project the “Genesis” emblem on the pavement. Inside, carbon fiber circles the cabin, done in dark brown with satin alloy dividing upper and lower dash and encircling door speakers. There’s faux padded leather with copper stitching on the instrument binnacle, door handles and center console, and steel pedal accents underfoot.
Overhead, a new black suede headliner. The power tilt and telescoping steering wheel has thick padded leather rim and more copper stitching. Controls for audio, smart cruise, voice command and phone are on the spokes, with small alloy paddle shifters behind. The redesigned instrument cluster has concise analog 180-mph speedometer and 8,000-rpm tach framing a color digital screen with navigation/compass, audio, trip, navigation and car settings. The color head-up display has speedometer, area speed limit, audio, navigation, smart cruise distance and more.
The 900-watt Lexicon 17-speaker sound system was powerful and clear, with a CD player. Dashboard center is a 9.2-inch touchscreen with cleanly detailed navigation and weather radar map, plus BlueLink phone and media. That is handled via the twist/tap controller for the touchscreen, with main buttons for navigation, map and phone. The stubby electronic gearshift has a Drive Mode button with Eco, Normal and Sport, as well as AutoHold brake system, that holds them when you stop, until you hit the gas.
Dual-zone climate control buttons frame an analog clock with copper face. Below stereo controls, USB and MP3 input with induction charger for smartphones that’s large enough for my bigger one, but a bit awkward to use due to its placement behind the shifter. There’s Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Voice command worked fairly well, although navigation requests resulted in a series of questions and answers.
All controls glowed ice blue, including the ones hard to see low and to the left of the steering wheel - rear sun shade, lane and blind spot warning, traction control and trunk opener — out of sight unless you lean.
The front bucket seats were plush and very comfortable, with 12-way power adjustments plus lumbar, motorized upper side bolsters and bottom thigh support. In back, I had to duck a bit under the low roofline to get into a roomy seat with great head and leg room, the wide center armrest with controls for seat heating and power rear sunshade. Manual sunshades are in the side windows.
The wide and deep trunk only gets a ski pass-through to the rear seats for long objects. The trunk lid opens hands-free –walk up with key fob in pocket, the car beeps, and the lid powers up. Of course, it beeped and flashed every time I walked near the car, so turn it off when not needed.In summation, a very quiet and nicely luxurious place to live in.
• There are three powertrain options — a 3.8-liter V-6 with 311-hp, a 5-liter V-8 with 420-hp (on premium), and our G80 Sport’s twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter 24-Valve V6 with 365-hp and 376 lb.ft. of torque, with eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifts. We had rear-wheel-drive; all-wheel is an option.
Our 4,000-mile-old test car was basically a luxury muscle car, and I loved its power. The engine gave out a great snarl, hitting 60 mph in 5.5 seconds in Eco setting with turbo boost noticeable at 2,900 rpm, and 5.2 seconds in Sport. The transmission upshifted nicely under power, and smoothly downshifted for quick and ample passing power.
The Eco setting was our choice for commutes, dumbing down throttle a bit, but leaving ample power. Set in Sport, there was a hint of a throttle blip on downshifts, and a nice touch more power when wanted. For comparison, a V-8 G80 we tested two years ago hit 60 mph in 5 seconds, while a 3.8-liter V-6 a year prior took 6.8 seconds. Staying in Eco, especially for highway runs, netted us an OK 22-mph average.
The G80 Sport has independent 5-link front and rear suspension with gas shock absorbers and stabilizer bars, and selectable continuous damping control. Even though the G80 Sport edition is more firmly tuned, it’s still biased toward ride comfort and shock absorption. Yet it was fun to hustle this 196.5-inch-long, 4,519-lb. sedan around.
The ride is plush, yet fairly well controlled in “Normal,” bumps absorbed with a soft, refined rebound, a hint of float and a bit more suspension travel than you’d expect in a sporty sedan.
“Sport” mode firmed the ride up a bit, still leaving a softer edge to rebound — the change wasn’t that noticeable. Power steering is direct if a bit numb in feedback in Eco mode, firming up in Sport mode. The G80 Sport was neutral and quite happy to tackle an expressway ramp without issue, in control. Take it deeper into a turn and there was some body roll, still well controlled and neutral. Add power on exit and we had some oversteer on demand, caught by stability control.
You could hang the tail out a bit, caught quickly by the electronic nannies and a touch of counter-steer and throttle, bringing a grin. Yet the G80 Sport was happiest just cruising handling curves easily and quietly except for a hint of wind noise around the driver’s side mirror. Push harder and it handled it, buffering occupants with luxury first.
• A base Genesis G8 3.8 with rear-wheel-drive starts at $42,050, while our rear-wheel-drive V-8 G80 3.3T Sport starts at $55,250. Everything is pretty much standard from the microfiber suede headliner to all the electronic safety gear, LED headlights, panoramic sunroof, leather, wood and aluminum trim, Lexicon audio and ventilated front seats. Final price - $56,245 with destination.
The Genesis G80 has lots of competition, from the $43,000 Infiniti Q70 and $53,000 Mercedes-Benz E350 to the $56,000 BMW 5401, $61,000 Audi A6 Premium and $80,000 Lexus LS500F Sport. All are rear wheel drive bar the Audi, which is all-wheel. Engines vary from BMW’s inline 6 with 335-hp and Audi’s 3-liter V-6 with 333-hp, to the Benz’s 255 turbocharged 2-liter four, Lexus’ turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 with 416-hp and Infiniti’s 3.7-liter V-6 with 330-hp. The BMW, Lexus and Audi all hit 60 mph in under 5 seconds, while Infiniti’s V-6 gets it to 60 mph in just over 5.5 seconds, and the Mercedes take about 6.
All have sophisticated suspensions that smooth the road, all but the Infiniti with adaptive systems, the Germans offering a more athletic driving experience. All have full-size interior room and trunk space, with a plethora of electronic systems for convenience and safety. In looks, the Germans are more restrained, the Infiniti curvaceous, and the Lexus aggressive.
• Bottom line — To Genesis G80’s broad swathe of luxury and tech for under $60,000, plus room, comfort and sheer drivability, add a very nice warranty with free service and it’s a very nice car to have. But its competition does edge it a bit in driving.
2020 Genesis G8 3.3T Sport RWD
Vehicle type -- full-size 4-door luxury sports sedan
Base price -- $55,250 (as tested - $56,245)
Engine type – DOHC 24-valve alloy V-6
Displacement – 3.3-liter
Net horsepower (net) – 365 @ 6,000 rpm
Torque (lb-ft) – 376 @ 1,300 - 4,500 rpm
Transmission- 8-speed electronic automatic w/paddle shifters
Wheelbase – 118.5 inches
Overall length – 196.5 inches
Overall width – 74.4 inches
Height – 58.3 inches
Front headroom – 39.4 inches w/sunroof
Front legroom – 45.7 inches
Rear headroom – 38.2 inches
Rear legroom – 35 inches
Cargo capacity – 15.3 cubic feet
Curb weight – 4,519 pounds
Fuel capacity – 20.3 gallons
Mileage rating – 17 mpg city/25 mpg highway