Article content No, it isn’t Magma Orange, but the all-new 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe does portend the South Korean luxury automaker’s imminent foray into full-blown performance vehicles. Since forming as a standalone brand eight years ago, Genesis quickly established itself as a premium luxury-vehicle builder, with bold styling, exquisite cabin design, a laser-like focus on customer service, and very competitive pricing. With the unveiling of the Magma concepts at the New York Auto Show earlier this year , the company is poised to take on the performance-oriented variants of brands, such as Mercedes-AMG, BMW M, and Audi S.
And if this GV80 Coupe is an indication of what is to come, those legacy German manufacturers will need to continue to bring their engineering A-game to their high-performance models. And they’ll have to be ready to act quickly, as with the all-wheel-drive GV80 Coupe production vehicle coming to Canadian dealerships just a year-and-a-half after the reveal of the GV80 Coupe Concept in South Korea, Genesis has demonstrated once again how nimble it can be as a car company. True, the GV80 Coupe isn’t a clean-sheet design – it’s more of a re-interpretation of the GV80 SUV , which debuted in 2021 – and it utilizes a unique variant of a supercharged V6 that was already in the Genesis arsenal, but after spending the day driving the new Coupe through Minnesota and Wisconsin last week, I came away thoroughly impressed with the driving dynamics and sophistication of this vehicle.
What is the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe? Before getting into those driving impressions, here are some of the facts and figures surrounding this interesting vehicle. As noted, this “Coupe” is a variant of the GV80 SUV, and shares much of the front-end and side design back to the B-pillar. That changes moving back, as the roof-line slopes downward to the rear hatch, in silhouette giving the impression of a coupe.
There are slight changes up front, including a Genesis-first MLA-powered LED headlamp array and a double-mesh G-matrix crest grille. Around back, the GV80 Coupe features a unique design, with rear combination lamps and a wide integrated high-mount brake light on the tailgate. Also setting the Coupe apart are stunning 22-inch wheels with an exclusive spoke pattern.
There are also several interior differences, all of them reflecting the performance nature of this vehicle. There’s a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel; generous use of carbon-fibre throughout; and distinctive orange seat-belts, piping, and stitching. According to Genesis, the SUV is a family-oriented vehicle, while the Coupe is a driver’s vehicle.
That’s certainly reflected in the latter’s engine, a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 with the added boost of a 48-volt electric supercharger. Channelling that impressive 409-horsepower-and-405-lbs-ft-of-torque output is an eight-speed automatic transmission.
That’s the most powerful gasoline engine in the Genesis lineup, a further statement for the performance character of the GV80 Coupe. As does the electronically controlled suspension, E-limited slip differential, electronic brake booster, and crosswind stability control. How much does the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe cost? The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe has a list price in Canada of $104,000, and like all Genesis offerings comes with very few options , and instead a laundry list of standard features that are often options from other automakers.
For an extra $500 you can choose between a couple of brilliant colours, including Sevilla Red and Ultramarine Blue, the latter the colour of the model we drove during the North American first drive event. And for $1,700 over the list price, you can choose a matte finish. That six-figure price tag is admittedly a tad eye-watering, but it is blunted somewhat by the fact it includes a unique seasonal Care Plan for Canadian GV80 buyers, which covers a set of Michelin X-Ice Snow winter tires and black alloy Genesis rims, in addition to storage and installation of said tires, as well as valet service for five years.
Driving Impressions of the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe My initial impression of driving the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe was “Wow!” and that was before I even sat in the driver’s seat. My tester’s Ultramarine colour was stunning, and throughout the course of the day — under the variable and humid weather conditions typical of the Midwest in summer — it turned different shades of blue. Once in the driver’s seat, those positive vibes just continued.
The driver-centric cockpit speaks to that performance-oriented character of this vehicle, the sport steering felt great in my hands, and the sport seat felt unlike any SUV perch I’d ever sat on. I’m not a fan of rotary-dial gear selectors, so it was a little disappointing to see one in the Coupe, as it seems far too pedestrian for the performance vehicle. Once out on the open roads, however, there was very little that was pedestrian about the GV80 Coupe.
Encouraged to scroll through the six drive modes — also selected by a rotary dial — I found myself returning to the Sport+ setting often. There was just something about the driver instrumentation turning to bright red, the back seat bolsters automatically tightening to hold me in place, and the enhanced exhaust note emanating throughout the cabin that was so appealing. As to what Sport+ mode does to the chassis, the suspension firms up and the steering gets a little heavier.
Even on the less aggressive modes, such as Eco, Comfort, and Sport, the handling characteristics were very competent. This is not a light vehicle — it shares the dimensions of the SUV — but at speed and under some tight cornering situations, it was stable, sure-footed, and confidence-inspiring. That brake-select mode was interesting, too, though I would prefer that rather than being a manual selection, the mode was incorporated into the different drive modes.
Essentially, the difference between the three brake modes — Eco, Comfort, and Sport — is in the increase and decrease of the pedal travel. At the end of our drive day, I made a point of jumping in the back seat to see if that sloping roof-line had a negative effect on headroom. It didn’t, and rear-seat legroom was also ample.
Better still, those rear seats recline up to 40 degrees, something you don’t find in many SUVs, or for that matter any coupes. Final Thoughts on the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe From the first Genesis vehicle I drove eight years ago — the G80 sedan — through to last week’s drive of the GV80 Coupe, I’ve always come away with a very positive feeling. The vehicles, especially the all-electric ones, just feel very sorted out.
And the cabin designs and materials continue to be, in my opinion, among the best in the luxury segment. Everything about Genesis vehicles is well-thought-out and well executed, and this GV80 Coupe is no exception. And the performance-oriented engineering and design certainly does whet one’s appetite as to what is to come when that Magma production line starts to flow.
The first of those will be the all-electric GV60 Magma , based on the concept of the same name. I have but two reservations about the 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe. First — and of course not a serious quibble — is the “Coupe” naming convention.
A coupe is, and in my way of thinking will always be, a two-door hardtop vehicle . I know that the coupe designation was hijacked a few years ago — I’m looking at you, Mercedes-Benz — to describe a four-door sedan with a sloping, “coupe-like” rear roof-line, but that doesn’t make it acceptable. To me, at least.
Second, and of real concern, is that six-figure price-point. Genesis has made a name for itself by offering an excellent value-for-money proposition across most of the segments it plays in, but the $104,000 MSRP feels like a stretch for this vehicle, to me. Yes, there is that excellent winter-tire program, but I still think the company is asking too much for this vehicle.
The 2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe will be in Canadian dealerships in September. Sign up for our newsletter Blind-Spot Monitor and follow our social channels on X , Tiktok and LinkedIn to stay up to date on the latest automotive news, reviews, car culture, and vehicle shopping advice..
