Test Drive: Genesis G80 full review

The interior of the 2028 Genesis G80 is whisper quiet during operation.

OK, so Genesis is perhaps not the first automotive brand that comes to mind when one thinks of luxury sedans. But based on our one-week test drive in the sleek and sophisticated 2018 Genesis G80 Sport, maybe it should be.

In our view, the G80 holds its own with the best cars in the mid-size luxury segment. It clearly benchmarks the BMW 5-series and the Lexus ES350, two perennial best-sellers.

But can the Genesis break through and compete nose-to-nose with cars like this with decades of gravitas?

Genesis, by the way, is the former luxury division of Hyundai, but now stands alone as a nameplate.

The G80 has a couple of aces up its sleeve for Chattanooga buyers. First, the entry-level Genesis can't be beat in terms of quietness and cabin isolation. The new 3.3-liter turbocharged engine in our Sport-trim test model can be fierce when it needs to be, but purrs like a baby kitten when not being asked to show its teeth.

Too, that new turbocharged engine, which pumps out 365 horsepower, is one of the most explosive powerplants in the segments, with a zero-to-60 mph time of about 5.3 seconds, according to Car & Driver. For those who require more neck-snapping power, Genesis offers a mighty 8-cylinder model, too, as well as a base V-6 for the less adventurous.

Genesis believes in one-size-fits-all pricing, and our $56,225 tester represents all the features available on the handsome G80, which wears a new front fascia and wheel design for the 2018 model year.

A search of local inventories shows that the 2018 G80 has just begun to filter into car stores here. At publication time, there was one 2018 G80 on the ground at Gray Epperson Hyundai in Cleveland.

The G80 competes with the aforementioned BMW 5-series and Lexus ES350, along with the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the Cadillac CTS and the Audi A6.

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STYLING AND FEATURES

Styling tweaks to the front and rear of the Genesis have resulted in an improved visual presence. Frankly, it looks like a blend of the best design elements of Jaguar and Mercedes. With its badges removed, the Genesis is hard to ID, but handsome nonetheless. There is a fine line between generic and derivative, when it comes to design, but Genesis manages to thread the needle.

New wheels, split-spoke 19-inchers no less, bring new personality to the car, while a prominent grille has just the right measure of grandiosity. Flared wheel arches improve the stance and a panoramic sunroof gives the top of the car a menacing black sheen, a nice contrast to the Sevilla Red paint on our tester.

Inside, the G80 is a good example of understated elegance. Real carbon fiber accents and copper-colored stitching in the black leather seats are upscale touches. The button and dial cluster on the dash and center stack is a little busy, but you sort that out with time.

Luxury touches include the premium leather seats, black microfiber suede headliner, heated and ventilated front seats, a full-color speedometer display, a 9.2 inch touchscreen with navigation, and a lush Lexicon sound system with 17 speakers. (How many speakers can be implanted in a four-door sedan, anyway?)

The power, tilt-and-slide sunroof supplies an expansive view of the sky outside, which has the effect of opening up the cabin.

Like Hyundai, Genesis comes with a 5-year, 60,000-mile new vehicle warranty and a generous 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Plus, regular maintenance is free for the first three years or 36,000 miles.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

Driving the G80 is not just sedate, but downright soothing. Tucked in this quiet cocoon, the mid-size Genesis feels like a sanctuary from the stresses of the day. In the morning before your coffee kicks in, it wakes you up gently, and after work it helps calm frayed nerves.

All the while, you become aware that there is a deep well of power under the hood that can be tapped with your right foot. It takes half a breath for the twin turbos to gather their full boost, but the G80 is always eager to downshift and launch.

Meanwhile, it's easy to find a good driving position, and the G80s lane integrity functions that gently nudge you back to the center of your lane if you begin to cross a highway line without signaling.

If we were picking nits, we might advise Genesis to spend a bit more time (and money) on its steering-wheel design. The winged emblem in the center of the wheel looks two much like a Chrysler badge.

A new eight-speed transmission ticks through its progressions with quiet efficiency.

BOTTOM LINE

Park a new Genesis G80 in your driveway and let neighbors guess what it is.

"Jag?"

"Mercedes-Benz?"

No, but ultimately something just as good.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.