This 375-hp luxury sedan makes the BMW 5 Series look expensive

Luxury sedans aren't exactly known for being cheap, but there's a big difference between an expensive car and an expensive car that keeps getting more expensive as you add the features you actually want. That's where the BMW 5 Series can start to sting. Its starting price looks reasonable enough for a premium executive sedan, but the number climbs quickly once you start adding the equipment you'd expect at this level. Meanwhile, one of its rivals takes a much simpler approach, packing 375 horsepower and a long list of desirable features into a package that costs less when properly equipped. The BMW is still the better-known name, but if you're spending this much money on a luxury sedan, the badge isn't the only thing worth looking at. The BMW 5 Series gets expensive quickly The starting price doesn't tell the whole story Credit: BMW The BMW 530i starts at around $60,500, which doesn't sound outrageous for a modern luxury sedan. At that price, you get the comfort, technology, premium materials, and badge appeal you'd expect from one of the best-known names in the executive sedan market. The problem is that the starting price only tells part of the story. If you want more power, all-wheel drive, and the equipment that makes the 5 Series feel properly luxurious, the bill climbs quickly. The 540i xDrive starts at around $67,700, while BMW's Executive Package adds another $3,800 for features such as a head-up display, a 360-degree camera, and remote start. Add the M Sport Professional Package and some of the other desirable options, and it's easy to push the price toward $80,000. That's not necessarily a problem if you specifically want a BMW 5 Series. But when another luxury sedan offers 375 horsepower, standard all-wheel drive, and a generous equipment list without relying on a long options sheet, the BMW's pricing starts to look harder to justify. What should you expect from a luxury sedan? It's about more than having a fancy badge Credit: Genesis A good executive sedan should make everyday driving feel easier, not just give you something impressive to park in the driveway. It needs to be quiet and comfortable on a long highway run, while still having enough power to make getting up to speed feel effortless. Technology is obviously part of the equation, too. Heated and ventilated seats, a good sound system, a head-up display, and useful driver-assistance features can make a big difference when you're spending hours behind the wheel. That's also why the way a luxury car delivers its performance matters so much. You don't necessarily need 700 horsepower in a heavy sedan, but having strong low-end torque and enough power in reserve can make the whole car feel more relaxed. 375 horsepower is a sweet spot Credit: BMW There's a reason 375 horsepower keeps showing up in this comparison. It's enough to make a large executive sedan genuinely quick without turning every trip to the grocery store into an exercise in restraint. The current BMW M5 makes an enormous 717 horsepower, but it also weighs more than 5,300 pounds. That's impressive, but for most luxury-sedan buyers, a lighter-footed 350-to-400-horsepower setup makes more sense for everyday driving. The real question, then, is which sedan can deliver that sweet spot while giving you the equipment and comfort you'd expect at this price. That's where the Genesis G80 starts to look very interesting. The Genesis G80 brings 375 horsepower to the fight Its twin-turbo V-6 has plenty of muscle Credit: Genesis The Genesis G80 3.5T doesn't need a complicated powertrain lineup to make an impression. Its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 produces 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, putting it right in the sweet spot for a large luxury sedan. That torque arrives low in the rev range, with the full 391 lb-ft available from 1,300 rpm. That gives the G80 the kind of effortless shove you'd want from an executive sedan without needing to work the engine hard. Base Trim Engine 2.5L I4 ICE Base Trim Transmission 8-speed automatic Base Trim Drivetrain All-Wheel Drive Base Trim Horsepower 300 HP @5800 RPM Base Trim Torque 311 lb.-ft. @ 1650 RPM Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined) 20/29/24 MPG Make Genesis Model G80 Segment Midsize Luxury Sedan Like the BMW 540i xDrive, the G80 pairs its engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The difference is that all-wheel drive is standard across the G80 lineup, rather than something you need to build into the BMW's price. It doesn't stop with the engine Credit: Genesis The G80's appeal isn't simply about matching the BMW on horsepower. Genesis also offers features such as available rear-wheel steering and road-scanning adaptive suspension, giving the sedan more technology aimed at making the driving experience smoother and more composed. That combination fits the G80's character particularly well. It's designed to deliver strong performance without losing the quiet, comfortable feel you'd expect from a luxury sedan. And that's important because the G80 isn't trying to turn itself into an M5 alternative. Its pitch is much simpler: give you plenty of power, plenty of comfort, and the equipment to match without making you build the car option by option. The G80 packs in the equipment You don't have to keep adding options One of the biggest differences between the G80 and the 5 Series is how Genesis approaches equipment. Instead of starting with a long list of options and packages, the G80 gives buyers a clearer choice of trims, with higher versions bringing more of the features you'd expect from a luxury sedan. The G80 3.5T Sport Prestige starts at $78,350. That's certainly not cheap, but it also puts you into a car with Napa leather seating, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display, a panoramic sunroof, launch control, and a 360-degree camera. You also get a 27-inch display, adaptive cruise control, and all-wheel drive. Genesis includes a lot of the equipment that can turn a premium sedan from merely nice into something that actually feels special. The price comparison gets interesting Credit: Genesis At $78,350, the G80 3.5T Sport Prestige sits right around the price of a heavily optioned 5 Series. The important difference is that you're getting the equipment as part of the package rather than having to keep adding options to reach the same level of specification. That's what makes the G80 such an interesting alternative to the BMW. You're not simply saving money by choosing a less powerful or less luxurious car; you're getting a 375-horsepower sedan with a substantial amount of equipment already included. The BMW still has the stronger badge and a more established reputation in this segment. But if you're more interested in what the car actually gives you than what it says on the trunk lid, the G80 makes a very strong case for itself. Genesis gives buyers more peace of mind The warranty is hard to ignore Credit: Genesis Luxury-car ownership can get complicated once the warranty runs out, especially when you're dealing with a car packed with expensive technology. Genesis takes some of that worry away with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. BMW's coverage is considerably shorter, with a four-year/50,000-mile new-vehicle warranty. Genesis also provides five years or 60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage, giving the G80 an advantage even before you get to its longer powertrain protection. There's more to the ownership experience Credit: Genesis Genesis also offers its Service Valet program for the first three years. The idea is simple: when your car needs servicing, Genesis can collect it and provide a replacement vehicle, meaning you don't have to build your day around a trip to the dealership. That matters more than it might sound on paper. If you're buying an executive sedan because you want a more effortless ownership experience, convenience after the sale is just as relevant as the equipment you get when you drive it off the lot. The G80 isn't automatically the better choice for everyone, and BMW's driving character will appeal to plenty of buyers. But when you combine the G80's power, equipment, price, and warranty coverage, it's easy to see why it deserves a place on the same shopping list as the 5 Series. The G80 isn't perfect Comfort comes before sportiness Credit: Genesis The G80's biggest compromise is that it leans more heavily toward comfort than the BMW 5 Series. U.S. News notes that even in Sport+ mode, the Genesis still delivers a cushier driving experience than some buyers might expect from a car with this much power. That won't bother everyone. In fact, if your idea of an executive sedan is something that quietly eats up highway miles rather than constantly reminding you how fast it can go, the softer character could actually be part of the appeal. The other trade-off is fuel economy. The G80 3.5T is rated at 15 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway, while the BMW 540i manages 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. That's a meaningful difference if you spend a lot of time behind the wheel. The BMW therefore remains the more convincing choice for buyers who want sharper driving dynamics and better fuel economy, but the G80's advantages in power, equipment, pricing, and warranty coverage make the decision far less straightforward than the badge might suggest. Luxury isn't always about the badge The G80 proves you don't have to spend German money to get a premium sedan The 5 Series remains one of the strongest names in the executive sedan market, and there's a reason buyers continue to choose it. It offers a polished driving experience, premium materials, and the kind of reputation that few rivals can match. The G80 takes a different route by focusing on what owners actually experience every day. It gives you strong performance, a well-equipped cabin, standard all-wheel drive, and one of the most generous warranties in the luxury segment without requiring you to spend heavily on options. It may not have the same brand recognition as BMW, but that's exactly what makes the G80 interesting. For buyers who care more about comfort, features, and long-term ownership than the badge on the hood, it's a luxury sedan that's difficult to ignore.