From a starting spot well behind rivals with long pedigrees, the Genesis brand has come a long way. The luxury offshoot of Hyundai, began life not as a brand, but a model line. It was Hyundai’s flagship sedan.
Now in less than a decade, it claims legions of fans with it impressive product line-up, which only recently added SUVs to the portfolio. The Genesis brand has succeeded in making some impressive headway with potential buyers in a very short time.
Overview
The GV70 boasts style, power, technology and presence, helping it earn honors from J.D. Power & Associates, MotorTrend and more. All the while, the brand continues to build its reputation for offering complete, well-rounded vehicles.
The 2022 GV70 AWD Sport Prestige offers plenty of room, while the technology in the ute — starting with the driver assistance, or ADAS — is nicely integrated into the vehicle. It never seemed obtrusive or out of place, enhancing the pleasure of slipping behind the wheel and going for a spin.
Exterior
Designers face some challenges when preparing the exterior of utility vehicles because of the emphasis on functionality dictates a tall, two-box shape with five doors. But the GV70 stylists managed to endow the vehicle with a distinctive character from the handsome front all the way to shapely rear with wing and curved rear liftgate, which is both functional and sleek.
The front grille, head lamps are carefully styled to convey the vehicles dynamism and the design of the wraparound lighting scheme in the rear sets the overall exterior design of the GV70 from the competition.
Interior
The cabin of the GV70 nicely complements the exterior sheet metal. It is nicely furnished with an impressive mixture of materials and craftsmanship giving the cabin a feeling that is not plush but bright and contemporary.
The technology includes cameras, which flash a picture of what is to the rear of the vehicle when you touch the turn signal, and the horizontal screen tucked into the dashboard at the top of the center stack, can offer a substantial amount of information with the touch of switch or the turn of a dial.
Genesis has replaced the shift lever with a dial that opens the space around the cupholder. There also is plenty of room for passengers in the second row and packages or gear in the rear liftgate.
Powertrain
The 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD is equipped with a 3.5-liter, turbocharged V-6 mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. The drivetrain also is equipped with stop-start, AWD, and several drive modes with custom settings. The pairing produces 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. The U.S. Environmental Protected Agency reports the GV70 has a combined fuel-economy rating of 21 miles per gallon, including 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.
Safety and Technology
The GV70 is equipped with eight airbags for protection of both the front- and rear-seat passengers including frontal, side-impact collisions or a rollover incident. It also comes with forward collision warning for motor vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists.
Other safety technology includes an array of driver assistance features, such as blind-spot detection, lane-keeping alerts and assistance, rear cross-traffic alert, and advanced cruise control. To keep everyone entertained and make it easier to drive, it offers Sirius XM Radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Bluetooth connectivity as well as in-vehicle, turn-by-turn navigation and a head-up display as well as surround view cameras and parking assistance at the front and rear. There also is a driver attention warning.
Driving Impressions
The 3.5-liter turbocharged engine in the GV70 put out ample power for a quick take off from a traffic light or out on the highway or the freeway heading downtown. For a utility vehicle, the handling is surprisingly good going though curves or around corners.
The brakes are solid, augmented by the stability control and the forward-collision warning. The feeling of the GV70 out on the road is very smooth on all kinds of road surfaces since the vehicle’s ride is bolstered by a multi-link suspension at the front and rear.
2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T AWD Sport Prestige specifications
| Dimension | L: 185.6 inches/W: 75.2 inches/H: 64.2 inches/Wheelbase: 113.2 inches |
| Weight | 4,165 pounds |
| Powertrain | 3.5-liter twin turbo V-6 engine, 8-speed transmission, AWD |
| Fuel Economy | 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined |
| Performance Specs | 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque |
| Price | Base price: $55,000; As tested: $65,045 including $1,045 destination fee |
| On-Sale Date | Available now |
Wrap Up
The Genesis GV70 is a very impressive vehicle, and I am pretty sure anyone with a commute of any length would find it very satisfying to drive every day. It also looks quite impressive when it’s sitting still parked in a driveway or at the curb while offering ample room for passengers and their stuff. The fuel-economy is not great, and the price is more than $65,000 — but it is a very attractive vehicle all the way around.
2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige — Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the 2022 Genesis GV70 cost?
The least-expensive version is the Genesis GV70 2.5T four-door SUV AWD. Including the destination charge, it arrives with a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price of about $41,000.
How do I reserve a Genesis GV70?
Go online and click “Reserve Your GV70” to configure your vehicle. After you are done sorting it out the way you want, enter your contact information and click “Request Reservation.” A confirmation receipt will be sent to the email address you provided.
How fuel-efficient is the Genesis GV70?
You probably care about Genesis GV70 fuel economy, so it’s important to know that the GV70 gets an EPA-estimated 21 mpg to 24 mpg, depending on the configuration.
