The BMW X5 has been the defining benchmark for midsize luxury SUVs for decades. While not as quick and nimble as some of the smaller Bimmers, it is nonetheless a compelling package with great handling, the BMW nameplate appeal, and loaded with driver-focused technology. But over the past couple of years, a serious rival has come from the East: the Genesis GV80.
Genesis is the luxury brand of the Hyundai Motor Corporation, a young brand only launched in 2015 and introduced in the US in 2016. But since then, Genesis has been making waves in the luxury segment. It did this by not competing directly with the dominant Europeans, but rather defining luxury in its own terms, offering more value, comfort, technology, but less pretension. In the GV80, especially the 2025 and ’26 models, this approach has led to an SUV that not only beats the X5 on price but also competes favorably in everyday utility, ownership value, and emotional appeal. The Genesis GV80 delivers more for less.
Standard Features And Technology: GV80 Gives More For Less
A standout attribute of the 2026 GV80 is how loaded its standard features are, and all that are included before even looking at the optional extras. The interior is a good place to be, and perfectly encapsulates the perceived value of this car. The interior is plush and well-designed, with the large sweeping screen on the dashboard defining the driver-oriented layout of this car, as well as being the interface for the comprehensive suite of technology at hand.
Standard Technology
At the heart of the GV80’s technology is the sweeping 27-inch OLED display, which includes both the instrument cluster and infotainment screen. This high definition screen is accessible both via touch and a center-mounted control knob. As expected from a car like this, wireless smartphone charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard. Sound is via a 12-speaker system, with an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen system as an optional feature.
There is a standard feature called the mood curator, which sounds both over-the-top and nice to have. This is used to create your ideal in-car atmosphere with adjustable music, lighting, fragrance, and optional massage settings. Fingerprint authentication can access everything from starting the car to activating your personal profile. Genesis connected services are available for new cars, and these include a digital key, enhanced roadside assistance, stolen vehicle recovery, and in-car services that can pay for fuel or reserve parking at selected venues.
Driver Assistance Done Right
Driver assistance utility and safety technology are available in most luxury vehicles, including the BMW X5 and the Genesis GV80, so a point-by-point comparison would be a waste of space. Suffice to say, the GV80 has the proven Hyundai/Kia suite of such features, including forward collision avoidance, lane keeping and following, blind spot collision warning, plus an optional camera that projects the blind spot view on the instrument screen, rear cross-traffic aid, parking distance warning, and rearview camera, and more.
Why The Genesis GV80 Is Surging While The BMW X5 Dominates
Hyundai’s premium SUV is starting to take the fight directly to the Germans
Practical Real World Advantages
The BMW X5 has an unmistakable power advantage over the GV80, with its least powerful engine making the same horsepower as the most powerful V6 found in the GV80, and a twin-turbo V8 with over 500 horsepower. But for most drivers most of the time, an SUV with adequate power to overtake on the highway, or zip up a steep mountain pass, is more than enough.
The Genesis GV80 has two engine options: a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder making 300 horsepower, and a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 making 375 horsepower. Both these options use the excellent eight-speed automatic transmission common to Hyundai and Kia models. These two powertrains are more than adequate even for a car with the luxurious dimensions of the GV80.
Powering the supercharger electrically helps mitigate turbo lag, which improves the powertrain’s responsiveness. It works too, as the big Genesis is capable of sprinting from zero to 60 in just over five seconds, which is reasonably quick for a vehicle of its size.
-Lyndon Conrad Bell, TopSpeed Journalist
Comfort, Space, And Practicality
Both the BMW X5 and Genesis GV80 come standard with five seats, which can accommodate five adults in luxurious comfort. The GV80 has the option of adding two smaller seats behind the back row, turning the car into a seven-seater for families with kids. The Genesis GV80 is a bit more roomy than the X5, with 109 cubic feet of passenger volume versus 106 for the Bimmer. Both cars have 72 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down, but the GV80 has 37 versus the X5’s 34 behind the rear seats.
Ride Quality Versus Sportiness
The ride quality of a vehicle is subjective, and the BMW does offer a sporty drive, if somewhat hard for some. The GV80 is generally considered a more relaxed drive, but it does have driving mode settings, including a performance-based Sport, fuel-efficient Eco, and relaxed Comfort. Drivers can also select settings for terrain, including mud, sand, or snow.
Genesis GV80 Desert Edition Is A Unique Build For Conquering The Desert
Famed racing driver and Genesis brand ambassador Jacky Ickx followed the 2025 Dakar Rally route in this rig.
Ownership Value Hinges On Various Factors
Both the Genesis GV80 and BMW X5 starting prices are well above the $50,000 average new car price because both are luxury vehicles, and buyers are prepared to pay a premium price. But even if you consider the Genesis GV80 as identical to the X5, the purchase price would come into play as value for money.
Starting And Maximum Price
The Genesis GV80 has seven trim levels, ranging from the 2.5T RWD at $57,700 to the 3.5T AWD Prestige Black at $83,250. The BMW X5 has five trims, ranging from the X5 sDrive 40i at $68,400 to the X5 M60i at $93,600. There is also the X5 M Competition at $131,000, but that is way beyond this ballpark.
Find 2026 Genesis GV80 and more cars for sale on our Marketplace
Warranties Could Sway Potential Long-Term Prospects
Expensive cars like these can be pricey to fix when things go wrong, which is why warranties are important. These are built-in peace of mind that adds to the total ownership value. The BMW X5 has a decent set of warranties:
- Limited warranty: four years/50,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty: four years/50,000 miles
- Complimentary scheduled maintenance three years/36,000 miles
The Genesis GV80, as part of the Hyundai/Kia universe, offers a better set of warranties:
- Limited warranty: five years/60,000 miles
- Powertrain warranty: 10 years/100,000 miles
- Complimentary maintenance three years/36,000 miles
Genesis Developing Hybrid And Full-Electric Versions Of The GV80 Luxury SUV
These new offerings will greatly expand the luxury brand’s already impressive product portfolio.
Looks And Brand Identity
Looks and style are subjective concepts, and that is good in life and in cars. Both cars discussed here are great-looking SUVs, but the X5’s shape has evolved incrementally over the years, and it looks predictable, somewhat like last year’s or ten years ago. The Genesis, on the other hand, has a bold and distinctive look and style, presented in a pleasingly understated way. While the X5‘s huge beaver-tooth grille has quite recently been divisive, the GV80 has a more organic-looking grille that flows naturally into the twin LED headlights. This creates a natural curve along the side and roofline of the car, punctuated by twin taillights that mirror the shape of the headlights.
Standing Out In a Sea Of Clones
Mid-size luxury SUVs tend to look the same, and you often have to see the grille to know whether it is an Audi or a BMW. The Genesis looks and feels different, and although the same basic size as other luxury mid-size SUVs, it projects a stylish elegance and understated poise often missing in the competition.
Sources: Genesis, BMW, KBB