The 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 is understated luxury

Update: ‘Price’ section revised with new details.

The Electrified G80 was Genesis’ first pure-electric car and a direct competitor of the BMW i5, Mercedes EQE, Lucid Air, and the Tesla Model S in the U.S. Introduced here in August 2022, it is available in 33 states across the U.S. and now an MY2024 model. Recently, I had a chance to experience the 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 in person in Los Angeles and find out if it stands a chance against its German and American rivals, as its availability opens.

Design

The 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 is not designed from the ground up to be an EV, and is a conversion electric vehicle. That said, the electric sedan stands out with an exterior that differentiates itself from its executive European counterparts and futuristic American rivals, subtly conveying its EV status without any fuss. I feel like its design exudes regality, focusing on class and elegance rather than sportiness. This distinguishes the G80 Electric from competitors that tend to prioritize a sleeker look.

At the front, I like the clever integration of the charging door in the shiny crest grille, which is a closed surface featuring an inverted G-Matrix pattern. The split headlamps give it sharpness and add to the sophistication at the front. On the sides, I like the character line that covers the car’s length, swiftly dropping toward the back like on classic cars. No fuel lid or charging door leaves the whole body uninterrupted and gives the electric sedan a symmetric look on both sides.

At the rear, my favorite design element is the sloping decklid, which has a concave surface in the tail section featuring a block-lettered brand inscription. The two-tier split combination lamps lend the car the same high-tech look as the headlamps at the front.

Interior

When I stepped into the 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 and shut the door, I instantly felt a sense of quite and space. The super-sleek dashboard with the wide (14.5-inch) freestanding display integrated on the top and the slim AC vent integrated into its central area was central to the cabin’s minimalist look.

The generous use of forged wood trim on the door panels, dashboard, and center console gives some pizzazz to the cabin, and when I touched it, it felt upmarket. If you were to ask me, the Electrified G80’s interior looks best in the combination of Dark Lagoon Green and Glacier White colors, although even the Maroon Brown and Havana Brown color scheme fares better than the Black monotone shade.

I like the extensive use of metal-finish toggle switches and knurled dials and scrollers in the cabin. The quality of these physical controls and buttons are top notch. I have no complaints about the plastics and materials in the cabin.

The 12.3-inch fully digital has clear graphics and shows EV-specific details like power meter, range, energy consumption, etc, which can be customized with the ‘My Drive Mode’ option. The 14.5-inch HD infotainment system has a simple menu structure, and responds to both touch and to the rotary dial placed in the center console. It supports only the wired versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which I think is inconvenient and disappointing, considering the price of the car. I would like to see Genesis resist the temptation of expanding the screen into the dashboard, as doing so could disrupt the elegance of the cabin.

The 2024 Electrified G80 suffers a setback in the area of space because it’s not a bespoke EV. While the gas model has 103.8 cu. ft. of passenger volume, its passenger compartment measures 100.7 cu. ft. Similarly, its trunk volume is just 10.8 cu. ft., not 13.1 cu. ft. like in the latter. During my visit to Los Angeles, I kept these differences in mind and observed if they translated to perceivable discomfort or significantly reduced practicality.

When I was sitting in the driver’s seat, I appreciated the fact that it offered so much adjustability and features, thanks to 4-way power lumbar, power cushion extension, power bolsters, Ergo Motion, heating, and ventilation. In my experience, as a six-foot-tall person, under-thigh support was excellent and lumbar support felt good for an elaborate roadtrip. With heating, ventilation, and massage functions, it’s virtually impossible for a person of up to around 6 feet height to feel uncomfortable behind the wheel of the G80 EV.

I didn’t quite like the old-fashioned design of the power tilt & telescopic steering wheel, but it felt solid to hold. The dual-opening storage box in the center console is big enough to keep everyday items, and is practical.

In the back, I felt that ingress was typical of a sedan. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, I had enough legroom and under-thigh support was adequate. As for headroom, my head was brushing up against the headliner, while sitting up. The shoulder room felt sufficient for three adults to sit abreast. It’s likely that Genesis chose not to add a sunroof in the G80 Electrified to preserve headroom.

Driving impressions

The Genesis Electrified G80 hasn’t received any mechanical changes with the 2024 model year update, so I think it’d drive and feel the same as in the 2023 model year. Reviews from the previous model year suggest it’s quite impressive, especially considering it’s a conversion of a gas model.

The design and interior of the Electrified G80 strongly indicate that Genesis conceived it for maximum comfort and luxury, possibly even at the cost of driving pleasure. Out on the road, it actually does that job quite well, gliding over bumps and making turns in a composed manner.

Those who have experienced the car will also tell you that driving the Electrified G80, with 365 hp and 516 lb-ft on tap, feels effortless, with plenty of power available at disposal and one-pedal driving reducing the requirement to step on the brake pedal. Surprisingly, body roll is well-controlled, and the synchronization between the regenerative and mechanical braking systems is also worth appreciating. Steering feedback and accuracy could be better, and that’s possibly an area that Genesis will focus on in the facelift that’s expected to debut in 2024.

The downside of the Genesis Electrified G80 here is the range – 282 miles (EPA-est.). That’s pretty but close compared to the Mercedes EQE’s maximum EPA-est. range – 298 miles, but far from the Tesla Model S’ maximum 405 miles. The Lucid Air, with an EPA-est. range of up to 516 miles, is in a league of its own.

Price

The 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 comes in two variants, Advanced and Prestige, priced at $74,375 and $79,125, respectively. The prices are excluding tax, title, license and destination charges.

TopElectricSUV says

The 2024 Genesis Electrified G80 seems to tick all the main boxes, offering a fabulous interior design, superb performance, great ride quality, impressive driving dynamics, and loads of advanced technologies, including rapid charging and V2L. Its driving range isn’t phenomenal, but it’s not bad either. With its price tag of under USD 80,000, the electric sedan is a recommendable option for drivers who are around average height and don’t need the cargo space for large bags.

2024 Genesis Electrified G80 FAQs

Note: This story contains inputs from our reader.

An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 16 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading CEOs and vehicle developers from around the world.