Genesis’ Smoke-and-Mirrors Strategy Matures With Value-Rich GV80 SUV

Genesis’ Smoke-and-Mirrors Strategy Matures With Value-Rich GV80 SUV

Published: February 1, 2020 | By: American Luxury Staff

Drivers of sedans made by Genesis, the luxury division of Korean car giant Hyundai, are not strangers to the double-take; the company’s G90 looks vaguely Bentley-like, and even their entry-level G70 manages a convincing design-language approximation of a German luxury sedan.

Now that the new Genesis GV80 has appeared in production version, the temptation is of course to ‘spot the influence.’ But while Genesis—which was spun off as its own brand in 2017—may be an upstart among luxury automakers, the company’s design sensibilities are maturing quickly.

Aside from looking remarkably graceful for a ~$70K SUV, the GV80 also possesses its own sense of design literacy. The smoke-and-mirrors approach is still dominant, but Genesis has already started to move away from the borrowed style that got it so much press in the last few years of the last decade.

Genesis has also revealed powertrain and tech details for the 2021 SUV. For American drivers, the company is offering a standard 2.5L four-cylinder, with a 3.5L six available as an option. Horsepower delivered by the 2.5L engine is around 300, with the larger engine delivering about 400. Tech includes a take on Mercedes’ MBUX, and the infotainment screen’s a big one, measuring 14.5”.

Expect to see the GV80 in U.S. dealerships around the middle of the year.

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