IYKYK. If you know, you know. That’s what all the cool kids say these days when referring to things that are oh-so-cool but under-the-radar. Hyundai’s premium sub-brand, Genesis, still falls deeply within IYKYK territory, somehow still flying under the radar despite knocking out some bona-fide hits over the last few years. The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe is another such hit, even if it isn’t perfect.
We were already all pretty enamoured by the standard Genesis GV80, so there are no real surprises from this arguably better-looking coupe version. I never understood coupe SUVs—and still don’t entirely—but the GV80 Coupe certainly helps me warm up to them. There’s an unmistakable presence to it that you can really only experience in-person; it grabs the eyeballs of onlookers as if they’re wondering what kind of Bentley it is.
The GV80 Coupe is big, with an imposing chrome grille and split design headlights that demand your attention. It’s tied together by a U-shaped character line flowing through the hood and nicely wrapping around the Genesis logo. It’s hard not to look, but it isn’t overdone—it wouldn’t look out-of-place parked between a Cayenne, a Range Rover, and even a Bentley Bentayga. Despite being obviously inspired by Bentley—not really surprising, since Genesis’ design boss spent a few years there—it looks distinct and timelessly handsome at once.
And it looks good from virtually every angle. The side profile has some visual pizazz in the form of 22-inch wheels wrapped in 265-section tires at all four corners. I’m a big fan of the split headlight design that flows into the turn signals on the front fenders, which themselves are jazzed-up with a just-right touch of dark chrome. The coupe profile ends with a sporty roof spoiler with a third brake light that follows the entire width and curvature of the piece. The overall flow and cohesiveness of the GV80 Coupe’s design mean the pair of split tail lights match up on the same line as the headlights and turn signals. This eye for detail is unmistakably Genesis.
Our tester’s Capri Blue exterior paint is matched with an equally blue interior, which Genesis calls Ultramarine. It’s all very blue—the diamond-stitched seats, dash, door trim, and even the suede headliner are all decked out in blue. There’s some red stitching and seat belts, along with some glossy carbon fibre-looking trim and metallic accents to break up the sea of blue. Genesis pays attention to the small details: the rotary infotainment controller and shifter dial look bejewelled, the ambient lighting jazzes up your night drives without going overboard, and everything feels good to the touch, with very solid build quality throughout.
A 27-inch OLED display runs across the dashboard, making up the digital gauge cluster and infotainment. Both feature clean graphics and snappy performance, and thankfully, this new layout still retains physical controls for most important controls and functions. The 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system is party-ready and the stylish metal speaker grilles add to the GV80 Coupe’s premium feel.
The GV80 Coupe isn’t available with a third row, so seating is limited to five and cargo space is somewhat compromised due to the sloping roofline. But still, 858 litres—versus 991 for the standard GV80—is still plenty at 858 litres. The problem with Coupe SUVs is that you lose cargo flexibility, with taller items being more of a challenge. Luckily, passenger space is uncompromised both front and rear, with plenty of hip and shoulder room due to the GV80 Coupe’s wide footprint.
Genesis’ vehicles have always punched above their weight on features and tech for the money, and the GV80 Coupe is no different. Along with the aforementioned OLED screen, the diamond-stitched seats are heated, cooled, and have a feature Genesis calls Ergo Motion, where seven air bladders adjust to better support front occupants, and on long drives, turn on automatically to give you a light massage and reduce fatigue. They’re not full-fledged massage seats, but close enough. Active safety features and drive assists are both standard and abundant; I dig Genesis’ Blind View Monitor, which displays a camera view from the left or right side in the gauge cluster, depending on the turn signal. And thankfully, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are now standard.
The GV80 Coupe is powered by Genesis’ familiar 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, but now augmented by what Genesis calls an “e-supercharger,” though it’s essentially a 48-volt mild hybrid assist. It helps the auto start/stop system feel seamless, reduce emissions, and most importantly, provides a surge of power. The V6 puts out an already healthy 375 horsepower in the standard GV80, but the mild hybrid bumps it up to a more potent 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. It might not sound like much of an improvement, but there’s definitely a noticeable immediacy in power delivery, especially in Sport Plus mode. There are certainly faster SUVs out there, but the GV80 Coupe doesn’t leave you wanting in the least. The eight-speed automatic is also up to the task, but not quite as sharp as what BMW and Porsche offer in their sport-utes.
Where the GV80 Coupe does fall short is in the handling department, but I’d argue it’s only because of the way it’s pitched. Genesis markets this as the sporty version of the GV80, but outside the power bump and velvety engine, there’s nothing else particularly sporty about it. The Sport Plus drive mode adds some very convincing fake engine noises, and the D-shaped steering wheel is supposed to be sportier than a circle, but that’s it. Steering is light, and there’s plenty of grip as the GV80 Coupe hangs on in corners surprisingly well.
But where SUV-coupes like the X6 and Cayenne Coupe feel like they shrink around you, the GV80 Coupe is big and feels big. The suspension doesn’t control body motions well when you’re pushing it, reminding you of its size and weight as it sways and wallows more than you’d expect from something that should be considered sporty. The GV80 Coupe is much better-suited as a gran-tourer—soft, pleasant, and powerful; less X6 M60 and more Range Rover Velar.
Frame it the right way and the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe is nearly flawless. It’s powerful, good-looking-enough to be mistaken as a Bentley, has some of the best attention-to-detail we’ve ever seen, and at $104,500 as-tested, it’s one heck of a deal in the luxury SUV space. Genesis wants you to think it’s sporty, we think of it more as a gran-tourer—but however you want to classify it, Genesis has yet another hit on its hands.
