Car Reviews
Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige – SEOUL TRAIN
Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige
SEOUL TRAIN
On March 13th in 1930, Woolf Barnato – then the chairman of Bentley Motors – departed the Carlton Bar in Cannes (taking with him – you’ve already guessed – his ‘Cannes-do’ attitude) to see if he and his secretary could return to London before the Blue Train arrived in London. A distance of almost 800 miles, they and their Speed Six Bentley arrived at the Royal Automobile Club in Pall Mall 15 minutes before the Blue Trail arrived in Calais.
Barnato’s trip became one of legend, and further established Bentley – if multiple wins at Le Mans hadn’t already – as one of the world’s fastest modes of executive transport. With a top speed of 150, and capable of arriving at 60 in well under six seconds, ‘fast mode of executive transport’ is a title the Genesis GV80 3.5T could easily wear. And if copyright allowed, the folks at Genesis should dub it ‘Speed Six’.
As I and what’s left of the buff books have reported, Genesis is the upscale arm of Hyundai, delivering to its more affluent clientele those customers whose income suggests a BMW or Benz, but whose egos don’t require a BMW or Benz. Notably, since the Great Recession of ’08 (along with the economic upheaval that we’ve experienced more recently), value is a big component of affordability, even for those in the better zip codes. And unlike Bentley, in the Genesis lineup you’ll find high-end design, comfortable appointments and competitive performance, all wrapped in a package of quantifiable value.
On the drive the GV80 brings with it 195 inches of presence. As the big brother to its GV70, the GV80 footprint doesn’t imply the tossability of its smaller sibling, but then, neither is it a Tahoe. Sitting back on its chassis, the GV80 clearly enjoys a rear-wheel drive bias, although as of 2026 all trims feature AWD. And in the 12 inches of snow that sits near my driveway as this is written, all-wheel drive and a ‘Snow Mode’ are good.
The front fascia is dominated by the upsized grille, and while at first blush that grillwork seems oversized, I’ve apparently gotten used to it. Behind that grille is a longish hood, steeply raked windshield and a generous greenhouse. Relative to the previous week’s Mazda CX-90, the Genesis is notably larger. But then, while both offer a 3rd row, neither works for adults; for that, you’ll should rent a Suburban…or buy Kia’s Palisade.
Beyond the grille and glass is a greenish-gray matte finish, yours for a $1500 bump in window sticker. While a matte finish is increasingly popular, the ownership experience is suspect, at best. Touchup is problematic, as is its regular cleaning. Here’s the AI-generated overview:
Matte auto finishes offer a distinct, non-reflective, modern look that hides swirls well but requires high-maintenance, specialized cleaning, and cannot be polished to fix scratches. Glossy finishes are reflective, easy to clean, and durable, making them ideal for daily drivers, though they show swirl marks easily. Matte is generally more expensive to maintain and repair, requiring full panel repainting for damage.
Getting past the outside we go inside. Our Prestige trim is upholstered in in a perforated leather Genesis describes as Vanilla Beige/Smoky. The combo certainly doesn’t sound healthy, but looks compelling. And seating front and rear is extremely supportive, within the context of this being the GV80 and not the G70 sport sedan. No track days here, but you could easily pull 6,000 pounds of trackday racecar/sportscar to the track. And that’s probably the best reason for driving this 5,000 pounds on a daily basis with its 16 City/22 Highway/19 Combined EPA estimate. It can go…and it can tow!
Tying for that ‘best reason’ may be what’s under the hood: Genesis still offers a turbocharged I-4 in the GV80, but the one to go with is the turbocharged 3.5 liter V6. The 375 horsepower ain’t a Hemi, but the power and 391 lb-ft of torque make a great first impression – and that positive impression should continue through the end of its 10 years/100,000 miles of powertrain warranty. As you enter the GV80, you can be the Woolf at the door…
At an as-tested window sticker north of $80K, the Genesis GV80 doesn’t provide power to the people. But the brand’s entire lineup is accessible to the merely affluent. Go become one – and then go get one.
