Genesis, Hyundai’s premium brand, joined the bandwagon of the SUV-coupe trend and unveiled the GV80 Coupe in late 2023 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The Korean automaker Hyundai wanted to have a premium brand in its portfolio, and unlike Honda, Nissan, and Toyota, it created the Genesis from scratch. It didn’t just re-badged its own products but developed new ones, such as the Genesis GV80 Coupe, an SUV with a sloped rear end that followed the ideas premiered by the BMW X6 back in 2008. The new product was unveiled as a concept in April 2023 at the New York Auto Show, and seven months later, the automaker brought the production version of it to the Los Angeles Auto Show as a 2025 model year.
Starting at the front, the GV80 Coupe shared its fascia with its non-coupe sibling but with a few enhancements. The crest grille sported a rhomboidal pattern with gloss black accents that adorned it. It was flanked by the signature twin-headlights design, where each headlamp featured an additional LED blade for the daytime running lights. Moving downward, the automaker placed a set of scoops on the lower part of the apron covered with a similar pattern as the main grille and sporting side vents to improve aerodynamics.
From its profile, the GV80 Coupe revealed its cab-rearward shape with a sloped-down roofline towards the back of the vehicle. On the front fenders, the automaker installed a twin-blade design theme that echoed the one from the twin headlights at the front. The black B- and C-posts enhanced the coupe look of the car, creating the image of a seamless window line from the A-pillars to the rearmost post. To create more headroom for the rear-seated passengers, Genesis’ designers started to slope down the roof just after the C-posts and incorporated a triangular window behind the rear doors. Finally, at the back, the twin taillights echoed the headlights, and the tailpipe trims resembled the pentagonal shape of the car’s main grille.
Inside, the sporty-looking SUV greeted customers with a luxurious cabin. In front of the driver, the G80 Coupe featured a wide glass panel that concealed both the instrument display and the touchscreen for the infotainment system. Both front bucket seats were leather-wrapped and featured adjustable bolstered areas on the sides. The center console between them housed a wireless charger, and a crystal for the gear selector adorned the rotary dial. In the back, Genesis installed a split-folding bench seat profiled for two passengers where the outboard seats could be optioned with heating and ventilation.
Genesis installed a 3.5-liter V6, helped by an electric supercharger and two turbochargers, similar to the one installed in the GV90 that produced 409 hp (415 PS). It was mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sent power in all corners as standard.
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