Genesis introduced the midsize GV80 a few years back as the brand's first SUV, something the Korean luxury brand desperately needed. In the short time since that introduction, Genesis has grown to offer a full range of sedans and crossover SUVs. For the 2025 model year, the GV80 gets its first significant update. More importantly, the brand is again expanding with the debut of the GV80 Coupe.
While the new GV80 Coupe shares its underpinnings and styling cues with the updated GV80 SUV, the former stands out with a sportier look inside and out, an extensive standard feature list, and a more powerful engine option. Genesis invited me to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to spend time with this newest addition, and I was quite impressed.
Photo: Perry Stern
The GV80 Coupe is available in two well-equipped all-wheel-drive (AWD) trim levels, primarily differentiated by their powertrain. The base-level GV80 Coupe 3.5T starts at $81,300, while the more powerful 3.5T E-SC starts at around $87,000. The GV80 Coupe has already begun arriving in U.S. Genesis showrooms in limited numbers.
Genesis provided me with a 2025 GV80 Coupe 3.5T E-SC AWD for this review. The attractive Bering Blue paint—one of the colors exclusive to the Coupe—was the only option on the vehicle, which carried a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $87,800, including the $1,350 destination charge to transport the vehicle from its assembly facility in Ulsan, Korea.
Photo: Perry Stern
The new GV80 Coupe receives many of the styling updates on the 2025 GV80 SUV, both inside and out. The familiar crest grille has a unique dual-layered design for a 3D look. Signature dual-line headlights flank the grille, and larger air intakes below give the GV80 Coupe a more aggressive stance.
The most noticeable design element of the GV80 Coupe is the roofline that smoothly flows from the top of the windshield down to the stylish rear spoiler positioned below the rear window. Quad exhaust outlets integrated into the rear bumper add to the sporty look, as do the new 22-inch wheels exclusive to the Coupe.
While the exterior leans toward sporty styling, inside the GV80 Coupe is pure elegance. All versions come standard with Nappa leather covering the seats, dashboard, doors, and center armrest. The diamond pattern on the seat surfaces adds to the overall premium vibe. Seats are heated and ventilated with multiple power adjustments. Base-level versions get matte-finish wood trim, while the supercharged variants feature polished carbon fiber.
My test car looked outstanding with the Ultramarine Blue leather accented by orange stitching, piping, and seat belts. This is one of three color palettes exclusive to the GV80 Coupe.
Adding to the clean design is the new 27-inch OLED screen that houses the digital driver display and infotainment touchscreen. There's no divider between the two displays, and a single landscape image in the background ties them together. As a cool touch, the image can change depending on the weather or time of day. In the GV80 Coupe, the screen showed raindrops that matched the wet weather.
Genesis keeps the climate controls independent with physical dials for temperature settings as well as intuitive soft-touch controls for airflow and other items. The same panel features shortcuts for the infotainment system as well as volume and tuning knobs.
I had concerns that the rear seat would feel cramped due to the sloping rear roof, but my reservations were unwarranted. To be sure, rear-seat passengers lose less than one inch of headroom compared to the GV80 SUV, and there's plenty of legroom to accommodate most adult passengers. Rear seats are also heated and ventilated with power adjustments and reclining for the utmost comfort.
The Coupe's shape does impact cargo carrying, but not dramatically. Behind the rear seats is 30.3 cubic feet of space—more than enough to haul multiple suitcases or a party's worth of grocery bags. The rear seats fold easily via buttons in the cargo area to accommodate larger items. However, the GV80 Coupe can only carry five passengers, while the GV80 SUV offers a token third row for seven-passenger seating.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Genesis infotainment system has always been intuitive and easy to use, and I'm happy to say that the new, larger display screen has only enhanced those qualities. The primary homepage is clean and simple, showing the outside temperature, date, time, and current media title, all nicely laid over a navigation map. A swipe to the left reveals large tiles for easy access to all the infotainment and vehicle functions.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, but surprisingly, they require a wired connection. According to Genesis, an over-the-air update—arriving before the end of this year—will allow these systems to run with a wireless connection.
I plugged my Samsung Galaxy S23+ into the USB port, and the option of running Android Auto came up immediately. Android Auto uses the entire infotainment display, and with the shortcuts below to the functions in the native system, it is easy to swap back and forth.
The GV80 Coupe comes standard with an extensive list of advanced driver assistance systems, including adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic warning with rear automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, lane-keeping assistance, and lane-centering assistance.
Genesis does not offer a true hands-free driving system. However, the GV80 Coupe's Highway Driving Assist 2 uses adaptive cruise control and lane centering to maintain a set speed and distance from the vehicle ahead while providing steering input to keep the GV80 Coupe centered in its lane.
The system worked confidently as I threaded through the busy freeway traffic when heading out of town. The system automatically slows the vehicle when approaching a curve and can adjust speed based on the current limit.
Photo: Perry Stern
Genesis provided me with a 2025 GV80 Coupe equipped with the most powerful engine the brand offers: a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 that benefits from the addition of a 48-volt electronic supercharger. The engine puts out a plentiful 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, as is the smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission.
Smooth and serene—those words kept coming to mind throughout my drive in the GV80 Coupe. Whether negotiating traffic in downtown Minneapolis, cruising on the interstate, or tackling twisty back roads in the beautiful countryside north of town, the GV80 Coupe was quiet and composed. Sitting in the comfy leather seats while listening to music playing through the standard 1,400-watt Bang & Olufsen premium audio system was not a bad way to spend the day.
Powerful is another great word to describe the GV80 Coupe, especially with the supercharged engine under the hood. Acceleration from a stop is rapid, and power comes on evenly. Getting up to highway speed as I headed north out of Minneapolis seemed effortless, as did cruising at 65 mph.
Heading into the beautiful countryside northeast of Minneapolis, the two-lane roads provided a more dynamic driving experience, and the GV80 Coupe was up for the challenge. I selected Sport+ mode (exclusive to the supercharged engine), which adjusts the suspension, transmission, steering, and stability control for more enthusiastic driving. The driver's seat bolsters inflate automatically for increased support.
With plenty of power on tap and the AWD providing excellent grip in the wet conditions (yes, it rained during much of my drive), the GV80 Coupe performed quite well. It is a heavy vehicle, though, so I wouldn't go so far as to call it sporty, but with good steering response, strong brakes, and a quick-shifting transmission, the GV80 Coupe handles itself well.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe achieves 20 mpg combined with the supercharged V6 engine. Genesis says the more powerful motor gets better fuel economy than the non-supercharged twin-turbo V6 by a few mpg. During my time in the GV80 Coupe, the trip computer indicated 19.5 mpg, aligning closely with the EPA estimates.
Genesis has been very smart about pacing its lineup expansion, and the new GV80 Coupe fits in quite nicely. The sleek roofline looks good, working well with the stylish dual-mesh grille and available 22-inch wheels, and the elegant interior is on par with the top offerings from Europe.
With its powerful supercharged engine and excellent drivability, the GV80 Coupe gives Genesis an entry into the small but highly contested luxury SUV coupe market, which includes popular models like the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. After spending the day with the 2025 GV80 Coupe, it's clear that this new Genesis easily holds its own against the established German offerings and is certainly worth considering.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JDPower.com. Recently relocated to southeast Michigan, Perry is still crazy about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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