Genesis launches first hybrid, the GV80, at lower-than-expected price

Genesis has launched its first hybrid, the GV80 Hybrid, at a price that undercut expectations.

The model opens a hybrid lineup for the luxury brand under Hyundai Motor that will extend to the G80 and GV70, as the Korea JoongAng Daily exclusively reported in June 2025, which together with the GV80 are the brand's three bestsellers in the United States. 

The powertrain pairs a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with two motors in a parallel layout: One starts the engine and generates electricity, while the other, rated at 59.1 kilowatts, drives the wheels and handles regenerative braking.

Combined output is 352 horsepower, about 16 percent higher than the existing GV80.

Fuel economy is 12 kilometers per liter (28 miles per gallon) for the five-seat, two-wheel-drive model on 19-inch wheels, roughly 29 percent better than the gasoline version.

With a 76-liter (20-gallon) tank, the car can travel up to 912 kilometers (567 miles) on a single fill-up.

The sticker price starts at 76.8 million won ($57,300), well below market estimates that had expected it sit comfortably above 80 million won.

The GV80 Hybrid is also the first Hyundai hybrid to use a liquid-cooled battery, which raises peak discharge power and widens the range in which the electric motor can operate.

Engineers tuned the car to lean on electric power from a standstill up to about 30 kilometers per hour (18.5 miles per hour), muting engine noise and vibration in underground garages and stop-and-go city traffic.

When the driver accelerates out of electric mode, the engine responds so quickly that re-acceleration at 100 kilometers per hour is about 18 percent faster than in the 2.5-liter gasoline turbo, according to the company's own testing.

The launch marks a sharp reversal for Genesis, which had pledged to introduce only electric models from 2025 but then faced weak EV demand.

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]