Why is the Genesis G80 so Cheap?

Less brand recognition, lower production costs, inexpensive car parts, and having few model customizations allowed Genesis to have the Genesis G80s so cheap.

The Genesis G80 is a luxury sedan made by Genesis, Hyundai’s upscale spinoff brand. 

Though the G80 has luxury features and is marketed as an upscale vehicle, many consumers have noticed that the Genesis model is much less expensive than many of its competitors. 

As an auto enthusiast, you may be wondering— is there a reason the Genesis G80 is so cheap? 

If you want to find out whether the Genesis G80 stands up to its competitors, or if you really get what you pay for, keep reading! 

But first, let’s take a look at a brief overview of the Genesis G80 and a couple of its comparable models. 

Features of the Genesis G80 and its Competitors

The Genesis G80 model has been around since 2017 and is often compared to other luxury sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz E-class, BMW 5-series, and Audi A6. 

Nearly all these new cars have push button starts.

When looking at the features of the vehicle, it’s clear that the G80 has some great aspects that hold up to similar vehicles on the market. 

The Genesis G80 sedan offers two different turbocharged engines— a 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and a 3.5-liter V6 with 375 horsepower. 

Both of these engines pack quite the punch, adding efficiency and speed to the luxury vehicle. Additionally, both of them are paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and buyers have a choice between rear and all-wheel drive.

In addition to offering a pair of state of the art engines, the G80 also has a sleek design and premium features that set this car apart as a luxury vehicle. 

The interior cabin of the G80 is spacious with a modern style and intuitive control panel with a 14.5-inch touch screen. 

If you’re looking for a vehicle that doubles as a luxury experience, the Genesis G80 does not disappoint.

Looking at the powerful engine and great features that come with this vehicle, most car collectors would expect the G80 to be priced at above $50k, in line with many of its competitors. 

While the Genesis vehicle will still cost you a pretty penny, it’s at a lower price point than the competition. 

In fact, the Genesis G80 offers a model that is cheaper than $50k! 

Here’s how the price range of the G80 compares to a few similar models:

  • 2022 Genesis G80: $48,900 to $67,000 
  • 2022 Audi A6: $56,445 to $70,545
  • 2021 BMW 5-Series: $55,195 to $77,795
  • 2021 Mercedes-Benz E-Class: $55,300 to $63,050

As you can see, the G80 has managed to shave some money off the price and offer vehicles at a slightly cheaper price point for competitors. 

With this specific vehicle, the price offering has a lot to do with the production of the car.

What does the Genesis G80’s Production Look Like?

One of the reasons that Genesis is able to offer the G80 at a cheaper price point than its competitors is because they save money on production costs. 

The G80 is manufactured in Ulsan, South Korea at the Hyundai Motors Ulsan Plant

At this plant, Genesis shares a platform with both Hyundai and Kia, which allows all three lines of vehicles to cut production costs. 

This is one reason why Kia Stingers are so cheap.

Additionally, the setup of the South Korean automobile industry allows Genesis to produce the vehicles for cheaper than they would be able to in other countries. 

South Korean cars generally tend to have lower cost of production and a higher output volume, and the G80 is no exception.

Other Reasons the Genesis G80 is so Cheap

Of course, there are many factors other than the production conditions which contribute to the overall price of the car. 

One of the main reasons the Genesis vehicle is at a slightly lower price point is because the car has much less brand recognition than its competitors. Because Genesis has only been around since 2015 and is tied to cheaper brands like Hyundai and Kia, its vehicles have lower brand appeal than Mercedes-Benz, for example.

Cheap Dodge Chargers have a slight brand recognition issue with it being associated with the American muscle car image.

Another reason that the G80 is cheaper than its competitors is that the manufacturer decided to make a few small compromises in the materials of the vehicle. 

For example, the interior is made up of a blend of faux leather and real leather, providing a luxury feel while shaving off a bit of the price.

Cheap Corvettes also do something similar with their steering wheels, seating, and car body.

Even the best Honda CRZs had to cut corners when they decided to make an affordable hybrid car.

Additionally, the G80 saves even more money on production by having fewer variations of the model. 

While many of its competitors have a high-performance variant, the G80 does not. 

This allows the production line to completely focus on a few basic models without expensive high-performance models eating costs.

Is the Genesis G80 Worth the Money?

Since the vehicle is slightly cheaper than its competitors, many car collectors have ended up wondering whether the Genesis G80 is worth the money. 

Since the competitors are such well-known brands, some might wonder if it might be better to pay a little more for a recognizable logo on the hood. 

With some of these brands comes years of a quality track record in luxury cars that Genesis simply does not have. 

As usual, the answer to this question is a little more complicated than a simple ’yes’ or ‘no.’ However, if you’re not too concerned with the branding of your vehicle, the answer might just be a yes! 

The G80 offers much more standard power than several of its European competitors, and you’d essentially be getting a car with a better engine for less money. 

That’s right, both of the G80’s available engines have higher horsepower than the engines of their counterparts. 

Additionally, while there are a few sacrifices made in the materials of the G80, like the blend of leather and faux leather mentioned before, but none of them are significant enough to make that much of a difference.

Wrapping Things Up

Overall, if you’re looking for a luxury sedan for less than $50k and don’t mind sacrificing a little brand recognition, the Genesis G80 might just be for you! 

Sometimes, it can be sketchy to purchase a vehicle from a lesser-known brand, so it’s always good to do a little research into why a certain vehicle is inexpensive.

Thankfully for the Genesis G80, it seems that the car is so cheap because of lower production costs in its country of origin and lesser brand recognition. 

In fact, the G80 might even be higher quality than some of its competitors if you’re looking to buy a luxury sedan with maximum horsepower. 

While Genesis certainly has less brand recognition than its competitors at this point, the company is building its reputation as it releases quality vehicles year by year.

Now, if you are looking for quality and performance, you cannot go cheap.

Look at how expensive Nissan GTRs can get and you will understand why car brands have hierarchies. 

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