2026 GV80 2.5T & 2.5T Select
Quick Answer: 2026 GV80 2.5T & 2.5T Select
The 2.5T opens the 2026 GV80 range at $57,700 with rear-wheel drive, or $59,850 with all-wheel drive, both running the 300-hp turbo four-cylinder and both riding on a standard 27-inch OLED display and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto. Step up to the 2.5T Select at $63,750 — AWD only — and Genesis adds 20-inch wheels, a panoramic moonroof, a heated steering wheel, and Digital Key 2. Neither trim gets leather, the third row, or Bang & Olufsen audio; those arrive at Advanced. For buyers who want the GV80 badge, the safety suite, and the ownership benefits without paying for a third row they won't use, this is the honest entry point into the lineup — not a stripped-down placeholder trim.
What $57,700 actually buys
Genesis doesn't do a bare-bones base trim, and the 2.5T proves it. Even at the entry price you get the same 27-inch curved OLED integrated display as the $83,250 Prestige Black, the same fingerprint authentication and Valet Mode, the same Highway Driving Assist 2 and pedestrian-and-cyclist-aware forward collision avoidance, and the same 5-star NHTSA rating and 2026 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award. What you're not getting is content, not capability — 19-inch wheels instead of 20 or 22, synthetic leather instead of the real thing, and no panoramic roof. The engine underneath is the 2.5-liter turbo four making 300 hp and 311 lb-ft through an 8-speed automatic, EPA-rated at 20 city/26 highway/22 combined in rear-drive form.
The one real decision at this end of the lineup is rear-wheel versus all-wheel drive, a $2,150 gap. In a market with real winters that's an easy call toward AWD; in Central Florida, where the closest thing to a slick road is a summer downpour on US-98, the RWD 2.5T is a genuinely defensible choice for a buyer who wants the lowest possible entry price into a new Genesis.
Where the Select earns its $3,900 premium
The 2.5T Select keeps the same engine and adds the features most buyers notice in the first five minutes behind the wheel: 20-inch alloy wheels that fill the arches better than the base 19s, a panoramic moonroof, a heated steering wheel for the handful of genuinely cold Central Florida mornings each winter, and Digital Key 2, which lets a second driver's phone unlock and start the car without a physical fob ever changing hands. It's AWD-only, so the RWD-vs-AWD decision resolves itself once you're shopping Select.
What the Select still skips: leather (it's synthetic through this trim), the third row, quad-zone climate, and the Bang & Olufsen audio system — all of which land at 2.5T Advanced. If any of those matter to you, the Advanced/Prestige guide lays out that $4,850 step in detail.
Who actually buys the entry trims here
Lakeland Genesis's reviews skew toward loaded trims, which makes sense — most reviewers mention leather, the third row, or the V6 by name. But the entry cars move too, often to buyers coming from a mainstream brand and testing the water on Genesis for the first time. Norm Z. described exactly that kind of low-pressure first visit: "Kida Hawkins, our salesman, engaged us from the moment we arrived at the showroom with a friendly, polite and professional attitude... I have never been treated with such respect and commitment to excellence by any other company." Alina E., who bought a related GV70, put it plainly: "the entire team... were all a dream to work with! They answered all of my questions, never made me feel pressured."
Frequently asked questions
What's the real-world difference between 2.5T RWD and AWD?
Both use the identical 300-hp/311-lb-ft turbo four and 8-speed automatic; AWD adds $2,150 and drops EPA combined from 22 to 21 mpg. For a Central Florida driver who won't see snow or ice, RWD is a legitimate way to keep the price down — it isn't a downgrade in capability that matters here.
Does the 2.5T Select come with leather seats?
No — synthetic leather carries through the Select trim. Genuine leather, along with the third row and Bang & Olufsen audio, starts at 2.5T Advanced.
Can I get all-wheel drive without stepping up to Select?
Yes. 2.5T AWD ($59,850) is a $2,150 option on the base trim itself — you don't have to buy the Select's wheels and moonroof to get AWD.
How does the entry GV80 compare on price to a loaded mainstream three-row SUV?
At $57,700–$63,750, the 2.5T and Select land in the same bracket as a well-optioned Toyota Grand Highlander Platinum or Honda Pilot Elite, while adding genuine Genesis ownership benefits — three years of free maintenance and Lakeland Genesis's own lifetime powertrain warranty. The pricing guide has the full tax math for Polk County.
Where can I test drive a 2.5T or Select in Central Florida?
Check current inventory at Lakeland Genesis, or ask about demo vehicles if you'd rather drive one that's already broken in.
The bottom line
The 2.5T and 2.5T Select aren't Genesis's way of getting a lower number on the window sticker — they're a legitimately equipped luxury SUV with the safety and ownership package that defines the whole GV80 line, minus the comfort items that come later. For a buyer who doesn't need three rows or leather, that's not a compromise, it's the smart trim.
MSRP figures exclude the $1,495 destination charge plus taxes, title, registration, and dealer-installed options; the dealer sets the actual selling price. Fuel-economy figures are EPA estimates and vary by configuration. Equipment and availability can shift with production timing; confirm current specs with Lakeland Genesis. Customer quotes are excerpts from public Google reviews of Lakeland Genesis.