Genesis G80 vs Volvo S60

What's the difference?

The Genesis Electrified G80 Luxury is feature-laden and comes with fantastic ongoing costs. This thing handles superbly, has enough power to satisfy and the cabin space feels luxurious. It’s a bit smaller in the cabin and boot than its size suggests, so will suit a small family best, but it's a damn fine example of what a luxury EV sedan can be.

My kid didn't want to give this one back and there was a risk of tears with the loss of the screens in the back and the power he had (mwah ha ha).

The Volvo S60 Recharge Black Edition proves sedans can still be sexy and an excellent family car, providing your family is on the smaller side. I only have one kid, so it's perfect for our activities and gear. It’s wonderful to drive and has a great features list but it's not without its quirks.

My son thinks it looks cool, and we enjoyed bellowing out a few renditions of the original Batman theme song this week. He has had a lot of comfort in the back seat, too.

With its rounded nose and solid body, this four-door leans more towards the ‘luxury saloon’ aesthetic than a sports car vibe.

However, some elements hint at this car's powerful prowess, such as the turbine-like 19-inch alloys, quad LED lights at the front and rear and the swoopy roofline.

The interior is handsome and the quilted tan Nappa-leather seats are naturally dyed, which is a cool feature. The suede-look headliner and two-tone door trims are all various shades of brown, which I’m not usually a fan of, but it creates an aura of old-world glamour inside.

However, while the chrome accents enhance that effect, the forged wood panels look out of place. They don’t look like wood, more like that rainbow pattern you can get when you mix oil on water.

While it might not be as sexy as the Audi or Beemer, I’d argue it looks statelier and more refined. It drew looks wherever I went and I especially adore the 'Matira Blue' paintwork.

It’s designed to resemble the colour variations found at Matira Beach on Bora-Bora, French Polynesia, and it’s just gorgeous.

The S60 Black Edition nails it on design. It sports a handsome and sleek shape that manages to look sporty and elegant. It's exactly what you expect a luxury sedan to look like.

My seven-year old dubbed this the Batmobile, and for good reason, every accent is black!

The grille, badge and 19-inch five-spoke alloys look aggressive against the 'Hammer of Thor' LED headlights and make this design look hot.

You better like black paintwork, though, as that is the only choice for this variant.

The interior hasn’t seen any changes for the 2025 model and it seems Volvo is streamlining most of its interiors to look the same.

You could find this dashboard in most of its cars, which is fine because it’s a good-looking treatment full of soft-touchpoints and high-quality materials. But there’s also nothing that sets the Black Edition apart from its stablemates. It would be nice to see a point of difference.

The dashboard is headlined by the 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system and a 12-inch digital instrument cluster. You have some other nice focal points in the large sunroof and massive air-vents, which add some interest to the dash.

Overall, it’s a pleasant interior but maybe not as fun as some of its rivals.

It’s a low car to get in and out of, so I really like the comfort access function, where the seat slides back for easier access.

Once you’re in, you have plenty of head, leg and elbow room in both rows. Although, I did notice the sun visor felt very close to my head from my driving position. And if you sit closer to the wheel, you’ll be ducking your head to even pull it down.

The comfort factors up front cannot be downplayed – this has a sense of luxury from every angle. The seats are beautiful to sit in on a long trip and I especially like the massage function on the driver’s side. You also enjoy heat and ventilation functions plus a heated steering wheel.

Individual storage options are good up front with two cupholders, a drink bottle holder in each door, glove box and a middle console.

There is also a narrow utility tray that has the wireless phone charging pad, two USB-A ports and a 12-volt socket but I was hoping for the faster USB-C ports at this price point.

The rear seats are also well-cushioned but the space is narrower than at the front. The curved C-pillar makes you feel like you’re being tucked in and that makes it more like a four-seater than a five-seater for passenger comfort. This is further highlighted by the cockpit-like controls in the fold-down middle armrest.

These controls are a similar set up to the front multimedia system and are connected to two 9.2-inch touchscreens on the backs of the seats.

Annoyingly, back seaters can also access (and control) the front audio and climate controls. I didn’t find a way to disconnect this access and my six-year old was pleased as punch.

They also control the heat function on the outboard seats and the retractable rear window sun-blind. In the armrest’s middle console, you get a single USB-A port and two 'aux' inputs to hook up a couple of headphone sets.

I loved being able to entertain my son on our road trip but you can’t just hook up a phone and play Netflix or Disney. It has to be a video file on some sort of hard drive.

The multimedia system is simple enough and it uses a combination of touch and a rotary dial to operate.

The 12.0-inch coloured head-up display is clear and the 3D 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster is cool but it did take my eyes a bit to get used to it as it can look like a hologram at times.

Surprisingly, this car only features wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The built-in satellite navigation is probably the fiddliest to use out of all of the systems because it flips between three functions – rotary dial, press-buttons and a touchpad but the option of ‘writing’ your address is cool.

The boot is an interesting one as it’s small for this class at 354L. To accommodate the electrics, the shape is stepped and it makes for an awkward space for bigger items like luggage.

I had plenty of room for my bits and groceries, though, and I enjoyed the powered tailgate with proximity opening feature.

The cabin of the S60 is fairly practical with the front row feeling spacious for my 168cm height. It’s a low car, so if your knees squeak you might find it annoying to get in and out of!

The comfort of the front seats cannot be understated. They feature a two-position memory function, lumbar- and side-bolster adjustments and under-thigh extenders. Plus, with the heat and ventilation functions, you’ll look forward to a long journey.

Because of the sloping roofline, it’s a bit awkward to get in and out of the back seat but once you’re in there is a stack of room (behind my driving position) and the outboard seats hug you into position, so you don’t move around in corners.

Seats are comfy for long journeys and outboarders enjoy heat functionality, too. The pillar-mounted directional air vents are super practical and the hardened kickplates are a godsend for parents with wildlings like my son, who seem to want to put their feet on everything.

The transmission tunnel is massive, though, so keep the middle seat reserved for kids only.

Up front, individual storage isn’t as great as you might hope for with the glove box being the largest cubby on offer. The middle console is literally a tray and it doesn't fit my iPhone 15 Pro Max (I have a thin case, as well!).

There's no centre console storage aside from the two cupholders, and this variant misses out on a wireless charging pad, so my phone and 'bits' have been shoved into the cupholders or on the passenger seat, which is a tad annoying. The storage bins in each door feature a small drink bottle holder but are, again, shallow.

Individual storage is a bit better in the rear with two net map pockets, two large cupholders in the fold-down arm rest, as well as a drink bottle holder in each storage bin. 

Technology is well-rounded and the multimedia system (powered by Android Automotive) is easy to use, but curiously you don’t get Android Auto in this model!

You do get a bunch of built-in apps like Google Maps and Spotify. There's wired Apple CarPlay and satellite navigation, too.

You get a head-up display and the digital instrument cluster looks high-end with its graphics and shows your sat nav directions, which is always handy.  

Charging options throughout are good with two USB-C ports in each row, while the front also gets a 12-volt socket.

The boot is slightly smaller compared to its rivals at 427L thanks to the electric components but it is still well-sized for my grocery run and it’s not too difficult to grab things that slide to the back.

You get a 'tyre mobility kit' (rather than a physical spare) underneath the floor and I like the way you can hang the home charging cable bag out of the way. 

The Black Edition has a hands-free tailgate which is operated by a kick-function. But you don’t have an electric button on the lid and the kick-function didn’t always work to close it! That said, the lid isn’t heavy, so it’s nothing to split hairs over.

There are two variants for the S60, the mild-hybrid Ultimate or the plug-in-hybrid Recharge Black Edition, the latter being our test model.

The Recharge Black Edition is priced from $88,990, before on road costs, which positions it towards the lower end of the market, with the Audi A4 Avant 45 TFSI Quattro S Line MHEV being the most affordable at $85,700 MSRP.

Next up is the Mercedes-Benz C200 MHEV at $89,900 MSRP and then the BMW 330e M Sport PHEV at $98,700 MSRP.

The interesting thing, though, is you don’t pay extra for any packs on this model, which is rare for a luxury brand. It’s pretty well-specified already.

Luxury features include powered front seats that have adjustable side-bolsters, lumbar support and two-position memory function, as well as heat and ventilation functions.

Other items include heated rear outboard seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof and beautiful Nappa leather upholstery throughout.

Practical features include dual-zone climate control, handsfree boot opening and double locking, which is when you lock the car from the outside and if there is forced entry via a smashed window, for example, the doors still can't be opened, even from the inside.

Technology is robust with a 9.0-inch touchscreen multimedia system including in-built Google Apps (Google Play and Maps, YouTube, and Spotify).

Other items include wired Apple CarPlay, the 'Volvo Car Services App' with a four-year subscription and over-the-air updates, 12-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity, digital radio and a 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins 'High Fidelity' audio system.

Unfortunately on this variant, you miss out on Android Auto capability and a wireless charging pad.

The Electrified G80 has a fully electric powertrain and a big lithium-ion battery with an 87.2kWh capacity. There are two electric motors – one on each axle. It’s an all-wheel-drive with a combined power output of 272kW and 700Nm.

Yep, this baby has the goods and it delivers them beautifully on the road. It can go from 0-100km/h in just 4.9 seconds.

The S60 Recharge Black Edition’s plug-in hybrid powertrain features a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder engine and an electric motor that combine to produce 340kW of power and 709Nm of torque.

It has serious kick and can do a 0-100km/h sprint time of just 4.5-seconds. The eight-speed auto transmission is smooth as silk and creates a refined on-road driving experience.

The G80 has a great driving range of up to 520km, although the top km range I saw was 510km. The official combined cycle power consumption figure is 19.1kWh/100km but my average usage was around 17.2kWh.

That's pretty good considering how much open-road driving I did this week.

The regen braking has four levels, with the highest enabling one-pedal driving. The regen braking feels on the right side of firm and you’ll gain battery percentage going down a mountain.

This has a Type 2 charging port with a CCS DC connector, meaning you can hook it up to a fast charger. It can also accept the speeds from an ultra-fast 350kW charger and you can get from 10 to 80 per cent in just 22 minutes!

If you get on an 11kW charger, you’d expect that time to creep up closer to eight hours.

The Electrified G80 also has a vehicle to load function, so you can charge up devices using the car’s power while on the road.

Another cool feature is a solar panel in the roof for passive battery charging while parked and on the go!

The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is an extremely low 1.4L/100km and I did two economy tests this week covering a healthy mix of open-road and urban driving.

Charging it every day for four days, gave me a real-world usage of 3.8L/100km and charging it once in three days gave me a trip readout of 5.6L/100km.

The PHEV powertrain has proven itself economical whether you dedicate yourself to the charging or not, so that’s pretty good.

The Black Edition features a Type 2 port for AC charging, but it can’t be hooked up to a DC fast charger.

This doesn't worry me because even on a standard domestic house socket you can charge the 19kWh battery from 0-100 per cent in just five hours, which is pretty fast for a PHEV.

You also get up to 90km of WLTP-rated pure electric driving range in this, which is good for a plug-in.

I have thoroughly enjoyed driving this car. It has heaps of power and even with the firm regen braking, it never feels jolty or jarring. The power distribution is well-balanced.

The handling is superb because it manages to feel both graceful and fun. The steering is tight, which gives a sportier performance than I was expecting.

The adaptive suspension also makes this feel like it’s connected to the road when you hit corners.

The ride comfort is up there with the best and I’ve enjoyed how quiet the cabin is, too. There's very little wind or road noise, even at higher speeds.

No issues with parking because of the top-notch 360-degree view camera system but you feel its 5.0m length when you’re trying to navigate one of those skinny car park ramps.

I like the remote parking feature on the key fob, too. Great for a tight car spot!

A lot of people think driving a Volvo means it’s stately or boring. Get in the Black Edition and it will change your mind.

The power it has is awesome and the pick-up will blow your hair back. Power delivery feels effortless.

The firm suspension and steering provide great road feedback and dynamic handling. While the suspension is firm, the comfort in the cabin is high and you don’t wince going over a pothole. The cabin is very quiet which makes it feel refined, too, even at higher speeds.

You do feel a bit low when you’re sitting next to a big SUV at lights but visibility is pretty good with the wide windows and pillars that don’t get in the way.

I've been precious about going over speed bumps or exiting a ramp, because it's easy to scrape underneath the nose as the S60 sits quite low. But on a whole it's pretty easy to park.

The 360-degree view camera system is clear and has a birds-eye and reversing view but I'd like to see both feeds pop up at the same time. It's easy enough to flit between the views when needed.

The S60 Recharge Black Edition has just been launched, so it’s not covered by its siblings’ maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2018 but it features all of the goodies you’d expect from a Volvo.

Standard features include blind-spot monitoring, rear collision warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, an intelligent seatbelt warning, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, 'Pilot Assist', a tyre mobility kit and a 360-degree view camera system, as well as front, side and rear parking sensors.

The S60 Black Edition also features Volvo designed safety items like the 'Side Impact Protection System' (SIPS) that reinforces the car's steel framework at the sides and disperses energy in a side collision. 

It also features a 'Whiplash Injury Protection System' (WHIPS), which if hit from behind, the headrests move with the occupants to limit injuries.

One of the highlights is the programmable spare key where you can limit audible levels and speed limits. Which is perfect if you have a teenager who borrows your car. And the spare key is bright orange, so there's no sneaky 'whoops, I grabbed the wrong key' moments!

The rear row features two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tethers. You'd be doing very well to fit three child seats in, so two will fit best.

With the G80 you’ll enjoy a five-year/unlimited km warranty and an eight-year warranty on the battery. Plus, you get complimentary servicing for up to five years or 75,000km, whichever occurs first.

It's usual to see longer servicing intervals on EVs but hey, free is free.

You can choose to have an at-home wall charger installed or a ChargeFox subscription that gives you free charging for up to five years.

Genesis is leading the market with its customer-first ownership approach. Very few luxury brands include complimentary anything, so this is lovely to see.

The S60 comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty, which is a normal term for the class.

You can pre-purchase either a three- or five-year servicing plan and the three-year plan costs $1750, while the five-year plan costs a flat $3000 or an average of $600 per service, which is reasonable.

Servicing intervals sit at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.