Compare the2024 Genesis G80VS 2024 Audi A8

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the G80 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The A8 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The G80 has standard Anti-Whiplash Front Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Anti-Whiplash Front Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The A8 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The G80 Sport Prestige has a standard Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist-Reverse that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The A8 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The G80 has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them and moves the vehicle back into its lane. A system to reveal vehicles in the A8’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the G80 has standard Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist and automatically engage the brakes. Audi charges extra for Rear Cross-Traffic Assist on the A8.

The G80’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The A8 doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the G80 and the A8 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front and rear side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, front seat center airbag, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the G80 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 50 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The A8 has not been tested, yet.

The G80 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire car and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The A8’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the G80 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than Audi covers the A8. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the A8 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Genesis pays for scheduled maintenance on the G80 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. Genesis will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the A8.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the G80 has a standard 850-amp battery. The A8’s 380-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the G80’s reliability 17 points higher than the A8.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G80 first among upper midsize premium cars in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The A8 isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis above average in initial quality. With 45 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is rated below average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than Audi vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 77 more problems per 100 vehicles, Audi is ranked 25th.

The G80 3.5T’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 40 more horsepower (375 vs. 335) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (391 vs. 369) than the A8’s 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the G80 3.5T 3.5 turbo V6 is faster than the Audi A8:

On the EPA test cycle the G80 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder gets better fuel mileage than the A8 (22 city/30 hwy vs. 19 city/28 hwy).

The G80 stops shorter than the A8:

For better maneuverability, the G80’s turning circle is 4.1 feet tighter than the A8’s (38.1 feet vs. 42.2 feet).

The Genesis G80 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 300 to 650 pounds less than the Audi A8.

The G80 is 12 inches shorter than the A8, making the G80 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The G80 has 2.8 inches more front headroom and .7 inches more front legroom than the A8.

The G80 has a larger trunk than the A8 (13.1 vs. 12.5 cubic feet).

Consumer Reports rated the G80’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the A8’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The G80 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the A8.

Insurance will cost less for the G80 owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the G80 will cost $1085 to $4435 less than the A8 over a five-year period.

The G80 will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the G80 will retain 46.32% to 47.24% of its original price after five years, while the A8 only retains 40.79%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Genesis G80 will be $21365 to $42410 less than for the Audi A8.

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Genesis G80 and the Audi A8, based on reliability, safety and performance.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the G80 second among upper midsize premium cars in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The A8 isn’t in the top three.

The Genesis G80 outsold the Audi A8/S8 by almost three to one during 2022.