Say hello to my buddy Dan. In his spare time, he’s an accomplished potter with a kiln and proper Demi-Moore-in-Ghost potter’s wheel. He throws a mean flower vase.
When he’s not playing with clay, or strumming his six-string, he’s Dan Neil, the Pulitzer Prize-winning auto critic for the Wall Street Journal. His Rumble Seat column on a Friday is literary genius.
So when I was putting miles on this week’s tester, a ravishing 2026 Genesis GV80 3.5T Prestige ($84,475 loaded), I was naturally curious to see if the silver-tongued Mr. Neil himself had put one to the Rumble Seat test.
Perfect timing. His last week’s epistle was on the very same Genesis – same model, same spec, even the same rich forest-green paintwork. Serendipity, me thought.
And it was the bold headline to his piece that completely echoed my thoughts as I was cruising across the new-look Howard Frankland, with its quirky, sail-shaped sculptures: “Stop Asking for My Car Advice. Just Buy a Genesis GV80”.
Pretty praisey stuff for Dan, who is best-known for his verbal lashings of some unsuspecting new model.
But after a week behind the wheel of this flagship Genesis, I whole-heartedly agree that the GV80 is still the benchmark in its class, still the leader in interior design, quality, fit and finish, and overall value.
Introduced back in 2020 and given a nip ‘n tuck facelift last year, the GV80 still looks deliciously fresh, elegant and timeless, with its still head-turning Bentley-esque grille, Bentley-esque interior, and beefy 22-inch rims.
And the beauty here is that you can get into a GV80 for a super-competitive $59,195. That buys you the new, rear-wheel-drive 2.5T – until ’26, all GV80s were all-wheel drive. Checking the box for AWD for the 2.5T adds an extra $2,150.
As the badge suggests, the 2.5T comes with a punchy 2.5-liter 300-horsepower turbo four-cylinder, which most of us would be exceedingly happy with.
But if you want true refinement and a little extra muscle, the 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 packing 375 horseys is still a joy, and one of the few V6 turbos around today. The ‘starter’ GV80 V6 is the 3.5T Advanced at $77, 445.
To me, the whole mantra of this latest GV80 is to calm and relax those inside. Everything from its active noise cancellation, to the layers of sound-deadening material stuffed into every crevice, to its thick, laminated acoustic glass.
It’s like driving in a padded cell at Leavenworth. Not that I’d know, of course.
The interior is still what delivers all the ooohhs and arhhhhs every time you climb aboard. Our Prestige model is the height of Genesis luxury, with all that glove-soft Nappa leather, suede-like headliner, soft-close doors, and power-folding third row.
Space inside is plentiful, especially in the second row, though that third row is definitely best-suited to kids. Fold down the second and third rows and you have a cavernous 71 cubic feet of space. Surprised, however, there’s still no option for second row captain’s chairs.
That 3.5 V6 continues to be one of the most refined and responsive engines out there, with its creamy-smooth power delivery, muscley mid-range thrust and whisper-quiet cruising.
Only electric power could be better. Which is, for me, continues to be the downside with the GV80 – still no hybrid or electric offering.
It definitely needs one, the other, or both. That’s because if you’re driving the 3.5 V6 version around town, you’re looking at 16 to the gallon. Even highway cruising won’t get you more than 22 mpg. That’s pretty dreadful.
Even the turbo-2.0-liter four-cylinder GV80s aren’t much better. With all-wheel drive, expect 19 city and 24 highway.
That aside, this fancy Genesis is still a true standout, even put up against key rivals, like BMW’s X5, Mercedes’ GLE, Audi’s Q7 and Lexus’ GX.
As Dan summed it up: “If you want a classy premium SUV with a conventional gas powertrain, priced at under $100,000, the GV80 is kind of a shoo-in”. I concur.
