- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.2DT, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
154kW, 442Nm
- Fuel
Diesel 6.6L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2021)
2021 Genesis G80 2.2 diesel review
Combining a large luxury sedan with an efficient little diesel engine doesn't always work out perfectly. Sam Purcell drives one of Australia's rarest new cars.
- Complimentary servicing and frugal diesel cut down running costs
- Well-executed interior, full of features and nice touches
- Second-row experience is particularly sumptuous
- Diesel is not as powerful or refined as others
- Fixed-price model reduces chance for a good deal
- Luxury Pack really cranks up the asking price
Introduction
On top of the 2.5-litre and 3.5-litre turbocharged petrol engines, the 2021 Genesis G80 is now offered with a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel engine.
It feels like risky business: pulling out a smooth and powerful petrol motor, and slamming something in that you'll also find in a van or a people mover. But it could be just the ticket for somebody who needs space and luxury, with a miserly diesel donk under that big bonnet.
Frugal diesel power isn't unheard of for a car like the G80. An extra option under the bonnet, provided it's good, is rarely a bad thing. And the poor old Genesis G80 needs all the help it can get at the moment. Its sales figures are increasingly stagnant despite – as we found – having no glaringly bad shortcomings.
Slow sales figures, as I see it, are for three major reasons. Genesis is a new brand busting into a field of rusted-on incumbents, which is no easy task. Genesis has a no-negotiation sales model with only two dealerships available, and large luxury sedans like this are something of a niche in the face of the SUV tsunami.
Priced from $87,900 before on-road costs, the new diesel-powered G80 2.2D (154kW/442Nm) sits above the 2.5-litre G80 (224kW/422Nm) at $84,900. And higher up – at the top of the G80 tree – is the 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre V6 G80 at $99,900.
And considering Genesis just confirmed they are discontinuing the diesel G80 – only months after it went on sale – it will be something of a rare sight on Australian roads.
Specification for our diesel G80 mimics that of the 2.5-litre turbo, and missing out on the likes of adaptive damping with road preview technology. There are plenty of standard goodies on the Genesis G80, however, befitting the asking price.
There is a landscape-orientation 14.5-inch infotainment display, which has wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, as well as native navigation and digital radio, along with a 21-speaker Lexicon sound system and 12.0-inch head-up display. There's also a 360-degree camera system, as well as heated and vented front seats with leather trimming throughout.
We've got a $13,000 Luxury Pack upgrade as well, which thankfully includes a fair amount of gear for that significant bump in asking price. Quilted leather seats upgrade to nappa leather in this specification, and the driver's seat gets upgraded to an 18-way adjustable and massaging unit. Rear seats pick up heating and ventilation, along with twin 9.2-inch infotainment displays.
There are also soft-close doors for that true limousine experience, and suede materials used on the roof and pillar trims. The Luxury Pack also gains upgraded Matrix-beam LED headlights over the standard LED beams.
Key details | 2021 Genesis G80 2.2D |
Price (MSRP) | $87,900 |
Colour of test car | Uyuni White |
Options | Luxury Pack ($13,000) |
Price as tested | $100,900 |
Rivals | Mercedes-Benz E-Class | BMW 5 Series | Lexus ES | Audi A6 |
Inside
Genesis has done an impressive job of pulling off a quality and undoubtedly luxury interior, which doesn't feel derivative or reminiscent of other luxury makes and models out there. The brown colour scheme going on inside our tester certainly reeks of old-world, and won't be to everyone's tastes, but you cannot knock the G80 for the quality of the interior overall.
Wrapping, stitching and soft-touch everywhere, with nary a hard plastic to find. The open-pore wood treatment across the dash and around the rotary shift dial seems very nice, and not as kitsch as some other implementations.
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Funnily enough, some of these really nice elements of the G80 – rotary shift dial, blind-spot cameras and remote parking function – are all things you'll find shared with lesser Kias and Hyundias.
The seats, which you'll notice have dynamic bolstering adjustment according to your driving speeds, are very comfortable for long periods. The leather has an intricate design of patterns and perforations, lending them a premium feel and look overall.
And with massaging, memory, heating and ventilation, the seats offer just about every feature your heart could desire. That is, if you've ticked the huge $13,000 Luxury Pack option.
General ergonomics seem quite good in the G80 as well. Most controls and other important functions fall to hand quite easily, including the air-conditioning controls that live in their own little screen below that long strip of timber.
Hiding below lidded compartments, you'll find a wireless charging pad, twin cupholders and USB points, and some extra storage for your random bits and bobs. It looks good and works well.
Naturally, the second row of the G80 will be just as important – if not more so – than up front.
Firstly: second-row legroom is huge, and headroom is also good in the G80. The recline function, reminiscent of a full-blown limousine, also helps with comfort levels. It's not a full-on business class recline, but is handy for those looking to doze off. Sunblinds in the back door windows, as well as an electric blind in the rear window, help in the dozing credentials.
While you can fit three in the back, the G80 is undoubtedly at its best with only two. Fold down the big central armrest and you also get access to the large central control panel for the rear infotainment displays, air-conditioning and seat controls.
And while the twin 9.2-inch infotainment displays are nice to have, no casting ability seems like a shame. Chromecast or Apple TV would be a nice addition instead of the USB connections.
Unfortunately, I was unable to collar anyone to drive me around for a few hours – all in the name of testing, of course – to truly see how comfortable the back of the G80 would be. But I'm quite sure it would be a winner in this regard.
The boot, measuring in at 424L, would be big enough for two large suitcases.
2021 Genesis G80 2.2D | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 424L |
Length | 4995mm |
Width | 1925mm |
Height | 1465mm |
Wheelbase | 3010mm |
Infotainment and Connectivity
The G80 is properly loaded with infotainment technology for all occupants of the car. Up front, the big infotainment display (14.5 inches) uses an operating system closely related to other Kia and Hyundai vehicles. It's fast and easy to use, with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto accounted for. There is also native navigation and digital radio. Generally speaking, the quality of the display and resolution seem quite good.
The digital instrument cluster appears quite unique: it's got a trick 3D-vision going on, which I initially found quite confronting when I drove another G80 at last year's Drive Car of the Year testing. Maybe the settings were different this time around, because the digital cluster wasn't so offensive in this G80 2.2D, and worked well to bring important information to attention quickly.
And bordering on an information overload, the G80 also has a clear and effective head-up display for things like lane centring, speed readout and much more.
There isn't as much out-and-out functionality and adaptability as the digital clusters you'll have in other high-end vehicles (I'm thinking Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover), but it is good. The anti-clockwise tachometer takes some getting used to as well, lending something of a unique experience as it rows through the gears.
Safety and Technology
There are 10 airbags littered throughout the cabin of the G80, as well as an active bonnet-lift system to improve pedestrian safety in the event of a collision.
There are a huge number of different acronyms to describe the various active safety systems as well, which I will attempt to distill for you below into a consumable format.
Autonomous emergency braking operates for cars, pedestrians and cyclists, and can detect potential collisions at intersections. Collision avoidance also works for lane changes, and can help with evasive steering manouevres both before and after the fact.
Blind-spot monitoring includes the camera system through the digital instrument cluster, and can help avoid a collision by steering assistance. There is rear cross-traffic alert and avoidance assistance in the G80, and safe-exit assistance that checks for oncoming traffic as you open the door.
Tyre pressure monitoring is a nice thing to have for those planning on doing lots of kilometres, and there is a temporary spare wheel in case you need it.
Optional equipment in our case, included in the Luxury Package, includes forward attention warning, parking collision avoidance assistance, as well as the upgraded intelligent front LED headlights.
This all tops off a five-star ANCAP safety rating from only this year, so you can rest assured that the Genesis G80 is one of the better options out there in terms of driving and crash safety.
2021 Genesis G80 2.2D | |
ANCAP rating | Five stars (tested 2021) |
Safety report | Link to ANCAP |
Value for Money
With a six-figure asking price, the Genesis G80 2.2D (with the Luxury Pack) can't be seen as an outright bargain. But relatively speaking, it does offer a strong bang-for-buck component over other large luxury sedans.
For a quick comparison of before on-road costs, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class starts at $98,700 for a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol E200, while a BMW 520i M Sport is similar at $98,971. Audi's A6 starts at $84,572 for a front-wheel-drive 40 TFSI grade, and Jaguar's XF P300 R-Dynamic HSE asks for $102,376.
Comparable in price, sure, but not in specification with things like heated, vented and reclining rear seats, rear entertainment screens and the indulgent luxury of soft-close doors. I'll leave the value proposition in regards to badge cachet (or is that snobbery?) for the minds of the readers, but if you want to compare the quality and quantity of the end product only, then the Genesis G80 takes some serious beating.
This value proposition only increases when you consider that the five-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty – for private buyers only – is one of the better examples amongst premium options, and that the purchase price also includes five years of complimentary servicing.
For those who need a sumptuous big sedan for carting around passengers with expensive tastes, but you want something with cheap running and ownership costs – after you've put down the money to buy it – the Genesis G80 is very compelling.
At a glance | 2021 Genesis G80 2.2D |
Warranty | Five years / unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months / 10,000km |
Servicing costs | Complimentary |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 6.6L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 7.6L/100km |
Fuel type | Diesel |
Fuel tank size | 65L |
Driving
This 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine – shared with the likes of Hyundai's Santa Fe and Staria, as well as the Kia Carnival and Sorento – is a new-generation alloy unit. It makes 154kW at 3800rpm and 442Nm at 1750-2750rpm in this application, and powering the rear wheels through an eight-speed torque converter auto gearbox.
Can a diesel engine, used in more raucous and raw applications, cut the mustard in a car that is something of a small limousine, an executive hauler?
But the good news is that the driving experience for this alloy-block diesel is impressively muted. Genesis has clearly gone to town with sound deadening on the diesel G80. Keener ears will still know it's a diesel – especially when under lengthy load – but refinement seems to be good overall.
It doesn't get over 2000rpm very often, often loping along at 1500rpm with a quiet smoothness during normal town and highway driving. There is a useful punch of torque available when needed, which gives enough acceleration to blend in with traffic and use overtaking lanes. It's not as smooth or powerful as the larger petrol engine, obviously, but it's certainly more efficient.
And along with being quiet, the G80 proved to be comfortable and compliant during my time with the car. So much so, I was a little surprised to see 650km logged onto the G80 before I was handing it back. During that time, I got a fuel consumption figure of 7.6 litres per 100km. Not bad for a big luxury boat, I reckon.
Only the higher-grade G80 3.5T benefits from more advanced adaptive dampers and road-sensing technology, so this G80 2.2D makes do with static-tuned dampers. But in saying that, it's still quite nice. It doesn't get the full-on magic-carpet waft that some might desire in a car like this, but I'd say it's plenty comfortable enough for everyone's wants and needs.
On the flip-side of that, we are looking at a car that handles higher-speed driving and dynamic cornering surprisingly well. We already know that the G70 3.3T – Genesis's wolf in sheep's clothing – is a terrific driver's car. So maybe the ability of this G80 shouldn't be a surprise? Considering the hefty size and weight of the G80, it's impressive through the corners.
And even without the adaptive dampers of the more expensive G80 3.5T, our G80's more rudimentary suspension still delivers good ride quality overall. It's not exceedingly wafting and sumptuous, but the balance that is struck between ride comfort and dynamic ability is quite nice. All bar the biggest bumps are nicely smoothed out, while the G80 communicates other road surfaces and corners nicely.
Naturally, the experience from the back row is equally important. And with the seat reclined on a warm day, a cool tush from the vented seat, cold air blasting and sun blinds up, the back of the G80 proved to be extremely comfortable. And while I couldn't talk anyone into a multi-hour drive with me snoozing in the back – all in the name of car testing – I'd wager that I wouldn't have had any complaints from the back.
The icing on the cake in this regard would be the ability to cast from your smartphone onto the rear entertainment screens, instead of going via the USB port.
Key details | 2021 Genesis G80 2.2D |
Engine | 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel |
Power | 154kW @ 3800rpm |
Torque | 442Nm @ 1750-2750rpm |
Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
Transmission | Eight-speed torque convertor automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 81.1kW/t |
Weight (tare) | 1899kg |
Turning circle | 11.62m |
Conclusion
This Genesis G80 feels really well executed overall, which is a shame because it's unlikely to even be considered by many who want something big and luxurious. They will be too busy picking out an SUV. And if the current VFACTS sales statistics are any indication, they will be looking at something from a longer-standing brand.
There might be some reservations about whether Genesis will make like Lexus or fail like Infiniti, but one thing is for sure: its vehicle offerings are very compelling. It's an uphill battle to go in swinging against age-old incumbents from Europe and Japan, and Genesis will need to weather the initial storm of low sales as the brand nibbles away in Australia.
But that shouldn't take away from the quality of this car. The interior of the G80 feels top-notch in terms of quality of build and materials; something exceedingly important for a big, expensive sedan.
There is loads of technology on board as well, in terms of both safety and convenience. The latter seems a more natural fit overall, and the ride quality feels very good.
The 2.2-litre diesel engine – while somewhat lacking in terms of refinement and performance to other offerings – is good enough for most tastes and brings an edge of economy over the petrol engine options.
And value for money is the other consideration. Along with getting free servicing for five years, the Genesis G80 does offer good bang-for-buck in terms of inclusions and overall quality of the vehicle.
For those that choose to buck the status quo and go with a Genesis G80, they will be rewarded with a very good car that feels worth the money in comparison to others from the segment. It might not be as recognisable, no, but that will only come with time.