2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe First Drive: Perfectly Balanced

• The GV80 Coupe is a new model for 2025.
• It's a variant of the GV80 SUV.
• And it adds a little spice to the automaker's largest SUV.

That plastic surgery costs you 6.2 cubic feet of cargo space, going from 36.5 cubic feet to 30.3 cubes. That may matter when you have your trunk packed to the gills, but it still looks pretty roomy to my eyes. You also lose 0.8 inch of headroom and 0.5 inch of shoulder room in the back row due to that sloping roofline. I'm 6 feet, 1 inch tall and had a few inches to spare in the back row. There's also plenty of legroom. 

There are two available powertrains on the GV80 Coupe. The base trim, the $81,300 3.5T (which includes destination), comes with the same powertrain you'll find on the top GV80 trims: a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 that's good for 375 horsepower. Not good enough? Upgrade to the $87,100 e-Supercharger Coupe to add a 48-volt electric supercharger that pumps you up to 409 hp. 

The e-Supercharger is basically a turbocharger that gets some extra assistance from a battery. Adding the battery should reduce turbo lag, which is the lack of low-end boost you typically get from a turbocharger. That said, the GV80 e-SC still feels a bit laggy in the lower end of each gear. That's true in both Comfort and Sport modes, too. There's an additional Sport+ setting that disables traction control and enables launch control, which I didn't get a chance to test out during my rainy drive in Minnesota. 

E-Supercharger stuff aside, the GV80 Coupe is great to drive. You can buy coupe-style SUVs with more power that are more exciting to drive, but the GV80 has more than enough for daily driving. It gets up to highway speeds quickly and the ride quality is excellent. It doesn't feel like you're sacrificing comfort in exchange for oomph. 

How's the interior of the GV80 Coupe? 

The interior is essentially the same as the standard GV80 SUV. The Coupe gets three exclusive interior colors, which are more ostentatious than what's offered in the SUV. But all 2025 GV80s get a panoramic 27-inch OLED display, which is quite nice to look at and easy to use. 

The GV80 Coupe will have wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay eventually thanks to an over-the-air update. But for now, you'll need to plug in your phone to project it on the screen using one of two USB-C ports. The wireless phone charger has been updated from previous GV80s and a pair of physical knobs are now in place so you can change the temperature the way god intended. 

Unfortunately, that's near the extent of physical controls available in the GV80 Coupe. The interior still heavily relies on flat touchscreens that provide haptic feedback. This isn't a deal-breaker, but it's a nuisance if you're trying to make adjustments while driving. 

Is the GV80 Coupe better than the competition? 

The starting price of $81,300 is steep compared to competitors like the BMW X6 (starting at $75,675) and Audi Q8 (starting at $74,895). Those two SUVs get you 375 hp and 335 hp in their base trims, respectively. But the GV80 Coupe stays competitive thanks to its long list of standard features, including adaptive cruise control and ventilated seats in both rows. The rear seats are also six-way power-adjustable. 

And that's not even considering Genesis' generous 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. Upgrading to the e-SC trim gets you a quick SUV along with larger wheels and upgraded brakes over the standard GV80, but the base trim offers a ton of compelling features, ranging from an exhaustive list of driver aids to a great Bang & Olufsen sound system. 

The GV80 Coupe's balance of power and comfort will probably satisfy your need for speed while also delivering the expected luxury. 

Edmunds says

The Genesis GV80 Coupe is perfectly balanced, as all things should be.