Genesis G80 vs Renault Megane
What's the difference?

Genesis G80

$104,128 - $156,418

2026 price

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Renault Megane

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2020 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

2020 Renault Megane

By Byron Mathioudakis

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

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Turbo 4, 1.8L

Fuel Type

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Premium Unleaded Petrol

Fuel Efficiency

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8.0L/100km (combined)

Seating

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Likes

Size and presence
Spacious, luxurious & comfy cabin
Commanding dynamics

Bulked-up looks
Big power
Great colours

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

Not as good as previous RS Meganes
Four-wheel steering vagueness
Better options out there

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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2020 Renault Megane Summary

The Renault Megane RS is still here, in case you were wondering.

You may have let it slip your mind in recent times, because there’s been a lot of action in the hot hatch scene with the release of the new-generation Ford Focus ST, a fond farewell to the VW Golf R, and consistent talk of the upcoming Toyota Corolla GR hot hatch.

The Megane RS is more than just ‘here’, though. The RenaultSport Megane hatch range has expanded in recent times, and we’ve just spent some time with the Trophy model which first arrived in Australia late in 2019.

It is certainly keeping its presence known in 2020 Renault Megane RS Trophy spec, which represents the most powerful and fastest version of the standard model range before you get to the rip-snorting (and eye-wateringly expensive) Trophy R.

So what’s it like? Read on and you’ll find out all about it.

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Deep dive comparison

2026 Genesis G80 2020 Renault Megane

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

If the Renault Megane RS Trophy is your dream car let me say this: there’s no overarching reason that I’d say you shouldn’t go ahead and buy it.

But with so much amazing competition in this part of the market, it’s hard to put it ahead of its rivals. And it’s going to be even harder for it to stay high on the contenders list as more new metal arrives in the coming years.

Genesis G80 vs Renault Megane What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Genesis G80 vs Renault Megane
What's the difference?