MINNEAPOLIS — The Genesis GV80 is a solid car that we named because of its attractive design, comfortable interior, good power and useful technology. It is a luxury SUV that offers an interesting alternative to its more expensive German rivals. So what next? Well, following in the footsteps of the Germans, it is time Genesis to turn its flagship SUV into a coupe. BMW X5 have it X6 sibling; Audi Cars has Sportbacks; Porsche And Mercedes car have Coupe versions of their mid-size SUVs… now Genesis is offering GV80 Coupe. It also has a sleeker roofline that reduces practicality, but also adds appeal with the supercharged engine option.
First, there are the obvious changes, and they start from the roofline back from the B-pillar. The steeper slope extends into a dynamic and aggressively shaped roof spoiler. Unlike the SUV’s more horizontal spoiler, the Coupe’s spoiler dips in the middle to create a sporty double-wing look. Below is a sharply sloping tailgate, bisected horizontally by a large spoiler at the bottom edge. Its dual-row taillights sweep over the corners into the clean curve of the lower tailgate. The Coupe gets even sportier touches below, like a sleeker lower front fascia with prominent quad exhaust tips.
Furthermore, less obvious design choices continue to differentiate the Coupe as the sportier sibling to the more practical SUV. Up front, it gets its own version of the Genesis badge grille, with two layers of mesh creating a three-dimensional effect and providing better protection for the rear internals. The front bumper features larger air dams, flanked by larger air intakes at the lower corners of the front fascia. From the side, the Coupe’s flat roof rails create a smoother silhouette (which helps accentuate the new roofline), while exclusive wheels add a distinct attitude that the SUV lacks. We particularly liked the look of the 22-inch matte dark grey wheels on our test car, their unique design evoking an almost crystalline mesh to complement each of the five spokes.
Moving inside, the GV80 Coupe’s cabin is rich and detailed. Our test car’s Nappa leather interior was Coupe-exclusive in red and black. color scheme, which we like second only to the available Ultramarine Blue with orange stitching. Sneaking behind the sporty flat steering wheel, the intricate carbon fiber trim features a unique diamond weave that gives it an interesting, almost holographic feel of depth. The stitching, quilting, and texture of the shifter invite you to touch them and lean in for a closer look. Go ahead, lean in—the closer look won’t disappoint.
And such a lavish interior significantly detracts from what was once the highlight of the entire cockpit, which represents a total change for 2025. GV80 line. A 27-inch digital OLED display now spans the dashboard, serving as both infotainment and gauge cluster. It’s crisp and colorful, putting information where you need it while still providing a seamless look. The infotainment system can be controlled via the touchscreen or by a rotary dial on the center console (still too similar in size and overall placement to the rotary gear selector). The climate controls have their own touchscreen, located further up the center stack below a row of menu buttons and a genuine rotary knob for volume and audio. This Genesis interior gets it right, using digital where it makes sense and not forcing you to dig through menus to find the items you use most.
Looking at the GV80 Coupe, it seems that the sloping roofline Right has a significant impact on rear-seat comfort. On paper, though, the Coupe offers 37.6 inches of headroom, sacrificing just 0.8 inches over the SUV. Open the rear doors, look up at the ceiling, and you’ll notice Genesis has gone to great lengths to carve out whatever space it can above the seatbacks, as the roof rises into a cavernous space behind the sunroof. Sit in the back, and you’ll likely be quite comfortable. This 6-foot-tall author had no complaints about sitting in the rear passenger seat on long trips. Even better, heated and ventilated second-row seats come standard on the GV80 Coupe, as do rear climate controls on the back of the center console.
The SUV’s third-row seating option isn’t expected to be available on the Coupe, but that’s no big loss. It’s cramped for everyone and only comes in a single trim level in the regular version.
The GV80 Coupe offers 30.3 cubic feet of volume with the rear seats up, which is significantly less than the 36.5 cubes available behind the SUV’s second row and puts it between BMW X6 (27.4) and the Mercedes GLE Coupe (31.6). When you look at the actual space, there’s a pretty big footprint, but the angle of the glass blocks the rearmost part of the cargo area. It looks great for holding items like grocery bags, and we suspect luggage would stack well on the back seat, but we suspect larger bags or boxes would struggle to fit as you go further back. The Cayenne Coupe is similar in this regard..
The GV80 Coupe comes with two powertrains. The base engine is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that makes 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque—the same engine available in the top-of-the-line GV80 SUV. The other, which isn’t available in the SUV but is borrowed from G90 sedan, is the same twin-turbo V6 that powers the Genesis “e-Supercharger.” Powered by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, it fills the performance gap left by the turbocharger relying on exhaust gases to generate boost. The result is immediate response, no turbo lag, and even more power—a total of 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. Interestingly, it also gives the GV80 Coupe a slight boost energy savinggets 18 miles per gallon in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, and 20 mpg combined, compared to the base engine’s 16/22/19 mpg.
We were only able to test the e-Supercharger powertrain, and, boy, is it great. The right pedal delivers power smoothly and immediately thanks to the e-Supercharger. It pulls hard in a linear way, with a seamless transition from turbo assist to turbo boost, keeping acceleration predictable until the next smooth gear change from the eight-speed automatic. It’s a good blend of speed and comfort; you can drive pretty fast without having your passengers constantly checking the speedometer.
Genesis puts engine sounds into the audio system, a controversial but now common practice. The point is: It sounds surprisingly good, and we kept praising the solid soundtrack throughout the ride, forgetting that it wasn’t entirely natural. It certainly sounds natural—it’s the sound of the actual powertrain, without any added notes added by a sound engineer or musician. You can turn it off for a quieter cabin experience, but this is one of those rare cases where the feedback from the extra volume is actually appreciated. It’s a strange thing to say.
Twist the mode selector and you can amp up the driving experience. Sport mode unleashes a little more power, but Sport+ mode is the secret sauce reserved for the E-Supercharger variant. The idle speed rises from 750 to 1,000 rpm, steering effort increases, and the suspension tightens up. The Sport+ transmission logic is particularly impressive, delivering a gentle, powerful grunt when downshifting and keeping the engine revs high in the rev range. It even holds the same gear rather than automatically shifting if you hit the rev limiter in manual mode. It makes rushing around a winding road an addictive adventure, complete with a bit of controlled wheel spin when pushing the GV80 Coupe out of a corner.
The feeling of control it provides when driving with enthusiasm is maintained in less than ideal road conditions. In particular, we encountered continuous heavy rain throughout the trip and never had the car falter. The four-wheel drive system is capable of sending 50-100% of power to the rear wheels (and therefore 0-50% to the front), but maximizes front torque in slippery conditions. It makes for a pleasant experience that adapts based on conditions and mood.
The ride is comfortable, without sacrificing too much agility or creating a numb or floaty feeling. Because the GV80 SUV’s available electronically controlled suspension is standard on the Coupe, it uses a forward-facing camera to actively adjust the dampers to the road ahead. It makes for a smooth ride for the occupants, complementing the luxury of the interior.
The GV80 Coupe’s pricing reflects its position alongside the top-of-the-line GV80 SUV, as well as its extensive list of standard features. Pricing starts at $81,300 (including $1,350 for destination) for the base 3.5T AWD. It’s equipped similarly to the SUV’s top-of-the-line GV80 3.5T AWD with the Prestige package, but it’s $650 more expensive. There are no options or packages. The same goes for the 3.5T e-Supercharger AWD, which costs $87,100 with destination. All of the features we’ve talked about throughout are included as standard, along with other niceties like the excellent driver-assist suite, a head-up display, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a digital key, wireless phone, and more. chargerWireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and rearview camera mirror.
While we tend to stay away from intersection Coupes, like their more practical, full-bodied counterparts, Genesis has an appealing formula with the GV80 Coupe. It’s the rare case where a coupe body style can actually look better than the SUV it’s based on (though that’s not everyone’s opinion, of course). The availability and exclusivity of the even hotter E-Supercharger powertrain only adds to its appeal. So if you’re looking for a sportier-looking version of the already appealing GV80, complete with a hotter powertrain, and don’t mind sacrificing a small amount of practicality (but not much, really), then you now have the GV80 Coupe to satisfy your taste. And don’t forget to switch to Sport+ mode. It’s pretty cool.
