Genesis GV80 vs Cadillac Vistiq

What's the difference?

I rarely drive luxury vehicles so it doesn’t take much to impress me. However, it’s clear to anyone with half a brain (even me) that the GV80 is a premium ride and in Black guise it’s even better, albeit by increments only and those perceived improvements largely hinge on styling tweaks to the Signature platform on which it’s based.

Does it tick all of the boxes that someone considering this type of vehicle would want ticked? Sure it does and then some. But there’s plenty of stiff competition in the form of other premium AWDs on the market nowadays and even some 4WD wagons that offer similar levels of prestige.

The Vistiq is a properly luxurious car that cleverly undercuts all the premium players. It has a flashy exterior with a generously equipped and spacious interior. Plus, it’s got enough oomph to move a small mountain.

Cadillac seems to be onto a winner with this car, especially at this price point. However, it will be interesting to see whether buyers of big SUVs like this are willing to make the jump to electric. The upper large SUV segment has been dominated by the Toyota LandCruiser and Nissan Patrol for decades now and I don’t see this changing anytime soon.

I most frequently test and review vehicles that are tall, bulky and have plenty of ground clearance – usually 4WDs – so the GV80 is, in my experience, a mild revelation.

Firstly, it’s low and sleek and practically oozes – yes, oozes – prestige. Word of warning here. If you don’t like black as a colour on your car you’re in the wrong place because the GV80 Black and GV80 Coupe Black are only offered with – you guessed it – a black exterior and interior.

Secondly, this G80’s interior is a plush mix of quilted Nappa leather upholstery with black suede inserts, black ash wood trim, an abundance of soft-touch surfaces and very impressive all-around fit and finish. The interior of the cabin makes a strong style statement but it’s not over the top.

Genesis Motors Australia also says it has used a range of eco-friendly materials, including leather upholstery and door trims dyed using recycled carbon-black extracted from waste tyres. So, there’s that.

The cabin more than matches its rivals, such as Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE, in terms of pure styling and as for practicality? Well, keep reading…

There’s no way around it, the Vistiq’s exterior design is over the top and flashy. You’ll either love it or hate it.

I particularly like this car’s silhouette. It has a long and boxy roofline that gives off baby Escalade vibes, though you wouldn’t necessarily call this car small given it measures over 5.2 metres long…

One of the features that can read as gimmicky is the lighting animation that plays when you unlock and lock the car. They are rather long and obnoxious, though they’re a fun novelty feature to show off to your friends and family.

Inside, the design is jaw-dropping. It’s top-notch luxury with oodles of soft touches, premium-feeling switchgear and high-end tech.

The showpiece is the 33-inch curved display that houses not only the digital instrument cluster but the touchscreen multimedia system. It’s a stunning unit.

Out tester's brown interior combo looks gorgeous on the plush seats and contrasts well with the dark metal finishes.

Speaking of the seats, they’re surprisingly finished in synthetic leather but the smell in the cabin can convince you otherwise.

One of the few interior finishes I don’t love is the glossy piano black on the steering wheel and door cards. You interact with these often and they show fingerprints easily.

The GV80 Black is the same size as the standard GV80 – 4940mm long (with a 2955mm wheelbase), 1975mm wide and 1715mm high – so nothing has changed there.

And because the Black treatment is all about the looks, inside and out, the interior remains the same as standard for roominess and practicality. So, let’s dive into it.

First up, the 27.0-inch multimedia touchscreen dominates upfront, which is handy because it’s from here you operate most of the GV80’s controls. Thankfully, though, there are some physical dials and buttons, as well.

That screen is big, the colours are clear and crisp and the on-screen controls are easy to use, even for a true luddite like me.

Same goes for the driver display and the 12-inch head-up display. Clear to read and versatile enough in configuration choices to set them up as you want.

Then, everything flows on from that well-appointed dash.

The steering wheel is heated and power adjustable. By the way, I still don’t see why a heated steering wheel is a thing in Australia. Nowhere on this continent is cold enough to warrant it.

All seats are soft but supportive and very comfortable as you’d expect in a prestige vehicle with an interior that’s replete with “rich textures and bespoke materials”, according to Genesis.

There’s adequate seating room all-around, but the third row is squeezy and best suited to children or other height-challenged people that you despise.

The front seats are 18-way power-adjustable, heated and ventilated. They even have a massage function – if that’s your particular cup of tea.

The second row has heated and ventilated outboard seats (with power-base tilt and backrest recline), and there’s a climate-control panel each for the second and third rows.

Charge points abound with USB and 12V options available in the front and second row.

There are plenty of storage options throughout the cabin including a glove box, sunglasses case, cupholders etc. But the door pockets are narrow and awkward to get anything in and out of. A minor annoyance, but an annoyance, nonetheless.

In terms of cargo area capacity, with all three rows up and in use there is a claimed 327 litres of space available, 727L with the power-folding third row stowed away, and 2147L with the second and third rows folded down and out of the way.

Worth noting for anyone who drives beyond city limits is the fact this vehicle does not have a spare wheel, it only has a tyre mobility kit attached by Velcro to the rear cargo area floor.

The GV80 also has a power-operated tailgate.

The front seats in the Vistiq are delicious. There’s so much adjustability, plus they’re heated, ventilated and have a fantastic massage function. It’s a great space to be in regardless of whether you’re driving or not.

Ahead of the driver the steering wheel has a lot of physical buttons and switches that are clearly labelled, though as I just mentioned, the fingerprints quickly make it look grubby.

The digital instrument cluster is bright, clear and easy to refer to at a glance, plus it has a number of layouts you can choose from. On the right-hand side there’s even a small touch section where you can cycle between the trip computer readouts, among other things.

Moving across, the central touchscreen multimedia system is big, bright and high-resolution. It’s also an easy interface to navigate through thanks to the shortcut buttons always at the bottom of the screen.

The far side of the screen can be a bit of a stretch from the driver’s seat at times, but thankfully Cadillac has included a rotary dial controller. It’s also a great way to minimise fingerprints on the screen.

There’s Google Built-in as standard, meaning there’s integrated Google Maps, the Google Assistant, plus you can download a range of different apps, like Spotify, from the Google Play Store. It’s a seamless ecosystem.

Thankfully there’s still wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Connection with my iPhone 15 Pro Max was rock solid, though the resolution doesn’t appear as high as the native interface.

Underneath the central touchscreen is a secondary touchscreen for altering the climate control for all three rows, as well as the seat heating, ventilation and massage. It’s similar to the system Audi has in its flagship models and exudes a premium vibe.

Up front there are two cupholders, two wireless chargers, two USB-C ports, a large open section under the centre tunnel, a centre console box, plus a glove box that needs to be opened by using the touchscreen.

Moving to the second row, it’s an easy car to hop in and out of thanks to the easy access/exit system which drops the air suspension to its lowest setting. You’re not looking for sidesteps at all.

In Australia the Vistiq is only being offered with a six-seat configuration, meaning in the second row you get separate captain’s chairs. They’re lovely to sit in, have a dedicated armrest and are heated.

At a leggy 182cm I have an adequate amount of legroom behind my own driving position. Headroom is also great.

It’s worth noting that the second-row seats are fixed and don’t slide back or forward. They only recline which is still a nice way to get more comfortable.

Second-row amenities include a touchscreen on the back of the centre console to control the climate control, among other features, as well as air vents on the centre console and B-pillar, USB-C ports and a pull-out section with cupholders.

Going to the third row, you can either slide between the two captain’s chairs, or press a button on the side of the second-row seat which quickly pushes it out of the way. The latter allows for a clear entry/exit path.

The third-row seats are mounted low, making it feel like there’s a knee-up sensation, but there’s enough space for two adults to sit side by side. It’s a surprisingly usable space, though legroom isn’t palatial.

In terms of amenities there is a USB-C port, cupholder, air vent and padded armrest on each side.

At the back it took me a long time to figure out how to open the boot. Turns out you push the Cadillac badge… Thank you Google.

With all three rows of seating upright there’s 430L of boot space which is enough for a few shopping bags. Thankfully there’s a generous underfloor section which is big enough for charging cables among other odds and ends.

The third and second row seats fold electronically from the boot which is a lovely convenience feature. With them folded there’s over 2200L of space which is massive.

Like many EVs, there’s no spare wheel which isn’t great if you do long-distance driving away from tyre repair shops.

Continuing the gripes, there is no front boot despite the large bonnet. If you take a look it’s mostly taken up by electrical componentry.

Cadillac is only offering one fully-loaded version of the Vistiq in Australia, the Platinum, which is priced from $116,000, before on-road costs.

This is not a small amount of money, but it’s notably more affordable than its key rivals, the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Volvo EX90. Only the Kia EV9 is cheaper but it’s not as well-equipped.

Speaking of standard equipment, the Vistiq is filled to the brim with it. Highlights include 22-inch alloy wheels, adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering, a 33-inch curved display, 23-speaker AKG sound system, four-zone climate control and six seats wrapped in synthetic leather.

You’re really not looking for anything more, however compared to the US-spec model it misses out on a head-up display.

This Genesis GV80 Black has a 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 petrol engine producing 279kW and 530Nm, matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This SUV has an all-wheel drive system and an electronic limited-slip rear differential.

The GV80’s engine has plenty of punch and the auto is impressively cluey as well.

The Vistiq is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive set-up with ridiculous total system outputs of 459kW and 880Nm.

This is enough to send it from 0-100km/h in just 4.2 seconds, which is wild given it has a kerb weight of almost 3000kg.

Official combined cycle (urban/extra-urban) fuel consumption is listed as 11.7L/100km.

On test we were seeing a dash-indicated 9.6-9.8L/100km but recorded an overall average of 12.4L/100km after a mix of city, highway and suburban driving.

The GV80 has a 80-litre fuel tank so, going by our on-test fuel figures, you can reasonably expect a driving range of about 645km from a full-tank.

Worth noting this car requires 95 RON premium fuel.

Feeding these electric motors is a 91kWh lithium-ion battery pack which allows for a claimed range of up to 461km, according to WLTP testing.

Cadillac claims the Vistiq consumes an average of 22kWh/100km, which is on the higher end, but you need to remember this is a hulking big SUV.

In terms of charging, AC charging is available at rates up to 22kWh, whereas DC fast-charging is offered at rates up to 130kW.

The former is rather competitive, allowing up to 95km of range to be added per hour, whereas the latter is mediocre as other luxury and Korean rivals can do well over 200kW of peak fast-charging.

An excerpt from my initial drive notes on the GV80 Black read "smooth, slick (too slick?), impressive open-road cruising, plush, couch on wheels”. All sound points but there’s even more to this car.

For a big wagon, the circa-2345kg GV80 gets off the mark nicely with a crisp throttle response and it punches along at a fair clip once on the move. There’s little to no noise from the outside world, other than the low-key rumble of the V6 and it’s easy to hit the speed limit without realising.

The power-adjustable steering wheel can be dialled in for a preferred position and while this weighty AWD still exhibits minor body roll through tighter corners that characteristic can be restrained somewhat via the Sport drive mode for better suited suspension behaviour and controlled with sufficiently precise steering.

Ride and handling are well sorted out with the GV80’s all-wheel drive system and an electronic limited-slip rear differential giving the driver welcome levels of confidence in a variety of driving conditions.

Turning circle is listed as 11.98m and this car doesn’t feel unwieldy on busy suburban streets.

A few niggles. Digital rear-view mirrors are not among my favourite features in cars as they offer a headache-inducing fish-eye view of the world not to my liking and such is the case in this GV80.

Speaking of views, because the GV80 is low and sleek, it doesn’t afford the driver the levels of visibility I’m used to getting in the taller, more upright vehicles I most frequently review.

All-around, however, the GV80 is a smooth daily driver, with plenty to like about it and just a few foibles.

Behind the wheel of the Vistiq there’s an immediate elevated and premium feel. Even though EVs are already naturally quiet, Cadillac seems to have installed a lot of insulation, making it very hushed in the cabin.

As a result you pick up on other noises and disappointingly this Vistiq tester had a random rattle coming from behind the dashboard when travelling at higher speeds. It’s unclear if it’s just this car, but it doesn’t speak well to great long-term quality as the car had only done 2000km.

The Vistiq is the kind of car you feel like being driven around in. It’s so smooth, measured and calm.

Despite this, there's a ‘V’ button on the steering wheel which activates the ‘Velocity Max’ drive mode. It unleashes the full 459kW and 880Nm, making this 3000kg box on wheels absolutely haul.

It’s frightening how quickly this car can accelerate from a standstill. You’ll be leaving virtually everyone in your dust at the lights.

As I alluded to before, the Vistiq is a very comfortable car and this is largely due to the adaptive air suspension system that comes as standard. There are a range of different heights to choose from, ranging from lifted to slammed. All of which look awesome from the outside.

The suspension does a great job of rounding off pimply urban road imperfections. It’s so good you forget there are huge 22-inch alloy wheels as standard.

Unlike many American cars, the suspension isn’t overly floaty and soft, instead creating a balanced ride. Goldilocks would approve.

The only times the suspension feels out of its depth is when you hit a bigger bump at a higher speed. It can feel a little crashy from inside the cabin, but it never feels too firm.

There’s no way around it, the Vistiq is a big car and it swallows up a lane with ease. Despite this, there’s a rear-wheel steering system as standard which turns the rear wheels the opposite direction of the front at low speeds.

As a result the turning circle is much smaller than you’d expect. This means you can zoot around tight, multi-storey carparks like you’re in a much smaller car. It also makes parking a breeze.

Although you’d expect this powerful and heavy car to come apart in the bends, it holds its own rather well. It’s far from a sports car, but it limits the body roll to an extent and the tyres provide enough grip.

The Cadillac Vistiq hasn’t been assessed by ANCAP yet and is therefore unrated.

As standard there are seven airbags, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, lane centring, adaptive cruise control, front and rear parking sensors, as well as a surround-view camera.

It’s all pretty standard on this front, however, a cool feature is the ‘Night Vision’ system which comes up on the digital instrument cluster and allows you to see potential dangers like animals, for example, better at night.

The safety systems all do a good job for the most part, however the driver attention monitor is too sensitive. When it goes off it physically vibrates the seat, which feels a little too personal for my liking.

It also vibrates for the blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and even the parking sensors.

Every new 2026 GV80 is covered by a five-year/unlimited km warranty and five years' roadside assistance. If the car's serviced at an authorised Genesis dealer this coverage increases to 10 years.

Servicing, scheduled for every 12 months or 15,000km, is free for the first five years or 75,000 km, whichever occurs soonest. Genesis offers a concierge and courtesy vehicle service for five years with the complimentary service.

There are 11 Genesis dealers in Australia - Five in Sydney (including a CBD 'studio'), two in Melbourne and one each in Brisbane, The Gold Coast, Adelaide and Perth.

At this stage Cadillac hasn’t fully detailed the ownership package for the Vistiq.

There is a five-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty, as well as an eight-year, 160,000km warranty for the high-voltage battery. There's also five years of roadside assistance.

Logbook servicing is required every 12 months or 12,000km, whichever comes first, however pricing hasn't been confirmed yet.

“Service pricing for the Cadillac Optiq and Vistiq in Australia will be announced in the coming months - as we progress our planned dealer expansion, including new franchised locations in Melbourne and Brisbane," said General Motors ANZ General Manager Jess Bala.

It’s worth noting that Cadillac is still scaling its dealer network in Australia and currently only has select locations in certain capital cities.