2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige: Review

If you looked at my review roster, you’d likely notice a pretty noticeable trend: I don’t get my non-SUVs. Of 31 loans that have come and gone (or are scheduled) over the last 12 months, only eight were cars. If you survey any local parking lot, it might sound like 25% of new vehicles are cars, which is okay, but it is clearly a continually shrinking segment. Genesis hasn’t abandoned the sedan quite yet, and I got to spend a week with this 2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige. Let’s see how it stacks up in the luxury sedan segment and whether it should make your daily driver shopping list.

2025 Genesis G80 Overview

My last foray into the G80 lineup was technically the 2023 electrified version, but for a more direct comparison, let’s take a look at this 2022 G80 which was a similar trim. The G80 lineup is still pretty similar to the 2022 model. For 2025 you still pick your drivetrain first. The base G80 2.5T has a turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder engine making a healthy 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. If you want (need?) more power, check out the G80 3.5T Sport which has a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (375 hp, 391 lb-ft). Both the 2.5T and 3.5T models come in Advanced (“Sport Advanced” on the 3.5T) and Sport Prestige versions. They are generally as they sound and add a host of features to the window sticker.

Since we have the top-spec version, it’s got it all. Finished in Vatna Gray over Seville Red and Obsidian interior, you’re all in at $78,280. It’s not inconsequential, so let’s see how it did on daily driver duties.

2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige Inside & Out

First, let’s start off on the outside. Yep, Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis are still killing it. Next.

I’m just kidding. I’ll run through the exterior elements. The front grille shows how you can make a complex design look elegant yet somehow sporty. The split headlight design carries nicely down the side with matching split slats just aft of the front wheels following the invisible line all the way to the split taillights. It’s all very classy and clean.

Sure, there are elements I’m not in love with. The wheels, for example, are a great color and shape, but the designer should have known when to put the pen down. The extra lines and indentations, while matching some elements from the grille, don’t add much and distract from a very clean overall exterior design. That’s really about it, moving on to the inside.

Genesis does Vegas lounge as well as anyone lately, and this G80 is no different. Dominating the dashboard is a massive 27-inch infotainment display (including the driver’s instrument cluster). While some OEMs put two screens next to each other with some black plastic bits in between, this is all one contiguous display. It’s all very high-res and pretty, and you can even have one long image going across the background. Even the heads-up display has great-looking graphics. At one point, I could see a vivid album cover up there; it’s impressive how detailed the images were throughout the car.

From a tech perspective, things were pretty good. The touchscreen works well, and Genesis has a very intuitive menu system. If you don’t want to reach up as far, the dial in the console’s center is also a touchpad, but I didn’t use it very often. The wireless connectivity for Apple CarPlay paired fairly quickly and stayed connected during my week in the G80. Speaking of phones, mine didn’t like to stay in place on the wireless charger, resulting in spotty charging. Also, at one point, the right side of the screen stopped showing Apple CarPlay temporarily. 

Also, those lights! You can configure the interior lighting to your taste, and it is quite a scene.

It’s all amazingly comfortable. The “ergo motion” massage seat (driver only) was fantastic, as usual. I found myself wanting to sit in the G80 and just run through a massage cycle.

Rear legroom is plentiful, coming in at 37.8 inches. Depending on your height, that is more than enough to sit with your legs comfortably crossed. Meanwhile, there are 13.1 cubes of space in the trunk, not huge, but plenty for most daily driver use cases.

2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige On The Road

High-end luxury has always been about effortless acceleration, and Genesis has clearly benchmarked that concept. With 375 horsepower on tap, the 4,619 lb. G80 gets moving without any fuss. It’s super smooth, with easy acceleration up to highway speed and beyond. It feels like a classic Rolls or Bentley, with easy but not dramatic speed. Interestingly, in Sport mode, it will keep hold of whatever gear you put it in. That’s much better than some cars I’ve driven, including my own Alfa.

It’s not a small car, but it feels relatively nimble for its size. I found that it had a great turning radius and would even turn around in basically a one-point turn on my street. If the back end loses traction, the seatbelt tightens slightly around you to hold you in place. It’s a very comfortable and engaging place to spend some time.

Summary

The G80 delivers an impressive luxury experience in the midsize category. If you don’t have to have a European nameplate, it has all the same features you’ll find on a comparable competitor. But cheaper. Plus, Genesis is really doing “Vegas Lounge” really well right now, and I say that absolutely as a compliment. Sure, it’s not the high-end club on the strip where you have to be on a list to get in, but there’s still a line.

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One response to “2025 Genesis G80 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige: Review”

  1. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    You even found an Equus to park with, neat. The “Las Vegas” interior is a bit much for me, especially when you turn on the red lights. You don’t want to sell anything, right? I can appreciate the style, though, and hope Genesis sells enough of these to continue making them.

    Btw, my comments were slurped up by “waiting for moderation” for a while and I guess if that happened to me, it happened to others, too. AFAIK, these comments never showed up. Testing yesterday, it seems the website works again.