Review of the Genesis G80 Saloon

The Genesis G80 Saloon is a luxury executive saloon designed as an alternative to the popular German saloon cars. Coming with an elegant exterior and a high-quality cabin, the G80 Saloon is a good choice for those who want a balance of comfort and performance.

Rivals to the Genesis G80 Saloon include the Audi A6, BMW 5 Series, Jaguar XF, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. 

Genesis G80 Saloon Pros: 

• Luxurious interior
• Powerful petrol engine
• Elegant exterior styling  

Genesis G80 Saloon Cons: 

• Bad fuel economy
• Poor boot space  
• Only one engine is available

Our Genesis G80 Saloon review covers: 

• Executive saloon with a long bonnet and sloping rear roof
• Luxurious interior with leather upholstery
• 424-litre boot
• One 2.5-litre petrol engine is available
• Three trim levels are available: Premium, Luxury, and Sport

The Genesis G80 Saloon is the definition of an executive saloon car. Coming with a large grille, long bonnet, and a sloping rear roofline, the G80 Saloon would look at home collecting the Prime Minister from 10 Downing Street.

The G80 Saloon measures 4,995mm in length, meaning there's plenty of interior space. Passengers in the front have loads of leg and headroom, and the same goes for those in the back. If you plan on carrying passengers over six feet tall, avoid the sunroof option, as it reduces rear headroom.

Boot space comes in at 424 litres which is significantly less than both the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. There's no underfloor storage as that's where the battery is, but regardless, it should be big enough to store a few suitcases or a set of golf clubs.

The interior of the Genesis G80 Saloon is one of the best in its class. Plenty of soft-touch plastics and high-quality materials are used throughout the cabin, giving a real sense of luxury when behind the wheel. The standard G80 Saloon comes with a leatherette upholstery, but upgrade to Luxury, and you get a real wood trim with Nappa leather upholstery.

For technology, the G80 Saloon comes with a massive 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system on the dash. It's responsive, easy to use, and comes with smartphone mirroring and sat-nav as standard. You also get an 8-inch digital driver's display behind the steering wheel. It's available with a head-up display to project road information onto the windscreen and augmented reality.

Three trim levels are available for the G80 Saloon: Premium, Luxury, and Sport.

Premium comes with 19-inch alloy wheels, LED lights, 12-way adjustable front seats with 4-way lumbar support, a black high glossy interior garnish, smart key and push start, a rearview camera with dynamic guidelines, cruise control, blind-spot assist, rear-cross traffic avoidance assist, and highway driving assist.

Luxury adds to this with 20-inch wheels, real wood interior garnish, a heated steering wheel, a leatherette dashboard, a power tailgate, 3-zone climate control, and a premium cabin filter.

Sport tops the range with Genesis branded brake calipers in black, a carbon interior finish, and leather seat covers with quilting.

One engine is available for the G80 Saloon, a turbocharged 2.5-litre petrol engine with either rear-wheel or all-wheel drive.

Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the 2.5-litre engine has a power output of 304bhp, a top speed of 155mph, and achieves 0-62mph in just six seconds. However, for what it delivers in performance, it falls short in fuel economy, returning a combined consumption of just 33mpg.

Given the G80 Saloon's size, it handles well on the road. It's accurate around corners, and the chassis does a great job of controlling body lean when turning at speed. However, it does fall short of its smaller German rivals, such as the Audi A6 and Mercedes E-Class.

As expected for an executive saloon, the G80 Saloon is a comfortable and relaxing drive. Thanks to its weight and size, it handles bumps in the road well at cruising speed, but it's not great at tackling potholes and cracks at motorway speeds. If you want a more adaptive suspension, consider the BMW 5 Series.

Prices for the new Genesis G80 Saloon start from £40,900.00 OTR* or to lease from £504.36 per month.

Looking to get behind the wheel of the Genesis G80 Saloon? Nationwide Vehicle Contract is one of the UK's largest car leasing brokers and offers a range of leasing deals available.

Leasing may be more affordable than an outright purchase thanks to a low initial rental, fixed monthly rentals, and various benefits included in your lease deal, such as breakdown cover and road tax.

*' On the road' price correct at time of publication and includes one year's road fund license, DVLA first registration fee and number plate fee. Prices are subject to change, always check with your nearest retailer.