DURING my week with the Genesis G80 Electrified, people often stopped to ask the same question: “What is it?” The G80 has the size and presence of a proper luxury saloon, but the Genesis badge is still unfamiliar to many. That gives it a certain exclusivity, and the car itself feels every bit as special as its price suggests.
The Electrified G80 is a long, quiet and exceptionally smooth electric limousine. Its rear-seat comforts are a particular highlight, and its acceleration is surprisingly strong for such a substantial car. There is one notable contradiction: despite its imposing length, the boot is smaller than you might expect.
It’s expensive, but the G80 makes a convincing case for itself against a fairly limited group of rivals.
Overview
The Electrified G80 is Genesis’s flagship electric saloon. It combines a 94.5kWh battery with a longer wheelbase and a cabin designed to give rear passengers more space. Genesis quotes a 354-mile WLTP combined range, with 10-80% charging possible in 25 minutes using a suitable ultra-rapid charger.
The all-wheel-drive powertrain produces 370PS and 700Nm, enough to take the G80 from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds. That’s brisk for a car weighing at least 2,410kg, and the power arrives in the smooth, near-silent surge you’d hope for in a luxury EV.
It comes in just 2 trim levels: Dynamic and Luxury, with the Dynamic from £75,615 on the road. The specification sheet for the car I drove describes a Luxury model, priced at £84,215 before paint, options and delivery costs. With its fitted equipment (including rear wheel steering at £1,120) and on-the-road charges, that car was listed at £86,225. Which sounds a lot for a ‘posh Hyundai’ – except no one is going to mistake this car for a Hyundai.
Design and presence
The G80 is a very long car, with stately proportions that suit its limousine character. At 5,135mm long, it has a substantial presence on the road.
Genesis’s “Athletic Elegance” design language brings a distinctive front end, with the reshaped Crest Grille and twin-line headlights. The car also gets 19-inch polished alloy wheels. The effect is elegant and confident rather than showy.
That distinctive look helps explain the attention it attracted during my week with the car. The styling is unusual enough to prompt questions, especially from people who haven’t yet encountered a Genesis.
Interior and rear-seat comfort
The cabin has the calm, carefully finished atmosphere expected of a flagship saloon. Extended leather trim and the panoramic 27-inch OLED display give it a modern feel, while the centre-console controls mean the essentials aren’t confined to the touchscreen. Hooray!
But it’s in the back that the Electrified G80 makes its strongest impression. The extended wheelbase provides whopping 995mm of rear legroom and 950mm of headroom, and the cabin is clearly designed with passengers in mind.
The specification sheet for my test car lists electric outer rear-seat adjustment with massage, a VIP leg rest, power-closing rear doors, electric rear-window blinds and a rear armrest control box with a wireless phone charger. These are among the touches that make the G80 feel more like a luxury limousine than simply a large saloon.
The front seats are well equipped too. My test car’s specification includes 18-way electrically adjustable Ergo Motion seats, with ventilation, memory and massage functions.
The 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is standard equipment, along with Dolby Atmos and active road-noise cancellation. It suits the car’s quiet, relaxing character particularly well.
Technology and safety
The connected cockpit combines the driver information and entertainment displays in a single 27-inch panoramic unit. Genesis says the system can be operated through the touchscreen, centre-console rotary control or voice recognition.
Equipment includes fingerprint authentication, Digital Key 2, a UV-C storage compartment, a head-up display and a suite of driver-assistance systems. These include Highway Driving Assist 2, adaptive smart cruise control, lane-following assistance, blind-spot collision avoidance and parking collision-avoidance assistance. Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 and a Surround View Monitor are also included.
On my test car there was also Preview Electronic Control Suspension, which uses a forward-facing camera to help the adaptive dampers prepare for bumps and other road imperfections. All good stuff . . .
Driving impressions
The G80’s defining quality on the road is its composure. The suspension delivers an exceptionally smooth ride, making the car a natural choice for covering distance in comfort. Road noise is kept well in check, and the powertrain’s quiet delivery reinforces the sense of travelling in a luxury cabin. It’s definitely one of the quietest cars I’ve ever been in.
There’s plenty of performance when you need it. With 370PS, 700Nm and a 0-62mph time of 5.1 seconds, the G80 moves away with an urgency that feels at odds with its size and weight. It doesn’t need to be driven hard to make progress, though. Its strength lies in the effortless way it gathers speed.
The overall character is unmistakably that of a luxury cruiser. The G80 is built to make long journeys feel calm and comfortable, while keeping a reserve of performance for overtaking and joining faster roads.
Overall, it’s a very impressive piece of kit and somewhere you could spend many many hours, travelling great distances and still feel as fresh as a daisy when you reach your destination. Your passengers, maybe even more so.
Range and charging
The 94.5kWh battery gives the Electrified G80 an official 354-mile WLTP combined range, or up to 425 miles on the WLTP city cycle. Those are laboratory figures; real-world range will depend on conditions, driving style and temperature, of course.
The car supports both 400V and 800V charging. Genesis quotes a 10-80% charge in 25 minutes on a 350kW, 800V ultra-rapid charger. Maximum quoted DC charging capability is 187kW, while the standard AC onboard charger is rated at 11kW.
Battery conditioning and a heat pump are included in the specification highlights, helping prepare the battery for charging and support performance in colder conditions.
Practicality
The G80 offers generous space for rear passengers, but its luggage capacity is less impressive. The official boot figure is 334 litres.
That’s the car’s most surprising practical compromise. The body is exceptionally long, and the rear cabin feels generous, so the relatively modest boot capacity comes as a disappointment. If luggage space is high on your list, it’s worth considering how that figure fits your needs before choosing the G80.
Rivals
The closest alternatives are the BMW i5, Mercedes-Benz EQE and Audi A6 e-tron. Maybe the Tesla Model S, too. They’re the most direct comparisons for buyers considering a premium electric saloon, although each has a slightly different emphasis. The i5 and EQE are established executive-car choices, while the A6 e-tron brings a more modern liftback-style shape.
The G80’s appeal is its more chauffeur-focused feel, particularly in the back. For buyers looking at even larger luxury EVs, the BMW i7 and Mercedes-Benz EQS are useful reference points, though they typically sit higher in the market. The Volvo ES90 is another comfort-led electric luxury saloon to consider.
Verdict
The Genesis Electrified G80 feels special in a way that doesn’t depend on having a familiar badge. It’s beautifully equipped, extremely smooth and particularly impressive in the rear, where the extra space and comfort features make a strong case for the limousine brief.
It’s also genuinely quick for such a heavy car. The combination of 370PS and 700Nm gives it effortless performance, while the ride and noise isolation make it a relaxing place to spend time.
The small boot is the main drawback, and there’s no disguising the price. But compared with the relatively small field of electric luxury saloons, the G80 offers a distinctive alternative with a generous equipment list and a genuinely pampering cabin. It costs a lot, yet I’d still call it good value against its rivals.
At a Glance
- Make & Model: Genesis Electrified G80 Luxury
- Price As Tested: £86,225 (including fitted options and on-the-road charges)
- Powertrain: Dual-motor electric, all-wheel drive
- Battery: 94.5kWh lithium-ion
- Power: 370PS
- Torque: 700Nm
- 0-62mph: 5.1 seconds
- Top Speed: 139mph
- WLTP Range: 354 miles combined
- Charging: 10-80% in 25 minutes (350kW, 800V DC); 11kW AC
