So put that sometimes-painful HBO documentary aside for one minute – one of the true rewards of being alive the past 25 years has been watching Tiger Woods play golf, even well into his 40s. And we’re just talking the joy he has given golf fans, watching pure genius. This man changed the game. That was especially in those early days when he would regularly pancake the PGA men’s field, and forced pro golfers to become better focused and better conditioned. That’s I am more appreciative of the Genesis GV80 this morning.
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Why am I thankful for an SUV? Because the other day I saw Tiger’s Instagram post of him smiling, standing on a golf course on crutches. That shattered lower left leg was in a walking cast. He looks to be recovering well. Tiger’s crash on a Los Angeles roadway Feb. 23, after attending a golf tournament at the Riviera Country Club in the Pacific Palisades, should have been fatal. What vehicle was Tiger driving? His crash would’ve likely would have turned out fatal if not for the Genesis GV80 he was driving. A Los Angeles County sheriff said the front end was totally destroyed, bumpers smashed up. But the air bags were deployed and the interior cabin was pretty much intact.
Canada’s best luxury website: Genesis GV80 and vehicle safety
I experienced the safety features of the Tiger Woods Bentley SUV GV80 firsthand. I was test driving the SUV Tiger was driving, heading east along Lakeshore Blvd. in Oakville, just outside Toronto, during a snowy, wet, windy Friday in May. Directly in front I had an idiot slam on his/her brakes, confused about making a turn. The SUV instinctively took over. Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, including automatic brake controls, kicked in. And my wife and I noticed the shoulder straps around our torso tightening, to better stabilize us from a potential collision due to the actions of said moron.
What the makers of Genesis obviously understand is that humans are what they are. Tiger Woods’ accident was ruled to be just that. He wasn’t impaired. There was no mention of him being distracted, like on his phone. He just had a vehicle accident and what car was woods driving plays a crucial part in his safety. And a vehicle accident isn’t a crime. What the makers of the Genesis GV80 have done then is build a wonderful midsize luxury SUV that has your back. And there isn’t better value for your money that I have seen anywhere. The one I drove (2.5T Advanced) is priced at $70,000. The 3.5T Prestige is priced at $85,000. That’s the highest price.
Genesis GV80 safety features
The 2021 Genesis Tiger Woods drove was the GV80 which is the first SUV in the Genesis stable. Powered by a 2.5 litre turbocharged engine (or an available 3.5 litre twin turbo), with all-wheel drive.
Other features on the safety front include helpful warnings and automatic brakes controls to help prevent collisions at junctions on the road. The Genesis GV80 assists your steering in the event of a potential collision with pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles. The SUV will detect the obstacle and steer you back into your lane (called Evasive Steering Assist).
Dashboard camera detects driver fatigue
The you’re backing out of a parking spot, and pedestrians, cyclists or another vehicle are detected by the vehicle, the system will alert the driver of a potential collision. The brakes will also apply.
And with the Genesis GV80’s Remote Smart Parking Assist, the SUV will help you enter and exit a tight parking spot. The system controls the steering wheel, vehicle speed and gear shift. You can even control RSPA remotely using the smart key. The Forward Attention Warning will read driver fatigue via a camera built into the dashboard. When the system detects closed eyes or a lack of attention a warning system will pop up with an acoustic warning.
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Highway Driving Assist is pretty standard on most vehicles these days. On the Genesis GV80, the vehicle’s automated system will control your speed and keep you in your highway lane. The system will monitor the distance between you and surrounding traffic. The SUV has Smart Cruise Control, and uses navigation data to identify upcoming highway ramps, car curves and speed zones. It will automatically decelerate and re-accelerate to adapt to those road conditions.
And finally, a system of ten airbags protects all who are in the vehicle. That’s a security blanket for peace of mind in any or all driving conditions. Just ask Tiger Woods.
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I am a 50-something Torontonian who loves everything about my city. It’s been my home, my playground, for my entire life. I went to school here. I met my wife here. I own real estate here. I love writing about the transformation of my city on the world stage, which hasn’t been anything short of dramatic. That continues on, as I write this. I write on the real estate scene. I write on travel and fashion. I like following the world of luxury watches.
But I love writing about cars – check that, luxury cars, a level of superior, engineering sophistication, high performance and style, that transports you not just from one destination to another but also out of whatever you are going through on a particular day, whatever mood you are in, all to another head space. It’s complete and total exhilaration, head to toe.
Check out my stories, and email me direct at mkeast@regardingluxury.com
