The Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has recently tested a couple of luxury sedans from the Hyundai-owned Genesis brand. Not surprising in the least, both the G80 and G90 have received the nonprofit's most coveted award for safety, that award being dubbed Top Safety Pick+.
However, there is room for improvement. In the G80's case, results are pretty different between the combustion-engined variant and the zero-emission sibling. The former aced four crashworthiness tests, those being the small overlap front crash test, the original and updated moderate overlap front crash test, as well as the updated side crash test. As for the 2024 Genesis Electrified G80, the nonprofit from Arlington rated it acceptable rather than good in the tougher updated moderate overlap front evaluation.
Why, though? As it happens, the rear dummy's lap belt moved from the pelvic area onto the abdomen of the child-sized crash test dummy, therefore increasing the risk of abdominal injuries. The 2024 Genesis G90 earned the very same rating due to the aforementioned submarining phenomenon. Both variants of the G80 and the larger G90 were rated acceptable for headlight performance, with the IIHS noting inadequate visibility in certain driving scenarios.
Only the G90 received the maximum good rating in for the front crash prevention system's performance in vehicle-to-pedestrian scenarios during the day and in low-light conditions at 12 and 25 miles per hour (20 and 40 kilometers per hour). The G80 and Electrified G80 couldn't do better than acceptable.
When it comes to LATCH ease of use, only the G90 earned a good rating. The G80s had to settle for acceptable and marginal ratings due to lower anchors located too deep in the seat and excessive attachment force. What's more, good is the G90's rating for seat belt reminders, while the Electrified G80 is listed by the IIHS with an acceptable rating. For some reason or another, the ICE variant hasn't been evaluated for seat belt reminder performance.
Photo: IIHS on YouTube / edited
In any case, said details will hardly deter potential customers from putting down a deposit on the IIHS Top Safety Pick+-rated G90 and G80. Said ratings apply to 2024 models produced after October 2023, with production taking place at Hyundai Motor Company's flagship Ulsan plant in South Korea.
Slotting above the Mercedes-Benz C-Class- and BMW 3 Series-rivaling 2024 Genesis G70, the G80 carries a sticker price of $54,400 (sans destination charge) at the moment of reporting. Standard features include a heated steering wheel and 18-inch alloys, while the standard 2.5-liter turbo I4 is joined by an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The optional V6 engine is AWD by default as well.
Stepping up to the dual-motor Electrified G80 means $74,375 at the very least for 365 horsepower, 516 pound-feet or Nm of near-instant peak torque, and no more than 282 miles (454 kilometers) of driving range from the 87.2-kWh high-voltage battery. There's no long-range option to speak of.
G90 is the brand's full-size luxury sedan, which means that you're getting pretty much all the bells and whistles from the outset. However, not all G90s are created equal. $10,300 pricier than the base 3.5T AWD, the 3.5T E-Supercharged AWD flaunts a punchier engine, multi-chamber air suspension, power reclining rear seats with massage function, plus a Bang & Olufsen Premier 3D audio system.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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