2023 Genesis Electrified G80 Review
If you’re contemplating your first electric car, I wouldn’t blame you if you’re scared off by the recent flood of vehicle introductions, many from companies you’ve never heard of and lots of them with stratospheric price tags. Well, this car kind of fits the bill. It’s the Genesis Electrified G80.
It starts at $81,000, its availability is extremely limited and it’s sold by a brand that’s largely flying under shoppers’ radars partly because of a sparse dealer network. Oh, and it’s a car, not an SUV, so it’s fighting an uphill battle there, as well. It’s unlikely you’ll encounter many of these but that doesn’t mean Genesis’ first electric sedan isn’t worth a look. With 282 miles of driving range in temperate conditions, 365 horsepower, on-demand all-wheel drive and sensuous design, its resume is alluring. Is it $30,000 alluring – the price premium compared with the starting MSRP of a gas-powered, base model G80 – well, that’s something to ponder?
It took me a while to find it it’s so well hidden but I prefer having the charge port up front in the grille just like on my Kona Electric, this car’s distant cousin. The Electrified G80’s built upon a rear-wheel drive, large car platform but not a dedicated EV platform and that’s where some warts are revealed. Both passenger and luggage volume take a hit, knocking it down to midsize proportions.
(Big car with a little trunk stand-up)
The big bump behind the rear seats is limiting. With just under 11 cubic feet of non-expandable space a MINI 4 Door offers more carrying capacity than this. But my main issue lies up front. This car also provides less headroom. Now, I’m no giant – I’m only a little over 6’ tall – but I can’t find a comfortable seating position behind the wheel. It feels like my head is at the roofline and the windshield is too narrow. The seat itself also seems to lack the plush cushioning a car like this should possess and my right knee rests against a hard corner of the center console. That’s me though – seating position is highly subjective – so you may have greater success in finding the sweet spot.
Electrically speaking, the G80 is fitted with front and rear motors of equal power generating a combined 516 pound-feet of torque, fed by an 87-kWh battery system. That lithium-ion polymer pack contributes 1,200 pounds to the G80’s 5,000-pound curb weight. But EVs are born quick and this one is no exception, easily overcoming its heft to hit 60 MPH in under 5-seconds. And like Hyundai Kia’s newest EVs the G80’s motors and inverter can boost the voltage level to 800 volts resulting in significantly reduced charging times. When pulling into the Electrify America charging station look for the plugs labeled Hyper-Fast or stickered with 350 kW. If they’re operating at full strength, the G80 can be rapid charged from 10% to 80% in only 22 minutes…a huge advantage over EVs that can only accept a charge rate of 150 kW. The slower level II chargers require 7 and a half hours but can prudently charge all the way to 100%. A standard household outlet takes 80 hours. And as I’ve demonstrated with other Hyundai Kia EVs, this one comes with an adapter that allows the G80 to power other things, like small appliances and even another electric car! Three years of fast charging sessions are included with purchase.
The drive is marked by EV quietness, immediate, gutsy acceleration, refined manners and powerful regenerative braking that can be tailored to the driver’s liking; this car can essentially decelerate to a stop simply by lifting off the accelerator. It’s a smooth ride for sure but not quite as much as I would expect considering the adaptive suspension uses the forward-facing camera to read the road ahead and preemptively adjust…much like the Mercedes S-Class has been doing for years. Ditto for cabin quietness which isn’t quite as impressive as anticipated in a car with the Active Noise Control-Road feature. Though engineered with a quiet tread design, the EV-compatible, staggered width Michelin all-seasons present as a tad noisier than they otherwise would barring any competition from the sounds a gas engine makes. There are Eco and Sport driving modes to suite tastes, controlling steering feel, motor response and suspension firmness. Overall, it’s a highly energetic but relaxed luxury sedan drive. I just wish the driver’s seat – which does have a power cushion extension, power bolsters and a motion function similar to a massage program – was a little softer and more supportive.
EV-specific electronics are quite similar to other Hyundai products with range guidance tools, plug finders and charge management software. But it’s a shame that even now, for 2023, that Hyundai’s top tier infotainment system still doesn’t support wireless phone projection – pretty lame to see a USB cable cluttering the landscape. And, Genesis Digital Key still only works with Android devices. I’m also not a fan of the rotary knob control for it being so close in shape and proximity to the gear shifter…I’ve made that mistake more than once. It is a touchscreen but it’s a bit of a reach. It’s also very wide so its layout isn’t nearly as intuitive nor is it as easy to use as the company’s more traditional screens. It does pack a sugar sweet 21-speaker Lexicon audio system from Harman. And because the Electrified G80 comes as a mono-spec model, all the features are standard – no options other than paint and cabin colors. Speaking of which, the EV playbook calls for environmentally friendly materials and the G80 dabbles in that with recycled wood and Polyester fabrics though it’s still using Nappa leather, just with natural dyes.
On the driver assistance front, Genesis doesn’t do hands-free driving such as Cadillac but its Highway Driving Assist is the next best thing to alleviating some of the monotony by aiding in steering and braking in addition to maintaining a set speed and distance from the vehicle ahead. The Blind-Spot View Monitor conveniently shows in the instrument cluster, there’s a 360-degree camera and a comprehensive head-up display.
The rear seats aren’t as spacious as the car’s long body suggests, again losing some legroom during the EV conversion but even more so foot room. Seating three across is an uncomfortable proposition for the middle passenger.
Through design, Genesis has resuscitated the golden age of automotive elegance; it’s a beautiful car no matter where the eye wanders. But I’m not it excites me enough to pay a $980 monthly lease payment and $6,000 down. The Electrified G80 is a building block towards Genesis’ future product plans but also a car that, in just a few short years, will be remembered as the first step towards greater things.
It starts at $81,000, its availability is extremely limited and it’s sold by a brand that’s largely flying under shoppers’ radars partly because of a sparse dealer network. Oh, and it’s a car, not an SUV, so it’s fighting an uphill battle there, as well. It’s unlikely you’ll encounter many of these but that doesn’t mean Genesis’ first electric sedan isn’t worth a look. With 282 miles of driving range in temperate conditions, 365 horsepower, on-demand all-wheel drive and sensuous design, its resume is alluring. Is it $30,000 alluring – the price premium compared with the starting MSRP of a gas-powered, base model G80 – well, that’s something to ponder?
It took me a while to find it it’s so well hidden but I prefer having the charge port up front in the grille just like on my Kona Electric, this car’s distant cousin. The Electrified G80’s built upon a rear-wheel drive, large car platform but not a dedicated EV platform and that’s where some warts are revealed. Both passenger and luggage volume take a hit, knocking it down to midsize proportions.
(Big car with a little trunk stand-up)
The big bump behind the rear seats is limiting. With just under 11 cubic feet of non-expandable space a MINI 4 Door offers more carrying capacity than this. But my main issue lies up front. This car also provides less headroom. Now, I’m no giant – I’m only a little over 6’ tall – but I can’t find a comfortable seating position behind the wheel. It feels like my head is at the roofline and the windshield is too narrow. The seat itself also seems to lack the plush cushioning a car like this should possess and my right knee rests against a hard corner of the center console. That’s me though – seating position is highly subjective – so you may have greater success in finding the sweet spot.
Electrically speaking, the G80 is fitted with front and rear motors of equal power generating a combined 516 pound-feet of torque, fed by an 87-kWh battery system. That lithium-ion polymer pack contributes 1,200 pounds to the G80’s 5,000-pound curb weight. But EVs are born quick and this one is no exception, easily overcoming its heft to hit 60 MPH in under 5-seconds. And like Hyundai Kia’s newest EVs the G80’s motors and inverter can boost the voltage level to 800 volts resulting in significantly reduced charging times. When pulling into the Electrify America charging station look for the plugs labeled Hyper-Fast or stickered with 350 kW. If they’re operating at full strength, the G80 can be rapid charged from 10% to 80% in only 22 minutes…a huge advantage over EVs that can only accept a charge rate of 150 kW. The slower level II chargers require 7 and a half hours but can prudently charge all the way to 100%. A standard household outlet takes 80 hours. And as I’ve demonstrated with other Hyundai Kia EVs, this one comes with an adapter that allows the G80 to power other things, like small appliances and even another electric car! Three years of fast charging sessions are included with purchase.
The drive is marked by EV quietness, immediate, gutsy acceleration, refined manners and powerful regenerative braking that can be tailored to the driver’s liking; this car can essentially decelerate to a stop simply by lifting off the accelerator. It’s a smooth ride for sure but not quite as much as I would expect considering the adaptive suspension uses the forward-facing camera to read the road ahead and preemptively adjust…much like the Mercedes S-Class has been doing for years. Ditto for cabin quietness which isn’t quite as impressive as anticipated in a car with the Active Noise Control-Road feature. Though engineered with a quiet tread design, the EV-compatible, staggered width Michelin all-seasons present as a tad noisier than they otherwise would barring any competition from the sounds a gas engine makes. There are Eco and Sport driving modes to suite tastes, controlling steering feel, motor response and suspension firmness. Overall, it’s a highly energetic but relaxed luxury sedan drive. I just wish the driver’s seat – which does have a power cushion extension, power bolsters and a motion function similar to a massage program – was a little softer and more supportive.
EV-specific electronics are quite similar to other Hyundai products with range guidance tools, plug finders and charge management software. But it’s a shame that even now, for 2023, that Hyundai’s top tier infotainment system still doesn’t support wireless phone projection – pretty lame to see a USB cable cluttering the landscape. And, Genesis Digital Key still only works with Android devices. I’m also not a fan of the rotary knob control for it being so close in shape and proximity to the gear shifter…I’ve made that mistake more than once. It is a touchscreen but it’s a bit of a reach. It’s also very wide so its layout isn’t nearly as intuitive nor is it as easy to use as the company’s more traditional screens. It does pack a sugar sweet 21-speaker Lexicon audio system from Harman. And because the Electrified G80 comes as a mono-spec model, all the features are standard – no options other than paint and cabin colors. Speaking of which, the EV playbook calls for environmentally friendly materials and the G80 dabbles in that with recycled wood and Polyester fabrics though it’s still using Nappa leather, just with natural dyes.
On the driver assistance front, Genesis doesn’t do hands-free driving such as Cadillac but its Highway Driving Assist is the next best thing to alleviating some of the monotony by aiding in steering and braking in addition to maintaining a set speed and distance from the vehicle ahead. The Blind-Spot View Monitor conveniently shows in the instrument cluster, there’s a 360-degree camera and a comprehensive head-up display.
The rear seats aren’t as spacious as the car’s long body suggests, again losing some legroom during the EV conversion but even more so foot room. Seating three across is an uncomfortable proposition for the middle passenger.
Through design, Genesis has resuscitated the golden age of automotive elegance; it’s a beautiful car no matter where the eye wanders. But I’m not it excites me enough to pay a $980 monthly lease payment and $6,000 down. The Electrified G80 is a building block towards Genesis’ future product plans but also a car that, in just a few short years, will be remembered as the first step towards greater things.