2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Review: Sporty Looks, Less Sporty Drive
The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe was one of many cars I looked forward to driving the most this year. The luxury arm of Hyundai and Kia has been cranking out successful cars and SUVs since 2017, and by now, I expect Genesis to have its formula worked out. However, as soon as I pulled out of the parking lot in the GV80 Coupe, I imagined cartoon question marks popped up over my head. Was I in the right vehicle? Am I being punked? I didn't think driving the new SUV coupe would disappoint me like this.
New Year, New GV80 Coupe
While the GV80 was getting a refresh for 2025, Genesis also launched the all-new GV80 Coupe, a "sporty" counterpart to the standard SUV. New styling includes MLA-powered LED headlamps, a new two-line crest grille, larger air intakes, new chrome trim, and exhaust outlets that the GV80 Coupe has also received. Unique to the GV80 coupe are LED surface-emitting rear combination lamps, a broad, integrated auxiliary brake light on the tailgate, and a centrally descending rear spoiler. For wheels, 20-inch five-spoke sport alloy wheels are standard, and 22-inch two-line-designed sport alloy wheels are available.
Inside the GV80 Coupe is a two-tone flat-bottomed steering wheel, a crystal-like shift knob, carbon garnish patterns, seats with coupe-exclusive patterns and stitching, and metal-accented pedals. The GV80 Coupe gets a 27-inch integrated cluster and navigation OLED display.
There are two engine options for the GV80 Coupe. A 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 is the standard powerplant that produces 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. A more powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbo engine with an electronically driven supercharger is available. With this engine, the GV80 Coupe puts out 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. Regardless of the engine option, all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission are standard. According to the EPA, the standard engine returns 16 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. The more powerful engine gets slightly better fuel economy and is rated for 18 mpg city/22 mpg highway.
Driving The 2025 GV80 Coupe Was A Let-Down
My first impressions as I walked up to and hopped in the 2025 GV80 Coupe example I drove were positive. The Makalu Gray paint was sharp, and the two-tone Sevilla Red Obsidian Black interior was aesthetically pleasing. As I climbed into the driver's seat, discomfort washed away my positivity. Why were my shoulder blades hurting? Complaints about over-plush lumbar support can be found across the web and addressed, but that wasn't the source of the issue for me. The side bolstering felt like it was pinching my shoulder blades inward. The longer I was in the car, the more I couldn't help but notice. Perhaps I needed more time to play with the seat settings to find the perfect configuration.
The 3.5-liter V6 came to life almost silently. I thought there would be more decibels behind an engine that is both turbocharged and supercharged. Still, it seems Genesis has tuned this powerplant to show but not tell. I turned the crystal shift knob into drive, and away I went. I could feel the weight of over 5,000-pound SUV coupe. It took some good throttle progression to get things moving. Shifts from the transmission weren't as crisp as I expected, and I seemed to experience some balks that I felt should be absent on a vehicle in this segment. It was almost like a lag for the turbos, e-supercharger, and transmission to sync up to execute a kick-down. Bottom line, I wanted more.
Ride quality was adequate for daily purposes. In normal mode, the weight of the GV80 keeps things grounded, but soft bumps were intrusive. In the Sport+ driving mode, things didn't stiffen up to handle corners without unwanted lean. I guess in this circumstance, it was good that the bolsters were keeping me in place.
2025 GV80 Coupe Cost Vs. Benefit
The entry-level GV80 Coupe is priced starting at $79,950. The top-tier model is priced at $85,750. For negligible performance enhancement, the premium paid can be avoided. Given the intentions of the standard GV80 Coupe are purely luxury-based, it's arguably the better choice for the cost. Buyers can get all the luxury amenities and convenience features without thinking the SUV coupe will deliver track-ready performance.
Genesis Has Work To Do On The GV80 Coupe
I really want the GV80 Coupe to be a winner. I am a big fan of the SUV fastback style; it's unique and, in theory, should be the perfect blend of luxury and sport. If Genesis can iron out the interior, retune the suspension, and get the powertrain dialed in, I don't see how the GV80 wouldn't confidently compare to the likes of Porsche's Cayenne Coupe or BMW's X6. I believe in second chances, so when the day comes that Genesis makes the GV80 Coupe better, I will gladly give it another chance.