2025 Genesis GV80 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

In Canada, the Genesis GV80 is available with two engine options and four trims. For this review we’re keeping it to the top Prestige trim with the larger 3.5-litre twin turbocharged engine, but a four-cylinder engine is available as well.

The 2025 model is a redesign of what was an already handsome vehicle. It’s clear that Genesis is a company that speaks a sophisticated design language, with each element existing to please the eye or delight the senses. The front fascia keeps the traditional two horizontal bar headlights, but now they are filled with a micro lens array. The grille gets a bit more depth and the lower bumper is more aggressive. Even the Genesis logo has been tweaked. Changes are a bit more subtle in the rear and while most exterior colours are on the muted side, the new Storr Green is an excellent addition.

The stunning aesthetic continues to the interior with quilted Nappa leather seats, available suede headliner and some unique interior accents. If the standard piano black or open pore wood don’t thrill you, maybe the trim made of basalt or recycled newspaper will get your heart pumping. Interior colour choices are also on point. Our favourite is the Smoky Green over Earth Brown.

The centre console features two cup holders, a storage cubby and three dials. One is the gear selector, one is the drive mode selector and one is an alternative way to control the infotainment touchscreen. All three have a satisfying tactile feel, but I wonder how many people will actually use the redundant infotainment dial. It’s much easier to just utilize the touchscreen.

Genesis kept the powertrain options the same for 2025. A 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard fare on the GV80. This power plant puts out 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Our tester goes bigger with a twin-turbocharged six-cylinder engine good for 375 ponies and 391 lb-ft of torque.

In Canada, every GV80 trim gets standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The system can send up to 100 percent of the torque to the rear wheels and even at cruising speeds the front torque is minimized in the name of fuel economy. There is a Snow mode that can push more torque to the front for slippery conditions and an Eco mode for those who really want to maximize their driving range.

Acceleration with this larger engine is satisfying and the six cylinders even manage to sound a little burly on wide open throttle. Not that Genesis owners will be doing much drag racing in their upscale SUVs. Sure, the Sport mode tightens up the available adaptive suspension, throttle response and transmission shift points, but it’s not a big leap from Comfort mode. If you commit to using the paddle shifters things can get a little spicier, but in all this car is a bit floaty and best for cruising around town and looking good while doing it. If you want something sporty, go get a Mercedes-AMG GLE.

The brakes feel firm and linear, bringing the nearly 2,300-kilogram (5,000-pound) SUV to a stop quickly and confidently. Our test drive didn’t traverse the smoothest of roads, but even over the rougher asphalt the interior remained quiet enough for peaceful conversation.

In Canada, every GV80 comes well-equipped with power-adjustable heated front seats, heated outboard rear seats, a heated steering wheel, three-zone climate control, and power-folding heated outside mirrors with Genesis logo puddle lamps.

Our top tester had all the bells and whistles, including four-zone climate control and ventilated front and second-row seats. On all trims the temperature-controlled seats are connected to the HVAC system overall, working in conjunction with the set interior temperature to deliver what the car thinks is optimum comfort levels. There is some adjustability in the settings, but if you prefer your seats boiling hot or ice cold regardless of ambient temperatures you might be a bit disappointed.

Unfortunately, the GV80 suffers from uncomfortable seats. We wanted cushy and soft but got unyielding and rigid. These seats might be fine for quick jaunts around town, but long-haul trips would certainly be agonizing. However, other surfaces like the armrests are supple and comfy.

Most trims seat five passengers and in this top tester the power-adjustable second row allows for some major reclining with roughly 990 millimetres of legroom. Sure, the seats are a bit stiff but at least a nap is possible. Those who want a third row should opt for the Prestige trim to add two more seats. However, with just 762 mm of legroom, it’s best left to the small kiddos.

Official cargo space numbers have not been announced yet, but the company did say it’s not remarkably different from the 990 litres found in the 2024 model. Genesis also says the GV80 can tow 2,720 kilograms (6,000 pounds) regardless of engine spec, provided the trailer is equipped with trailer brakes.

All trims of the GV80 get a clear, crisp 27-inch OLED screen housing both a digital gauge cluster and infotainment system. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both here, something that Genesis hasn’t offered in the past on the larger screens. Both will, however, be late-availability.

While we appreciate the size and clean graphics of the infotainment, it can be stymied a bit by menus and submenus. We'd like a permanent button for Apple CarPlay so we can always go back to Google maps, a podcast or whatever from anywhere in the infotainment system without having to go to the home screen first. Genesis does provide a work around with a programmable favourite button, but then we have to go through the whole rigamarole to access the satellite radio or vehicle settings or whatever feature that we would have used that button for. Other standard technology features include wireless charging and four USB-C ports. Our top tester also had a bright 12-inch head-up display.

For those who want the best in sound technology, the GV80 can be had with an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo system. We don’t have the best ear for stereo systems but even we can appreciate the surround sound that is adjustable 10 ways. Pump up the bass or smooth out the treble—this system is much more sophisticated than the Lexicon set up of previous years.

Every GV80 gets a whole slew of updated advanced driver’s aids like lane keeping assist, forward collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Upper trims add on things like remote smart parking and a 360-degree camera system. Also available here is the cool blind view monitor that sends a video feed of the SUV’s blind spot to the digital dash cluster when the turn signal is activated.

We like that the driving assist systems can be customized in vehicle settings, but it takes a few taps on the screen to get this. This can be especially annoying if you just want to turn off the lane keeping assist. We find this is the one feature that we often want to quickly disable or enable, and having a hard button would be nice. Again, as mentioned earlier we could program a favourite button to take care of this task, but owners may want to use it as a shortcut to Apple CarPlay or music instead.

Genesis’s Highway Drive Assist II is standard, and it’s been updated with an attention monitor. A camera on the steering column monitors drivers’ eyes, giving a warning if they stray from watching the road. The system was able to detect our gaze through polarized, gray tinted sunglasses, but did not do so well with a friend’s green-tinted sunglasses. Genesis is aware of the problem and should be able to deploy a fix via over-the-air updates. Until then, the monitoring system can be turned off in the infotainment system.

Other than the sunglass kerfuffle, the hands-on system worked well, keeping the vehicle centred in the lane and at a set distance behind a lead car. We especially liked it when slogging through heavy traffic. The National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has not yet rated the 2025 Genesis GV80. However, the previous year’s model earned an overall safety rating and side crash rating of five out of five stars. In frontal crashes and rollovers the 2024 GV80 rated four out of five stars.

The current GV80 has not been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) either. However, the organization gives the 2024 model the top score of “Good” in crashworthiness and “Average” in crash avoidance and mitigation, specifically overall headlight rating and pedestrian front crash protection.

In Canada, the 2025 GV80 is available with the 2.5-litre engine in Advanced and Advanced Technology Package trims. The larger powerplant is offered in Advanced Technology Package and Prestige trims. Pricing ranges from $75,000 to $95,500. Note Genesis pricing in Canada includes all destination charges and fees, no-haggle pricing, at-home concierge service for test drives and service appointments, five years of map updates, and more. The base price is also $1,000 lower than the 2024 model.

The GV80’s biggest competitors come from Germany, with the Mercedes-Benz GLE starting at a few thousand more and with 50 or so fewer ponies under the hood. However, Mercedes also offers a V8 and a plug-in hybrid version of its mid-size SUV, not to mention the stonking AMG versions.

Similarly, the BMW X5 starts a bit higher, but its standard powertrain is more aggressive than the GV80’s. You can also get a plug-in hybrid X5 as well as two V8 options including an M Competition model.

You may also want to look at the less-expensive Lexus TX, which comes standard with three rows of seating. The Acura MDX starts just under $70,000 for 2025 and is refreshed with a much-improved infotainment system.

If fuel efficiency is your main sticking point, you’ll want to go with any of the aforementioned competitors. While it’s tough to get a good read on real-world efficiency on our first drive, Natural Resources Canada gives the 2025 Genesis GV80 with the four-cylinder engine a rating of 12.5 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, 9.8 highway, and 11.3 combined. The six-cylinder engine rings in at 14.4 L/100 km city, 10.6 highway, and 12.7 combined.

However, Genesis offers a solid warranty. The GV80 gets a 5 year/100,000-kilometre comprehensive and powertrain warranty.

Overall, the 2025 Genesis GV80 is a feature-packed SUV that is definitely worthy of being on your short list. While the seats need a redesign and it’s a bit thirsty, it’s a worthy competitor to European rivals, especially if you want to save a few dollars.

Note: Images show a US model.