Auto123 reviews the 2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T.
Fifth model to join the Korean luxury brand's Canadian lineup, the Genesis GV70 represents what could be one of the best bargains on the market today. Luxury SUVs continue to gain market share, occupying the space once occupied by similarly sized sedans, and the GV70 offers a lot for the asking price, no question about it.
After driving the model with the V6 engine earlier in 2021, we jumped at the opportunity to test the “base” variant, the one equipped with the 2.5T 4-cylinder turbo engine.
The GV70 starts at $49,115. At that price, you get a lot for the money from this premium SUV. We'll list some of the features below, but you can be sure that you won't be short of them. Our tester had the Advanced Plus option for a pre-tax price of $59,115.
In this range of vehicles, competitors are numerous and varied. We can put the GV70 in the general ballpark of the Lexus NX (starting price, $50,010), BMW X3 ($55,942), Audi Q5 ($50,700) and Mercedes-Benz GLC ($54,195), to name just those. Note that all those prices include preparation fees, which are also calculated in the price of the GV70. Note also, in case you hadn’t, that the GV70 is the only one in the group to have a starting price under $50,000. And as mentioned, at this price, the Genesis SUV is already very well equipped.
Inside
The GV70, even at the entry level, offers a wealth of standard equipment. There are, for example, 12-way power and heated front seats, automatic climate control, reclining rear seats, remote smart key and power liftgate with hands-free opening. A 14.5-inch HD touchscreen manages the infotainment system, and there's satellite navigation as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 9-speaker audio system and wireless charging.
Frankly, you miss out on very little in terms of luxury-car essentials here with the entry-level model. When others don't hesitate to charge you several thousand dollars extra for some of these options, Genesis is generous with its products, with the GV70 leading the way. This translates into comfort on board and a quiet ride.
In the back, there's no shortage of room. Taller occupants will have enough legroom and headroom. Cargo space is average for the segment at 542 litres, which is more than enough to carry the luggage belonging to four adults. If you need more space, you get 1,678 litres with the second bench seats folded down.
That said, while it does well, the GV70 doesn't stand out from its rivals in terms of cargo space. But it’s one of the few areas where it doesn’t stand out.
Infotainment and connectivity
A big draw in this comfortable interior is the 14.3-inch infotainment screen. It's large, bright and user-friendly, and it works very well with the rotary knob even though that knob can and is easily confused with the gearshift knob just below it. Which means that sometimes, instead of accessing the infotainment, you change the gear, or vice versa. No doubt, a few weeks of use and the confusion should disappear. But after a week with the GV70, we were still doing one thing when we meant to do another. On the other hand, once you get that straightened out, Apple Carplay is a breeze to work in thanks to the wheel.
Wireless charging works well even if you still have to use a wire to display Apple CarPlay on the screen. Here’s hoping that in the next edition of the model, that won’t be necessary for either CarPlay or Android Auto.
Safety and technology
Like all members of the Hyundai-Kia Group, Genesis isn’t stingy when it comes to safety functions. In all GV70s, there are eight standard airbags, including a centre one between the front seats. This means that in the event of a side impact, a central side airbag between the occupants will help mitigate the impact. A full suite of electronic safety technologies is also standard, including blind spot monitoring, forward collision avoidance (car/pedestrian/cyclist detection with cross-traffic assist), lane keep assist, rear cross-traffic alert and intelligent cruise control.
Engine
Okay, so here's the heart of the matter when it comes to this entry-level variant. Will motorists suffer behind the wheel of this GV70 for having a “small” engine under the hood? The 4-cylinder that serves as the base engine produces 300 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, while the V6 produces 375 hp.
We've previously tested out the 2.5T engine in Kia models smaller than the GV70 and we did wonder if it would do the job here. We can confirm that the 300 hp is present and accounted for, and it keeps the SUV responding very well and staying sharp in all types of driving. No doubt, some drivers will miss the raw power that the V6 offers in this model, but the power on hand here is more than enough for the GV70's size and weight. At no point did we feel the need to get more than the engine could offer.
The only minor disappointment had to with fuel consumption, which we found to be a little high, ending our week at just over 12L/100 km. With the 3.5L engine, we had finished our week at just under 14.0L/100 km, for about the same distance and mixed road environments.
Value for money
Genesis came to Canada without much fanfare, but it has given motorists in the premium segments a real alternative to the German big boys. You still don't see that many of its vehicles on the road, but we can tell you that drivers who ditch their German SUV in favour of this Korean model are not likely to regret it. As a bonus, they will almost certainly have paid less!
Overall, this GV70 is a vehicle well worth short-listing; if you're shopping in the segment, you should definitely check it out. In addition to offering the comfort and finish of a premium vehicle, this model gives you the benefit of Genesis' generous five-year/100,000 km warranty, as well as free regular maintenance and concierge service for five years.
We like
Engine
Design
Equipment
Ride and handling
Warranty, with regular maintenance included
Concierge service also included
We like less
The rotary knob twins
CarPlay / Android Auto only accessible with wire connection
Mediocre fuel economy
Low towing capacity
The competition
Acura RDX
Audi Q5
BMW X3 / X4
Buick Envision
Cadillac XT5
Infiniti QX50 / QX55
Lexus NX
Lincoln Corsair
Mercedes-Benz GLC
Volvo XC60
