Hyundai’s luxury car brand, Genesis, has launched in Australia and there are currently two sedan models to choose from, the G80 and the G70. The G80 is the larger of the two sedans and it offers plenty of opulent inclusions for both the driver and passengers.
The luxury actually starts before you even take delivery of your G80 with Genesis creating a customer-centric design studio in the centre of the Pitt Street Mall shopping precinct in Sydney, with further studios to be opened in Melbourne and Brisbane next year. Genesis has also launched Australia’s first online build and order fixed pricing website to give customers the convenience of being able purchase online, something that will become more common sooner rather than later.
You do not even need to visit the Genesis Studio to experience the G80 thanks to the Genesis To You program, which will give customers a test drive home-delivery service, a convenient handover delivery for new purchases, and concierge pick-up and delivery for scheduled servicing. Wow, as a busy parent can you imagine how convenient this would be!
I spent a week with the Genesis G80 Ultimate Sport Design and it’s a welcoming vehicle all-round. As you approach the G80 it awakens before you even unlock it and lights under the door handles and puddle lamps are displayed to guide you to the car at night. Once you open the door you are greeted by a lovely smell of leather.
The seats are covered with Nappa Leather and are heated and cooled for both front and rear outboard passengers. The driver’s seat is very comfortable and has 16-way power adjustment with two memory positions. The driver and the rear passengers can also adjust the position of the front passenger seat, which is handy but not a lot of fun for the passenger when there are kids in the back pushing buttons!
The driver gets a heated steering wheel covered with smooth leather and an 8″ colour head-up display that can be adjusted for height, rotation and brightness. The G80 does have wheel mounted paddle shifters, but I was happy to just drive around in Normal drive mode (also has Eco and Sport modes) and let the 8-speed shift by wire electrically controlled transmission seamlessly glide up and down through the gears. The ride quality is very smooth and supple and it is relaxing whether you are driving or being driven in the G80.
The 9.2″ Multimedia touch-screen gives you access to satellite navigation with SUNA Live Traffic updates and I really liked that the sat nav showed you what the house numbers were on either side of the road as you were driving along. I haven’t seen this feature on any car that I have previously driven.
There is no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto on the G80 nor does it have DAB radio. Your media selections include AM/FM radio, Bluetooth, AUX and disc. You can really enjoy your music thanks to the Lexicon by Harman Premium audio system with 7.1 channel surround sound delivered via the 17 speakers. At the front of the centre console there is one USB port and one AUX port along with wireless phone charging for compatible devices and under the armrest is a deep storage cubby with an additional two 12V plugs.
A few other things that I expected to find, but were not on the G80 voice control operation for your phone/say nav, ambient lighting colour adjustment (something my children were very sad about) and no drink bottle storage in the doors. I also didn’t like the varied nature of materials used on the dash design and the touchscreen required a firm push to make my selection.
In the back there is plenty of legroom for adults, but considering the size of the G80 not a great deal of head room. The rear seats also recline, but do not fold down, and there are two ISOFIX/three rear tether child seat restraint points. In reality you would only use the two outer seats because the central seat has a fold down armrest with a small storage cubby with one USB port and controls for media and seat functions. There is also a fold out variable sized drink holder at the front of the armrest, but no drink holders in the doors.
Climate control functions for the rear passenger are located at rear of the front centre console and only include basic temperature and air speed control from the vents which are located there also. If you have very young children you will also appreciate the electric rear blind and the manual window blinds that the G80 comes standard with to reduce sun glare.
The boot has gesture control opening, is an OK size and you would be able to fit a pram and the weekly shop in quite easily. It also has a cargo net to stop your groceries from rolling around in the boot. You get a space saver spare tyre and should you choose to change the tyre yourself you will find the roadside assistance kit handily includes gloves, waterless hand cleaner, a rain poncho, safety vest, a mat to lie/kneel on and a towel to wipe your hands when you are finished. This is the most comprehensive kit I have ever seen in a car and I was very impressed by the thought that had gone into it.
There is ample acceleration from the 3.8 litre V6 naturally aspirated engine that produces 232 kW @ 6,000 rpm and 397 Nm @ 5,000 rpm. The official combined fuel consumption is 10.8L/100km and for my week with the G80 I used 12.3L/100km, which is more than the Holden Acadia SUV that I drove earlier this year, so not a great result for the G80.
The active safety features included on the G80 I drove included Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Blind-spot Collision Warning and Rear Crossing-traffic Collision Waring. The G80 also has active cruise control, but I found this was a bit slow to react when a car changed lanes and came across in front of me. The G80 has a 360o view camera with front and rear parking sensors. Passive safety includes nine SRS airbags including driver’s knee airbag, front and rear side airbags and curtain airbags. All of this results in a 5-star ANCAP safety rating for the G80.
Completing the customer-focused offering Genesis customers also receive a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five years free scheduled servicing, five years 24/7 roadside assist, five years free map updates and a five-year subscription to Genesis Connected Services and the exclusive ‘Genesis To You’ valet service. The ownership experience is further enhanced with a two year complimentary access to the Genesis Lifestyle program, incorporating benefits such as a Lifestyle Concierge and Global Privileges, which includes travel and medical assistance.
Genesis is taking Australians to the future of automotive purchasing now with a superior level of customer service and convenience being offered. The G80 Ultimate Sport Design delivers this to you for $92,900 plus on-road costs. Visit the Genesis Australia website for more information.
| Pros | Cons |
| All-inclusive pricing for five years of ownership | Not the best fuel economy |
| Comfortable, capable, large sedan | No Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
| Sat nav that displays house numbers | Slow to react active cruise control |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.