Being awarded a Kelley Blue Book Best Buy is always an impressive win. The 2021 Genesis GV80 took that honor for the midsize luxury SUV in its debut year. Genesis is the luxury brand for Hyundai, and debuted in 2015.

Genesis has had a hard time breaking into the luxury brand market, but that might change. The GV80 is exactly what is needed to move Genesis up in the auto world. It is a worthy competitor to the other luxury SUVs on the market.

The 2021 Genesis GV80 is winning awards in its debut year

The highlights from Kelley Blue Book include a ton of modern tech and a thorough safety suite, and an electronic limited-slip rear differential. It is also the first SUV from Genesis and has either a five or seven-seat configuration available.

It also comes with a turbocharged four or six-cylinder engine. Pricing starts at $48,900 and has an impressive amount of standard features. It also has a very thorough suite of safety features including, Highway Driver Assist II, which uses adaptive cruise control, and can make autonomous lane changes just by using the turn signal.

The GV80 boasts an outstanding 10 airbags, blind-spot monitoring, driver-attention warning, and a truly talented automatic braking system. It also comes with a great warranty, three years of map updates to the navigation system, and five years of 24-hour roadside assistance.

The Genesis GV80 provides true luxury for an affordable price

Starting with a standard, paddle-operated 8-speed automatic transmission, you have a choice between a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that generates 300-hp, or a 375-horsepower twin-turbo V6.

Rear-wheel drive is standard, but there is an option to move to all-wheel drive. Both engines produce more than enough power for a comfortable ride whether it is on the highway or driving around the city.

The interior is impressively luxurious with leather seats, that also offer a massage function, active noise cancellation, and ambient LED lighting, that is available in multiple different colors.

There is also a pretty awesome 21-speaker premium sound system, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. It also has a 14.5-inch-wide touchscreen, and a blind-spot view monitor that activates when you use the turn signals.

Outside it is just as stylish, some comparing it to a Bentley. The hood, liftgate, and doors are all made out of weight-saving aluminum, and the 22-inch wheels, while seeming large on paper, do not appear large in person.

Still the new kid on the block

While Genesis is still new to the luxury market, receiving the Kelley Blue Book Best Buy award is an impressive honor that will help Genesis compete with the powerhouses in the luxury market.

Snagging this award in its debut year is a feat that should make other brands, and consumers, sit up and take notice. It will definitely still be a few years before the reliability of Genesis can be established, the GV80 looks to be an impressive first step as a luxury SUV.

It will also only help the brand if it can maintain reasonable prices, technology, and standard features that have been established with the GV80. Winning another Kelley Blue Book Best Buy award next year would all but cement Genesis as a leader in the luxury SUV market.

Taking a chance on a relatively unknown brand, even with the Hyundai name behind it, can be daunting. Taking this chance in the luxury market can be even more daunting due to the cost involved. The 2021 Genesis GV80 seems to be a worthy risk, with great value it is poised to be a strong competitor in the luxury SUV market.