[Seong Giho's Tavoleo] The 'GV80' Famous Feast, There Was Plenty to Eat

#Genesis First SUV #Dynamic Elegance #Clean Yet Luxurious #Comfortable Driving Experience #Robust Features #Worth the Price Despite Being Somewhat Expensive

Hyundai Motor Group's luxury brand Genesis has officially launched its first SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), the 'GV80'. On the 15th, Hyundai Motor Group held a new car launch event at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, unveiling the actual vehicle. The 'GV80' is Genesis's first rear-wheel-drive based large SUV.
Goyang ? Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] The long-rumored GV80 has finally been unveiled. The first sports utility vehicle (SUV) from Hyundai Motor Group's Genesis brand. After its debut at the New York Motor Show in April 2017 and several postponed launches, it was finally introduced in 2020. On its first day of release, 15,000 units were ordered, far surpassing the annual sales target of 24,000 units. Truly a 'finally' moment for the GV80. I personally drove the flagship SUV GV80, which will lead the Genesis brand alongside the flagship large sedan 'G90,' from Ilsan to Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province.

Hyundai Motor Group's luxury brand Genesis has officially launched its first SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), the 'GV80'. On the 15th, Hyundai Motor Group held a new car launch event at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, unveiling the actual vehicle. The 'GV80' is Genesis's first rear-wheel-drive based large SUV.
Goyang=Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

- How is the design described as 'Athletic Elegance' in reality?

The GV80 design, as explained by Hyundai, can be summed up as 'Athletic Elegance.' When I first heard this phrase, I pondered its meaning for a while. But seeing the actual vehicle, I immediately understood. The exterior slopes sleekly like a coupe, yet the overall silhouette exudes a classic car’s timeless beauty. It also gave me the impression that it was 'not that big.' Yes, I know. The GV80 is a large vehicle. Its specifications are not much different from the Palisade; the only difference is that the GV80 is 35mm shorter in length. However, thanks to the coupe-style design that lowers towards the rear, it looked much smaller than the Palisade.

The 'two lines' created by four lamps (quad lamps) at the front and rear of the vehicle were also impressive. At the new car launch, when Hyundai executives showed two fingers, I just laughed, but seeing it up close, I thought it was justified. No matter how dark it is, if you see the two lines, you immediately recognize it as a GV80?this is a design identity.

Hyundai Motor Group's luxury brand Genesis has officially launched its first SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), the 'GV80'. On the 15th, Hyundai Motor Group held a new car launch event at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and began official sales. The photo shows the interior of the GV80. / Goyang - Photo by Kim Hyun-min kimhyun81@

- How is the interior design?

In one word, it is 'the beauty of emptiness.' The first thought when opening the car door was that it was 'luxurious yet clean.' The interior was not cluttered with buttons because the number of control buttons was minimized. Although there are fewer buttons, operation is still very convenient through the 14.5-inch navigation screen and rotary controller. In fact, the driving assistance features are so good that there is little need for frequent adjustments. The overall interior design maximizes a horizontal sense of space through the placement of air vents and control buttons. The materials used for the seats and other interior components speak for themselves.

- How about the convenience features?

The GV80 is equipped with a 14.5-inch navigation system, which is horizontally elongated. This shape might seem awkward, but it has definite advantages. When augmented reality (AR) navigation is activated, the wide display allows you to see three different screens simultaneously, including the traditional navigation graphics. At first, it was overwhelming, but once accustomed, having various information displayed was better. However, the wide horizontal length of the navigation screen makes it somewhat inconvenient for the driver to touch the monitor while keeping their shoulder against the seat. The rear seat space is truly 'Hyundai’s space.' It is spacious and sufficiently comfortable. It was so convenient that I thought SUV use as executive cars will increase. It is large enough to install two child car seats and still have an adult sit in the middle seat. However, the ceiling in the third row is lower compared to the Palisade, a result of adopting the coupe-style design with a downward curve.

Hyundai Motor Group's luxury brand Genesis has officially launched its first SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle), the 'GV80'. On the 15th, Hyundai Motor Group held a new car launch event at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and began official sales. The photo shows the interior of the GV80. Photo by Kim Hyun-min, Goyang kimhyun81@

- How is the driving experience?

Sitting in the driver’s seat, I felt it was not big. It gave the same impression as the exterior design. The interior design and center fascia layout effectively reduce the sense of bulk despite being a large vehicle. As a large SUV, the view is high and wide, but the vehicle’s response was agile. It was impressive that smooth cornering was possible without much effort turning the steering wheel. The steering wheel is somewhat thick, so those with small hands should take note.

The driving experience on straight roads was pure comfort. It felt like driving a sedan. Even at high speeds, there was little shaking, making vehicle control easy. The Ergo Motion seat technology, which supports the driver during high-speed driving, enhanced the sense of stability. The Active Road Noise Control (RANC) was a feature I really liked. The noise was so well controlled that you could hardly tell it was a diesel vehicle. Even at high speeds, noise was barely noticeable. With good performance and almost no noise, speed increases rapidly?something to be cautious about.

The performance of the 'Highway Driving Assist II,' which makes highway driving more comfortable, exceeded expectations. Even when another vehicle abruptly changed lanes in front, it handled the situation well, and lane-keeping was excellent. It was literally possible to drive just by resting your hands on the steering wheel. The comfortable driving feel and excellent assistance features made drowsiness the biggest enemy for GV80 drivers. Of course, true to Hyundai’s style, if the driver looks away or removes their hands from the steering wheel for more than 10-15 seconds, a warning immediately sounds, so there is little need to worry.

However, the lane change system did not work as well as expected, which was disappointing. This feature automatically changes lanes by judging the situation when the turn signal lever is operated, but the activation conditions are strict, making it difficult to use.

The strength of Highway Driving Assist II also shows in fuel efficiency. The official combined fuel economy of the GV80 is 11.8 km per liter, but by using the system intermittently during driving, it recorded over 12 km per liter. Considering the somewhat aggressive driving during the test, this was a satisfying performance.

- What is the price?

The GV80 3.0 diesel starts at 65.8 million KRW, with the fully loaded model priced at 89.7 million KRW. It is by no means cheap. However, considering that competing vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, and Volvo XC90 easily exceed 100 million KRW, the GV80 is somewhat expensive but offers value commensurate with its price. Given that 15,000 orders were placed on the first day the price was announced, it can be seen that the main consumer base acknowledges this value. Rather than the price, the big deciding factor for buyers will likely be when they can receive their vehicle amid the flood of orders.