Genesis GV80 review

No dealers, and no chance of a discount. Genesis is offering transparency and the simplicity of buying online, albeit with help from a 'Genesis Personal Assistant' when you ask.

When you want a test drive the GPA will bring a car to your home or work. If you then fancy trying the other engine, they'll come back with that one. Once you've bought a car they bring it and explain it. If you've driven it a few weeks and still have questions on, say, the driver assist, they'll come back and explain.

When it needs a service, they'll bring a courtesy car and take yours away, and that's rolled into the purchase price up to five years or 50,000 miles. You also get five years' unlimited-miles warranty, five years' roadside assistance, and five years of OTA software and map updates.

The price is non-trivial, mind you. It opens at £56,815 for a standard spec and the four-cylinder petrol engine (which is a perfectly satisfactory unit, at least as we tried it in a G80 saloon).

But the diesel in Luxury Line spec tested and photographed here is £76,885. That includes options packs covering advanced headlights and HUD, quilted leather, massage seats, rear-seat infotainment, stereo upgrade, and sunroof.

The PCP and lease monthly prices aren't announced yet, though Genesis pleads they'll be close to rivals, because the residuals will be 'incredibly competitive'.

Genesis will also offer it on easy-come easy-go 'subscription' basis, for people who don't want to commit to a deposit or fixed term.

If you're buying privately, a strong diesel engine is probably what you want in a big 4x4. But this one isn't very friendly if it's a company car. CO2-related benefit-in-kind tax will be inflated by the 220g/km test figure. (A BMW X5 3.0d is under 200g/km.) Rivals also offer ultra-low-tax PHEVs, but Genesis doesn't, and says it won't.

Euro-NCAP has given it five stars for safety. Tiger Woods would doubtless agree.