The First Genesis Hybrid Is Here

Even though Genesis was spun off as a separate luxury brand from Hyundai more than a decade ago, it still hasn’t offered a hybrid. That’s a bit odd considering its parent company has been selling cars that combine combustion engines with electric motors since the late 2000s. Better late than never, the first hybrid from the Korean luxury automaker is here, and it doesn’t carry over a setup found in a car sold by the mainstream brand.

Instead, the GV80 Hybrid uses a next-generation hybrid system developed by the wider Hyundai group. It’s the first to use a liquid-cooled battery for better temperature management, allowing it to make the most of the battery’s power. Genesis says the hybrid setup effectively turns the luxobarge into an EV from the moment you start the vehicle until it reaches around 19 mph (30 km/h).

Predictably, Genesis’s first hybrid powertrain centers on a turbocharged 2.5-liter gasoline engine. The four-cylinder works with not one but two motors: a starter-generator motor and a drive motor. The former starts the engine and generates power, while the latter handles propulsion and regenerative braking. It also replaces the conventional reverse gear to reduce complexity.

More Efficiency, More Power

Internal testing has revealed a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency for a rear-wheel-drive version equipped with 19-inch wheels compared to the equivalent gas-only model. As a refresher, the EPA rates the ICE-powered RWD version at 22 miles per gallon in the combined cycle. Doing the math, it’s realistic to expect the hybrid to achieve a 27-mpg rating.

At the same time, power is up by nearly 16 percent, rising from 300 to 347 hp. It gets even better as torque rises from 311 pound-feet (422 Newton-meters) to 391 lb-ft (530 Nm), a massive 26 percent jump over the non-electrified model. These gains help the GV80 Hybrid hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.1 seconds.

Efficiency Tricks

What else? As with the Hyundai Palisade Hybrid, there’s a Stay Mode that keeps the climate system working while the combustion engine is off by using energy from the battery. Regenerative braking relies on navigation data, speed-camera information, and even the distance to vehicles ahead to maximize efficiency. Genesis has also made a few other hardware tweaks to the engine to reduce noise for greater comfort, while installing a new, smoother-shifting seven-speed automatic transmission.

Rounding off the tweaks are new wheel and grille designs, while the interior gets four fresh two-tone schemes, two genuine wood trims, and additional quilting patterns for the upholstery.

Car and Driver learned from Genesis that the GV80 Hybrid is coming to the United States. It’s likely to command a premium over its non-electrified sibling, which starts at $60,395.

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Source: Genesis

Motor1’s Take: The GV80 Hybrid arrives late to the party, but Genesis is making up for lost time by giving it more than just a dose of electrification. The extra 47 horsepower and substantial torque bump should make the big SUV noticeably more responsive. At the same time, the claimed 25 percent improvement in fuel efficiency addresses one of the biggest drawbacks of a large luxury SUV. The fact that Genesis developed a new hybrid system rather than simply borrowing an existing setup also makes this first effort particularly interesting.

Whether buyers will be willing to pay extra for it remains to be seen. The GV80 already occupies a premium spot in the Genesis lineup, and hybridization will presumably push the price even higher. Still, for customers who want the refinement and long-distance convenience of a gasoline-powered luxury SUV without quite as much thirst at the pump, the GV80 Hybrid looks like a compelling addition to the lineup.