For decades the Holden Statesman was a symbol of success and luxury in Australia. The long-wheelbase Holden models, which began in 1971 based on the HQ station wagon and finished in 2010, when General Motors dropped the nameplate in favour of Caprice.
But for generations of Australian petrolheads, the name Statesman still immediately conjures up a clear image in our minds – a large, luxurious sedan with some dynamic capabilities. Sadly, though, the Statesman is now long gone, as is the Caprice and, to be blunt, even the sedan is an endangered species these days as SUVs continue to overwhelm everything else.
One brand is bucking that trend and has given Australians looking for a spacious, luxury, four-door sedan something to hold onto.
I’m talking about the Genesis G80, the South Korean answer to an Audi A6, BMW 5-Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class. But if it’s a genuine luxury rival to those well-known sedans, what makes it comparable to a Statesman?
To me, a Holden Statesman was a symbol of success, but didn’t flaunt it in the same way a European luxury car did. It was a humbler, more restrained expression of success, which demonstrated that the owner wasn’t driven by the badge on the front but rather the substance of the car.
In that sense, the G80 reminds me so much of the Statesman, it’s an alternative choice for people looking for something pampering, dynamic but not too flashy.
Make no mistake, this isn’t an ‘affordable’ luxury car, the G80 3.5T we tested was priced from $121,000, which puts it in the same ballpark as its European rivals. However, it’s a very different proposition as Genesis remains a brand on the rise, rather than part of the luxury establishment.
The bottom line is, there’s just a lot to like about the G80 – if you’re a sedan kind of person.
It was facelifted last year, bringing a new look with a refreshed ‘G-Matrix’ grille that has become a Genesis signature design element, as well as new LED headlights and alloy wheel designs. The result is a sharp-looking sedan, with excellent proportions and a style that is unique to the South Korean brand to make it stand out against its European and Japanese rivals.
And this standout styling carries over to the interior, especially on our white-themed test vehicle, with a massive 27-inch OLED display that runs across the majority of the dashboard. Instead of being one large housing with two screens, as is common, the G80 is a singular display panel that seamlessly runs the entire width. The interface, a rotary dial, isn’t a bad way to navigate its menus, but the problem is the gear selector is also a rotary dial, so even after a week I must admit I went for the wrong dial occasionally.
A larger problem for the G80 is that Genesis utilises the same active safety systems as its parent company, Hyundai. That means hyperactive speed limit warning and overly zealous driver attention monitoring, which frankly are best turned off at the start of each drive to avoid being driven mad by incessant beeps.
Once that is done, the G80 3.5T is a pleasant and enjoyable car to drive. As the name implies, this model is powered by a 3.5-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine, making a healthy 279kW of power and 530Nm of torque. It sends its performance to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
It’s a really likeable powertrain, offering the kind of smooth, effortless performance you’d expect from a luxury sedan – dare I say, V8-like performance.
While Genesis doesn’t follow the Hyundai ethos of locally tuning its cars’ ride and handling for our unique local conditions, it’s a well-balanced and enjoyable drive nonetheless. It has the kind of poise and responsiveness that you should expect from a premium sedan, without being an overtly sporty or high-performance variant.
In short, it’s sure-footed and potent but can still be relaxing to drive. These are all attributes that made the Statesman such an icon for Holden. And while the G80 finds itself increasingly rare in the SUV-dominated landscape, for those who still appreciate a high-quality sedan it will have immense appeal.
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