Genesis sedans have received many awards in their short tenure, including Car of the Year by well-respected automotive publications. But the luxury carmaker’s newest vehicle, the GV80 sport utility vehicle, is now in a spotlight it didn’t want.
Early helicopter video of the solo-vehicle car crash involving Tigers Woods showed Genesis signage on the side door of a wrecked sport utility vehicle. The logo read: “Genesis Invitational,” but the vehicle was unknown to many observers.
The wreck was a 2021 Genesis GV80. The midsize SUV debut last November as the fourth vehicle in the upscale manufacturer’s lineup.
The SUV is unique among competitors because it has a 7,700-pound towing capacity, the highest in its class.
Woods was loaned the Genesis GV80 SUV by the carmaker for his week in Los Angeles, which coincided with the Genesis invitational tournament. The SUV has a starting price of about $50,000.
The GV80 also features 10 airbags, a forward-collision warning system, evasive steering technology and an interior camera that warns the driver if they fall asleep.
It is available in rear-wheel-drive, which consists of Standard, Advanced and Prestige trim levels powered by the 2.5-liter turbocharged petrol engine, and all-wheel-drive with the 3.5-liter V6 twin-turbo with AWD Standard, AWD Advanced, AWD Advanced+ and AWD Prestige grades available.
2021 Genesis GV80 not yet ranked
J.D. Power recently named the Genesis, the industry’s most dependable in the renowned analysts’ detailed Dependability Study. The study is a comprehensive overview of owners’ repair history of their three-year-old models.
Genesis, now in its fourth year as a luxury segment of Hyundai, was eligible for the first time in the Dependability Study in 2020.
The GV80 was one of three finalists for the 2020 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award, but sales have faltered for the fledgling brand.
Still, because of its unheralded reputation, some observers question if the SUV might have responsible for Woods’ accident.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave its highest honors: Top Safety Pick+, to the Genesis G70 and Genesis G90 luxury sedans. The G80 and GV80 are too new and weren’t included in the analysis.
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Article Last Updated: February 24, 2021.
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A sports, travel and business journalist for more than 45 years, James has written the new car review column The Weekly Driver since 2004.
In addition to founding this site in 2004, James writes a Sunday automotive column for The San Jose Mercury and East Bay Times in Walnut Creek, Calif., and monthly auto review and wellness columns for Gulfshore Business, a magazine in Southwest Florida.
An author and contributor to many newspapers, magazines and online publications, co-hosted The Weekly Driver Podcast from 2017 to 2024.