The 2025 Genesis GV80 V6 isn't a great value anymore

The Genesis GV80 has been synonymous with value since it debuted for the 2021 model year. Not that it's ever been cheap, exactly, but it has generally offered more attractive pricing than most midsize luxury SUVs.

Crucially, that advantage remained in place with the optional turbocharged 3.5-liter V6, a.k.a. "3.5T," under the hood. That's the engine you want if you're trying to keep up with the class leaders, and the 375-horsepower GV80 3.5T has consistently been available at a discount relative to top six-cylinder competitors.

But a mild refresh for the 2025 model year brought major changes on the pricing front, and no, this has nothing to do with the current tariff uncertainty. Genesis must believe that the GV80 V6 doesn't need a value advantage anymore, because as of 2025, it no longer has one.

The numbers, please

I won't bore you with my driving impressions of the 2025 GV80 3.5T Prestige — this article is about cold hard facts. Could the 2025 GV80 3.5T really have a higher base MSRP than its six-cylinder rivals from Germany and Japan? Could it ever. Take a look.

Seriously, when's the last time a Genesis made a Mercedes look affordable? Or any of the other brands here, for that matter? Last year, though, you could drive off in a GV80 3.5T for as little as $64,850. If Genesis had held the line for 2025, the Lexus still would have been cheaper, which is remarkable in itself, but at least the GV80 would have undercut the heavy hitters from Audi, BMW and Benz.

Instead, the 2025 GV80 V6 got a price hike for the ages — a $9,450 one, to be exact. Sure, I could have included the 2025 Porsche Cayenne ($84,700) and knocked the Genesis down a peg, but I doubt there's a lot of cross-shopping between those two. How about the Audi Q8, which is more or less a two-row Q7 55 quattro? Well, the GV80 3.5T that starts at $74,300 is the three-row version, which is why I used the three-row Q7 as a comp. If you want a two-row GV80, you'll need the 3.5T Prestige trim, which stickers at $79,800, a sobering $5,400 more than the 2025 Q8's base price.

Why is the 2025 GV80 3.5T so much more expensive?

I count three reasons. First of all, the base GV80 3.5T trim that cost about $65k last year was killed for 2025, leaving the GV80 3.5T Advanced to serve as the new entry-level V6 trim. So that's part of it.

Then you have the 2025 mid-cycle update, which most notably introduced a striking 27-inch widescreen infotainment module that gives the GV80 a more contemporary vibe inside. I've certainly seen more impactful refreshes, but post-refresh prices tend to rise regardless.

Ultimately, though, I think this one comes down to the planners at Genesis and their faith in the product. I don't know what the margins are on the GV80, but I doubt the price bumps for 2025 were critical from a business standpoint. This looks more to me like an internal consensus that the GV80 was simply ready for prime time. Let's take off the training wheels, you can imagine them saying, and go head-to-head with the world's best.

If that's correct, hey, I salute the swagger. And if you're interested in my rather different assessment of the GV80's merits, I'd refer you to the 2025 GV80 3.5T Prestige review that I mentioned above.

MotorDonkey says

It's worth noting that the GV80 is currently assembled in Ulsan, South Korea, putting it in the crosshairs of any prolonged tariff increases applied to Korean imports. Additional price hikes could be in the offing, in other words, although I feel like Genesis knows the 2025 GV80 has probably hit its marketability ceiling as things stand.

Anyway, especially given that Lexus has rarely if ever charged more than Germany's stalwarts for a comparable product, I didn't think I'd see the day when Genesis would take that leap. But that day is upon us, and with the 2025 G80 sedan joining the party with significant hikes of its own, it looks like we may need to get used to it. ⛐ md