Genesis G80 review - MPG, CO2 and running costs
With average fuel economy and poor CO2 emissions from the fossil-fuelled G80 models, the smart move might be to wait for the all-electric version
With an all-electric future on the horizon for the automotive industry, it may seem slightly strange to try and establish the Genesis brand with no form of hybrid tech to help increase range and reduce emissions. There will be an all-electric G80 to buy at some point soon, but initially the model lineup makes use of conventional 2.5-litre petrol and 2.2-litre diesel units.
The figures don’t make for great reading: Genesis quotes an average 31.2mpg for the petrol model, with CO2 emissions from 205g/km. Opting for the oil-burner sees economy improve to 45mpg on the combined cycle, while emissions fall to 164-169g/km, depending on which spec you choose.
It seems hard to make a case for the G80 with business users, as all versions fall into the top 37 per cent Benefit-in-Kind tax bracket, while fuel economy isn’t competitive with rivals that already employ some form of hybrid set-up.
Insurance
If you’re in the market for an executive saloon then you probably won’t be surprised that insurance premiums will almost certainly be a little more expensive than the norm. This is the case with the G80, as even the entry-level 2.2-litre diesel Premium Line model is in group 40, while the top-spec 2.5-litre petrol Luxury Line sits in group 43.
You will find other manufacturers, such as BMW and Mercedes, offer base models which have less power and are therefore likely to be cheaper to insure. The E-Class and 5 Series start from group 36 and 37 respectively, although move up to group 40 and above for the more potent versions.
Depreciation
Launching a new luxury brand into a fiercely contested market means predicting accurate residual values can be tricky but they will be crucial to the fortunes of Genesis. Our initial data suggests that the G80 should hold onto around 44 per cent of its original value after a typical three year/36,000-mile ownership period, which lags behind the 47 per cent predicted for the 5 Series and E-Class, but is similar to the Volvo S90 and ahead of the DS9 which retains 40 per cent over the same period.
