2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe Photo Shoot

2025 Genesis GV80 Coupe

There has been a continuing trend of taking the tried and true SUV design that has been around for decades and, with a bit of surgery, changing it into something less practical to create a “coupe” version. You can credit the BMW X6 for starting this trend back in 2007, but since then, more and more manufacturers have offered a sloped-roof version of many of their SUVs. Genesis is the latest brand to enter the expanding market. The regular Genesis GV80 has been on the market since the 2021 model year, but now, for 2025, Genesis adds the GV80 Coupe to its lineup. I was able to borrow this Genesis GV80 Coupe from Genesis Halifax, Nova Scotia’s Genesis dealer, for this photo shoot.

The Genesis brand will be ten years old in 2025, and since its inception, Genesis has made strides in making its vehicles unique with its design language. With the current double-tiered microlens design in the headlights, side-gill lights, taillights, and diamond-shaped, G-Matric Patterned Grille, Genesis models look like nothing else currently available. Designing a universal language that has characteristics that can work successfully through multiple models while being visually appealing is a difficult task. Still, Genesis has pulled it off.

The Stats

The Genesis GV80 Coupe is a sporty version of its top-offering GV80 SUV with a distinctive design. The sloping roof makes the GV80 Coupe slightly longer and lower than the regular GV80, and the wheels on this example are unique to the coupe. In Canada, it is offered exclusively with a supercharged and twin-turbocharged V6 with 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque from the G90 sedan. There are ten colour options, and this one is in the model-exclusive Bering Blue.

With a vehicle of this price and positioning in the market, it is no surprise that the Genesis GV80 Coupe contains various features like forward collision avoidance, highway driving and lane-keep assist, surround-view monitor, and ten airbags.

The Interior

The interior of the GV80 Coupe contains a 27-inch wide OLED display. It displays the driver cluster and the infotainment display. Using a screen to replace physical gauges and buttons is nothing new, but Genesis’ large screen is rather subtle despite its size. Yes, it’s big, but it isn’t extreme. It gives the interior a refined and comparatively minimal feel. A small touchscreen below includes controls for frequently used features such as climate control.

The Photos

It was exciting to have access to the GV80 Coupe so soon after its release in Canada. Full reviews of the production version were released the day I had access (Aug 7, 2024), meaning review embargos were lifted for the publicly available GV80 Coupe. Genesis vehicles have a unique look, differing from other premium offerings. As a result, I noticed a few extended glances while stopped at intersections.

This model features the specific Bering Blue and 22-inch wheels. The silver wheels look elegant and are a perfect size for this vehicle. I knew this vehicle would photograph well. Some cars are more challenging to photograph, especially ones that blackout many of the external characteristics of the vehicle, like the wheels.

Camera and Settings

Using the Fujifilm X-H2 and the 23mm f/2, these are all processed from RAW photos with a custom white balance shift towards a warmer tone. That WB shift includes a considerable increase in reds and a reduction in blues. The aperture varied but mainly in the 7.1-8.0 range, with 5.6 used for some closer details. I let the ISO adjust automatically from 160 to 3200 as I become increasingly less concerned with noise with the X-H2. I’m beginning to see the limitations of using an older camera like the Canon 5D Mark II. Unsurprisingly, the newer Fuji handles noise much better than the much older Canon, the photos are larger, allowing more crop if needed, and the autofocus capabilities are superior, as well as the addition of in-body stabilization. And the flip screen is hugely advantageous; no more lying on the ground! My only advantage with the Canon is range, with as much as 200mm at my disposal.

I used the same camera settings for the three photos below but reduced the exposure compensation to significantly underexpose, leaving the highlights visible. The sun, low in the sky, illuminated the headlights, taillights, and wheel details.

Looking closely, you will notice a glow that extends from the lights. This was created in Photoshop by using Colour Range to select the lights only, copying that selection to a new layer, and using a high amount of Motion Blur to extend the blur horizontally, creating the effect.

The final two photos in this post were taken earliest, in the first location of the evening. I was shooting with the sun behind me, altering the presentation and giving the photos a different feel. The second photo showcases the sloping roofline of the GV80 Coupe.

I’ve included a video at the end of this post highlighting the GV80 Coupe with a quick editing walkthrough of one of the photos from that night.