Genesis Electrified G80 (2025) review

Introduction

For the uninitiated, Genesis is the luxury arm of Hyundai, and it’s made quite a splash over the past few years. The Korean firm has introduced a range of well-made, strong-warrantied and impressively premium cars, and now it’s in the middle of giving them a mid-life facelift.

The G80 is its large saloon. Price-wise, it has battled the likes of the BMW 5 Series and the electric i5, as well as the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and the EQE, and the Audi A6 E-tron, but in terms of size it’s close to the 7 Series/i7 and the S-Class/EQS.

When it first launched in 2021, it was available with a petrol engine and as an electric model, called the Electrified G80. For the facelift, Genesis has ditched the petrol engine, updated the electric powertrain for more range, and addressed a key concern about the original car – that the space for back-seat passengers was too small. Consequently, the wheelbase has been extended by 130mm with all that extra length going into the rear. Oh, and there’s new tech, exterior design tweaks and an overhauled interior, too. Does this make it a bargain alternative to the German rivals?

At a Glance

The revamped Genesis Electrified G80 is a large saloon, more than five metres long, and one that’s crammed with top-quality materials and features. You could look at it as a larger alternative to the above Mercs, BMWs and Audis for the price, or as a bargain limousine that’s considerably cheaper than the likes of the S-Class and 7 Series, both of which can cost well over £100,000 new. In fact, Genesis expects many customers to be limousine companies looking to ferry the well-heeled about the place. That’s why the extended rear cabin is such big news.

With the petrol engine option now gone, the Electrified G80 is the sole model in the range, with a single 370PS, 700Nm dual-motor setup that powers the big car to 62mph in a very brisk 5.1 seconds. That’s the same as the pre-facelift model, but the battery powering the motors is new, 94.5kWh in size (up from 87kWh), and that gives it an official range of 354 miles instead of 323. That’s still less than some rivals (the EQS can manage up to 481 miles), but then so is the Genesis price.

The exterior styling is smart, albeit owing at least a small debt to Bentley, with revised bumpers, grille and lights for the facelift. Inside, the overhaul is more dramatic, with a wealth of new tech and features included as standard (at last partially justifying the £5600 price rise), including a massive OLED display, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound, fancy suspension that reads the road ahead using a forward-facing camera, and active noise cancellation in the cabin, as you’d find with fancy headphones. It is, at least on paper, a very large amount of car for the money.

Key Features

There’s just one trim and one powertrain on the Electrified G80, the pre-facelift model’s petrol engine having been ditched at the refresh. The sole trim, named Dynamic, comes with pretty much everything as standard – the infotainment system and sound system mentioned above, the ECS with Road Preview suspension setup (more on that in the Performance & Drive section), a wireless phone charger, a head-up display and a fingerprint authentication system, which loads up particular preferences for different drivers.

Range & Batteries

The range of the Genesis Electrified G80 has been boosted by the arrival of the new 94.5kWh battery, giving it a range of up to 354 miles on a full charge. Sure, some rivals manage further, but they cost more or don’t have dual-motor setups.

The 800V platform means fast charging at up to 187kW is possible with a suitable DC charger, which means a 0% to 80% top-up will take around 25 minutes. If you’ve got three-phase electricity, a home charge will take eight and a half hours from 10% capacity. A heat pump and battery are included as standard, as is an electrically operated and heated charging port.

Find out more about electric range and charging in out completel guide to everything you need to know about electric vehicles.

Performance & Drive

The Genesis Electrified G80 is, essentially, a limousine. That means it needs to be wafty and comfortable – and it is. The high-tech suspension, which uses a camera in the windscreen to scan the road ahead and adjust the damping when it sees undulations of potholes, seems to work well, giving driver and passengers a supple ride. Is it as magic carpet-like as its pricer Germanic limo rivals? No, but it certainly does the job.

We tried a test car with the optional rear-wheel steering (£1120), and that made it very nimble around town and in low-speed corners. Combined with feelsome, nicely weighted steering, it’s actually far more involving to drive than we expected.

The G80 is not a small car, but the innate shove of dual electric motors, combined with a lot of torque and a good amount of power, means it can shift in a straight line, with 0-62mph taking just 5.1 seconds. Quick overtakes will pose no problems at all.

Running Costs & Emissions

Because of its all-electric drivetrain, the savings you’ll make buying the Genesis Electrified G80 should continue when you fuel it. Electricity costs far less than petrol, especially if you can charge at home or at the office. How much it’ll cost to fill the battery from empty will vary depending on your tariff, but it’ll likely be between £25 and £30.

Because it’s an EV, lowest rate of VED (Vehicle Excise Duty, often known as road tax) applies for the first year, built into the purchase price of the car. The flat rate of tax applies after that, as well as the £40,000-plus luxury car supplement, which means an annual tax bill of £620 from years two to six.

Insurance could be expensive, however. The Electrified G80 sits in group 50 of 50, so premiums won’t be cheap.

Interior & Technology

The Electrified G80’s interior has had a makeover as of 2025, and one of the highlights is its infotainment system. Gone are the separate screen and binnacled instrument panel of the earlier version; instead, a huge 27-inch OLED display stretches from the centre of the dash across to the driver’s window. With crisp, clear and smart graphics, it’s quite the looker and it’s easy to use, too. As well as using the touchscreen, you can navigate via a dial between the front seats, which makes it far easier to adjust things while on the move. There are separate controls for the air conditioning too – no need to delve through touchscreens. A head-up display projects essential driving information onto the windscreen.

Features of the infotainment are numerous, and include wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as various streaming services to wile away the minutes spent charging – Netflix, Disney+ and more can all be played through the flashy screen, though thankfully not while moving.

Tech aside, the revamped G80 includes a new-look steering wheel and various colour options, with high-quality materials and switchgear that justify the asking price. It feels every inch a luxury car.

Practicality & Boot Space

The underwhelming rear-seat space of the original G80 has been improved dramatically with the 2025 facelift, chiefly by way of the extended wheelbase, which gives passengers in the back an extra 130mm of legroom. However, taller passengers beware – despite the roof being lifted by 5mm over the outgoing car, headroom is very limited and if you're over six foot you’ll find your hairdo ruined by the headlining. While the extra legroom is good, there’s very little clearance under the front seats, so you’ll also struggle to get your feet underneath them. As a result, it’s still not as spacious as it should be. More diminutive passengers, however, should be very comfortable.

The boot is also very small compared to rivals, with a capacity of just 354 litres, which is almost identical to that in a Volkswagen Golf – a far smaller car.

Other storage space is respectable – two bug cupholders between the front seats, a cubby under the central armrest, reasonable door pockets and pockets on the back of the front seats for those in the back.

Safety

Independent safety organisation Euro NCAP gave the Genesis G80 a maximum five-star score back in 2021, and that still applies today. It received particularly good marks for adult and child occupant safety, and its safety assist systems scored well, too.

Standard features include advanced automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-following and lane-keeping systems and blind-spot warning.

Options

There’s just one trim and powertrain available on the Electrified G80, but there are a few option packs to personalise your car. We tried a model with the rear-wheel steering (£1120), which is highly recommended for extra agility. The Second Row Comfort Pack (£2640) gives those in the back heated outer rear seats, doors that close electrically, a control dial for the infotainment between the back seats and electric window blinds, while the separate Comfort Pack (£1780) gives those in the front 18-way electrically adjustable front seats, a massage function and ventilation for hot days.

Want extra swank? The Nappa Leather Seat Pack (£2620) drenches the whole interior in high quality, quilted Nappa leather, with suede headlining. You could also add white brake calipers for £340, although you’ll struggle to see them behind the deep-dish alloy wheels. For those wanting to power appliances using the car’s battery, while parked up, a £300 vehicle-to-load (V2L) adapter could be worthwhile.

Rival Cars

There are two categories of rivals for the Genesis Electrified G80. At a similar price, the BMW i5 and Mercedes EQE look rather small in comparison, and while they feel slightly more polished, you really do get a lot more car for your money with the Genesis. It’s a quality versus quantity decision.

Conversely, if you’re after a luxurious limousine, the Genesis represents a big cost saving over the BMW i7 and the Mercedes EQS. Those German rivals are better cars, but are they north of £25k better? There’s a strong argument that no, they’re not.

Verdict & Next Steps

The revamped 2025 Genesis Electrified G80 makes a compelling case as a luxury electric saloon that punches well above its weight. With a spacious, tech-laden interior, improved rear-seat comfort over its predecessor, and a refined electric drivetrain that offers a solid range and rather brisk performance, it delivers genuine limousine vibes for a fraction of the cost of traditional German flagships.

While there are a few practicality niggles that remain, most notably the limited rear headroom and modest boot space, the G80's blend of premium features, a serene ride experience and very attractive pricing make it a compelling choice if you’re looking for comfort, class and all-electric efficiency without the six-figure price tag.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the Genesis Electrified G80

**Correct as of 15/07/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £7,641.99 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.