What makes a luxury car great? Is it a beautiful exterior, a gorgeous cabin, a fancy badge on the hood? All of the above? Genesis may still not be on most people’s radar when shopping for their first high-dollar acquisition after achieving major success, but as it turns out, the 2026 Genesis GV80 checks more “luxury” boxes than most of its European rivals.
Sitting at the top of the Korean automaker’s lineup, the GV80 flagship offers one of the most luxurious driving experiences, if not the most luxurious, in an SUV priced under $100,000. It has a beautiful exterior design that, despite being five years old, still feels fresh and looks great. Inside, there’s seating for five (seven in the SUV bodystyle), plenty of technology, and, most importantly, a classy, comfortable cabin with many of the same standard features as BMW and Mercedes.
I recently spent time with a 2026 Genesis GV80 in the range-topping 3.5 Prestige Black AWD trim. Specifically, this was the coupe model, which, apart from the sloping rear roofline, is identical to its SUV counterpart. It came dressed in a beautiful Uyuni White, a beautiful pearlescent color that is actually one of only two colors offered in the top trim. The cabin was equipped with expensive-looking, quilted black Nappa leather and dark, open-pore wood trim along the dash, center console, and doors. My tester rode on 22-inch black wheels wrapped in Michelin Primacy Tour tires, which obviously enhanced the overall package but didn’t exactly improve the ride quality or, for that matter, the handling.
On the road, the GV80 feels fantastic, and frankly, I can’t remember the last time I used that adjective to describe my experience in a normal car. And I get it, this particular unit came in at $91,545 (including $1,495 destination), but for all intents and purposes, this is a regular production car that is neither Limited nor exotic. Regardless, the way it carries itself on the road, be it on city streets or on the highway, is more akin to a British super-luxury machine than something mass-produced in Korea.
The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 under the hood produces a healthy 409 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque, which it needs because this thing weighs 5,200 pounds. The motor pairs with an automatic eight-speed transmission, boasts an e-Supercharger (which you can read all about here), and is a mild-hybrid unit with a 48-volt architecture. As a result, acceleration is strong, and there’s enough torque to rev. Step on the accelerator and you feel the entire SUV lean back and propel you forward with force, but not cruelty. It’s not fast or agile, but despite the adaptive suspension its gait feels heavy and sometimes even sluggish.
That said, I would prefer a wheel/tire setup that offered a higher sidewall to increase comfort even more, because that’s where this SUV shines. There’s no point in retaining the 22-inch wheels and low-profile tires just for the sake of looks.
And perhaps this is what will surprise potential customers a little. While most of its European rivals offer agile handling and more responsive driving dynamics, they can’t match the Genesis’ overall level of refinement without adding a small car’s worth of optional equipment. The Genesis, meanwhile, doesn’t offer a particularly engaging or peppy drive, but succeeds in giving the driver and passengers a sumptuous experience they’ll prefer over responsiveness. At least I would, if I wanted the most luxurious and fancy ride for my daily commute. In many ways, it’s give and take. Who will you be rooting for on a daily basis?
In terms of usability, the cabin is beautiful to look at while still functional, although I have mixed feelings about the two identical knobs under the dash. One of them functions as a shifter, while the other, almost identical, controls the infotainment system. I often found myself confusing the two and using the shifter to operate the center screen (which is also a touchscreen) and vice versa. Apart from that small issue, the technical experience is mostly intuitive once you become familiar with where things are and how they work.
decision
I’ve found the last few BMW SUVs I’ve driven to be very rough to drive, and the Mercedes SUVs are also loaded with ridiculous technology and cabin design. And needless to mention, both German automakers are going through a design crisis of sorts. The Genesis surpasses them in those areas, but it can’t keep up with them in the corners with container-ship-like handling.
At $91,545, the top-of-the-range GV80 isn’t cheap, nor is it for everyone, but I’d also argue that most people who are impressed by its German badges and hood ornaments will have more fun driving it. just sayin’.
Produce be provided drive With a seven-day loan of this vehicle for the purpose of writing this review.
2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe 3.5 Prestige Black AWD specs
| base price | $91,545 |
| powertrain | The 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is paired to a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. 8-speed automatic | all-wheel drive |
| horse power | 409 |
| Torque: | 405 lb-ft |
| seating capacity | 5 |
| cargo volume | 38.7 cubic feet behind the second row 71.7 cubic feet behind first row |
| curb weight | 5,200 pounds |
| epa fuel economy | 16 mpg city | 22 mpg highway | 19 mpg combined |
| score | 7/10 |
Email the author at jerry@thedrive.com