There are luxury cars, and there are super luxury cars.
You drive your own luxury car. These cars are sumptuous at every seating position, but there’s no doubt where the owner belongs. She’s in the driver’s seat, which usually has a higher level of amenity than any other, and gets all the fun of what’s under the hood.
You are driven, however, in your super luxury car. These have rear seats every bit as luxurious as the pilot’s position. They are extraordinarily capable machines, but they’re built acknowledging that the owner might well be lounging in the back seat behind multiple sun shades while someone else handles the stress of traffic.
Genesis, the luxury division of Hyundai, has mastered luxury cars. It’s now moving on to the super-luxury division.
GV80 Signature Prestige
Case in point: the new 2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige Signature trim.
Genesis will build just 600 examples. They start at $77,200, plus a $1,095 destination fee. That’s considerably less than any other large SUV designed with two individual rear-seat chairs.
The Lexus LX600’s Ultra-Luxury model, for instance, starts at about $120,000. But it’s typical of how Genesis introduces itself to new market segments. The company has often introduced new products as the most affordable options in luxurious categories. Its prices tend to rise over time as a vehicle’s profile rises. If you’re interested in an SUV with opulent seating for four in space large enough for seven, you might want to sign up for this one while it’s new.
The GV80 is already a handsome, sumptuous SUV. Its maximum 375 horsepower is a bit pedestrian by the standards of ultra-luxe sport utilities. But its plush ride, five selectable drive modes, and remote parking feature keep pace with other high-tech, leather-lined soft-roaders like the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class.
4 Seats in Space Built for 7
The Signature Prestige trim takes it from three rows of seating to two and makes the rear thrones as adjustable and comfortable as the front set. They have built-in heating and cooling and include a one-touch Relax Mode that fully reclines and raises calf supports.
The Signature Prestige rides on big 22-inch wheels and comes only in matte grey with a black interior or matte white with a blue and beige interior.
