Wowzers: 2025 Genesis GV80 Interior Looks Like a Crossbreed Between Bentley and BMW

Since Tesla proved that simpler cabin designs are well-received by customers willing to try something new, other brands have quietly followed suit.

Land Rover, for example, transformed the entire driver's area of the new Range Rover. It now invites prospective buyers to put up with the hassle of having to get used to having nearly every setting that matters cramped into a slightly larger screen than the previous Range Rover. They left the shifter and the start-stop button. That's it.

BMW, a premium-luxury automaker known for manufacturing some absolutely fine cars, presented the concept that previews the next-gen 3 Series. It almost looks like a Model 3 "Luxury Line." There are no stalks and no buttons anywhere. All you get is a center screen and an updated head-up display.

But Genesis manages to elegantly fuse elements that everyone likes and wants. It's the brand that takes Hyundai's innovations and design language to the next level, upping the ante and changing how people perceive the South Korean brand. Dare I say that it might even do a better job than Toyota's Lexus? We'll leave that to the consumers.

However, Genesis deserves praise for the interior it has created for the refreshed GV80 and GV80 Coupe. The plush oasis proves that the designers listened to what people had to say about what's currently available on the market. They took people's requests or complaints and transformed them into one marvelous implementation.

This amazing cabin might also directly result from Hyundai's strategy to snap up multiple BMW engineers over the years. Instead of making them create cars designed by committees, they were allowed to express themselves and fuse a blend of practical drawings with comfortable functionalities and a cozy ambiance.

The driver has a massive display with thin bezels and sharp graphics in front of them. Leathery surfaces and soft-touch materials are everywhere a person can reach or feel while sitting in the driver's seat. Brushed and shiny metal coexists with carbon fiber, polycarbonate, and leather with contrast stitching. Everything's in harmony, which creates a sense of belonging, almost making you feel at home.

But it's not just materials. It's the way the driver gets to interact with the SUV. Physical, well-proportioned buttons are on the steering wheel, the climate control panel, and the center console. There are also voice commands and a touch-sensitive infotainment screen available. You'll also see knobs for volume and manual radio frequency control.

The new GV80 and the GV80 Coupe really do have everything you need. There's even a Bang&Olufsen sound system and a frameless rearview mirror. What's happening here? Is the 2018 BMW X6 being revived with a South Korean twist? It certainly looks like it!

Somehow, Genesis managed to keep the whole driver-side area uncluttered. You don't feel like you're in an airplane. Still, you get the sensation that you're in a premium vehicle that suits your needs and doesn't force you to adapt to novelties that only help the automaker streamline production and increase profit margins.

Even the seats with diamond pattern stitching and the center console that opens practically to not bother the front passenger reveal a great attention to detail and a real accent that enhances comfort.
The only thing missing from this amazing cabin is a passenger display. Genesis could've allowed themselves to be inspired by Porsche and implement something similar to what the newer Cayenne models have.

But other than that small drawback, there's nothing to complain about. Genesis really took the best things from BMW and Bentley and created a blend that will set them apart from the competition.

It's a new era for the automotive world, and South Korean automakers are making the biggest play ever. Let's see if they will succeed. The GV80 and the GV80 Coupe started with the right foot.

They look superb even from the outside!