4 Reasons to Love it, 2 Reasons to Think Twice

A Korean coupe-like SUV

Going back a few decades, a few German automakers began rounding off the rear seating area of their sedans to make them look more like a coupe or “coupé.” They pushed the coupe narrative so hard that the styling scheme made its way to SUVs. The recently launched 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe debuted with that same design and a beefy engine under the hood.

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The question is: are you willing to sacrifice a bit of your SUV’s practicality and utility for style? Does this aesthetic choice help any of the vehicle’s performance? This is one of the most expensive Genesis SUVs on the market, for now, and part of the reason is the whole coupe design. Let’s have a look at some of the reasons why the Genesis GV80 should find a place in your driveway and a few reasons why some competitors might be better.

Reason to love it #1: Beefy powertrains

As powerful as the standard 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo in the SUV is, the coupé only gets a pair of V6 options. The base model will come with a twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque.

While that’s plenty of power, its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 sibling receives an electric supercharger to sweeten the deal. It also features a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which works in conjunction with the supercharger to mitigate lag and improve efficiency. This setup makes 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque through the same 8-speed automatic transmission as the twin-turbo engine. The supercharged version is EPA-estimated at 18 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, while the entry-level twin-turbo V6 achieves 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

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Reason to love it #2: Beautifully executed interior

One of the things you need to know about Genesis is that they hired some of the best interior designers on the planet. That’s no exaggeration, and many in my field agree as the attention to detail, quality, and visually pleasing touches are apparent everywhere. A massive 27.0-inch OLED touchscreen occupies a significant amount of dashboard real estate, but Genesis makes it look and function beautifully.

Seat comfort is on par with the best-in-class, and passenger space is better than expected in the back. That’s thanks to a conscious effort by designers to keep the back seat headroom reasonable, despite the “fastback” rear design. This means that adults have enough space in the back seat to avoid slamming their head into the vehicle’s roof, which is an issue that some automakers haven’t dealt with well in the past.

Reason to love it #3: Reasonable pricing

The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe has a base MSRP of $79,950. This gives you all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard, with heated and ventilated seats clad in Nappa leather, Bang & Olufsen audio, and more. Stepping up to the E-SC MHEV increases the base MSRP to $85,750 and includes the more powerful engine, 22-inch wheels, carbon-fiber garnish, and more.

While it’s certainly not inexpensive, the GV80 Coupe offers a lot for the money, making it a compelling argument. The BMW X6, Audi Q8, and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, along with the Porsche Cayenne Coupe, can cost a lot more while offering less. Additionally, unlike many German automakers, Genesis doesn’t “nickel-and-dime” consumers on options.

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Reason to love it #4: Lots of character

While I fail to see the logic in slicing off the back of an SUV for aesthetics, I must say that the back of the Genesis GV80 Coupe looks well-balanced and pleasing to the eye. I noticed that several people at car shows and on the streets also found the look to be pleasing. I wish they had changed the nose to truly differentiate the coupé from the SUV, but the vehicle’s overall character definitely gives off a nice curb appeal.

Reason to think twice #1: Less cargo capacity and utility

The Genesis GV80 Coupe offers 30.3 cubic feet of cargo space with the seats up and 62.1 cubic feet with the seats folded down. By comparison, the Genesis GV80 SUV gives you 34.9 cu-ft of cargo behind the second row and a maximum of 84 cu-ft when all seats are folded. You also lose the optional third-row seat. If the seats are up, you get a mere 11.6 cu-ft behind them. Missing out on that utility alone is enough for me to question the logic of the coupé’s design, even though both the coupé and SUV can tow up to 6,000 lbs when properly equipped.

Reason to think twice #2: Handling is not everyone’s cup of tea

It’s heavy. With a curb weight that comes in over 5,100 lbs, hauling that much weight around corners takes BMW-levels of magic, and that’s something Genesis has yet to fully develop. It’s still a rocket, and both powertrains are outstanding for day-to-day driving, but the overall performance comes up a bit short. That’s based on the testimony from several sources, not just mine. Fortunately, like the SUV GV80, it’s quite serene to commute in and has a great highway ride.

Final thoughts

The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe is overall a good choice. I mean real good, as long as you’re willing to make a few sacrifices. In my book, the regular GV80 is outstanding on its own, even without the supercharger and mild-hybrid system. The four-cylinder works great, and it’s a much more affordable vehicle, but the Coupe provides a different body style with an even more impressive powertrain and an equally luxe cabin. Personally, the SUV would be my choice, but at least the brand offers customers the power of choice.