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2021 Genesis G80 powertrain and technology details revealed

While we already got a look at the 2021 Genesis G80's styling earlier this month, only now has the company revealed details on the car's powertrains and technology. It picks up most of its parts from the also recently revealed Genesis GV80 crossover, but that's not a bad thing. Under the hood will be one of three different engines, only two of which will probably appear in America. The first of those is a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, which is slightly less power and slightly more torque than the current naturally aspirated 3.8-liter V6 offered in America's base G80. The second is a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 making 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, making it more powerful and torqueier than the current turbo 3.3-liter V6. Both of these are shoe-ins for the U.S., and they're also shared with the GV80. The third engine option is a turbocharged 2.2-liter diesel four-cylinder that is likely only for overseas markets. It makes 210 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque. The current G80's optional 5.0-liter V8 will go away with this generation. Each powertrain will be available with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and they will probably be mated exclusively with an 8-speed automatic transmission. Genesis didn't just upgrade engines, though. The company has made the car substantially lighter, in part to additional use of aluminum. Comparing the current lightest V6 to the new four-cylinder, the car weighs over 250 pounds less. Genesis also says it has improved the car's sound insulation, door seals and wheel design to make it quieter. The car can be stuffed with technology, too, with adaptive suspension that adjusts based on what it sees in the road. Standard is advanced cruise control that manages speed, steering, lane-centering, and will execute lane changes when prompted. Unsurprisingly, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring are standard. It also has the highly publicized Smart Park system like in the Hyundai Sonata. Inside, the G80 is available with a 12.3-inch 3D instrument screen and a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Important to note is the fact the 3D display can also switch to a 2D mode for anyone uncomfortable with the 3D effect. Connectivity to smart home assistants and over-the-air updates are also a part of the G80's suite of technology features. The G80 will go on sale in the second half of this year. Pricing has not been announced yet.

Genesis GV80 to debut 3D digital display technology

As cars continue to evolve how they interact with their exterior surroundings, thanks to the growth of intertwined connectivity, so too will people change the way they interact with cars' interior environments. Now that digital touchscreens and displays — and not just one but multiple — are a new standard, companies are working to craft the optimal blend of helpful assistance without being too distracting. German company Continental believes its new 3D technology could be part of the ultimate solution.  Automotive technology, manufacturing, and supply company Continental has announced it will debut a production-ready 3D display on an upcoming top-of-the-line version of the Genesis GV80. No glasses are needed to view the technology, either, as it is accomplished with an interior camera and what are known as parallax barriers. These "slanted slats that divide the image for the viewer" tweak the digital imagery in a way that "slightly offset views reach the right and left eye, resulting in a three-dimensional image." To maintain the 3D view, Continental also includes an interior camera in this technology package. The camera detects the driver's line of sight and adjusts accordingly. The camera also acts as a watchdog and will send notifications when it detects fatigue or if the driver stares at the screen too long. Continental believes adding 3D texture to digital screens can be helpful to the driver, not more distracting. By showing various road signs, traffic safety alerts, or other infotainment messages in a 3D manner, it's meant to be easier to see and focus on as opposed to scanning a flat 2D display.  To accomplish this technology without bogging down the system, Continental is changing the way the brains of the car currently work. Right now, there are multiple small control units that are tied to individual screens. In the future, Continental imagines a reduction of control units and only a few "high-performance computers" that will run everything. With all of the displays tied into one computer, more features are possible, including dragging and dropping options from screen to screen, or in future autonomous vehicles, playing one video across numerous screens at the same time. Continental calls this its Cross Domain Hub.  Interestingly, in the same announcement, Continental also detailed what it's working on for the next-generation of 3D car displays.

Manual transmission lives on in the 2021 Genesis G70

Genesis is expected to unveil a mid-cycle refresh of the G70 next year, but first, the sport sedan must endure one more model year as is. Thanks to new information posted on the Environmental Protection Agency's website, fueleconomy.gov, we know the option for a manual transmission will continue to be offered for 2021. According to the EPA, via Motor Trend,  the 2021 G70 will be available in at least three variations of the base trim with a turbo-four. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder can be paired with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive version is only available with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but the rear-wheel-drive version will offered with the eight-speed auto or a six-speed manual transmission. We repeat: A six-speed stick-shift is an option on the 2021 Genesis G70.  The fuel economy information also shows that the engine carries over from the current 2020 model. The turbocharged four-cylinder makes 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The rear-drive automatic model is EPA-rated at 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, while the rear-drive manual is rated at 18 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. The all-wheel drive automatic model is rated at 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The EPA has not yet posted any information about the higher-grade G70 trims that offer a 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6. According to a recent report, the four-cylinder engine could be replaced in the future refreshed G70 by the new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder from the Hyundai Sonata N-Line. The 2.5-liter engine is significantly more powerful than the current 2.0-liter engine with ratings of 290 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It is unclear, however, whether or not that engine has been developed to work with a manual transmission. More information about the 2021 and 2022 G70s should be released later this year.  Related Video:

Hyundai and Genesis launch Job Loss Protection programs for new buyers

In 2009, to help new owners through The Great Recession, Hyundai created what it called Hyundai Assurance and Assurance Plus programs. Together, the allowed new buyers to return their cars within 12 months in case of an involuntary layoff, and made up to three car payments for new buyers in the same jobless boat. With the novel coronavirus Covid-19 already creating similar effects to the financial crisis, Hyundai has reinstated its Assurance Job Loss Protection program, and brought Genesis in on it with Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection. Hyundai will make up to six months of payments for anyone who buys or leases a new Hyundai from a Hyundai dealer, financed though Hyundai Capital, between March 14 and April 30, 2020 if the owner or lessee loses their job any time this year. The relief is available to any customer, regardless of employment history. On top of that, anyone who buys a new Accent, Venue, Kona, Elantra, Elantra GT, Tucson, or Santa Fe before April 30 and finances through Hyundai Capital can ask to have their payments deferred for 90 days. The Genesis Cares Job Loss Protection program provides the same benefit, covering anyone who takes home a new Genesis at a Genesis dealer, financed through Genesis Capital, from March 14 to April 30. Any involuntary termination through the end of this year can qualify for having up to six months of payments taken care of. Those who elect to buy a G70 sedan and finance through Genesis Capital before April 30, 2020 can request to have payments deferred for 90 days. For more information on the programs, check out the Hyundai and Genesis web sites. Related Video:

Genesis G90 garners IIHS Top Safety Pick + award

The newly updated Genesis G90 has been crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and the big sedan came up aces, nabbing a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS. Top Safety Pick+ is the highest rating from the IIHS. To get it, the new G90 had to achieve scores of Good in all of the Institute's crash tests: moderate overlap front barrier crash, small-overlap front barrier on the driver's side and passenger's side, and side-impact crash. The model also earned a Good rating for roof-crush strength and head-restraint performance. Additionally, the G90's automated emergency braking systems checked in with a Superior performance in tests at 12 mph and 25 mph, and the pedestrian-detection system also avoided hitting a pedestrian in a low-speed test, and successfully reduced the impact speed in a high-speed test. Finally, the G90's standard LED projector headlights garnered a Good rating. The G90 joins its siblings the G80 and the G70 on the Institute's 2020 list of Top Safety Pick+ winners. Related Video:

New Genesis GV80 SUV priced from $49,925 to $71,975

The long-awaited arrival of the first Genesis SUV is getting closer, and we now have pricing for the new GV80 — and the good news is that it's lower than we were led to believe. The new Genesis SUV will be offered in two model ranges. The GV80 2.5T is powered by a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It comes standard with rear-wheel drive and offers all-wheel drive as an option. The GV80 3.5T use a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (bet you didn't see that coming), and is AWD only. Both versions of the GV80 are offered in three trim levels: Standard, Advanced, and Prestige. The GV80 2.5T Standard starts at $49,925 ($1,025 destination included here and in all subsequent prices). The Standard's list of standard kit includes a 14.5-inch touchscreen, heated seats, a power liftgate, LED exterior lighting, 12-way power seats, a power-adjustable steering column, forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection and automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, and Hyundai's Highway Driving Assist semi-autonomous self-steering feature. AWD adds $5,750 — a big ask, but it also brings a panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, digital key functionality, ventilated front seats, a wireless phone charger, and more. The GV80 2.5T Advanced is $53,825. The Advanced trim adds the Standard's AWD package items (sans AWD itself) along with a 21-speaker Lexicon audio system. For the Advanced model, all-wheel drive costs $6,200, and again it is packaged with other equipment, including leather, a blind-spot camera monitor, a 360-degree-view monitor, remote automated parking, and 20-inch wheels. The GV80 2.5T Prestige starts at $58,075. The Prestige nets the extra kit from the Advanced AWD package as well as heated rear seats. The spend to get AWD on a Prestige model is $6,350, and the extras thrown in here include an adaptive suspension, 22-inch wheels, a head-up display, and active noise cancellation. All GV80 3.5T models include all-wheel drive. The 3.5T Standard is $60,175. Equipment here mirrors that of the 2.5T Standard with AWD except that the V6 version gets larger front brakes, the adaptive suspension, and 20-inch wheels. The 3.5T Advanced opens at $65,375. Beyond the 2.5T Advanced with AWD, the 3.5T also gets a head-up display, heated rear seats, the Active Motion front seats, and rear-seat climate controls. An Advanced+ variant adds a third-row seat for $700.

2021 Genesis G80 takes its luxury credentials upmarket

This far sharper, third-generation 2021 Genesis G80 midsized sedan could be the one to break through the luxury glass ceiling. The G80 was already a handsome four-door with responsive handling and noteworthy luxury touches. Design-wise, in joining the corporate aesthetic already introduced on the G90 sedan and GV80 crossover, the all-new G80 ups its game everywhere. The Crest Grille and Quadlamps, modeled off the Genesis wing badge, open up the show, the Quadlamp motif carried around to the sidelights on the front fenders. The sides are dominated by the declining Parabolic Line — an accent recalling the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, but here originating at the inner edge of the headlights instead of the outer edge. The longer quarter lights flowing into a longer, narrower rear end, and the twin-line taillamp profile on the side, create a faster overall profile set atop 20-inch wheels. The backside goes shapely in several dimensions, from the prominent decklid flick to the scalloped rear and crest-shaped exhaust finishers. We're looking forward to seeing this in person. The current G80 is already a fine cabin, especially in top trim. The new G80 cabin looks special, dominated by the 14.5-inch infotainment screen lording over the instrument panel. A complementary display with climate controls hangs beneath a plinth of ash wood and a vent that appears to stretch across the cabin. A digital dash cluster lurks behind a 2.5-spoke steering wheel boasting an easily readable group of buttons. The center tunnel shows off a pressure-sensitive selector dial and a rotary shifter. Genesis said "care was taken to reduce the thickness of the A-pillars and the size of the rearview mirror," which would address two of the few demerits levied against the current model. The sedan hits the market in its native Korea this month, and we'll likely find out about the all-new powertrains and technology then. Market launch in the U.S. should happen by the end of the year. Going Judging by the GV80, we would expect a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with around 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque, as well as a 3.5-liter V6 getting more than 370 hp, powering either the rear wheels or all four through an eight-speed automatic.  Related Video:    

Genesis considering G70 wagon for Europe

Three years ago, a year before the Genesis G70 had come to the U.S., digital artist X-Tomi Designs had already dreamed up a G70 wagon (pictured). That fancy has come partly true: Genesis does have a wagon in mind, but for the European market. Car and Driver reports that recently promoted global brand CEO William Lee replied to the question of a G70 wagon with, "Yes, we have a study for that." If the study turns into a production model, the G70 shooting brake would be based on the upcoming, facelifted G70 due next year.  C/D says there's no evidence this will come to the U.S., a kind way of saying there's precisely zero logical rationale for it here. Genesis is still planning its European assault, a timeline that's been stretched from original planning when the automaker reportedly intended to have a boutique operation up and running early this year. An Automotive News report last summer suggested it could be a couple of years from now. Even so, despite of the increasing popularity of crossovers in Europe, wagons are still a viable — read: profitable — bodystyle for luxury makers over there, and will likely be so when a potential long-body G70 shows.   That's not the case in the U.S. Rehashing numbers from a CNBC report last October, the U.S. wagon market took up 1.4 percent of U.S. auto sales in 2018, the Subaru Outback accounting for 1.2 percent. Sure, Audi has the Allroad and has blessed us with the new RS6 Avant, but the Ingolstadt automaker sold 3,240 A4 Allroads last year out of 224,111 total sales. Across the luxury aisle, Jaguar's set a gutting example with the well-liked XF Sportbrake, dealers trying to shed inventory with discounts up to $30,000. As much as we'd like to make the obligatory references to a hot-driving, manual-transmission-equipped, brown wagon unicorn, which a G70 wagon could certainly be, it feels like goading an automaker to lose money. None of this is to say Genesis, known for conceptual and production surprises, won't ship a wagon across the Atlantic. But with a six-model lineup already planned, we think it more likely for Genesis let the coming GV70 crossover establish itself in the market first. Related Video:    

Hyundai and Kia introduce new predictive transmission tech

Hyundai and Kia have announced that the two have developed a new transmission control system that optimizes shift logic to both improve efficiency and reduce "gear hunting." The system utilizes real-time traffic data, built-in 3D navigation and the same sensors that feed the cars' advanced safety and driver assist tech to proactively choose the right gear — even neutral in some cases — to reduce both fuel consumption and wear-and-tear. The Korean sister brands call it the "Information Communication Technology Connected Shift System," or "ICT" for short, and Hyundai says it delivers not just improved frugality, but a better all-around driving experience. ICT programming allows the transmission control unit to collect and interpret traffic, camera, sensor, navigation route, elevation and topographical data.  "Using all of these inputs, the TCU predicts the optimal shift scenario for real-time driving situations through an artificial intelligence algorithm and shifts the gears accordingly," the announcement said. "For example, when a relatively long slow down is expected and radar detects no speed irregularities with the car ahead, the transmission clutch temporarily switches to neutral mode to improve fuel efficiency." While this sounds like a primarily green play, there are quality-of-life improvements too. For example, ICT can also optimize gear selection and shift points for safer highway merges, effectively implementing the equivalent of a "Sport Mode" driving profile when a little extra punch is called for.  Hyundai says the resulting decrease in shifts was significant; in some test scenarios, such as roads with lots of curves, the number of shifts executed by the transmission was reduced by almost half. As an added bonus, these vehicles also utilized their brakes less often (11%), which would reduce wear (and accompanying maintenance costs) over time.  ICT is somewhat future-proof, too, as it was developed to incorporate vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) data should such networks improve down the line.  The announcement did not say when the new tech would reach customers, committing only to introducing the technology "on future vehicles." If we're betting, the smart money says it will probably on a new Genesis model and trickle down from there. Related Video:

Genesis topples Lexus in its first J.D. Power dependability survey

J.D. Power is out with its annual U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study for 2020, which looks at problems experienced by owners of three-year-old vehicles. The big takeaways are continued improvement in overall vehicle dependability, with the brands Genesis, Lexus and Buick taking the top three spots, in order. But once again, the usual caveats apply. Autoblog years ago raised issues with the study, which gives the same weight to matters of subjective likability, such as complaints about pairing their device with the vehicle’s Bluetooth or ease of operating the audio system, to more substantive issues like a defective climate system or transmission trouble. J.D. Power continues to tally problems across eight categories, including audio/communication/entertainment/navigation, and despite that being the most improved category, the organization says it still accounts for more problems than any other. “Many owners complain about these systems early in the ownership experience and, three years later, theyÂ’re still frustrated with them,” Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power, said in a release. “WeÂ’re seeing improvement, but automakers still have a long way to go before they can declare victory in this area.” Further, the rapid introduction of technology in vehicles means overall dependability could plateau or even decrease in the coming years, he said. Now in its 31st year, the study measures the number of problems per 100 vehicles experienced over the past 12 months by owners of 2017 model-year vehicles. The overall average of 134 problems per 100 vehicles was the best level ever recorded in the study, J.D. Power said. In its first year being included in the study, Genesis dislodged Lexus as the top brand, notching just 89 problems per 100 vehicles. The luxury arm of Hyundai had just two models on sale in 2017 — the G80 and G90 sedans. The Lexus ES ranked as the most dependable model, with 52 problems, the best ever score in the studyÂ’s history. Rounding out the top five brands were Porsche (104 problems) and Toyota (113). The bottom five of 32 brands ranked were GMC (162), Volvo (185), Jaguar (186), Chrysler (214) and Land Rover (220). Tesla was not included in the study because it didnÂ’t give the organization permission to contact its customers in certain states, J.D. Power told Automotive News.