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2026 Genesis G80 ‘2.5t Hybrid’ spotted testing in Australia

Genesis has been spotted testing a prototype version of the 2026 G80 in Australia, featuring a 2.5T hybrid powertrain. The company has previously said it will be launching a new range of hybrid options from 2027.

The prototype was spotted driving along in Sydney this week – I didn’t get a chance to take any photos as I was driving as well. I saw a production-related sticker on the side with Korean text along with ‘HEV’ clearly visible. And then at the back, a ‘2.5T 4WD’ badge also clearly displayed.

Now, prototypes don’t always translate to production cars, and often engineers will slap together an existing body while hiding all-new underpinnings and powertrains. This G80 prototype featured different colour bumper bars front and rear which didn’t sit quite right. Other than that, it looked like a regular G80.

As for the powertrain, the 2026 Hyundai Palisade will be offered with a new 2.5-litre turbo-petrol hybrid option. It produces 246kW and comes paired with a six-speed automatic. It would be reasonable to expect a similar setup offered in various Genesis models in the future.

Genesis may tweak the electrical components to provide more power and torque, especially considering the brand builds luxury cars which are often heavier than non-luxury options. Even so, around 246kW would be a good fit to replace the 2.2D turbo-diesel and even the 3.5T turbo-petrol V6 (currently 279kW).

In the past, Genesis planned to go all-in on electric vehicle models. However, late last year the company announced a slight shift in focus, saying that it will launch hybrid options as well for model lines that are not dedicated EVs. During Hyundai’s 2024 CEO Investor Day presentation, the company announced a new ‘Hyundai Way’ strategy, saying:

“Under this strategy, the company will expand the application of its hybrid system beyond compact and midsize cars to small, large and luxury vehicles, effectively doubling its current range from seven to 14 models. This expansion will encompass not only Hyundai vehicles but also its luxury brand, Genesis, which will offer a hybrid option for all models, excluding those that are exclusively electric.”

This means models such as the GV70 and GV80, and the G80 will continue with petrol power but only in hybrid form. The GV60 fully electric SUV will remain electric only. However, it will welcome a special Magma performance variant soon.

During the investor day, the company said it will be launching a next-generation hybrid system called the TMED-II. This will bring in new technologies, some of which are a first for mainstream hybrid applications, including V2L functionality and adaptive regenerative braking. In a statement, Hyundai said:

“This [TMED-II] system is slated for integration into production vehicles starting from January 2025. Future hybrid vehicles will be equipped with premium technologies such as smart regenerative braking and V2L…”

2025 Genesis G80 - digital dash

As for the rest of the G80 update, Genesis recently announced a full-width digital dash as part of the MY2025 G80 update (on sale now in Australia), brought across from the latest GV80. The screen merges the gauge cluster and multimedia into one seamless unit. This is expected to carry over into the 2026-2027 model. Some design revisions are also expected inside and out.

So, why is the prototype in Australia? It is likely here to carry out hot weather testing. Testing progress has to continue on regardless of seasonal changes, and since the northern hemisphere is currently in winter, Australia is probably a good spot to get hot testing done and dusted.

Brett Davis

Brett started out as a motor mechanic but eventually became frustrated working on cars that weren't his. He then earned a degree in journalism and scored a job at Top Gear Australia back in 2008, and then worked at Zoom/Extreme Performance magazines, CarAdvice, and started PerformanceDrive/PDriveTV in 2011 with Josh Bennis. He's now the owner and managing editor here at Driving Enthusiast.

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