Car Review: 2022 Genesis G80

Article content

The Genesis G80 mid-size luxury sedan is a darling of the critics, garnering universal praise and bagging numerous awards. We auto scribes apparently love a well-priced and well-built disruptor — an underdog bravely facing off against the established Euro-luxury elite. And Genesis is certainly that, playing the long, uphill game in the quest for brand cache. The product is there — the hard part is swaying those who covet Mercedes, BMW, and Audi badges.

Article content

The all-new third-generation G80 luxury sedan bowed just last year, and for 2022 the freshened Sport with its 3.5L twin-turbo V6 gets more starch in its shorts in a bid to attract performance-seeking buyers. Tested here is the top-trim Sport Plus that, with an all-in price of $80,000, adds a host of goodies over and above the regular Sport AWD — rear wheel steering, 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, Nappa leather, 16-way front seats, surround view camera, Sport+ drive mode with launch control, microfibre headliner, remote parking assist, and more.

There is no questioning the G80 Sport’s luxury credentials. The interior is a showpiece of design, fine materials, and exquisite craftsmanship. The Plus gets herringbone patterned carbon-fibre trim, strikingly echoed in the stitched pattern on the Nappa seats. There’s also a new three-spoke sport steering wheel, and the standard 21-speaker Lexicon audio is mighty impressive.

Article content

Article content

Every knob, button, and control operates with silken, expensive precision. Even the way the powered seats glide fore and aft might set a new benchmark for smoothness. Said seats are firm and comfortable, and on the highway the G80’s cabin is whisper quiet.

Hats off to Genesis for delivering great ergonomics and an infotainment system that pairs an impressive 14.5-inch touchscreen with logical menu structure and easy-to-use circular touch-pad controller just ahead of the rotary shift selector. No wireless for Apple CarPlay though.

The 2022 G80 Sport models get a revised front fascia, dark chrome grill and trim, a subtle deck lid spoiler, and 20-inch alloys bearing the same honey-comb pattern as the grill. Dang this is a good looking rig, especially here in Cavendish Red that is a nod to the red earth of Prince Edward Island. Genesis has arrived at a successful and distinctive design language which gives the brand its own premium identity. Okay, the winged Genesis badge is a total Bentley rip-off, but old habits die hard.

Article content

Pace is not an issue with the G80 Sport Plus, being propelled by Genesis’ 3.5L twin-turbo V6 that makes 375 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 391 lb-ft of torque at 1,300 rpm. Power routes through an eight-speed automatic transmission to an all-wheel drive system that can shuttle 100 per cent of torque to the rear wheels. You’ll blast through the 100 km/h mark in about five seconds.

Article content

The 2022 G80 Sport’s upgrades focus on its adaptive suspension. Along with firmer springs all round, the front dampers are 4 percent stiffer and the rears 12 per cent stiffer. The Sport Plus’ rear wheel steering has the rear wheels turning in phase with the fronts above 50 km/h for increased stability. Below that velocity they turn in the opposite direction (up to 2 degrees) to aid with low-speed agility and reduce the turning circle. Sport models also come with high-performance brakes and Road Preview — a system that reads the road surface ahead and proactively adjusts the damping to smooth things out.

All well and good, but on the road the G80 Sport Plus’s ride suffers from an identity crisis. While most imperfections are ironed out in Comfort mode, sharp impacts make themselves known, and the sedan’s slight floatiness is accompanied by the occasional side-to-side head toss — like the Road Preview suspension is trying too hard to figure things out. The steering is numb, and I found myself having to make constant small corrections on the highway to keep a true path. Definitely not the European way.

Article content

Switching from Comfort to Sport remedies most of the suspension foibles. Sure, the ride is firm all the time, but the below-decks annoyances largely vanish — path control improves on both highway and secondary roads. Unfortunately, if you’re simply looking for some comfort, Sport mode brings unnaturally heavy steering, more aggressive shift mapping and touchy brakes — stuff you don’t want all the time. A work around is found in the customizable drive mode where Sport suspension can pair with other parameters set to Normal. Worked for me.

What if you want to thrash the G80 Sport Plus down a canyon road, chase down that pesky BMW 5 Series, or show Audi S6 what for? Sure enough, the Plus goes through the motions — it is rapid, goes where you point it and sticks in the corners — but there’s not a lot of joy to be found. Engaging it is not. Instead of saying “Let’s go!” the G80 grumbles “Are we done yet?” What about Sport+ mode? A bit overkill — the suspension turns to concrete, and transmission mapping has the engine singing around 4,000 rpm. Not particularly useful.

It seems the 2022 Genesis G80 Sport Plus has a foot in both the comfort and performance camps, but can’t really commit to either. And that all is down to suspension tuning. A shame, because in almost all other aspects, this luxury sedan puts most competitors on the trailer. It is a fabulously crafted, visual and tactile delight, and with its $80k all-in price, generous warranty, and promise of unparalleled service, it’s also a screaming bargain.