The all-new 2021 Genesis G80 has debuted, following its GV80 SUV sibling into a new era and styling direction for the Korean luxury brand.
With a dramatic new look centred around a huge, shield-like grille, quad headlights, and a new sloping roofline, the redesigned G80 tries to stand out in a segment that is decidedly conservative in its style. Other styling highlights include a new lighting detail on the front three-quarter panel that extends visually from the quad headlights, quad taillights, new 20-inch wheels and a lot more chrome.
Coming to Canada with standard all-wheel drive, the G80 is built on a rear-drive platform, meaning performance is still at the forefront of the sedan’s personality. Two engines will be offered in Canada, a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a turbocharged 3.5L V6 with 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. The G80 also gets a new suspension that uses a front camera to predict changes in the road and smooth out the ride.
Genesis says the new G80 is 125 kg lighter than its predecessor, which benefits both performance and fuel economy. The interior should also be quieter than ever, with Genesis using more acoustic glass and sound insulation and promising class-leading low levels of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH).
A huge highlight of the new G80 is its interior. Although Genesis only released one photo of the interior so far, it looks high-tech and very luxurious with a deep blue/teal shade of leather, wood accents, and quilted detailing in the seats. A huge horizontal 14.5-inch touchscreen that can also be operated via a new rotary knob/touchpad sits on top of the dash to complement a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. Augmented reality navigation and over-the-air updates are also available.
Other notable tech includes a parking assistant that automates steering for parallel and perpendicular parking, as well as a remote function that can move the car forwards or backwards using the key fob, useful in tight spots so the driver or passengers can get in and out easier. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, though it’s unclear if it’s a wireless setup as is becoming more common these days, especially among luxury automakers.
On the safety front, the Genesis G80 will be available with new advanced safety features including a highway driving assistant that is capable of lane-change manoeuvres, an adaptive cruise control system that learns from a driver’s behaviour, a system that will move the passenger seat to a safer position if a collision is detected, active forward collision avoidance, and blind spot monitoring with active capabilities, meaning it could stop a driver from moving into another lane if another vehicle is detected in the blind spot. It also gets a new centre airbag that would deploy between the driver and passenger in the event of a collision.
Other information on fuel consumption, pricing, cabin and cargo space, and more will be released closer to the sedan’s launch.
The 2021 Genesis G80 – which competes with other mid-sized luxury sedans like the BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and Audi A6/A7 – arrives in Canada in the second half the year. autoTRADER.ca has also uncovered trademark filings that hints to an electric or plug-in hybrid version of the G80 launching in the future with the name Genesis eG80.
You may also like
