One of the benefits of driving a different press car every week is being able to choose the vehicle that we take on a family road trip. So, when a weekend away in the Central West of NSW was in order, I wanted something that was easy to drive, luxurious, and comfortable for all of us.
The Genesis GV80 AWD 3.5T with the six seat Luxury Package was the perfect choice and looked the part as well with its matte paint in Melbourne Grey. Sidenote, has there ever been a more appropriate paint name than ‘Melbourne Grey’? Genesis should also have a colour called Sydney Blue.
For MY24 models onwards the Genesis GV80s sold in Australia will no longer be available with the 2.5 litre engine, only the 3.0 litre diesel and the 3.5T litre petrol engine remaining on sale. The 3.5T has a 3.5 litre, V6, twin turbocharged petrol engine with 279kW of power and 530Nm of torque paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. The official combined fuel consumption is 11.7L/100km and I actually bettered this on our weekend road trip that involved many highway kilometres with 11.2L/100km.
The GV80 has active on-demand electronically controlled all-wheel drive (AWD) with Genesis Adaptive Control Suspension including Road Preview-Electronic Control Suspension and Dynamic Stability Damping Control. Making the drive from such a large SUV rather very nice and comfortable with the proof being that there were very few grumbles from the back seat passengers as we explored new roads, as long as the snacks didn’t run out. The drive modes available include Eco, Comfort, Sport and Custom and Terrain modes for Snow, Mud, Sand. Under Custom mode you can adjust the Engine/Transmission, Steering, Suspension and the AWD.
The digital driver’s dash changes depending on the drive mode selected and it has a 3D view, which can take a bit of getting used to, but you can change it to a 2D display if preferred. The 12.0” colour Head-Up Display (HUD) can display Turn by Turn navigation information with junction schematic, speedo/cruise control info, Genesis Active Safety Control information, and Radio/Media information.
The central infotainment display is a 14.5” capacitive touch screen with wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connection and the voice control only works when these are connected. Under the sliding cubby at the front of the centre console is a wireless phone charger and two USB-A ports and the ledge under centre console has a grippy base with one 12V socket.
Finding the perfect position for a long drive is easy as both front seats have power adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height front and rear, front leg extension, side bolstering on the seat back and 4-way lumbar and the driver’s seat gets two memory positions. The Luxury Package adds the Ergo Motion, a basic massage type function with pelvic stretching, lumbar stretching and whole-body stretching modes with a Smart Posture Assist function, which is also important on a long drive. Plus, the seats have heating and cooling, and I can report the cooled seats work very well and have a quiet operation unlike many other vehicles where this feature isn’t all that good and noisy when operating.
I have driven the seven-seat GV80 a couple of times previously so I am familiar with its layout, but I actually prefer this six-seat version better. Because you are not likely to use the centre seat of the second row much anyway, so why not get rid of it completely and flex some luxury muscles instead.
If I wasn’t driving or navigating then I would definitely enjoy the second-row seats in the GV80 especially thanks to the optional Luxury Package. There’s ample head and leg room even when the seats are moved forward to allow space for the third row passengers using the powered adjustment for recline and forward/back. There is even a relaxation mode, so you can activate the heated or cooled seats and lie back an enjoy the show on the rear entertainment screens. For younger passengers there are ISOFix/rear tether child seat restraint points on both second-row seats.
Behind each front seat is a 9.2” screen with headphone jacks on them so the front seat passengers don’t need to listen to the quality entertainment that occupies the youngsters these days. One complaint I did receive though was that the screens needed individual media input and a DVD player as there is only USB-A input. Rear passengers can have individual audio selection as long as both screens are not on the same media type. Annoyingly sometimes when the children pressed the buttons to change the media for the rear it also changed the front. On the plus side the screen angle can be adjusted and they don’t protrude too far out from the front seats.
In addition to media, the rear screen also gives passenger’s access to rear climate controls, map, and ambient lighting controls. The screens can either be operated using the touch screen or via the rotary dial on the centre arm rest. For powering devices there are two USB-A ports and one 12V socket below the central air vents.
Rear passengers get digital climate controls for temperature, speed, and mode with two central air vents with individual direction and on/off controls and the climate settings can also be adjusted from the front infotainment screen. There is even a vanity mirror each with a light and powered blinds built into the window controls that can be operated using the front window controls also.
To keep them hydrated for the long trip there were two good sized cup holders, with a removable rubber mat in the base for easy cleaning, at the front of the centre arm rest and drink bottle storage in the rear door cubbies that was only suitable for very small bottles. As the person responsible for cleaning out the GV80 at the end of the road trip I liked the pull-out drawer underneath the arm rest, which came in handy as a rubbish bin for snack wrappers.
Like many three row SUVs, the third-row seats in the GV80 are a bit compromised and most likely only used if required and not every day especially as they don’t have any child seat restraint points. To access the third row, you press the button on the shoulder of the second-row seats and if needed grab the moulded handle in the C pillar to help get it and you exit in the same manner. The second-row seats fold forward creating a gap just large enough for an adult to fit through. Once I was in, I found that my knees were up high and hard against the second-row seats and my head had to be tilted sideways due to the limited roof space. Third row passengers do get speakers and vents in the side and there is drink bottle storage in the wheel arches, but no USB ports. To keep the carpet clean there is a small mat over the third-row floor and another handy feature is you can adjust the second and third row seat positions from a menu on the front infotainment screen.
The boot however in the GV80 is not compromised and with the third row in place there is enough room in the boot space for school bags. The mat that covers the entire boot floor neatly folds up to fit in the reduced space and you can access under the boot floor. Here the cargo cover, cargo net, road side assistance pack, and the tyre repair kit are neatly packaged. You can also raise and lower the third and second row sears from buttons in the boot. And when the third-row seats folded down the boot is very large and has four substantial tie down points, two hooks, hooks to hold the seat belts back, two lights and one 12V socket. The rear tailgate does not have gesture controls, but does have powered operation with open/close from button on the tailgate, which is located at the centre of the rear wiper, on the key fob and in the cabin.
The AWD variants with 2.5 litre petrol and 3.0 litre diesel engines have a 5-star ANCAP (2021) safety rating, but the 3.5 litre (V6) petrol and 2WD variants are unrated. All variants have 10 airbags with dual frontal, side head-protecting airbags (1st, 2nd & 3rd rows) and side chest-protecting airbags, and a driver knee airbag, plus a centre airbag to minimise occupant injury in a far-side impact crash is also fitted.
Statistically speaking country roads are dangerous, so the Genesis Active Safety Controls that come as standard on all GV80s are welcomed. The safety controls include Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance/Assist, Blind-Spot View Monitor that displays in the driver’s dash, Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision Avoidance/Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control. The Luxury Package also adds Forward Attention Warning, Parking Collision Avoidance Assist with six sensors front and rear with guidance display. The rear-view camera has standard camera and a 360o view camera with 3D walkaround view. You also get auto lights and auto wipers and I liked that when you changed the wipers/lights a display came up on the driver’s dash to show you the options available.
Petrol powered GV80 vehicles are entitled to free scheduled maintenance service for the first five years or 50,000 km whichever comes first. The Genesis Concierge Service will arrange for the pickup and delivery of your GV80 when it is due for scheduled maintenance or warranty services if you live within 70km driving distance to a Genesis Studio in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane and while your vehicle is serviced, a Genesis courtesy vehicle is left at your disposal.
All Genesis vehicles come with a five year / unlimited km warranty (whichever occurs first), other than vehicles used at any time during the warranty period for commercial application. And Genesis owners also receive five year’s Premium 24/7 Roadside Assistance including timely flatbed towing to the nearest Genesis authorised service facility.
Prices for the Genesis GV80 3.5T AWD start at $108,170 ($110,200 for MY24 vehicles) plus dealer delivery and on-road costs. As tested with the six seat Luxury Package ($13,500) and matte paint ($2,000) my buff GV80 was $123,670 plus dealer delivery and on-road costs. For more information you can visit a Genesis Studio, Build and Price your GV80 online or book a Test Drive to experience a GV80 first hand.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cooled seats work well and operate quietly | Only has wired Apple CarPlay/Android Auto |
| The second-row seat ambience | Third row seats only suitable for tween-sized people |
| The functionality of the boot space | Cleaning out the GV80 at the end of our road trip |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.