Genesis GV80 2024 review: 3.5T Luxury long-term | Part 3

We said goodbye to Graham today. Graham is the name we gave to the Genesis GV80 3.5T Luxury, the long-term test car that’s been living with my family for the past three months. 

We name all our own cars. We have Otto and Morticia, before that there was Wendy, Molly and Felicity. It wasn’t until right at the very end of our time with the GV80 that we decided it was Graham. It takes time for the right name to reveal itself.

I know it sounds weird, but it’s weirder for me because my father’s name is also Graham and he’s very much alive but nowhere near as comfortable, practical or easy to drive as the GV80.

But the test is over and it's time for Graham to go back now. The car, not Dad.

This month we travelled 518.2km in the GV80 and because most of that was small suburban trips and a lot of stand-still traffic the fuel consumption was high at 22L/100km.

That’s much higher than last month (16.7L/100km) but about equal to our first month (21.4L/100km).

The learning is if your driving is mainly urban you’ll see at least 20L/100km in this V6-powered GV80, but if you spend at least half of it on motorways and open roads, efficiency improves.

As I said in the previous instalment, if anything is starkly apparent it’s that a twin-turbo V6 SUV with all-wheel drive isn’t efficient when it comes to the type of regular driving we do. It’s the equivalent of taking a cruise liner up the shops just to get butter and more paper towels.

So, while fuel efficiency isn’t our GV80's best attribute we’re going to miss its comfort, practicality and how easy it is to drive.

Our GV80 had the optional $13,500 'Six-Seat Luxury Package' fitted which replaces the second-row bench seat with two captain’s chairs and plonks a massive centre console between them.

While this sounds fancy, the captains chairs, the console and the kids' access to the media controls isn’t practical for families. 

Also, the lack of a middle seat means there's an opening through to the boot which isn't ideal with children able to reach back into the cargo space.

My advice is not to tick that box if you’re using the GV80 as a family car, instead pick the 'Luxury Package' option because it offers all the same features such as automatic sun blinds and privacy glass for the rear windows, soft close doors, climate control in the second row, plus Nappa leather upholstery, but with a bench seat in the second row.

We’ve made some interesting discoveries these past three months. 

We’ve learnt that the seats aren’t grey but green, the park brake doesn’t automatically come on after you shift to Park, the cabin stays cool even when parked for hours in the sun, the media system isn’t intuitive, a pram can fit in the boot even when the third row is in place, the matt paint is easy to clean but looks dirty immediately and that the GV80 is always thirsty.

So, have there been any new discoveries this month? Yes. The sat nav has an augmented reality function on the media display with directions over the top of the forward camera image. Also, there are no child seat anchor points in the third row. 

Another discovery is that when reversing the GV80 shines beams of warning lights out behind it to caution pedestrians. Oh, and a small barbecue in the world’s biggest box can fit in the boot with the third row folded flat.

When the last day came, I told my son it would be our final trip to school in the GV80 and said I wanted to get a photo of him saying goodbye. He gave it a hug.

A few days later I picked him up from school in our next test car - a half-million dollar Bentley SUV, the Bentayga. When we arrived home he told me he missed the GV80. Me, too.

Goodbye Graham and thank you… 

Acquired: August 2023

Distance travelled this month: 518.2km

Odometer: 16,197km

Average energy consumption this month: 22L/100km