The Genesis Electrified G80 isn’t just the best pure-electric luxury saloon we’ve driven; it’s one of the finest cars of any sort we’ve driven. You can skip the review now (but please don’t), as there’s going to be little more than gushing praise from here on.
Ditching the slightly rough 2.5-litre petrol engine from the G80 and squeezing in a set of electric motors and an 87kWh battery pack has transformed the car from a pleasing but flawed executive express to a vehicle that makes it difficult to justify even glancing towards a Mercedes-Benz EQE or Tesla Model S.
The most divisive area will be the design, both inside and out. To these eyes, it’s a classic saloon silhouette adorned with modern styling cues. The huge cross-hatch smoked-mirror grille and twin-blade headlights demand attention and create a memorable first impression. Anecdotal, it’s been a universally appreciated one, too, if the number of random members of the public taking time to stop and talk about the car is anything to go by. The conversation always starts with “What is it?” which doesn’t speak highly of Genesis’ marketing, but recognition will come.
Follow the strong shoulder line back, and the rear drops away in a classic fastback-inspired fashion, making the Electrified G80 look even longer than it is — it’s already five metres long. There are no exhaust pipes, one of just a few subtle clues that this isn’t the petrol-powered model.
Inside, Genesis has eschewed the trend of dominating a cabin with soulless digital screens. Yes, there’s plenty of digital real estate — a 12.3-inch panel for the driver and a 14.5-inch infotainment screen in the centre — but it’s all integrated into a dashboard swathed in leather, wood and high-quality plastics. It’s a delight to look at, with a strong horizontal theme separating sections of the cabin. The touchscreen sits at the top, although it can be a bit of a stretch to reach the far corners, so it’s mated to a touch-sensitive controller by the driver’s knee. A row of vents sits below, with actual buttons and knobs to set the temperature and airflow.
A line of switches offers one touch or fast access to different parts of the infotainment centre, as well, removing the need to delve into multiple layers of digital frustration. That said, the system is straightforward to use, if not quite the most dynamic set-up.
The driver’s instrument panel has a slight 3D effect, which subconsciously makes you forget that the dials aren’t real, and it’s backed up by a heads-up display that is crisp and, despite having a lot of information on display, clear.
Opt for the Blind Spot Monitor View, and you’ll get tiny cameras hidden in the mirrors which, when you flick on the indicator, display a video feed of what’s happening in your blind spot on the instrument panel in front of you. It’s helpful tech, especially on a motorway, even if it sounds like overkill.
It’s all gloriously comfortable, with plush leather seats that slide in countless directions, are heated and cooled, and, on our model, include a delightful massage system. You’ll find plenty of room up front, too, but while the rear seats are every bit as luxurious, that sweeping roofline means it’s robbed of headroom — apparently, the seats are mounted a little higher to make room for the battery pack, which also deprives the boot of space. That leaves just 354 litres, which is only marginally more than you’ll get in a Volkswagen Polo. While covering the negatives, we also got frustrated by the round gear selector sitting next to the similarly round infotainment controller, but that’s about it.
Given the luxurious cabin, driving the Genesis Electrified G80 feels precisely as you would expect. A pair of electric motors combine to generate 370hp. That gives rapid but not blistering performance, with the 0-62mph sprint taking just 4.9 seconds. Unlike so many electric cars, the motors at each end are the same, so power is evenly distributed, creating a sense of balance and calm, despite the thrust in the back.
The Electrified G80 also has a camera system that reads the road ahead, adjusting the suspension responses before you hit a bump. It might sound like a gimmick, but testing it on local roads, we know well demonstrated that it works well, giving a comfortable, if not quite supremely cossetting, ride.
It’s not got the handling prowess of other more overtly sporting rivals — a BMW 5 Series will run rings around it — but it’s composed and well-balanced. The low-slung battery pack helps stability, even with 2.3 tonnes of mass to lug around, while the steering and suspension are communicative, secure and predictable. It’ll allow you to cross country roads quickly, but you won’t really enjoy it, and the car works so much better when you’re not trying.
Long journeys aren’t something to be feared. With an official range of 323 miles, most journeys for most drivers will be easily covered, but should you need to top up when on the road, it’ll take 240kW of charge. That means a 10-80% charge, or enough power for another 226 miles, will take just 21 minutes. Our experience, over many hundreds of miles, showed a real-world range of 292 miles, which is impressive. Being electric, company car drivers will benefit from a low 2% BIK rate, giving a 40% taxpayer an annual bill of around £550.
All buyers get decent value for money, with the range starting at £69,805 and our test car coming in at £84,165. For that, you get a long list of standard equipment, including the electronically controlled suspension
, dual-zone climate control, wireless phone charging, heated leather seats and adaptive cruise control. Option packs add extra luxury, safety and style, but costs soon mount up. Our car had the Innovation, Convenience, Comfort and Executive Packs (or literally every option Genesis offers), which added the blind-spot monitors, remote parking, highway drive assist, electric boot lid, heated steering wheel, soft close doors, twin TV screens in the rear — which allow passengers to do all sorts of things, including using the front-facing camera to see what’s happening ahead — and even a solar roof to collect a little more energy, but it also added £14,360.
Stay in control of the options list, and the Electrified G80 is good value for money, undercutting its rivals and, frankly, doing the whole luxury electric saloon thing better than any of them.
Tesla might dominate the conversation (although Model S sales are insignificant in the UK), Mercedes has the reassurance of a well-known brand, and the BMW i4 Gran Coupe offers a more sporting take. Still, the Genesis Electrified G80 strikes a near-perfect balance between luxury, value, ability and range. Much like its GV60 SUV cousin, it’s the finest, most compelling electric luxury saloon yet.
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