Driving the 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T

When Genesis approached me about spending some time in a G80 luxury sedan, I decided to use the 4-door for a long road trip with my wife that would cover over 2,000 miles. I drove a 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD model. That’s the top of the line trim, with an as-tested price of $78,495, including the destination fee.

Here’s some of what I discovered.

I Was Schooled

My first inclination for a road trip is nearly always to choose an SUV. I like the commanding driving position, airy cabin feel, and big cargo hold you get in a utility vehicle. However, I would be carrying two guitars, a small amplifier, and a pedalboard on this trip, in addition to our usual load of too much luggage. I couldn’t imagine leaving my treasured musical equipment in the back of an SUV when I parked for the night – or even during rest stops along the way. The G80’s 13.1-cubic-foot trunk swallowed everything we needed to bring on the trip and gave me a sense of security at every stop.

I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort I experienced while driving the G80. Even though my knees were not bent in the chair style I like in an SUV, the seat supported my thighs as my feet stretched toward the control pedals. The standard Ergo Motion driver’s seat with heating and ventilation helped me stay alert and comfortable while piloting the G80. When I felt a little claustrophobic after hours on the interstate, I slid back the power shade on the panoramic roof and got some of that airy cabin feel I like in an SUV.

The G80’s handling impressed me with its grace and smoothness when the roads took twists and turns. In a typical SUV, I would have been battling body roll and physics. But the low-slung sedan reminded me why taking a nice smooth curve is almost always better in a sedan.

It’s All Right Now

The G80 got a technology update for 2025, with a standard 27-inch OLED instrument cluster and navigation display taking up horizontal space behind the steering wheel and stretching across the middle of the dash. Bang & Olufsen premium audio is also standard on the Sport Prestige trim and is essential for a successful road trip.

I’m not a heavy user of driver assistance features in my everyday driving. But on a long drive like this one, I engage adaptive cruise control, lane keeping, and blind-spot intervention systems for added safety. The Genesis lane-change assist system was more than a gimmick; it eased my driving burden.

It’s a Gas Gas Gas

In this age of EVs and hybrids, the G80 is a bit of a throwback. It uses a turbocharged gasoline engine. The base car and the 2.5T models use an inline 4-cylinder turbo (300 hp/311 lb-ft of torque). The 3.5T models, like my test car, use a 6-cylinder twin-turbo (375 hp/391 lb-ft of torque). Both engines use 8-speed automatic transmissions, and all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard. The base shows an EPA-reported estimate of 20 mpg city/29 mpg highway/24 mpg combined, while the 3.5-liter comes in at 16/24/19. We averaged over 23 mpg for our trip, feeding the beast the expensive premium fuel the gas cap requested.

Watch It!

I loved driving the 2025 Genesis G80, and I’m happy we chose it for our trip over the SUV contenders. I grew more fond of the interior with every mile. I even came to admire the exterior design with each new approach. I especially loved the 20-inch aluminum alloy wheels, probably the feature most commented on by strangers during our gas stops.

Genesis has only been selling cars under its own brand in the U.S. since 2016. So, it doesn’t have the cachet of the other luxury brands. If more luxury buyers took road trips in G80 sedans, that would change quickly.

See 2025 Genesis G80 3.5T Sport Prestige inventory available