MotorTrend recently named the 2021 Genesis GV80 as a finalist for its SUV of the Year after putting it through a rigorous process. The GV80 SUV comes with enough safety, infotainment, and additional features to make any gearhead excited. It’s no surprise that Genesis’ marquee SUV was up for the award. Its inclusion got people thinking once again about how these types of awards are chosen.

How does MotorTrend decide its award process?

MotorTrend has been awarding cars for over 70 years now. Starting with the 1949 Cadillac, some of the biggest cars to hit the market since then have taken home the prestigious honor. While some awards might factor in overall performance, price range, or comparisons to the other cars on the market, MotorTrend tries to factor in everything. 

From low-priced cars with high-priced functions to mid-level cars that appease both worlds, MotorTrend has become the global leader in this category for a reason. They are thorough in their process, ensuring that every vehicle is reviewed based on its merits alone while stripping away anything that might unfairly affect the judgment. 

As the years went on, however, MotorTrend realized that not every car can compare to others. On top of the Car of the Year, the company now boasts an SUV of the Year and a Truck of the Year. They are measured by design advancement, engineering, efficiency and economy, safety, value, and performance ability. 

The Genesis GV80 passed all these tests with flying colors for contention in the SUV of the year award, and it beat some heavy-hitters in the process too. 

What was the Genesis GV80 up against? 

To show just how great the Genesis GV80 is, one might just need to look at the cars it was up against. From the Cadillac Escalade, one of the industry standards for as long as the SUV has been around, to the Nissan Rogue, the competition was stacked. This is a testament to just how good a car has to be to make things right.

Several other automakers have many candidates who all rank lower. Genesis makes it count with its marquee SUV. Even giants like Tesla and Mercedes did not fare as well in those reviews despite being up for the award, and that says something too. 

At the end of the day, the Land Rover Defender got the award. However, while the Genesis GV80 might have come in second, third, or fourth, it’s still rising and showing that the SUV world has a heavy-hitter. 

What to expect from the Genesis GV80

When reviewing the GV80, MotorTrend laid down precisely what they liked and disliked about the luxurious SUV. When it came to comfort, few vehicles boast an advantage in this category, be they an SUV for something else. MotorTrend has long lauded Genesis for stepping it up in recent years, and the 2021 Genesis GV80’s comfort is another example of this. 

Furthermore, the SUV boasts an impressive amount of power for its engine, which comes in handy during the most grueling conditions. The hybrid brakes also help ease the load that such a powerful car boasts. The car isn’t perfect, however. MotorTrend noticed some control issues, while the tire noise and inability to tow worked against it too. 

Whether this is the new industry standard for SUVs or not, the GV80 shows that sometimes car companies can burst into an all-new market and come out on top. As Genesis learns how to improve on what is there, it will be interesting to see if MotorTrend awards this SUV as a winner of the actual award sometime soon too.