“There goes the rear-wheel steer–Whee!” I shouted out loud, even though I wasn’t on that kind of drive. I was testing a luxury foreign sedan in the rolling farmland around Lexington, Kentucky. Posh. But I’d switched the 2025 Genesis G80 to “Sport+” mode for some S curves and between the freshly-painted picket fences there in horse country it was holding its own.

For full disclosure: Genesis is excited enough about its 2025 G80 redesign that it flew a bunch of us automotive journalists to Lexington Kentucky, put us up, and fed us during a “first drive” experience. Genesis did not pay me to write this and is not editing my review in any way.

To be specific, I was driving the top-of-the-line Genesis G80 3.5T Prestige AWD. For 2025, this trim level will start at $77k and claims 375 horsepower/391 lb-ft. The peasants who drive any trim that’s not a 3.5T “Sport” or “Prestige” must settle for a 2.5-liter I4 that makes just 300 horsepower/311 lb-ft.

The Prestige trim I drove is a bit of an oddball in Genesis’ lineup. I say that because its the only G80 trim to feature a bunch of tech normally reserved for the bigger G90 sedan. We’re talking electronic limited slip rear differential, 20-inch alloy rims, and rear wheels that steer. That last bit of kit really shines when coupled with the remote parking assist.

So what’s the point of the G80 3.5T Prestige? Genesis PR is quick to call it a luxury car, not a sports car. But I’d say the automaker is gambling that a portion of its buyers are quirky enough to want an ultra luxurious sedan, but prefer something a bit smaller and nimbler than the limousine-like G90. And there may be an interesting reason it’s not badged as the G85, or something unique. But more on that later.

The Kia/Hyundai/Genesis family offers performance and technology at every price point. But you buy a luxury car because of how it makes you feel. So how did I feel driving a G80 Prestige around Kentucky for two days? Like a baller.

I rocked up to luxury hotels, fancy restaurants on storied horse farms, and the nicest distilleries around. This is Kentucky Derby country where Cadillacs line downtowns and German sedans aren’t uncommon. Me and my G80 didn’t care. With every interior surface coated in Nappa leather and a refreshed interior design built around “athletic elegance,” the G80 Prestige held its own. A luxury sedan is becoming a bit rare, so it got notices. But I’ll be honest: it doesn’t fit in with the German cars or with the luxury Japanese cars. I had more than one jealous eyebrow raise and a, “What’s that?”

For 2025, all G80s are getting some serious luxury tech updates. Genesis tossed the old USB ports for USB-C ones, added wireless capability to the Apple Carplay/Android Auto, added a nifty feature where you can lock all the doors from any door (so no opening the driver’s door again after getting something from the back seat), and upgraded the infotainment system to a seamless 27-inch widescreen.

I’m not a big infotainment guy, in fact I often shut off the center stack while driving. With this single wide screen incorporating both your gauge cluster and infotainment screens, that’ impossible. But the interface is intuitive and the graphics are beautiful. I loved the blindspot camera PIP screens that pop up on the left and right side of the gauge cluster whenever you hit your turn signal. These might truly save some bicyclists life.

I also have to applaud Genesis for bringing back physical radio knobs and HVAC controls. The latest studies show that migrating these controls to a touchscreen keeps your eyes off the road for longer, and the European nonprofit that does safety ratings isn’t giving any car five stars without these physical controls. I also just prefer the feel of physical controls.

Features I immediately switched off: The G80 plays pretend/pre-recorded engine noise through the speakers when you stamp the accelerator. I switched this off and found the sound of the V6 ins Sport mode was still absolutely intoxicating. I also got frustrated with the “posture correct” feature which gives you a massage after an hour of driving in the same position. The first time it hit me in highway traffic I found it distracting. But longtime owners will love it or just switch it off.

As I said, most people I met think the car looks fantastic. The quirky twin stacked strips of LED headlights honestly don’t inspire me. I found myself squinting to make sure I wasn’t seeing double the first time I encountered them. They are, by the way, upgraded to what’s called a “micro lens array” for 2025 and incredibly bright. Genesis let me chat with one of its head designers, who actually transferred from Hyundai. Why? Like many folks in the company, he’s just excited to build a new brand–with a new design language–from the brand up. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

I learned that those twin headlight strips mirror the twin lines coming off each side of the Genesis logo. And the grille of the G80 is actually a series of overlapping pentagons, the same size and shape as the shield in the logo. Inside the interior design is luxurious, but not opulent. I’m told the design ethos here is based on the use of negative space in South Korean architecture. The result is unlike anything else on the road. I can spot any new Genesis that’s driving down the street and I’d say this is an impressive feat for a company that’s been in business for less than a decade.

That brings me back to what makes the G80 so special to the automaker. This luxury midsize sedan actually began life as the 2017 Hyundai Genesis. It was so popular that it inspired an entire luxury division. Since then, Genesis leaned on Hyundai’s excellent powertrains and its own design and later its own engineering to build a full lineup. And the reason the tech-packed performance-capable sedan I drove doesn’t get its own badge: the G80 is still the heart of Genesis.

One thing that truly set Genesis apart is its unique emphasis on sedans. Sure, it’s offered a crossover since 2021, but its lineup is dominated by G70, G80, and G90 sedans. This is especially intriguing because by 2017, the sedan had lost the war for default people mover–to crossovers such as the RAV4 and the CR-V. Luxury automakers–even exotic sports car manufacturers–are falling one-by-one to the crossover fad. So Genesis’ emphasis on a full sedan lineup seemed a bit weird. I mean, Cadillac–the king of luxury sedans–only has two models left while Lincoln and Chrysler offer zero.

I think Genesis is right. For its remaining fans, the sedan is an “upgrade” of the default people mover–the crossover. Whether its because of the looks or the performance, sedan buyers today sought out that specific configuration.

But that may be just because I’m quirky too. I love a good sedan. Especially a midsize built on a front-engine, RWD architecture like this AWD G80. Sure, there’s modern performance software wizardry in “crossover coupes” (such as Genesis’ 2025 GV80 Coupe, which I’ve also tested). But it’s no substitute for the driving dynamics offered by a pavement-hugging sedan. My unbridled joy during my spirited romp through horse country in the 2025 G80 proves that Genesis’ latest sedan is exactly my kind of weird.