2023 Genesis GV80 3.0D Six-Seat Luxury Pack Review

Genesis is a brand that has been in Australia for a couple of years know and has gained more traction in the past year or so with the introduction of a few new models such as the electric GV60. One of the first all new products we saw in Australia was the GV80 large SUV, which sells reasonably well thanks to its value equation, handsome styling and quality interior. Earlier this year, Genesis released a new six-seat layout with a luxurious second row captain’s chairs layout, so we tested the 2023 Genesis GV80 fitted with the 3.0-litre turbo diesel six-cylinder and this new seating option to see what it’s like.

The large luxury SUV segment offers quite a few rivals to the GV80, some of which have been around for 25 years. These include the BMW X5, Lexus RX and Mercedes-Benz GLE – the daddies of the segment – while the Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, Range Rover Sport and Volkswagen Touareg have joined the party since.

How much does the 2023 Genesis GV80 cost to buy?

The 2023 Genesis GV80 range kicks off at $92,900 plus on-road costs for the entry level 2.5T rear wheel drive – and there may still be stock of that model in the country – but for the 2024 model year, the new entry-level model is the 3.0-litre diesel V6 that we tested here, which is priced from $105,700 plus on road costs (roughly $116,500 drive away).

2023 Genesis GV80 3.0D standard equipment:

• 22-inch alloy wheels with a tyre repair kit
• Automatic dusk-sensing all-LED exterior lighting
• Automatic rain-sensing wipers
• Keyless entry and push button start with remote start
• Hands-free electric tailgate
• Leather upholstery
• 12-way electrically adjustable front seats with driver’s memory
• Heated and cooled front seats
• Dual-zone climate control
• 14.5-inch touchscreen
• Wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
• Satellite navigation with augmented reality guidance and live traffic
• AM/FM/DAB+ digital radio
• Partially digital driver’s display
• Head-up display
• Heated and auto-folding mirrors that dip in reverse
• Wireless phone charger
• 1,050W 21-speaker Lexicon sound system
• Selectable driving modes
• Panoramic sunroof

2023 Genesis GV80 3.0D safety equipment:

• 10 airbags
• Auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assistance
• Lane keep assist with lane departure warning
• Adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality
• Blind spot monitoring with rear-cross traffic alert
• Speed sign recognition
• Rear seat occupancy alert
• Auto high beam
• Front and rear parking sensors
• A 360-degree surround view camera
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Driver fatigue monitoring

The 2023 Genesis GV80 range earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2021 with scores of 91 per cent for adult protection, 88 per cent for child protection, 66 per cent for pedestrian protection and 79 per cent for safety assist.

Genesis GV80 3.0D options:

• Luxury Package with reverse auto braking, Nappa leather upholstery, a suede headliner, Matrix adaptive high beam, a 12.3-inch 3D fully-digital driver’s display, active noise cancellation, remote parking, tri-zone climate control, soft-close doors, 18-way electric front seats with massaging, a heated steering wheel, power rear sunshades, heated and ventilated second row seats and power adjustable third-row of seating: $10,500
• Six-seat layout with individual captain’s chairs for the second row, electronically adjustable second row seating, a fixed centre console for the second row with a wireless charger, dual 9.2-inch screens for the second row, additional ambient lighting, dual 3.5mm headphone jacks and a USB video/audio input: $3,000

Genesis GV80 3.0D colour options:

• Vik Black
• Capri Blue
• Cardiff Green (not available for 2024)
• Himalayan Grey (not available for 2024)
• Savile Silver
• Uyoni White
• Makalu Grey
• Barossa Burgundy (fitted to our test car – not available for 2024)
• Brunswick Green Matte: $2,000 (not available for 2024)
• Makalu Grey Matte: $2,000
• Melbourne Grey Matte: $2,000 (not available for 2024)
• Matterhorn White Matte: $2,000

Buyers of the GV80 Luxury Package can choose between black, beige with black, beige with brown, tan with dark blue and green with brown interior colour options.

The total price for our GV80 3.0D with the six-seat layout and Luxury Package is $119,200 plus on-road costs or roughly $130,500 drive away, depending on location. Obviously, that isn’t cheap but in our opinion, it’s pretty good value for money in the segment. In comparison, the BMW X5 xDrive30d starts at $134,900 plus on-road costs, but equipping it to the level of the GV80 means adding a further $31,750 in options for a total price of $166,650 plus on-road costs (or around $180,000 drive away). The same situation goes for the Mercedes-Benz GLE300d with its starting price of $144,900 plus on-road costs and needing a further $17,000 in options to hit the level of the GV80.

What’s under the bonnet of the 2023 Genesis GV80 3.0D?

While it was the mid-spec engine in the 2023 GV80 lineup, the 3.0-litre turbocharged inline six-cylinder diesel engine in the 2023 Genesis GV80 is now the entry-level engine for 2024. It produces 204kW of power at 3,800rpm and 588Nm of torque between a low 1,500-3,000rpm – that’s 6kW and 32Nm less than the X5 30d but 6kW and 38Nm more than the four-cylinder GLE300d. It powers all four wheels via a standard eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission and unlike the BMW and Mercedes, it doesn’t feature a mild-hybrid system. The GV80’s claimed 0-100km/h sprint time is a reasonable 6.8 seconds – 0.7 seconds slower than the X5 and 0.1 seconds faster than the lighter GLE.

While it could be both punchier and more efficient, the diesel engine in the 2023 Genesis GV80 is one of the smoothest we’ve experienced. It’s quiet, quite refined and really emphasises the GV80’s luxurious vibe. Plus, it offers a pretty good level of punch when needed. It mostly stays at low revs and can barely be heard when behind the wheel, though gives off a nice muscular noise when you’re putting the boot into it. Putting the GV80 into sport mode livens the engine up a bit, but it’s more of a long distance cruiser and is quite happy to sit on the motorway at 110km/h quietly humming away.

The transmission is just as laid back as the engine, it pulls away from standstill effortlessly and the shifts are not noticeable with light throttle. The GV80s transmission is a joy to use. When the mood takes you you can even control the shifting yourself with steering wheel mounted paddle shifters though we would recommend just leaving it in drive and letting it waft down the road by itself.

The claimed average fuel consumption for the 2023 Genesis GV80 fitted with the 3.0-litre diesel engine is 8.8L/100km and its claimed CO2 emissions are 232g/km, both of which are higher than the X5 30d’s 7.2L/100km and 206g/km claims, and the GLE300d’s 6.6L/100km and 173g/km claims. In our week of testing, with a mixture of urban and motorway driving, we saw an average fuel consumption figure of 9.6L/100km, which we were impressed with given the GV80’s size and 2,277kg tare mass. The GV80 – regardless of choosing the petrol or diesel power – has a braked towing capacity of 2,722kg.

How does the 2023 Genesis GV80 3.0D drive?

Based on Hyundai’s ‘M3’ platform, the 2203 Genesis GV80 offers up a largely serene driving experience thanks to superb noise suppression, excellent active safety tuning and largely solid dynamics, though there is room for improvement on the last front. Unlike some rivals, the GV80 can’t be optioned with air suspension and instead, uses steel springs with adaptive dampers and even a system uses the car’s safety cameras in the windshield to predict bumps and adjust the ride accordingly. It’s also been tuned locally so that our GV80s offer up different suspension settings to the rest of the world, and it mostly works, but with those huge 22-inch wheels, bigger bumps can be felt in the cabin and the body control can be lacking at times with the suspension taking a few tries to adjust after even milder bumps.

Thanks to its size and mass, the GV80 is no sports car – but show it some corners and it drives confidently with a solid feel that we were pleasantly satisfied with. There are a few different driving modes such as eco and sport that change parameters of the GV80, including steering weight and throttle response, though we left it in comfort mode as it best suits the car’s character. The steering is direct but fairly light and the steering wheel’s diameter is quite thick. Noise suppression is excellent with very little road noise. Driving the GV80 is a nicely luxurious experience, which is not something you often say about a product from a fairly new luxury brand.  

What is the interior of the 2023 Genesis GV80 like?

Arguably the most important aspect of a premium product, the interior of the 2023 Genesis GV80 impresses with its excellent quality throughout: the lovely Nappa leather upholstery, textured metal switchgear and slick tech integration give it a strong standing in the segment. Everything inside the GV80’s cabin looks and feels great, from the stitched leather dashboard, the dual-tone steering wheel and soft leather on the centre console and doors to the lovely LED ambient lighting – it feels special, which is what you want when you’re spending this much on a car.

Importantly as well, storage is not an issue in the GV80. There are large door bins, two big cupholders next to the gear selector with a cover to hide valuables, a wireless charger in front of the cupholders also with a cover, storage under the centre console with a rubber lining so that phones don’t move around, a large glovebox and a centre console with dual lid opening and a deep bin underneath.

Sitting on the dash is a rather large 14.5-inch touchscreen that can also be controlled via a rotary dial in the centre console. The infotainment system itself is a doddle to use and the quality of the screen is quite crisp as well. It’s feature packed too with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, digital radio, satellite navigation with live traffic and even features such as ‘Sounds of Nature’, which plays atmospheric sounds such as a fire burning or snow falling. However, the 1,050W 21-speaker Lexicon sound system is a let down in this almost faultless interior because it doesn’t offer enough punch.

Choosing the six-seat option in the 2023 Genesis GV80 earns you executive-style captain’s chars in the second row with a centre console in between them. Both seats are powered and have a plethora of features such as heating, cooling and electric adjustment. There are also two 9.2-inch touchscreens mounted on the back of the front seats that control anything from the radio, satellite navigation and ambient lighting and they can even access the car’s camera system. The centre console in the second row features a wireless charger, a storage bin and controls for the two rear screens, while we really like the vanity mirrors in the ceiling for second-row occupants.

It must be said, however, that the second row of seating in the GV80 isn’t that roomy. Thanks to the standard panoramic sunroof, the headroom on offer for six-footers is just enough, though it does feel tighter than you’d expect for such a large car. The second row electrically folds forward to give access for the third row, while they fold flat too – though the centre console gets in the way when the seats are folded. Once back there, the third row only offers space for kids but it is reasonably well featured with cupholders, air vents and USB power. For child seats, both of the middle seats feature ISOFIX and top tether points, though not the third row of seating.

Genesis doesn’t quote a storage figure with the third row erect, but it could fit a few duffle bags fine. With the third row stowed, which happens electrically for both rear roads, the GV80 offers 727-litres of cargo space, and folding the second row opens that up to 2,144L. For features, it’s well featured with a carpet boot liner, a power tailgate with kick to open function and cargo hooks. Below the false floor is a tyre repair kit – there’s no spare wheel for the GV80.

What warranty covers the 2023 Genesis GV80?

All Genesis products come with a very luxurious ownership experience, including complimentary picking up and dropping off of your car for servicing within 70km of a service centre, as well as a loan car while it’s being serviced. Genesis goes a step further with five years/50,000km (whichever comes first) of servicing included in the cost of the car. A solid five-year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance rounds out the aftersales package.

Mercedes-Benz and BMW both match the five-year unlimited kilometre warranty Genesis offers, though both brands offer longer service intervals. The BMW X5 comes with condition-based servicing, though the general guide is 12 months or 15,000km and the Mercedes-Benz GLE300d only needs servicing every 12 months or 25,000km. BMW does not quote service costs, though at the time of purchase you can buy a service pack: a five-year or 80,000km service pack on an X5 costs $2,750 and servicing the GLE300d over the span of five years or 125,000km costs a huge $7,585.

Should I buy a 2023 Genesis GV80?

Has Genesis made something special with the GV80? We certainly think so as it’s a large luxury SUV that ticks quite a few boxes – certainly more boxes than some of its rivals. The GV80 drives mostly well, it has a luxurious interior that looks and feels great, it’s very comfortable, loaded with equipment – especially if you tick the Luxury Package – and we think it looks pretty expensive as well. Then there’s the kicker: while the GV80 is not cheap to buy, we think it’s great value for money thanks to its long equipment list and even if you tick the Luxury Package, costs tens of thousands less than some rivals.

Would we consider buying a GV80 over its established rivals? Definitely. While it’s not perfect – the cabin isn’t as spacious as its size suggests, too much equipment is reserved for the Luxury Package, the lovely diesel V6 could offer more punch and be more efficient and the ride could offer more finesse – it offers an great all-round package. We would skip the six-seater package, but we still think the GV80 offers excellence in the luxury large SUV segment and you’d be mad not to consider it.