Yahoo Autos Tested: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 vs. 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE350 4Matic
Last year, we compared the upstart Genesis G80 against one of the benchmark mid-size luxury sedans, the Mercedes-Benz E-class. Now there are electric versions of both, and it's a very different contest between the new 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE and the Genesis Electrified G80. While the E-class has been around for decades, Mercedes just recently launched its EQ electric subbrand, and the EQE is among the first models to reach the U.S. This time around, Mercedes is just about as new to this as Genesis is.
The two companies have taken different approaches for their EVs. While the Electrified G80 is merely a standard G80 sedan with a battery pack and electric motors instead of a gasoline engine, the EQE is entirely distinct from the gasoline-powered E-class. It has an aerodynamically optimized body, purpose-built EV underpinnings, and a far more futuristic interior than both its gasoline stablemate and the G80.
The Electrified G80 only comes one way, with a dual-motor powertrain that produces 365 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque. The EQE offers a broader lineup ranging from a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive base model up to a 617-hp AMG performance variant. For this test, we sampled the mid-level EQE350 4Matic, which has all-wheel drive courtesy of front and rear electric motors that combine to produce 288 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque.
Although the G80 is significantly larger than the standard E-class, the EQE is much closer in size to the Genesis owing to its longer wheelbase. As is becoming typical of today's EVs, both pound the pavement with heavy curb weights. The Genesis tipped the scales at 5047 pounds, while the Mercedes is even porkier at 5488 pounds. Meanwhile, the two cars in our equivalent gasoline comparison both weighed in at around 4300 pounds.
You might think that all this extra weight would hamper performance for this electric pair, and in many ways it does. But the Mercedes suffers more than the Genesis. It's the slower of the two in every acceleration metric, getting to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds to the G80's quick 4.1-second sprint. The Mercedes trails by more than a second in the quarter-mile too, and its responses to prods of the go pedal are far less immediate than the G80's.
Genesis Electrified G80
Highs: Strong performance, good real-world range, plush interior.
Lows: Doesn't boast about being an EV, not available in every state.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Highs: Comfortable ride, quiet cabin, lots of technology features.
Lows: Acceleration could be quicker, awkward styling, too many screens.
On the road, the G80 is a far more tactile machine. The EQE's steering is aloof, its brake pedal wooden (not that you'll be using these cars' brake pedals all that often, as both offer varying levels of regeneration that enable one-pedal driving in their highest settings). But the Genesis provides some feedback through its controls, making for a more engaging experience for the driver.
This tactility carries over into the interior, where the G80 features numerous buttons, knurled knobs, and materials that are pleasant to the touch. We much prefer this approach to the Mercedes cabin, which is nearly devoid of physical controls altogether. Although our car wasn't equipped with the massive hyperscreen option that takes over the dashboard, even the base setup has most of its controls contained within the 12.8-inch central touchscreen. The controls on the steering wheel are also touch-sensitive and frustrating to use.
At least the EQE displayed the good build quality we expect of Mercedes. And its rear seat is airy and spacious. You sit higher in the Mercedes compared with the lower-slung Genesis, but both cars are comfortable for front and rear occupants alike.
While the G80's styling does not advertise its electrified nature, we much prefer its conventional proportions over the EQE's blob-like shape. Apart from the three-pointed star badges, the Mercedes looks like some sort of generic car illustration displayed in a scientific presentation about transportation in the future. Although, to be fair, there is real science at work here, as it has an impressively low drag coefficient nearing 0.20.
This aerodynamic emphasis is meant to help the EQE's driving range. Although it hasn't received an official EPA rating yet, the Mercedes has a slightly larger battery pack than the Genesis does, at 90.6 kWh to the G80's 87.2-kWh pack. But the G80 still won out in the real world, as it achieved a real-world result of 280 miles in our highway test against the EQE's 260 miles.
As has been the case with all Genesis products since its inception, price is the biggest differentiator between the G80 and its competitors. Coming only as a loaded model with few available options, the Electrified G80 we tested stickers for $81,495, including a $575 option for the Hallasan green paint you see here. That's just above the EQE350 4Matic's base price of $78,950, but as is the German way, the options can take that figure far higher. With extras including $1300 rear-wheel steering, $2990 for brown nappa leather, and $1250 for a driver-assistance package, our test car pushed the sticker to $93,240.
Given the G80's clear advantage in terms of performance, driving feel, design, and value, it's the clear winner here. In fact, the gap between these two electric cars is far greater than it was between the equivalent gasoline models. Genesis's electric future is looking bright, while Mercedes needs to go back to the drawing board if it wants to maintain its status in the dawning luxury-EV era.
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