The Genesis GV70 Is The Performance Crossover You Need To Pay Attention To.
Fast, refined, and stunning, this Genesis outperforms all sorts of other crossovers.
Forget anything you thought about Genesis before 2020. The Korean marque has rebuilt itself. Formerly a slightly nicer Hyundai, this lineup is making strides to compete with the big German manufacturers in both luxury and performance. Sure, it doesn't have the prestige or perception of BMW, Mercedes, nor Audi, but that isn't stopping Genesis from delivering a lineup filled with attractive, fun, and quality models.
Not long ago, I reviewed the bigger Genesis GV80 SUV, and praised its quality, performance, and value, calling it one of the best SUVs you can buy for under $100,000 (while it costs far less than that). With plenty of luxury performance crossovers tested in the past couple years, I wanted to see what the all-new GV70 was about, and the good people at Genesis sent over a loaded one for me to examine for a week.
The Vital Figures
The Genesis GV70 is an all-new crossover for the manufacturer that's rebuilding its entire lineup, with seating for five. Genesis offers the GV70 with two engine options. Standard is a 2.5-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, which produces 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. The optional twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 (which is the same optional engine offered in the bigger Genesis GV80 SUV) packs 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, and can sprint from 0-60 MPH in five seconds flat.
Each engine option comes with different trim levels to meet plenty of budgets, which is nice for a luxury crossover that's trying to steal business from some serious German rivals. Competing with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC, this Korean marque is picking a fight with an attractive package that's packing good stats, and it's also reasonably priced. In V6 guise, the more powerful Genesis GV70 finds itself punching in a weight class against the Audi SQ5 (which I recently reviewed), BMW X3M, and AMG's GLC offering.
All-wheel-drive is standard with both engines, matched up to an 8-speed automatic transmission. My tester was the V6 model, which has EPA fuel economy estimates of 19/25/21 (city/highway/combined). Speaking of fuel, to get the stated peak output figures, Genesis requires premium unleaded. You can use the lower octane stuff if you want, but you'll sacrifice a few ponies.
Base price for the Genesis GV70 2.5T is $42,045, and bumps up around $50,000 in its top Advanced trim. Opt for the twin-turbo V6, and you'll start at $52,600. Genesis makes options simple, with just two packages to make your GV70 sportier, more tech-loaded, and more luxurious inside. The $5,000 Sport Advanced Package adds Nappa leather seats with quilted patterns, layered backlit edge trim, leatherette trim along the doors and dash, suede headliner, heated steering wheel, Genesis' digital key, surround view monitor and blind spot monitor, remote smart parking assist, parking warning systems, and a Lexicon 16-speaker audio system.
For another $4,900 Genesis' Sport Prestige Package upgrades the GV70 with 21-inch wheels (versus standard 19s), an electronic limited-slip differential, suede inserts for the seats, carbon fiber interior trim, 3-zone climate control, heated second row seats, manual rear sunshades, a bigger 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument cluster with a heads up display. All-in, the loaded Mauna Red Sport Prestige model I tested hit a total MSRP of $64,045 after destination.
A Sublime Daily Driver
Genesis nails the comfort drive mode nicely in the GV70, with a smooth ride from its adaptive suspension that has the right balance of response and compliance. The twin-turbo V6 makes its presence felt with any reasonable throttle input, and produces some good sounds through its big exhaust tips. Go easy on that fun pedal, or you'll end up achieving 16 MPGs like I did during my week-long test. Electric steering assistance should stick to the comfort setting, when you dial in a custom drive mode, as it feels over-boosted in any of the sporty settings.
As I cruised around Austin, I was surprised how many second looks the GV70 got while I enjoyed a near-silent cabin that eliminated any outside noise. I love the styling language from Genesis, and think this Korean luxury brand is giving its German competition a run for its money. Once you're inside the GV70, you're greeted by a cabin that's not only finely appointed, but also styled with equal parts cool components and tidy placement. The bigger GV80 SUV was definitely swinging for the fences against much more expensive SUVs, with plenty of finely stitched leather and cool quilting.
The GV70's cockpit benefits from a massive and split widescreen infotainment setup, which does have touchscreen functionality, in addition to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Genesis was smart to place this display further ahead than is easy to reach, knowing it would be better coordinated with your line of sight. Thankfully the control dial on the center console is easy to use, and Genesis' native infotainment UI is fantastic. Lexicon may not be a household name in the sounds system space, but the GV70's system is great, with loads of quality and depth across the audio spectrum, and the metallic mesh speakers look cool too.
The 3D digital instrument cluster is cool, showing its depth when you move to either side of the screen, and I appreciate Genesis making its depth adjustable if you aren't in love with that extra element. One feature I liked in its larger GV80 sibling is the side mirror camera that projects your side view when you indicate either left or right with the turn signal on the corresponding dial.
Seats in the Genesis GV70 are great, with plenty of lateral support, heating and ventilation, and a great look that blends leather, suede, and contrasting red stitching. Red seat belts are a sporty touch too. The driver seat position is definitely higher than I like, with the lowest setting still having my head nearly hitting the ceiling while placing the top of the dash way lower than I want. I wish the 16-way power seats offered a lower setup, to give you a sportier cockpit feel in addition to a lower center of gravity.
If you're only toting kids and teenagers in your GV70, the back seat space is good enough. Should you be hauling your adult friends more often, they're going to feel a bit cramped in the back seat, making the bigger middle row legroom of the three-row Genesis GV80 more attractive. Genesis is wise to include a pair of buttons on the shoulder of the front passenger seat, in case the rear passenger needs them to move up.
Cargo space in the hear hatch is good for a crossover, offering plenty of storage for your luggage or shopping bags. Again, if you truly require a ton of space, the Genesis GV80 is ready to land in your driveway. There isn't a big storage pocket hidden under the floor panel that raises up, but you can stash smaller items in there, in a space shared with some audio hardware.
Driver safety systems in the Genesis GV70 are good, but not great. The lane change warning and indication system is a bit too sensitive, unless you completely turn it off. Same goes for the lane departure system, which has a tendency to bounce between the lane lines too aggressively. The GV70's adaptive cruise control system is good at maintaining distance and speed, but without a good lane keeping system, you're still doing a bit of the work yourself. I still think the GV70 is a great all-around daily driver that offers plenty of fun and a great ride quality.
Fine Details Throughout
Exterior styling for Genesis GV70 is fantastic. How Genesis gave the GV70 smooth yet striking lines along its profile are a master class in making a crossover cool without going over the top. Even the metal window trim follows a less conventional line along the top of the side windows while dipping down toward the rear end at the C-pillar. I love the split horizontal lighting up front and out back, with cool LED elements built into stylish housings. The GV70's fascia and grille are cool as hell, even if the front side vents and the ones around the tailpipes are fake. I will admit Genesis looks like it's copying Bentley's badge and Mulliner grille treatments, but the GV70 still looks way more upmarket than its MSRP indicates.
I appreciate Genesis making the GV70's cockpit somewhat understated while still supplying a ton of leather to cover every bit of the dash, center console, and door panels while touches of aluminum look pieces complete the package. It's cool and luxurious without trying too hard, and there isn't any cheap plastic in sight. As opposed to the Genesis GV80, this Sport Prestige trim of the GV70 had a nice blend of leather and suede inserts on its seats, giving it a sportier look. Carbon fiber trim is an upgrade in the Sport Prestige package, and I like the look of the varied blends of the weave, with thicker diagonal details running along the panels.
Touch points in the GV70, including the infotainment, climate, window, wiper, and turn controls are all finished with grooved metallic pieces that feel great, and everything has a positive detent. Genesis nailed this for a reasonably-priced luxury crossover. There are some capacitive touch controls for the A/C modes, in addition to the seat heat and ventilation adjustments, but thankfully Genesis still uses physical knobs for the temperature controls. I also love how smoothly the climate vents are incorporated into the dash, without creating gaps in the flow of the GV70's cockpit.
Packing Surprising Performance
Along twisty roads, the Genesis GV70 is fun to toss around. Packing way more useable power than the Audi SQ5 I reviewed this summer, the twin-turbo V6 in the GV70 stomps with even a hint of throttle application. With the bigger engine option at my disposal, the GV70 ripped from a dead stop, and effortlessly made quick moves around slower motorists along city streets or on the freeway. With its peak 391 lb-ft available from 1,300 - 4,500 RPM, Genesis gave this quick crossover more than sufficient torque across a great rev range. I'm curious to test the "lesser" turbo inline-four in the standard GV70, as I suspect its 300-horsepower setup will get the job done. The 8-speed automatic does have some strange shift logic in the sporty modes, so I stuck with using the little paddle shifters when I was tossing the GV70 around.
The GV70's default drive modes are fine, but if you want to enjoy yourself on a fun route, you need to setup the custom drive mode with the suspension, engine, and braking in sport+, but make sure to put the steering in comfort. I know this sounds odd for a sporty configuration, but Genesis gives the GV70 some strangely over-boosted electric steering assist, which is downright bad in its sportiest setting. You'll appreciate calming down that artificial input as you toss this fun crossover into a quick bend.
Four-piston monoblock calipers do a decent job of slowing the GV70 when you're speeding toward a fast corner, but at over 4,400 pounds, this Genesis crossover isn't exactly light. I didn't love that the sportiest drive mode of the Audi SQ5 wasn't set up for outright fun, but it did a great job of concealing its slightly lower curb weight when you were hooning it. Body roll is definitely present when you're throwing the Genesis crossover into a medium speed corner, and there's a lot of understeer when you're trying to toss it around with some pace, but I'm only giving the GV70 few points off for this as Genesis is a bit new to the sport luxury game.
One other gripe I have is in the rubber department. With the 21-inch wheels--with a design that isn't for everyone--fitted as part of the Sport Prestige option package, Genesis still wraps them in Michelin Primacy Tour all-season tires, which makes no sense at all. If this package is supposed to be more competent, especially with an electronic LSD fitted, the GV70 needs some sticker tires like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. I have a hunch sportier rubber and sidewalls would help the GV70's body roll, and a hint more rear-bias for the AWD system would help mitigate the understeer problems too.
It's Time You Considered Genesis
When you upgrade to the bigger twin-turbo V6 option, the GV70 offers exceptional fun for your dollar, while still remaining nicely refined inside and out. It isn't perfect in the sporty department, but Genesis did a damn good job calibrating the GV70 to be a fantastic crossover to drive for any daily or fun needs.
Up against the more popular Audi SQ5, or the not so full-fat AMG package in the GLC, the GV70 isn't as dialed-in for sheer performance, but it's still good fun when you get it dialed in. At nearly $8,000 less expensive than the quick Audi or AMG crossovers, the GV70 has epic value. If the GV70's loaded $64,000 sticker price is a bit steep, you'll still be happy with the slightly less powerful 2.5-liter turbo 4-cylinder option.
I think the GV70 is the best performance luxury crossover you can buy when you compare its overall experience against the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLC. Its name and country of origin may not get a lot of respect against its more established German rivals, but Genesis stepped up off the bench to become a star player. It's time you gave Genesis some attention when you're looking for a fun luxury car.
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Comments (6)
Genesis is on a roll.
The brand is growing on me.
However, Im not a fan of many crossover styles.
Check out the Genesis G70 sedan, which competes with the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class. I’ll be reviewing one of those soon too.
Looks good too!
That thing is perfection. Anyone who argues that is clinically brain dead.
the design will take some time to understand for me, but other than I love it