Rain pattered exterior as I relaxed right into a lower-back therapeutic massage, rolling from my lumbar down towards my hips. My companion had already chosen temper lighting to intensify the setting and was now twiddling with an array of calming scents earlier than activating the aroma diffuser.
It was an odd expertise, contemplating I used to be driving and sitting subsequent to an entire stranger. My passenger, Jesús Cortez, and I had solely a handful of hours to expertise all that the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe needed to supply — and that included the consolation accoutrements.
Hitting Genesis dealerships this month, the GV80 Coupe enhances the model’s GV80 SUV with a sportier bundle. It’s extra focused to singles, {couples}, and empty-nesters looking for an elevated driving expertise.
Briefly: With a base value barely below $80,000, the GV80 Coupe marks a daring place for Genesis, placing it over base mannequin opponents like Audi’s Q8, BMW’s X6, and Mercedes’ EQE. In and out, Genesis combines aggressive efficiency with refined accents, making the GV80 Coupe succesful, comfy, and engaging. However and not using a definitive wow issue, this sporty “CUV” (coupe-utility car) marks a really formidable swing on the huge names in luxurious.
2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Overview
Exterior: The Genesis Look
The GV80 Coupe continues to construct on the tenets of the Genesis model. Its visage is extraordinarily eye-catching, with twin parallel LED headlamps, matching shark-gill fender accents, and hallmark dual-layered G-Matrix grille all giving it the “Genesis look.”
Following the contours of the physique towards the rounded rear clip, two units of dual taillights superbly resolve the front-to-back aesthetic, with the slight, built-in spoiler flare including a closing sporty contact.
Whereas the efficiency and luxury options packed into the automotive rival any in its class, Genesis could most stand out from its competitors in its aesthetic. The Korean model makes distinctive use of traces. Whereas the bodily attraction of any automotive is a matter of style — some people love the unmistakable “face” of a BMW, whereas others benefit from the bulbous curves of an Audi — Genesis clearly stands out with its traces. The attention naturally strikes over the automotive, directed by the shapes and curves inside each particular person piece of the car.
Aesthetically, the automotive is a rousing success.
The GV80 Coupe can even include an unique new colour: Bering Blue, a metallic blue-gray “impressed by the Bering Sea,” in response to Genesis. Mauna Pink, not new, can even be unique on the 2025 GV80 Coupe. Seven different exterior colours can even be on supply, together with Seville Silver, Vik Black, Utuni White, Alta White, Makalu Grey Matte, Capri Blue, and Storr Inexperienced.
Inside: Sporty Luxurious
The inside additionally carries a few iconic calling playing cards of the Genesis model. Before everything, the crystal gear selector sits on the middle console above a drive mode selector. And, stretching from the steering wheel all the best way to the sting of the middle sprint is the sprawling 27-inch OLED instrument cluster and touchscreen navigation display screen.
The GV80 Coupe has two trim choices — 3.5T and three.5T e-SC (extra on these under) — and every comes with its personal inside trim accents. The bottom mannequin 3.5T has wooden trim, whereas the more-equipped e-SC has carbon fiber trim.
I examined the e-SC with carbon fiber and located the general feel and appear missing, particularly for a luxurious auto. That is extra a matter of style than perform, however a carbon fiber weave, although fascinating, appears to be like inert, chilly, and missing spirit. For a luxurious really feel, I a lot desire wooden trim — however I’m probably within the minority right here.
Nappa leather-based covers entrance and rear seats in 4 colour choices, three of that are unique to the Coupe. Obsidian black with grey stitching is already in line for Genesis, however for 2025, Coupe house owners can even select from Ultramarine blue with orange sew, Smoky Inexperienced/Beige, and Obsidian Black/Sevilla Pink.
2025 GV80 Coupe Passenger Expertise
I began my journey within the passenger seat whereas Cortez took the wheel. Sitting within the GV80 Coupe instantly appears like an elevated, if not lavish, expertise. It doesn’t current absolutely the top of luxurious, however it definitely appears like a business-class improve. Each driver and passenger take pleasure in four-way lumbar adjustment, although Genesis’ Ergo-Movement therapeutic massage perform advantages the motive force solely.
I’m 6’3″ and was blissful to not fall into the seat. The Coupe stands 67.3 inches excessive with a minimal floor clearance of 8.1 inches, so I used to be capable of step into and out of the car with out my “old-man grunt.” Inside, the seats enable greater than sufficient room for somebody my top, or perhaps a few inches taller, to stretch out comfortably.
The identical couldn’t be stated of the second-row seats. If somebody my top have been in entrance, I’d begin to really feel the pinch within the again. The Coupe is unquestionably tailor-made to a front-seat driving expertise.
As a passenger, you possibly can management just a few of the experiential extras. Contained in the glove compartment sits the diffuser. The GV80 comes with just a few important oil scents, and you may insert as much as two. The impact is delicate however perceptible. It’s not as overpowering as a dangling Christmas tree, nor as cheesy.
From the infotainment controls, you may as well set the cabin’s temper lighting. From calm to energetic, the setting adjustments the LED lighting colour and depth across the instrument panels, in addition to sprint and door accents.
First Drive Impressions
After I hopped into the enjoyable seat, rain was pouring in south Minneapolis. We departed a gushing Minnehaha Falls and set off for St. Paul alongside the Mississippi River. Within the cockpit, the motive force can select between a rear-facing digicam view or flip to a real rearview mirror. The digicam takes some getting used to, however even within the rain, I discovered it a clearer view of the highway and site visitors behind.
Alongside the freeway, the going was easy. I particularly appreciated the blind-spot digicam supplementing my rain-streaked home windows. We exited close to downtown St. Paul, an space non-Minnesotans won’t know is notorious for its less-than-ideal roads. Damaged concrete potholes, raised manhole covers, and some stretches of cobblestone add harsh texture to the capital metropolis’s driving expertise.
The GV80 Coupe touts an electronically managed suspension that makes use of front-facing cameras to foretell highway situations forward, and modify accordingly. Whereas the impact is automated and imperceptible to the motive force, my trip by means of tough streets was comfy and easy. A pothole continues to be a pothole, however no bumps felt painfully tough.
For me, essentially the most noteworthy impression to the GV80 driving expertise was the drive mode (and brake mode) choice choices. Each trims supply Consolation, Eco, Sport, and Customized modes, which fluctuate energy output, gasoline mileage, and trip high quality.
However the actual kick comes within the e-SC trim and its unique Sport+ drive mode. This mode tunes sportier suspension and unlocks most torque. It additionally permits launch management — though with moist streets, I didn’t drop the hammer. Nonetheless, I gave it the beans on a stretch of two-lane freeway and felt the acceleration press me into the seat. It’s not a real sports activities automotive sensation, however there’s loads of kick to point out off what you pay for ($85,750 for the e-SC).
Powertrain, Efficiency
Each trims run off a 3.5L twin-turbo V6, however the e-SC provides an electrical supercharger. This pushes the premium trim from 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque to 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automated transmission is customary throughout each trims, however each have paddle shifters in the event you want some additional management (and enjoyable).
The bottom mannequin GV80 Coupe rolls on 20-inch aluminum wheels, whereas the e-SC boasts 22-inch.
Most specs keep constant throughout each trims — 30.3 cubic toes of cargo area, comfort options, connectivity, and many others. — apart from a slight mpg edge for the e-SC: 20 mixed versus the bottom mannequin’s 19.
2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe: Good Purchase?
The execution within the GV80 Coupe is stable. It provides a bevy of options you gained’t discover in a sub-luxury vehicle, and it stays not less than aggressive with the tech and efficiency of opponents within the class. It’s not less than value a check drive in the event you’re out there for sport-luxury SUV within the $75K-90K class.
Finally, although, Genesis is leaning closely on a particular look and a barely extra sporty — and fewer luxurious — expertise with the Coupe. The inside is sharp and cozy, however not overflowing with consolation or ostentation. On the highway, the Coupe provides up a satisfying mixture of agility and luxury, with out going too excessive in both course.
The place it might in the end win is for folk who need a well-equipped, elevated driving expertise in a splendidly designed bundle that tends to catch second glances from fellow drivers. The temper lighting, aromatherapy, and therapeutic massage are simply the sprinkles on prime.
