2019 Genesis G80 Sport 3.3T Review & Test Drive

posted by Malcolm Hogan
Filed under Automotive, Genesis, Test Drives

The Genesis car brand entered into the automotive market as somewhat of a sleeping giant residing on the heels of where the Hyundai Genesis Sedan left its mark just before Genesis as a stand-alone brand was conceived. With that, the Genesis lineup has remained to offer just sedans, which are notable vehicles covering the compact luxury, midsized luxury, and full-sized luxury sedan spectrums with the G70, G80, and G90 respectfully. Having had the latest iteration of the Genesis G80 two years ago for review, I was certain that the brand would do well to gain notoriety and deserved recognition. After two years in reviewing Genesis vehicles, with the G70 taking the 2019 North American Car of the Year award among many other accolades, the G80 Sport lands in my driveway for another once-over reminding me why Genesis is getting the warranted looks from others, because it’s a good product.

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To chart the changes for the 2019 model year of the Genesis G80, it receives a slightly refreshed 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system that appears to have an easier flow of the menu sets. Additionally, the less-powerful 3.8-liter V6 engine can now be with an optional Sport package. My Genesis G80 Sport test vehicle happens to have the brand’s delightful 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, which is a gem in my book with its 365 horsepower and 376 ft-lbs. of torque.

The smooth and quiet power delivery from the turbocharged V6 makes the G80 Sport come alive and surprise many with the ability to get up to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat. Thanks to a direct-feeling 8-speed automatic transmission that is mostly predictable to land in the proper gear when called for, the G80 Sport fires off shifts with authority and in the rear-wheel-drive configuration. The G80 can even get a little tail-happy, enacting stability and traction control quite often at the hands of an eager driver. Mostly, the body motions are composed, and the ride quality is good, an excellent balance of sport and luxury. While steering feel is mostly numb, there is a sporty character that comes out to play upon heavy throttle inputs and the chassis and suspension tuning’s ability to carve back roads quite well.

Inside, as previously noticed in my last G80 review, the cabin is quiet and subdued. The interior quality is good with plentiful soft-touch surfaces throughout, even on the lower door trim. The contrasting leather seating areas are comfy yet supportive in just the right areas with heating and cooling up front and outboard heated seats in the back. The cabin volume is decent for a midsized luxury vehicle, but headroom in the rear was somewhat of a letdown, possibly due to the massively-sized glass panoramic sunroof with its power sunshade.

Genesis continues to impress me, and I expect them to gain even more attention in a good way with fresh new products that cannot be beat for their value proposition. At a price of about $57K for a nicely-equipped Genesis G80 Sport 3.3T, that includes all of the expected features of adaptive cruise control, lane keep assist, blind-spot monitors with a nifty audible and vibrating steering wheel alert system, and many other creature comforts, the G80 undercuts its competition by far.