Audi S7 vs Genesis GV80

What's the difference?

Audi’s S7 Sportback wraps style, comfort and sportiness in an appealing package that is sure to please onlookers and occupants alike.

The great engine/transmission aside, the S7 Sportback also has cutting-edge technology at a more affordable pricetag, though less-than-comfortable rear-seat space lets it down a little.

We wish the car we sampled didn’t have the all-wheel steering, as we much preferred the more neutral feel of the S6 sedan we also drove but, overall, the S7 Sportback puts forward a strong case for its existence.

The Genesis GV80 Coupe is a rare breed – it comes packed to the gills with features, has great ownership benefits and can easily accommodate a large family in comfort.

The fuel economy isn’t great but it looks and acts the part of a true luxury SUV. My husband and son were impressed and enjoyed all of the features it has.

Audi’s second-generation A7 has always been a bit of a looker, but Audi has taken it up another notch in the S7 Sportback.

Differentiating the S7 Sportback is a more aggressive bodykit, complete with larger air intakes up front, blacked out exterior trim, quad-exhaust tips (denoting that it’s an Audi Sport model) and large 21-inch wheels

The S7 doesn’t go too overboard with the aggressive appointments however (that’s what the top-spec RS7 Sportback, due here later this year, is for), but balances its sportiness with a stately aesthetic.

We think the S7 Sportback is stunning, especially the white exterior colour that gives it an almost Stormtrooper-like look, but even our test car, finished in Daytona Grey, while much more subtle, is still easy on the eyes.

We especially like the strong shoulder line, chiselled doors and sloping roofline of the Sportback body style that combine in profile to make the S7 look like a sprinter on the starting blocks ready to pounce.

Inside, the S7 Sportback scores all of Audi’s latest interior technology, including a 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit instrumentation and dual-screen centre console layout.

The triple screen set-up definitely helps the S7 Sportback feel very cutting-edge from the driver’s seat, especially when you start to play around with the multimedia system that sports haptic feedback when you press the screen.

Everything is laid out in a clear, concise and easy-to-use manner, while the surfaces of the dashboard are covered in soft-touch, premium materials.

If we’re being honest, we'd probably skip the red-leather interior of our test car in favour of something a little more subdued, but to each their own.

We like the integrated air-vents that blend well into the dash, while the sea of black is broken up with some aluminium detailing and different finishes.

At first glance, there’s not a lot that separates the external styling of the Coupe and SUV, at least in the front.

The biggest difference is obviously in the rear and it's here Coupe's design shines. The SUV sibling looks nice but is a little boxy at the rear and features a dicky-looking window. The Coupe's rear is pinched but it’s rather softly done compared to some rivals.

It manages to look sleek and sexy as coupes tend to be without losing any of its large road-side presence.

The 'Storr Green Matte' paintwork on our test car highlights the high-end feel, as does the huge LED external lights and chrome accents.

Head into the cabin and you'll find design elements which accentuate the width of the car – like the long air vent strip that runs the length of the dashboard, a wide centre console and the huge 27-inch OLED technology screen that houses the media system and instrument cluster. Even the touchscreen control panel for climate and seat functions is big.

Our test model has a cream-coloured suede headliner and quilted Nappa leather seats that look plush. Contrasting stitching and the seatbelts are a bright red (or dark orange, depending on who you ask) and the panoramic sunroof adds a bright and cheery element.

The ambient lighting surrounds a lot of the features, like the cupholders and the crystal rotary dials. In fact, when you pop the car into reverse, the light changes from whatever it was to red, which is neat.

As far as luxury cars go, this totally looks the part and while design is very subjective, I love how this looks inside and out. Let us know what you think of it in the comments.

Measuring 4969mm long, 1908mm wide, 1417mm tall and with a 2928mm wheeblase, the S7 Sportback falls well and truly into the large car class.

Up front, the driver and passenger have plenty of room, while the seats and steering wheel are almost infinitely adjustable to find the perfect position.

As you can imagine though, the sloping roofline does eat into the rear-seat headroom a little.

The outboard seats offer plenty of leg- and shoulder-room, but the slanted roof prevents my six-foot-tall frame from sitting up straight comfortably.

Don’t get me wrong, the space is perfectly useable for children or even some smaller adults, but don’t expect to get any basketball players in those seats.

As for the middle seat, only children will find it comfortable due to the protruding transmission tunnel and higher-set seat.

The S7 Sportback’s boot offers at least 535 litres of space and expands to 1380L with the 40:20:40 split-fold rear seats stowed.

Being a liftback (or Sportback in Audi parlance) means the boot is much more practical than a standard sedan, and with such a large aperture, bigger items such as suitcases or golf clubs won’t be annoying to load and unload.

Bag hooks, storage tie-down points and carbo netting also feature to ensure your goods don’t roll around when the S7 Sportback is in motion.

Storage around the cabin though, could be a little better as the wireless smartphone charger takes up a fair chunk of room in the shallow central storage bin under the front armrest.

The usual storage tray found ahead of the shifter is also absent, due to the dual-screen centre console layout, but two generous cupholders and sizeable door pockets are still available up front.

Second-row passengers get access to a fold-down armrest with shallow storage tray and cupholders, as well as door pockets that can accommodate large bottles.

With all of its features offering comfort and luxury, practicality is pretty high for the GV80 Coupe.

The cabin feels almost cavernous up front for my 168cm height. As mentioned, the seats are very comfortable and there is a stretching function that briefly comes on during a longer journey to ease any fatigue in your lumbar.

The rear row is almost as large as the front and there's a limo-like quality to the legroom that taller individuals will enjoy. The headroom is good for the outboard seats but a taller adult will be hunched when sat in the middle. Keep that for a kid!

Amenities in this row are excellent with the powered outboard seats that feature heat and cooling functions, directional air-vents, climate control and retractable sun-blinds (my son's favourites). 

The individual storage is a little less than you might expect for such a large car, especially up front, as all options are on the shallow/small side.

There is a middle console (think of it as a tray), glove box, two cupholders, two drink bottle holders and a phone cubby that can be closed to keep things looking neat.

The rear row sees two map pockets, two cupholders and a storage cubby in the fold-down armrest, as well as some shallow bin storage.

Technology looks stellar, is easy to use and found throughout.

You're spoiled for choice when it comes to charging as there are four USB-C ports, three 12-volt sockets and a wireless charging pad to choose from. 

And new for 2025 is the UV-C feature, which sterilises whatever you place inside the middle console. Handy for anyone who wants to disinfect small items, like a phone, keys or wallet.

The multimedia system takes a while to get used to as the tech has been updated but once you do, it’s an easy system. You can access the media system via the touchscreen or the rotary dial. Climate control and seat functions are accessed via the large control panel that sits underneath, which is handy for when you're on the go. 

The GV80 Coupe has built-in sat nav, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as, a 12-inch colour head-up display.

Because of the sleek rear shape, the boot space sits at 644L when all seats are in use. It’s large enough for my gear and weekly errands and I like the powered tailgate's proximity feature. As long as you have the key fob, it will open when you stand at the rear. Great for when you have your hands full.

The loading space is level and the rear seat has a 40/20/40 split, which opens up storage options. But underneath the floor, there are heaps of cubbies for extra storage of smaller items and it’s here the tyre mobility and roadside assistance kits are housed.

The GV80 line-up has seen a model facelift for 2025 and the flagship’s powerful V6 engine now comes standard for all models. There's new tech and some design tweaks, too.

That means the price points are starting to creep a lot closer to their Euro rivals as the 3.5T Luxury AWD Coupe is priced from $136,000, before on-road costs.

However, despite only being offered in one variant for our market, the coupe is is ridiculously well-specified and you don't have to add luxury/enhancement packs at additional costs as you do on some of this car's rivals (I'm looking at you Range Rover).

In comparison, the closest rival, the BMW X6 xDrive40 MHEV, sits at $144,900 MSRP, and then the Range Rover Velar Autobiography comes in at $156,430 MSRP before the most expensive rival, the Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 4Matic Coupe, at $159,900 MSRP.

When I start talking about the GV80 Coupe's standard features I lose breath trying to list them all and you're about to learn why.

For comfort and luxury the Coupe is offered with crystal accents on its dials, Nappa leather upholstery, suede trims, a heated steering wheel and a panoramic sunroof.

The front seats are powered and feature a two-position memory function, lumbar- and side-bolster adjustments, extendable under-thigh supports, heat and ventilation functions... and a massage function.

Rear outboard seats are also powered and can be slide backwards/forwards and recline. They feature heat and ventilation functions as well.

Practical features include a powered tailgate with a proximity opening feature, retractable sun blinds (rear row), tri-zone climate control, keyless entry, push-button start, remote start and parking assist (via key fob), carwash and valet mode, and new for 2025, a biometrics system (fingerprint access for vehicle start and profile selection).

Technology includes a new 27-inch OLED screen that houses the multimedia system and instrument cluster, customisable ambient lighting, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, over-the-air updates, satellite navigation, 12-inch coloured head-up display, digital rear view mirror, four USB-C ports, three 12-volt sockets, a wireless charging pad, Bluetooth connectivity and digital radio.

Phew... told ya there's a lot. Oh, and an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system. There. Done.

Powering the new S7 Sportback is a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V6, punching out 331kW/600Nm, which is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends drive to the road via Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system.

The result is a zero-to-100km/h acceleration time of 4.6 seconds.

Keen-eyed Audi fans might note that those are the exact same engine and outputs as the RS5 Sportback, RS5 Coupe and RS4 Avant, and they’d be right, however, Audi has added the 48-volt mild-hybrid and an electric powered compressor (EPC) to reduce turbo lag in the S7 Sportback.

It’s a similar system first employed in the SQ7 large SUV, and basically means that the EPC is spooling up the turbo at low engine speeds for better off-the-line performance.

The mild-hybrid technology no doubt helps shift the S7 Sportback’s 2040kg weight with peak power now available earlier on in the rev range (from 5700rpm), while maximum torque is available from 1900rpm.

Compared to the older car, the new S7 Sportback matches its predecessor in power, but ups torque by 50Nm despite losing the old car’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine.

The GV80 model facelift sees all variants enjoy a powerful 3.5L twin-turbo petrol V6 engine that produces 279kW of power and 530Nm of torque.

The Coupe is an AWD, features an eight-speed auto transmission and can do a 0-100km/h sprint in just 5.7 seconds.

It also has different terrain modes and a braked trailer towing capacity of 2722kg. Whether you’d use this car for that sort of stuff is another matter.

Official fuel economy figures for the S7 Sportback are 8.5 litres per 100km, but in our brief time with the car we managed 13.6L/100km, mainly due to the inner-city and country B-road driving.

The 48-volt mild-hybrid system works to reduce fuel usage, by as much as 0.4L/100km according to Audi, and allows the car to coast with the engine off between speeds of 55km/h and 160km/h for up to 40 seconds.

The start/stop system also aids in reducing fuel usage.

Aye, here's the rub, as the hefty power comes with a thirsty gullet.

The official combined fuel-cycle consumption figure is a hefty 11.7L/100km and my real-world usage came out at 11.4L/100km after doing a lot of open-road trips this week.

I haven’t held back using the power but it's thirsty compared to its rivals which mostly sport mild-hybrid powertrains.

Based on the large 80L fuel tank and official combined fuel cycle consumption figure this car's theoretical driving range is 684km.

Audi’s formula for a go-fast vehicle has always been simple – quattro all-wheel-drive for grip, potent engine for speed – and the new S7 Sportback remains true to that formula.

We are big fans of the 2.9-lite twin-turbo V6 engine, which is matched wonderfully with a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission.

The S7 Sportback always seems to have plenty to give no matter where you are in the rev range, and the transmission isn’t bogged down with slow gear changes up or down.

Though it’s hard to tell how much the EPC helps in getting the S7 up to speed, if you have you window down and accelerate hard from a standstill, you can hear the electronics whirring away.

The standard air suspension also does a wonderful job at absorbing road imperfections in comfort, while it can be switched over to dynamic for a more sporting characteristic.

Grip is plentiful thanks to 255/35 tyres and the quattro all-wheel-drive system but, as with other Audis, the S7 Sportback tends towards understeer when pushed hard around a corner.

Being such a long and wide model, you definitely feel the S7 Sportback’s size on the road, especially when navigating through quick direction changes, but this is where the $7700 Dynamic Package comes into play.

It adds a sports differential, variable ratio steering and all-wheel steering, all aimed at sharpening the S7 up in the bends.

Our test car was fitted with the option pack, but it left us a little cold.

The all-wheel steering especially, made the S7 Sportback’s handling feel too artificial for our tastes, and we were never able to gauge where the rear end wanted to go in a corner.

If we were buying one, we’d leave the Dynamic Package option box unticked.

Bringing the S7 Sportback to a stop are big 400/350mm brake rotors front/rear, with six-piston callipers in the front.

Ceramic brakes with grey-painted callipers can be optioned for $18,000, but the standard stoppers do a fine job scrubbing speed in the S7 Sportback.

The GV80 Coupe has a deep well of power to dip into and fantastic pick up. The power delivery feels effortless and it’s easy for urban and open-road driving.

The GV80 isn't as dynamic on the road as some of its rivals when it comes to the ‘sporty’ factor and you notice that the most when you hit high winds or tackle a tight turn, as there is some roll, but on the whole it’s a smooth ride. Think of it as more ‘stately’ than sporty.

The cabin is mostly quiet but wind noise can creep in at higher speeds.

The wide windows and high ride mean the visibility is very good and so is the sound quality from the 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Every school run is a concert!

The GV80 Coupe is large car and will fill out a parking space but it’s not hard to park because the 360-degree view camera system is so good and the projected parking guidelines add assurance in a tight spot. 

There is a remote parking assist feature, where you can move the car remotely from your key fob, which is great for those times someone parks a bit too close and there’s not enough door clearance to get in.

For those concerned with safety, you needn’t worry as the GV80 Coupe has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2021 and scored highly for its adult and child protection scores at 91 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively.

Standard safety features include rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure alert, lane keeping aid, traffic sign recognition, intelligent seatbelt warning, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, blind-spot view monitor, parking assist pilot, driver attention alert and safe exit warning.

Other features include child occupant alert, leading vehicle departure alert, tyre pressure monitoring, LED DRLs, a 360-degree view camera system and front and rear sensors.

The GV80 Coupe comes with AEB with forward collision warning, car, pedestrian, cyclist and backover detection which is operational from 5.0–200km/h (up to 85km/h for car detection).

The GV80 features 10-airbags, which is great for the class!

There are ISOFIX mounts on the rear outboard seats plus three top tethers and you might get three seats installed if they’re not too big but two will fit best.

Like all new Audi models, the S7 Sportback comes with a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with three years roadside assist.

Audi’s warranty still lags behind Mercedes-Benz and Genesis, two premium marques that offer a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty on their models.

Scheduled service intervals are every 15,000km/12 months, whichever comes first.

A three- or five-year service plan is available for the S7 Sportback, priced at $2350 and $4110 respectively.

The GV80 Coupe comes with a five-year/unlimited km warranty and complimentary servicing for five-years or 50,000km, whichever occurs first.

There is also complimentary roadside assistance through Assist Australia for five years.

Since this is a turbo, the servicing intervals are a little annoying at every 12 months or 10,000km but it’s rare for a car brand, let alone a luxury one, to offer anything for free. What Genesis offers is a real plus.