The 375-HP Executive Sedan That Outclasses A Loaded BMW 5 Series

9 minutes reading

Thursday, 6 Aug 2026 13:00 0 4 autotech

Watching any luxury car advertisement on TV or seeing it in print tells you a completely different story from the buying experience. Often, what you see in an advertisement is not necessarily what you’re going to get for the advertised pricing. Once options are added, the price far exceeds what you originally thought you were going to pay.

The Loaded BMW 5 Series Is A Trap

Front 3/4 action shot of 2025 BMW 5 Series in silver driving on road

BMW

The base model, the BMW 530i, has an alluring starting MSRP of around $60,500. It also has a tenured prowess unlike any other executive sedan out there save for the E-Class Mercedes-Benz. Therefore, this exuberant pricing makes sense and is most certainly earned. Other than the curb weight being exorbitantly heavy, the new 5 Series lives up to expectations in design, class, and comfort. BMW also did a great job of parsing out the different powertrains and even including an electric option in the same body. The interior is lush, plush, and all-around expensive feeling. That expense, however, isn’t just a feeling… it’s also a reality.

Close To $80,000 And Up When It’s All Said And Done

Mercedes And Audi Are Equally Confusing

2026 Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain front quarter

Mercedes-Benz and Audi are guilty of this as well. They lure you in with a comparably priced base model for their E-Class and A6, and then make you pay extra for the features you come to expect from an executive-class sedan. We could have put the 5 Series against the Mercedes-Benz E450, which has a 375 horsepower engine as well, but again, you end up coming out close to a similar MSRP. Audi is slightly better at this as they have an outright more technological appeal to them, but end up being pretty expensive without nearly as much power.

What You Should Be Prioritizing

We are honestly grateful that this segment of car still exists in the United States. This segment pioneered what all luxury SUVs are today. The listed criteria that you come to expect from any luxury car were first brought to fruition through executive-class sedans. They should be able to envelop you and make you forget about the world outside. If the world outside comes a little too close for comfort, then it should also be able to rock you away at the touch of an accelerator. It should also do it with ease, and glide you up to speed swiftly and comfortably.

It should also come with the latest technology. Back in the day, there were heated seats that were also power adjustable. The bar was much lower then. Today, how big is the dashboard screen and does it come with artificial intelligence of some kind? One of the biggest complaints from consumers recently about luxury vehicles is that these timeless brands are forgetting what it truly means to be a luxury car. What it boils down to is how the power is delivered, and how it makes you feel.

375 Horsepower Is The Goldilocks Number For An Executive Sedan

The current-generation BMW M5 makes an unbelievable 717 horsepower. Mind you, it does have a 5,300-pound curb weight, so it technically needs that to achieve its sporty nature, but it’s still impressive nonetheless. The sweet spot in this segment for a powerful and comfortable ride lies between 350 and 400 horsepower. It’s enough power to embarrass some other sports cars, but it won’t punish you for getting up to speed. Where the speed sits is important, too. If the engine provides low rev torque, then you’re set. Therefore, the target of 375 horsepower is a Goldilocks number in this case.

Luxury That’s Measured In Quiet Admiration

The 2027 Mercedes-Benz S-Class front shot

Have you ever heard the phrase, “money talks, wealth whispers”? It’s basically an adage that compares real wealth to material wealth. You shouldn’t have to flaunt it. It should just speak for itself. That’s what real luxury is measured in: an ability to communicate how wealthy you actually are without being ostentatious. German-made cars used to be like that. Now, save for the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, you’ll find that a lot of these cars scream money instead of whispering wealth. While the executive-class sedan that we are comparing the 5 Series to could be considered the new kid on the block and doesn’t nearly have the same brand prestige as the aforementioned automakers, it gives customers exactly what they’re looking for and more.

The 2026 Genesis G80 3.5T Isn’t Messing Around

The Genesis G80 originally came out for the 2017 model year. It is currently not their flagship sedan. That title is held by the G90. It brought the brand to life. Before that, Hyundai would make offshoot luxury versions of its cars within the Hyundai/Kia brand. This was the first time the brand had something it could call its own from a luxury branding perspective.

We are currently in the second generation that came out in 2021 and was refreshed into what it is today for the 2024 model year. It makes 375 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged V6, like the 540i only the BMW’s engine is an inline unit. They both have eight-speed automatic transmissions and they’re both all-wheel drive. U.S. News even referred to it as being as swanky as an E-Class with a much more reasonable price tag.

The G80’s Engine Makes No Compromises

This twin turbo V6 is so venerated in the Genesis bloodline that they put it in their midsize SUV, the GV80, as well. The displacement is reflected in the badging on the car, with a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 putting 375 horsepower at 5,800 rpm. The torque arrives essentially at idle, with 391 pound-feet at 1,300 rpm.

What’s impressive is that all-wheel drive is standard on every G80 model. Even more impressive is the available rear wheel steering, which is basically made for autobahn speeds, as well as road scanning adaptive suspension that predicts what’s coming up on the road and adjusts the suspension accordingly.

The Top Of The Line’s MSRP Is How Much?

The best part about Genesis is that they option their vehicles just like their standard brand Hyundai. They don’t give you confusing packages that are price locked. What you see is what you get in the different trim levels offered. The 3.5T Sport Prestige has an MSRP of $78,350. This includes Napa leather seating, a Bang & Olufsen sound system, a heads-up display, launch control, a panoramic sunroof, a 360-degree camera with a blind spot camera… the list goes on.

It does come with a 27-inch display that might not be as big as some of its competitors, but is big enough that it rivals most. They are so confident in this display that even the base model 2.5 T receives it as well as adaptive cruise control. The Genesis does come with highway driver assist, but it’s not fully hands-free like the BMW’s. That might be the only feature holding this back.

Genesis’s 10-Year Warranty Makes BMW’s Coverage Look Like A Trial Period

For a luxury car, most owners probably have a three-year lease. However, if you do plan on owning it, most owners plan on owning it for a decade and that’s where the gap compounds. Genesis has headline prestige with their Service Valet subscription. This is a three-year maintenance perk that Genesis offers. This means that the dealership will swap a car with you to take care of yours. Genesis wants to make sure that your ownership experience is like nothing else, and the warranty reflects that as well.

An Unrivaled Warranty Dissolves Long-Term Stress

Rear 3/4 shot of 2026 Genesis G80 in silver parked

Unheard of for a luxury car is Genesis’ 10-year, 100,000-mile powertrain warranty, whereas BMW has a four-year, 50,000-mile warranty. Of course, this doesn’t cover the car entirely for 10 years, but you still get five years and 60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage, which still exceeds BMW’s. At the end of the day, these are complex machines that require special care and if you have that much of a warranty for something special, you should definitely consider it.

Sublime Rides And A Thirsty Engine

The only other feature that the Genesis G80 might not have over the BMW is its driving experience. According to US News, even in Sport+ mode you still have a cushier experience than you might expect or even want. There’s also the fuel consumption, as it receives 15 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway. Meanwhile, the 540i gets 26/33 in comparison. Of course, everything has trade-offs, and the Genesis G80 might have just outclassed the 5 Series.