New 2021 Genesis G80 executive saloon priced from £37,460

The G80 saloon will be one of two Genesis products that go on sale in the UK this summer to mark the brand’s official introduction in Europe. Priced from £37,460, the G80 will rival the Mercedes E-Class, while it’ll sit in Genesis’ line-up alongside the GV80 large saloon.

Genesis is yet to release detailed specifications for the G80, but the company has said that the saloon will be available in two trim levels and with two powertrains in the UK.

The different trim options will be badged Premium Line and Luxury Line, with the latter adding £4,800 to the saloon’s starting price. Standard equipment includes LED headlights, 19-inch alloy wheels, electrically folding door mirrors and Genesis-branded puddle lighting.

Inside, buyers get a leather-trimmed steering wheel, dual-zone air-conditioning, heated seats, a digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch infotainment system, which can be controlled using either touchscreen inputs or a rotary dial on the centre console.

UK buyers can choose from two engines. The cheapest option is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel with 207bhp and 440Nm, which is similar to the unit found in the Kia Stinger and the new Kia Sorento. It sends drive to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

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Above that, there’s a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. It’s priced from £43,150 and produces 300bhp and 421Nm of torque, which is fed through the same eight-speed gearbox to a four-wheel drive system.

The pure-electric Electrified G80 will offer more power with 364bhp and 700Nm, giving it a 4.9-second 0-62mph time and a 139mph top speed. On sale from June 2022, the Electrified G80 will cost from £65,805. 

In the United States and Korea, buyers can also opt for a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6, which produces 375bhp and 530Nm of torque, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting that engine in Britain. However, both petrol-powered models feature a switchable sound augmentation system, which allows the driver to choose between a regular and a sportier soundtrack. 

New 2021 Genesis G80: design and platform

The G80 uses a brand new design language and represents a big departure from its slightly clunky predecessor. Its nose features the latest iteration of Genesis’s shield grille and split LED headlamps, and this latter feature is echoed at the rear with similar-looking tail lights.

There are certainly elements of the previous Mercedes S-Class and CLS in its overall proportions, and there’s a healthy amount of chrome trim to emphasise the car’s upmarket positioning.

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Genesis has also tried to trim a little fat from the G80. The previous V6 model tipped the scales at just over 1,900kg, which made it a little portly compared to the equivalent E-Class. However, this new car uses aluminium extensively throughout its chassis and body, which has helped the company’s engineers slash 110kg from the car’s overall weight, offering a boost to both performance and fuel economy.

Inside, Genesis designers have prioritised minimalism when creating the G80’s interior. Air flows from vents within a slot running the width of the dashboard, separating the leather dash above and wood veneer below. Above the vents sits an ultra-wide infotainment screen.

While the touchscreen caters for most of the entertainment and navigation controls, there are still physical dials for the climate functions, too.

Genesis has also made an effort to reduce the size of the G80’s A-pillars, to both make the cabin feel airier and improve visibility. The latter issue is helped along by the car’s low dashboard, allowing for what Genesis calls a “panoramic view” out of the windscreen. Genesis also says that both leg and headroom have improved relative to its predecessor.

What does the new Genesis G80 have to beat? Check out our list of the best executive cars on sale now…