A perfect mix of performance, luxury and style

This review first appeared in the May 2020 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg
 

Sacramento, California – To this day, it's still hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that Hyundai, a former producer of cheap cars, is making some of the top quality motor vehicles in the world.

In the recently tested Genesis G80 RWD 3.3T Sport sedan, the point is slammed home with sledgehammer force.  The G80 is that rare mix of exceptional performance, luxury and style.

Yes, that's right, the luxury division of Hyundai makes a passenger car the equal of anything produced by Cadillac, Acura, Lincoln, Acura, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz.

There, I said it.  And it's the truth.

Let's start with style. The tested G80 had plenty of it with perfect fit-and-finish and head-turning sculpting on the front end.  The obligatory oversize grille is softened a bit by angular cuts under the G80's headlights.  The lines over the top of the car are softly rounded and smooth.

Inside, luxury abounds.  An extensive owner's manual helps the owner master a wide range of features.  Noteworthy perks include a 16-way power driver's seat, an easy-to-use 9.2-inch touchscreen, a wireless charging pad, a power rear sunshade, Nappa leather surfaces and LED lighting all around.

The luxury lineup is bolstered by state-of-the-art safety technology, including lane-keeping assist and driver-attention warning systems.

Heart-racing performance comes from a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 advertised at 365 horsepower.  It feels much stronger than that last number, especially when I leaned the G80 hard into twisty Sierra Nevada foothill roads.  The G80 held the line with monorail firmness throughout, and for those who like to rip through the gears, paddle shifters are part of the deal.

Fuel mileage on the tester was fair at 17 miles per gallon in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.

Off the top, I would expect to pay $60,000 to $70,000 for this machine, but the bottom line on the tester's sticker was a comparatively reasonable $56,245.  Hyundai has made a lot of headway pricing loaded cars for far less than the competition.  They've hit another home run with this G80.

Literally as I'm writing this, Genesis has unveiled an all-new G80 with "Athletic Elegance" design.  That's definitely something to look into.