When billing a car as a ‘flagship’ model, it certainly doesn’t harm the cause if it has a stately appearance, a luxurious interior and bags of clever tech.
And that’s precisely what premium carmaker Genesis – Hyundai's luxury arm – has achieved with its eye-catching and rather posh GV80 model.
It’s a large SUV that offers high levels of refinement, with the composed ride combining nicely with an interior that makes you feel like you’re in the lap of luxury.
You certainly feel like you’re driving something a bit special, as evidenced by the fact that quite a few people I met during my week with the GV80 drew parallels with the design of a Bentley – a comparison reinforced by the large mesh grille.
Under the bonnet, my test car came with a 2.5-litre turbo petrol engine, producing a meaty 300bhp and offering a 0-62mph time of under seven seconds.
All versions of the GV80 come with four-wheel drive, helping the vehicle feel reassuringly sure-footed through the corners.
There’s certainly enough performance to keep a keen driver interested, but the GV80 is perhaps at its best when you relax into its comfortable seats and enjoy the serenity of its smooth road manners and refined cabin, helped by the ease-of-use of the eight-speed automatic gearbox.
The feeling of tranquility doesn’t happen by accident – there’s some sophisticated tech working away in the background without you really noticing.
For example, a front camera spots potential potholes, then adjusts the suspension to optimise comfort and safety.
Meanwhile, the GV80 also features a world first, road noise-cancelling innovation.
By detecting road and tyre noise and then generating anti-phase sound waves through the vehicle’s speakers, the GV80 restores peace to the cabin.
Meanwhile, a raft of safety features make the driving experience as easy as possible, but the one that really caught my eye was the blind spot view monitor.
Using cameras placed on each exterior mirror, the system provides the driver with a video feed of their blind spot to assist when changing lanes. The video appears in a circular slot on the digital display - negating the need for the old-school glance over the shoulder.
Focussing more closely on the vehicle’s looks, the front design features a G-Matrix Crest Grille and quad lamps, meaning the front profile of the GV80 demands attention.
The front design continues in the dual rear lights and exhaust shape.
The overall impression is one of athleticism and elegance, with a silhouette that’s defined by three sculpted lines: the tapered roofline, dynamic parabolic waistline and chromed sill.
Once you step inside, the cabin is a nice place to be, with generous amounts of space and comfortable seats.
The 14.5-inch infotainment display, with augmented reality, is an impressive feature. State of the art technology uses real-life, real-time footage recorded by a front-facing camera to show the navigated route ahead in the most realistic way possible.
There’s also a 3D instrument cluster and heads-up display, which uses sensors that track the driver’s eyes, so as to project and display driving information without the need to wear 3D glasses.
All things considered, this is a tremendous flagship vehicle and one that's well worthy of consideration as a characterful alternative to the strong German opposition in this segment.
Genesis GV80
ENGINE: 2.5-litre petrol turbo
PERFORMANCE: 0-62mph in 6.9 seconds and top speed of 147mph
ECONOMY: 30.5 - 31.4mpg on WLTP scale
MAX. OUTPUT: 304PS at 5,800RPM
TRANSMISSION: 8 speed auto, all-wheel drive
PRICE OF MODEL: £59,600
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