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The Genesis GV80 keeps bringing home trophies for the South Korean manufacturer. The Genesis GV80 SUV earned the J.D. Power Engineering Award for Highest-Rated All-New-Vehicle. The engineering team responsible for the GV80 will add this trophy to their case.

GV80 was named MotorBiscuit’s SUV of the Year

2022 Genesis GV80 Luxury SUV
2022 Genesis GV80 | Genesis

The J.D. Power award is based on comer evaluation of initial quality and appeal and is presented to a vehicle that was all-new in 2021. There is a bit of lag for the awards for 2021 vehicles as reliability is assessed. In the Best Midsize SUVs of 2002 category for vehicles that can be assessed, J.D. Power ranks the Lexus RX, Lexus GX and Cadillac XT5 first, second and third, respectively.

“Genesis is committed to designing and engineering world class-products for consumers around the globe,” said Claudia Marquez, chief operating officer of Genesis Motor North America in a news release.

What is a Genesis GV80?

Promo shot of a Hyundai GV80 crossover SUV parked by the water.
Hyundai GV80 | Hyundai

While it’s on the same basic platform as the Hyundai Palisade, it would take a trained eye to spot the differences. It has a different interior, sheet metal, and crucially, powertrain.

The 2022 Genesis GV80 starts at around $52,000. It is a luxury mid-size three-row SUV. It is the Genesis brand’s flagship SUV and as such has every option and luxury available the company could add. Its 2.5-liter four-cylinder base engine is adequate, but the 3.6-liter V6 is more suited to the big SUV, launching it to 60 mph in less than 5.5 seconds. It’s been designed to be fast, quiet, and comfortable, as well as a stylish alternative to its European rivals, which include the Mercedes-Benz GLS, BMW x5 and Audi Q7.

The GV80 is also an IIHS Top Safety Pick. It also has generous pricing and specs.

While the “base” models come with all the safety goodies you’d expect on a vehicle of this caliber, for 2022 Genesis offers the ulta-lux Prestige Signature Trim. There’s no way back seat. Instead, the $78,000 package gets you just four seats. But what seats they are. The second-row captains chairs are heated, cooled and powered and will bring the Genesis into competition with similar ultra-lux packages from Mercedes-Maybach, and the Lexus LX600, but at a price that undercuts those by about $50,000 to $90,000.

Will the new GV70 be as good?

The 2022 Genesis GV70 has all the makings of a great compact luxury SUV.
2022 Genesis GV70 | Genesis

If we had a Magic 8-Ball, it would say “Signs point to yes.” The GV70 is the GV80s new little brother. Already it has been named the Luxury Vehicle of the Year for 2022 by the Hispanic Motor Press Awards, and MotorTrend named the 2022 GV70 the 2022 SUV of the Year. MotorTrend said the GV70 said the SUV has good power, a fresh design, and impressive features. The GV70 is classified as a compact luxury SUV. But its interior is larger than many competitors, its optional 3.5-liter V6 and standard all-wheel-drive make it scoot, and its initial reliability scores show itcan compete. IT starts at around $46,000 but with options that price can increase to $63,500. But, there are a lot of options: panoramic sunroof, 16-speaker stereo, bigger wheels, more leather, ambient lighting and more.

Related: The 2021 Genesis GV80 Is MotorBiscuit’s SUV of the Year Winner

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.