2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe adds fastback style, more powerful engine

Published 10:44 am Monday, April 7, 2025

The new 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe AWD giveth while it taketh away.

Compared to the continuing midsize GV80 SUV, the biggest giveth, er, give is a more powerful optional engine. It adds an electric supercharger to the base twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 to produce 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque. That’s an increase of 34 and 14 respectively.

Also included is a unique Sport+ drive mode that significantly increases throttle response and the aggressiveness of the 8-speed automatic transmission. Together, that’s enough for Car and Driver to find the e-SC reduces the zero to 60 time to a quick 5.2 seconds.

What’s taken away is a little cargo space and the availability of a third row of seats. That’s because of the fastback-style rear hatch that characterizes all coupe-style SUVs (even though they come with four doors). The goal is to make them look sportier than traditional boxier versions, like the GV80 SUV, and they do – although the proportions on some models are a little awkward.

Not so the GV80 Coupe, however, which benefits from the company’s overall swoopy exterior styling. The profile is arguably the best of the SUV coupes on the market. The resulting look is athletic, accented by its roofline and liftgate rear spoilers.

Aside from the optional engine, the GV80 Coupe is mechanically identical to the traditional version, with one big exception. Both come standard with all-wheel-drive, which increases traction in slippery conditions. But the base engine in the GV80 SUV is a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline 4 that produces a respectable 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. Its optional engine is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 that pumps out a more impressive 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feel of torque.

That’s the base engine of the GV80 Coupe, which is one more reason why it is the genuinely sportier version. Even the entry-level GV80 2.5T is one of the faster midsize luxury SUVs on the market. The 3.5T approaches performance SUV standards. But the 3.5T e-SC rivals serious sport sedans, albeit with the greater visibility and practicality of an SUV.

Naturally the 2025 GV80 Coupe is more expensive than the SUV version, which starts at $59,650 with the 2.5T and jumps to $75,150 for the starting 3.5T trim level. In contrast, the Base 3.5T Coupe begins at $81,400, while the e-SC version begins at $87,200.

Some of those prices might surprise buyers who only know Genesis is owned by Hyundai, the affordable Korean manufacturer. But, like the luxury brands of affordable American and Japanese manufacturers, all Genesis models easily meet genuine luxury standard. In fact, with their sleek styling, premium appointments, high-tech interiors, and advanced powertrains, the Genesis lineup is widely considered to more directly challenge the legacy European luxury manufacturers, while still costing thousands less for equivalent vehicles.

The GV80 SUV that was introduced in 2021 is a big reason for Genesis’ success. Four years later, that version is still considered one of the best mid-size luxury SUV’s available with two or three rows of seats. It still looks as striking as when it was first introduced, with flush headlights and taillights that help it stand out in a crowd. The large shield-shaped front grill has a different mesh pattern this year, but that change is subtle.

The interior of both versions of the GV80 is genuinely luxurious and was upgraded for 2025. The leather and other materials are of the highest quality. The biggest change this year is the display, with the previous upright 14.5-inch center screen replaced by an integrated 27-inch-wide screen across the top of the dash that is as modern as any other luxury vehicle. The Coupe also gets special interior trim and metal accents were added to the brake and accelerator pedals to minimize the risk of slipping during operation.

Genesis describes the GV80 e-SC as a mild hybrid. That means the electric motor is not intended to increase mileage but to provide additional power off the line while the turbochargers are spinning up. The result speaks for itself.

With a starting price of $87,780, the new top-of-the-line 2025 GV80 3.5T e-SC Coupe AWD is not the most bargain-priced, but still competes well against the legacy European performance midsize fastback SUVs.

2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe AWD

Base price: $81,400 (3.5T)

Price as tested: $87,780 (3.5T e-Supercharged MHEV)

Type: Mid-size luxury SUV

Engine: Twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (375 hp, 391 lbs-ft); Twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 w/48V e-Supercharger (409 hp, 405 lbs-ft – as tested)

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Drive Modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, My Drive

EPA estimated mileage: 20/23; 18/22 (as tested)

Overall length: 194.7 inches

Curb weight: 5,009 pounds

Final assembly: Ulsan, South Korea