Category Archives: GENESIS

Electric/hybrid, Executive saloon, GENESIS, Motoring

A luxury electric limo, but how good is it?

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GENESIS G80 Electrified

By Bill McCarthy

Genesis is making a powerful statement in the luxury EV market with the Electrified G80. This all-electric executive saloon combines classic limousine styling with cutting-edge technology and a high-tech cabin.

Styling and road presence
The Genesis G80 Electrified is a substantial car that commands attention. Its elegant design, featuring a distinctive crest grille and ‘Two Line’ quad headlights, delivers a refined, Bentley-esque presence. For this electrified model, the wheelbase has been extended by 130mm, enhancing its imposing profile and creating more rear legroom.

Exterior updates include a new bumper, polished 19-inch alloys, and a seamlessly integrated front charging port that opens and closes electrically. At the rear, the signature ‘Two Line’ tail lights feature new graphics.

Price and options
As a luxury brand sibling to Hyundai, the Electrified G80 isn’t cheap, with a starting price of £74,800. However, it undercuts similarly powerful all-wheel-drive premium rivals.

The price can rise with several optional packs, including:

  • Comfort Pack: £1,780
  • Second-Row Comfort Pack: £2,640 (adds power-closing doors, heated seats, and controls)
  • Nappa Leather Pack: £2,620

A hi-tech luxurious cabin
Step inside, and the G80 embodies what Genesis calls the ‘beauty of white space’. The atmosphere is one of serene calm, balancing elegant, uncluttered surfaces with advanced technology.

The centrepiece is a stunning curved 27-inch OLED display that blends the digital cluster and infotainment screen. This system controls everything from navigation to smartphone connectivity and supports over-the-air (OTA) updates. It can be operated via a crystal-like console dial, voice commands, or via the multi-function steering wheel controls.

Comfort, and practicality
The most significant upgrade is in the rear seats, where the extra wheelbase creates limousine-like legroom. The optional second-row comfort pack transforms it into a true chauffeur-grade experience.

Boot space is 323 litres, which is reasonably spacious but notably shallow due to the underfloor battery. Standard equipment is comprehensive, featuring a premium 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, a fingerprint authentication system, and a UV-C storage compartment steriliser.

Performance and refinement
On the road, the Electrified G80 delivers exceptional performance. Its dual electric motors – one on each axle – produce a combined 370PS and a mammoth 700Nm of torque, enabling a 0-62mph time of just 5.1 seconds.

Despite this power, it remains a sublime motorway cruiser, whisking occupants along in near silence. The 87.2kWh usable battery provides a practical WLTP range of 323 miles. The ride is exceptionally smooth, aided by the ‘Road Preview’ electronic suspension that scans the road ahead to actively iron out bumps.

Comprehensive safety
The G80 comes with a full suite of advanced safety systems. Key ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems) include:

  • Highway Driving Assist 2 for semi-autonomous motorway driving.
  • Collision avoidance for vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.
  • Lane-keeping and lane-centring assist.
  • A 360-degree camera system with parking sensors.

Verdict
The Genesis G80 Electrified is a tech-laden luxury saloon that successfully blends traditional executive comfort with a zero-emissions powertrain. It boasts a spacious, premium cabin, a 323-mile range, and stunning performance, although the boot is relatively modest. While expensive, it undercuts its direct premium rivals and delivers a magic carpet-like driving experience.

Factfile

GENESIS G80 ELECTRIFIED 

  • Price: £74,800 (£84,925 with options)
  • Mechanical: 370PS, twin electric motors driving all wheels via a single-step automatic transmission 
  • Max speed: 139mph
  •  0-62mph: 5.1 seconds 
  • Range: 323 miles (WLTP) 
  • CO2 Emissions: 0g/km
  • Insurance Group: 50 
  • Warranty: Five years, unlimited mileage
Estate/Sport Tourer, GENESIS, Motoring, Sports saloon and hatches

Shooting star a real looker

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GENESIS G70 Shooting Brake

By Bill McCarthy

There was a time, long, long ago, when if you described an estate car as slick and chic, you would hear the flapping of white coats. Traditionally seen as barges on wheels, sorry Volvo, they were highly practical and extremely capable – but good looking? I don’t think so.

Designers have upped their game and in the case of GENESIS have produced one of the most stylish estates, or Shooting Brake if you like, on the road.
The designers have cleverly targeted their audience with trim and styles with more appeal to younger buyers and the Shooting Brake, is a prime example.

The term is supposedly from turn-of-the last century England, where it referred to a car used to transport a hunting party and its gear. “Brake” refers to a chassis that was used to break in horses.

It eventually just came to refer to early wagons in general. 

This vehicle is a premium and elegant model designed to take on German market leaders and just like them, has a significant price tag that can be quickly increased by a host of optional features. On this case over £11k worth.

It features a sleek, coupe-like profile accentuated by the signature crest grille quad lamps and the well-known Bentley-inspired winged bonnet badge.

This variant adds a dark-chrome finish for the window surrounds and front grille, with a dark tinted chrome mesh insert. It also features 19-inch alloys with red Brembo brake calipers. The rear of the vehicle is designed with a single-piece glass hatch that accommodates part of the light cluster and a “floating type” integral spoiler. 

The vehicle is a premium model with state-of-the-art technologies, quality materials, and a finish that creates a fighter jet cockpit appearance. The car is centred on a 10.5-inch HD infotainment screen and 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster that controls connectivity and navigation functions. It also operates the impressive sound system. The Genesis Connect system offers voice recognition, live updates, and smartphone integration.

The turbo-charged two-litre turbo petrol engine mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox drives the rear wheels and that delivers rapid, but not stunning pace, and uninspiring fuel economy, hovering around the 30mpg mark. 

However the interior is spacious and luxurious, with a range of high-end features. Notably, it is equipped with artificial intelligence that learns about the driver and builds on existing state-of-the-art advanced autonomous driver assistance technology. 

One of the standout features is the pair of main binnacle dials that transform into cameras to show the road ahead when the indicator is activated. This feature contributes to pedestrian and cyclist safety.

Given the slick silhouette of the vehicle, boot space is not huge, with 465 litres of space, but this expands to a 1,535-litre load area with 40:20:40 split-fold rear seats offering significant stowage space.

On the road, the 245bhp engine delivers smooth acceleration and powers to 60mph in under seven seconds.

 It is also a fine motorway cruiser, just whispering along at higher speeds, with plenty of torque in reserve for acceleration and overtaking.

Drive modes include Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ modes allow the driver to choose between fuel economy and sporty driving by adjusting steering, suspension, throttle, and transmission response.

The ride and handling are excellent, with tuned suspension and electronically controlled adaptive dampers that reduce the impact of potholes while providing agile handling for such a large car. Additionally, a mechanical limited slip differential improves handling and traction on winding roads.

Factfile

Genesis G70 Sport Shooting Brake 2.0T

Price: £41,995

Mechanical: 247PS, 1,998cc, four-cylinder petrol engine driving rear wheels via eight-speed automatic transmission

Max Speed: 146mph

0-62mph: 6.9 seconds

Combined MPG: 30.2

C02 emissions: 200g/km

Bik rating: 37%

Warranty: Five years/unlimited miles