The Genesis GV80 is the model that transformed the Genesis brand into a force in the import market. Before its introduction in 2021, Genesis had only offered sedans in a luxury market increasingly dominated by crossover utility vehicles. That was like opening a steakhouse aimed at vegetarians, so the debut of the GV80 midsize luxury SUV, smack in the middle of one of the premium market's most significant segments, was a game-changer.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
For the 2025 model year, Genesis gives the GV80 what the business calls a "mid-cycle refresh." In this case, it entails:
Genesis offers the 2025 GV80 in two powertrain configurations: 2.5T AWD and 3.5T AWD. The 2.5 T AWD has a 300-horsepower, turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, while the 3.5T AWD has a 375-hp, twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. As you might suspect, all 2025 GV80 SUVs feature all-wheel drive (AWD).
The 2.5T AWD comes in five trim levels, two of which—Standard and Select—will not be available until the summer of 2024. The five trims and their base prices are:
The Standard trim includes a 27-inch OLED infotainment instrument display, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a broad ADAS roster. New standards include a fingerprint authentication system, Type-C USB ports, and over-the-air (OTA) software updates.
The curiously named AWD trim (after all, every 2025 GV80 has all-wheel drive) adds the enhanced Digital Key 2, rear door sunshades, and a heated steering wheel.
The Select trim upgrades to 20-inch wheels, includes a panoramic roof, and features matte-finish wood interior trim.
Genesis equips the Advanced trim with leather seats, a surround-view camera, a dashboard-mounted blind-spot camera, parking assistants, and a Bang & Olufsen audio system.
The top 2.5T trim is the Prestige. It substitutes 22-inch alloy wheels and adds electronic adaptive suspension, three-zone automatic climate control, a head-up display, and "Ergo Motion" driver's seats that provide a massage-like action.
Compared to the 2.5T AWD lineup, the 3.5T AWD roster is simple. The two trims and their starting prices are:
The Advanced trim is the lone GV80 offering standard seven-passenger seating thanks to its power-folding third row. It also includes four-zone climate control and a surround-view camera.
The top-of-the-line Prestige features Nappa leather seats. Front seats are power-adjustable, and all seats feature heating and cooling. Other niceties are heated console armrests, rear-door sunshades, and second-row vanity mirrors. The most significant mechanical change is the addition of an electronic rear limited-slip differential.
Previously, JD Power reviewed the 2021 Genesis GV80. This review focuses on the GV80's updates for 2025 and how they potentially impact its overall consumer appeal.
Genesis recently hosted automotive media for a ride-and-drive event in North Texas. In the following sections, our independent expert analyzes a 2025 Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige AWD equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $81,300, including the $1,350 destination charge to ship the SUV from the South Korean assembly plant to your local dealership.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
You might look at the 2025 Genesis GV80 and say, "It looks the same as the 2024 model." But don't tell Genesis exterior designers that. While the changes may be subtle to the untrained eye, they are meaningful. Genesis re-chiseled both the front and rear of the vehicle. In this reviewer's opinion, the changes are for the better.
The design team doubled down on the Genesis "two-line" theme exemplified by the twin "gills" on each front fender. With this premise, they added a two-line motif to the mesh front grille and emphasized it in the new headlamps that use micro-lens array (MLA) technology. A new 22-inch alloy wheel design also emphasizes the "two-line" theme.
In addition to the grille and headlight changes, the 2025 GV80 also gets larger front air intakes and a wider, beefier "skid plate" design as part of the front bumper assembly. Designers made a less noticeable change to the Genesis logo atop the grille, giving it a brushed metal finish.
Designers hid the muffler tips to give the GV80 a tidier, more EV-like rear-end treatment. It also includes new V-shaped chrome trim. During the test drive, my co-driver and I had the opportunity to view a 2024 GV80, and we agreed that the changes to the 2025 GV80 make what was already a good-looking vehicle even more attractive.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
During the media drive event for the SUV, Genesis product planning senior group manager Trevor Lai told me his team didn't want simply to give the GV80 a bigger infotainment screen; they desired to make the new interface more useful. To that end, they devised an easy-to-understand graphic motif. The Home page features substantial visual representations of major functions: Map, Destination, and Phone Setup. When touched or selected with the controller, the icon changes from black-and-white to color, giving the user immediate feedback.
The instrument cluster offers three themes: "standard" driver information, ADAS functions, and dynamic map and destination information. Navigation, AM/FM/HD Radio, wireless Apple CarPlay, and wireless Android Auto are standard. SiriusXM satellite radio includes a 90-day trial subscription.
The GV80's connected services suite includes natural-voice recognition, individual driver profiles, connected navigation and routing, and OTA updates. Genesis Connected Services are now standard for the first buyer's ownership period, offering emergency assistance and stolen-vehicle recovery. A Wi-Fi hotspot is standard with a three-month/three-gigabyte trial.
For the 2025 model year, Genesis switches its premium audio system from Lexicon to Bang & Olufsen. The new 18-speaker system is more powerful than the previous Lexicon, and it features a very user-friendly BeoSonic interface that makes tuning the sound to your preferences easier.
The 2025 GV80 switches to more modern USB-C ports versus the older, larger USB-As. It also includes fingerprint authentication, a technology that the JD Power 2023 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study finds can be troublesome.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
While the giant OLED screen grabs attention, consumers will also be wowed by the GV80's revised interior design and newly available color combinations. The new cabin features a sharp-looking two-tone, three-spoke steering wheel option, enlarged front cupholders, and a reconfigured wireless device charging tray in a better location.
For 2025, Genesis revises the rotating shift-by-wire knob and the rotary infotainment controller—both of which reside on the center console. They are easy to operate, but their similar size and location can still cause confusion.
Although the SUV offers a monochrome black interior, the interior team leaned heavily into two-tone combinations. The test vehicle had an ultramarine blue/glacier white interior, and while that's sharp, I like the smoky green/earth brown combo as seen on other GV80s. Basalt and recycled newspaper (yes, newspaper) are the most interesting trim materials. The upholstery and associated trim are soft and supple with a premium feel.
One of the most intriguing features of the 2025 GV80's interior is the "mood curator" that dispenses aromas calculated to stimulate or soothe.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
The Genesis GV80's array of ADAS has always been notable. For 2025, Genesis product planners and engineers didn't add any systems, but they updated many of them.
Among the most significant changes involve the lane-centering assistance, adaptive cruise control, and associated Highway Driving Assist systems. According to Genesis, company engineers tweaked them to feel more seamless and natural. Parking distance warning and collision-avoidance technologies have also received attention.
Photo: Jack R. Nerad
The North Texas landscape allowed us to drive the 2025 Genesis GV80 in demanding conditions over two-lane rural roads and Ft. Worth-area interstate highways. To help evaluate all-weather traction, Texas also contributed a thunderstorm. The revised GV80 proved itself a sure and willing vehicle in all these conditions. Smoothness and quiet are its hallmarks, with steering precision slightly giving way to ride comfort.
The GV80's 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 offers ample power silently with just a hint of turbo lag when transitioning from easy cruise mode into more emphatic acceleration. The standard AWD system delivers a plus level of traction, and the eight-speed automatic transmission provides quick, nearly imperceptible shifts.
The GV80 also lives up to the promise of treating each occupant as "son-him," which means "honored guest." The passenger in the center position of the rear bench seat might feel less honored than the others, and the third row is best left to honored children. Still, the cabin proved a very nice place to spend time.
Overall, the 2025 Genesis GV80 checks all the midsize luxury SUV boxes. It is quiet, comfortable, convenient, and versatile. It offers high-level safety equipment, and its driving persona is pleasant. While the GV80 may lack the century-old pedigree of the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE competitors, it certainly fills the bill in every other aspect a luxury midsize SUV should.
Jack R. Nerad has reviewed cars, trucks, vans, and sport utilities for over three decades. He also managed the editorial efforts of Motor Trend magazine, JD Power, and Kelley Blue Book. Jack currently hosts the Sports Byline Network program "America on the Road," available on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio, Spotify, Audacy, Amazon Music, and other outlets.
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