Genesis G80 vs Holden Astra
What's the difference?

Genesis G80

$104,128 - $156,418

2026 price

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Holden Astra

$4,500 - $20,990

2018 price

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Maserati Quattroporte

Mazda 6

Mercedes-AMG E63

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

Mercedes-Benz A35

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Mercedes-Benz C43

Mercedes-Benz C63

Mercedes-Benz CLA

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Mercedes-Benz S-Class

Rolls-Royce Spectre (bev)

Summary

2026 Genesis G80

2018 Holden Astra

By Byron Mathioudakis

By Peter Anderson

Safety Rating

Engine Type

—

Turbo 4, 1.4L

Fuel Type

—

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

—

5.8L/100km (combined)

Seating

—

Likes

Size and presence
Spacious, luxurious & comfy cabin
Commanding dynamics

Good to drive
Good looking
Well-specced

Dislikes

Thirsty V6 (hybrid would be nice)
Not as sporty as SL name implies - but not bad
Not as luxurious as SL name implies - but not bad

Missing rear seat amenities
Smallish fuel tank
Awkward pedal position

2026 Genesis G80 Summary

Remember those extra-long Australian luxury sedans like the Ford Fairlane and Holden Statesman/Caprice?

The patriotic choice in an era where that mattered and further protected by tariffs on imports that made them barely any more expensive than a base mid-sized Euro like a BMW 318i, they dominated the top end of the market with their sheer size outside, vast space inside and big-six or V8 grunt.

Like they used to say, there is no substitute for cubic inches.

Well, the spirit of these beloved local social-climbing classics lives on in just one modern car in 2025, the Genesis G80. Over three generations since 2008, it has been Hyundai’s tilt at the premium establishment, in much the same way as the Fairlane and Caprice were, and Toyota’s Lexus luxury brand still is.

We take a dive into the latest petrol-powered range-topper version, the 3.5T All-Wheel Drive (AWD) Sport Luxury (SL), which gives off more than its fair share of vintage HSV Grange vibes.

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2018 Holden Astra Summary

Holden's current Astra is the second go the car has had in this country, after first being badged an Opel to the sounds of crickets from the buying public. That hubristic exercise was followed by a brief withdrawal from the Australian market before returning, rather more sensibly badged (and sensibly-priced) as a Holden.

It chugged along quite nicely in 2017. It didn't break any records, no, but regularly broke the 1000 units per month mark to end up with about five percent of the small car market, which it shares with some serious competition from Europe and Japan.

The + in R+ means more safety, but also more money. Safety is good, but do you get anything else for your money?

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Genesis G80 2018 Holden Astra

Verdict

Overall, then, the flagship G80 tries to be docile Clark Kent and the amazing Superman in one. As such, it stretches itself trying to be both a luxury GT and high-functioning sports sedan.

But while it doesn’t quite achieve either perfectly the Genesis gets near enough for most – especially at its exceptional price point.

Verdict

The Astra's biggest problem is probably the Holden badge. Despite the company's best efforts, some buyers are wary of the company's longevity and some of the other cars in the range do the Astra no favours - Trax, Colorado and Barina feel cheap, because they are. The Astra isn't cheaply made and holds up very well in excellent company.

Genesis G80 vs Holden Astra What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Genesis G80 vs Holden Astra
What's the difference?