2023 Genesis GV80 vs 2021 Volvo XC90

What's the difference?

A low six-figure price tag is not to be sneezed at, but in terms of its performance, standard features, safety and cost of ownership, the Genesis GV80 3.5T Lux Matte 6-seat is a hugely impressive luxury SUV bargain.  

The XC90 Recharge makes a lot of sense for a family with a couple of kids, who live and spend most of their time in the city and surrounding suburbs.

You’ll need access to a power point for charging and you’ll have to do it regularly to get the best out of this SUV, but in return you’ll get effortless and efficient driving, along with the practicality and prestige which comes with any XC90. 

As mentioned in previous reviews, Genesis models moving through the CarsGuide garage are most often mistaken for Bentleys. Not a bad misattribution for a relatively new and still low-key brand.

The big chrome-accented grille and winged logo are Bentley-esque, but the distinctive two-tier headlight (and tail-light) treatment stands this substantial SUV apart.

Our test car’s optional ‘Brunswick Green’ matt paint adds an extra air of sophistication and the GV80 3.5T’s huge satin-finish 22-inch alloy wheels dial up the premium presentation and take-no-prisoners attitude.   

Inside, the look and feel is top-shelf thanks to quilted leather upholstery, multiple (large) screens, polished metal trim pieces and genuine wood details on the front and rear centre consoles, as well as the doors.

The test example’s ‘Smokey Green’ leather and reddish brown dash and door trim colour combination isn’t my cup of tea, but that’s a subjective opinion, and you may love it.

Cars are like dogs in that a year for them ages them more than one for us. So, this current-generation XC90 which came out in 2015 is getting on in age. Still, the XC90 is a design lesson in how to defy the aging process because the styling even now it appears modern and beautiful. It’s also big, tough, and prestigious looking which is how the flagship SUV in a premium brand should be.

The Thunder Grey paint my test car wore (see the images) is an optional hue, and it suited the battleship size and personality of the XC90. The enormous 22-inch five -spoke Black Diamond Cut alloy wheels were standard and filled up those giant arches nicely.

Maybe it’s the minimalist styling which has kept the XC90 looking cutting edge, because even the interior looks like the inside of a very expensive psychiatrist’s office with those leather seats and the brushed aluminium trim.

The vertical display is still impressive even in 2021, and while fully digital instrument clusters are in everything these days the XC90’s has a prestigious look and matches the rest of the cabin in its colours and fonts.

As for the XC90’s dimensions, it’s 4953mm long, 2008mm wide with the mirrors folded and 1776mm tall to the top of its shark fin antenna.

At close to 5.0m long, a fraction under 2.0m wide, and just over 1.7m tall the Genesis GV80 is a sizeable machine.

And with a wheelbase (the distance between the axles) edging up towards three metres there’s plenty of space inside, with lots of breathing room for the driver and front seat passenger.

Move to the back, and as they say, space is luxury, and there’s limo-like head and legroom for the two passengers slipping into their individual reclinable, heated and ventilated seats. Handy too that the driver has access to electric controls on the inboard side of the front passenger seat backrest so they can adjust for legroom behind it.

Even the third row is pretty good, although access is a bit of a scramble. Grown ups will be okay for medium to mid-length trips and the kids will be loving it.

As you might expect, boot space is limited with the 50/50 split and electronically folding third row seat upright. But it’s enough for a modest amount of groceries or some school bags, and we were able to sneak in the smallest (36L) suitcase from our three-piece demo set, with room to spare.

Drop that third row and and you have a generous 727 litres at your disposal, which grows to a whopping 2139L with the second row down. 

Clever interior packaging means the XC90 Recharge is more practical than many large SUVs. There are flashes of utilitarian brilliance everywhere from the children’s booster seat which pops out of the centre of the second row (see the images) to the way the XC90 can crouch down like an elephant to make it easier to load stuff into the boot.

The XC90 Recharge is a seven-seater, and like all SUVs with third rows those seats in the very back only offer enough room for kids. The second row is spacious even for me at 191cm tall with plenty of leg- and headroom. Up front as you’d expect has good head-, elbow- and shoulder room.

Cabin storage is good with two cup holders in each row (the third also has containers under the armrests) and there are large door pockets, a decent sized centre console box and a net pocket in the front passenger footwell.

The cargo capacity with all seats being used is 291 litres and with the third row folded flat you’ll have 651 litres of boot space.

Storage for the charging cable could be better. The cable comes in a stylish canvas bag that sits in the boot, but other plug-in hybrids I’ve driven do a better job of providing a storage box for the cable that’s out of the way of your regular cargo.  

The gesture control tailgate works with a foot swish under the rear of the car and the proximity key means you can lock and unlock the vehicle by touching the door handle.

The cargo area is filled with hooks for bags and a lift-up divider to hold items in place.

Four-zone climate control, four USB ports (two in the front and two in the second row) dark tinted rear windows and sun blinds top off what is a very practical, family SUV.

My family is small – there’s just three of us – and so the XC90 was more than what we needed. That said, we found a way to fill it with holiday gear, shopping, even a mini trampoline.

The XC90 Recharge lists for $114,990 making it the most expensive grade in the XC90 range.

Still, the value is excellent considering the number of features which come standard.

The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster standard, so is the nine-inch vertical centre display for media and climate control, there’s also sat nav, a Bowers and Wilkins 19-speaker stereo, wireless phone-charging, four-zone climate control, power-adjustable front seats, proximity key with auto tailgate and LED headlights.

My test car was fitted with options such as the Nappa Leather perforated and ventilated seats in Charcoal ($2950), the Climate pack which adds heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel ($600), power folding headrests in the rear ($275) and Thunder Grey metallic paint ($1900).

Even at a grand total (before on-road costs) of $120,715 I think this is still good value.

Despite its substantial (2258kg) kerb weight the GV80 3.3T is claimed to accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.5 seconds, and that’s quick.

Pulling power is immense, the twin-turbo V6 engine surging off the line with heaps of mid-range power once up and running for safe overtaking and relaxed freeway cruising.

But it’s never raucous, thanks in part to an acoustic laminated windscreen and front door glass, as well as active ‘anti-phase’ noise-cancelling tech minimising road rumble and mechanical noise in the cabin.

The eight-speed auto transmission is super-smooth, and there are paddle shifters on the wheel for when you want to call the shots.

The ride is plush but this big SUV feels well buttoned down thanks in no small part to an adaptive suspension with a preview function that’s able to read the road ahead and rapidly change settings accordingly.

It remains balanced and stable on twisting sections with fat Michelin high-performance SUV tyres wrapped around the car’s big 22-inch rims and a limited-slip differential ensuring drive goes to the wheels that can make best use of it. 

The steering is agreeably light for parking, but weights up nicely as speed increases. Road feel is good, too. Bear in mind, though, a 12.0m turning circle means you’ll have to pick your spots for U- or three-point turns. 

Braking is professional grade thanks to big ventilated discs all around, with tricky four-piston calipers at the front. They feel progressive and powerful, which is no bad thing when you consider the GV80 3.5T is rated to tow a braked trailer up to 2.7 tonnes.  

We put more than 700km on the clock of the XC90 Recharge during the three weeks it stayed with my family, covering a lot of motorway miles, country roads and a stack of urban usage, too.

Now without sounding like one of the haters who hated on me the last time I test-drove a Volvo hybrid, you will need to charge the XC90 Recharge all the time if you want to get not only the best fuel economy, but also the best performance from the SUV, too.

There’s the extra oomph from the motor, when you have enough charge in the ‘tank’ but also the serene and smooth pleasure of driving in electric mode on city and urban trips.

That tranquil electric driving experience feels kind of at odds with a large SUV at first, but having now tested a few big family plug-in hybrids and EVs I can tell you it’s a more enjoyable one.

Movement is not only smooth, but the electric grunt provides a feeling of control with an instant response which I found reassuring in traffic and at intersections.

The transition from electric motor to petrol engine is almost seamless. Volvo and Toyota are only a couple of the few brands which seemed to have achieved this.

The XC90 is large and that presented a challenge when trying to pilot it into my narrow driveaway and in car parks, but light, accurate steering and excellent visibility with large windows and cameras galore helped there.

The auto parking feature works well even on the higgledy-piggledy streets in my neighbourhood.

Topping off an effortless driving experience is air suspension which provides a cushioned and composed ride, with great body control all while wearing those 22-inch wheels and low-profile rubber.

Volvo has for decades been a pioneer of safety systems to such an extreme that people used to make fun of the brand for being overly cautious. Well, take it from this helicopter parent: there’s no such thing as being overly cautious! Besides, these days all car brands are striving to offer advanced safety systems which the XC90 has had for years. Yep, safety is cool now. Which makes Volvo the Kanye of car brands.

Coming standard on the XC90 Recharge is AEB which works at city speeds to brake for pedestrians, cyclists, vehicles and even large animals.

There’s also lane keeping assistance, blind spot warning, cross traffic alert with braking (front and rear).

Steering support provides assistance during at evasive manoeuvre at speeds between 50 and 100km/h.

Curtain airbags cover all three rows and for child seats there are two ISOFIX mounts and three top tether anchor points in the second row. Note, there are no mounts or points for child seats in the third row.

A space-saver spare is under the boot floor.

The XC90 was given the maximum five-star ANCAP rating when it tested in 2015.