2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T Review: Another Winner

Verdict

9.6 / 10

Design | Comfort | Technology | Performance | Safety | Fuel Economy | Pricing | FAQs

The Genesis G80 is one of the best luxury sedans – it even made the cut for the first-ever Motor1.com Star Awards. The GV80, in the same vein, is one of the best mid-size luxury crossovers you can buy today. So when it comes to the smaller GV70, Genesis didn't try and fix what wasn't already broken.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 is stylish, comfortable, and compliant, and it costs less than all of its German counterparts. Available with both four- and six-cylinder engines, ranging from the base model to the dolled-up Sport trim, the GV70 offers a bit of everything for everyone. But most importantly, it nails the basics of what makes a great luxury crossover. It's easily one of the best options in the segment.

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Design

9/10

• Exterior Color: Savile Silver 
• Interior Color: Black
• Wheel Size: 19 Inches

The Genesis design team churns out one stunning product after another, and the GV70 is no exception. The compact crossover expertly implements the brand's hash-mark headlights and shield-shaped grille, with a dramatic roofline, and wider taillights with vertical exhaust tips that help differentiate the compact GV70 from the larger GV80. The only odd exterior piece is that triangular rear window, which cuts like a knife through the otherwise cohesive design.

This Advanced model adds spokey 19-inch wheels, while this particular tester wears the $575 Savile Silver paint. There are no alternate wheels on the Advanced model if you, for some reason, don't like this pair. But you can at least ditch the drab silver for a variety of optional reds, greens, or blues instead.

Opting for the Advanced also affords you full leather on the dash and door panels in your choice of Obsidian Black or Vanilla Beige, with the latter offering a lovely contrasting black steering wheel and dash. The interior layout is clean and simple, with two knobs in the center console – one rotary shifter and another for infotainment controls – and a bank of silver buttons just above that.

The Genesis design team churns out one stunning product after another, and the GV70 is no exception.

Comfort

9/10

• Seating Capacity: 5 
• Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
• Cargo Capacity: 28.8 / 56.9 Cubic Feet

No other compact luxury crossover eats up highway miles quite like the GV70. This is the smoothest and quietest SUV in the class, with a buttery suspension that soaks up harsh pavement and impressive sound deadening courtesy of ​​an acoustic laminated windshield. The cabin is legitimately whisper-quiet, and even with these optional 19-inch wheels, there's barely any bumpiness to note.

The front buckets are sublime; the 12-way power driver's seat includes a back massage function and automatically adjusting bolsters that tighten or retract depending on the drive mode. The leather is soft and supple, while the seats offer excellent support over long distances.

The GV70 still offers ample space in either row, with an airy and open front compartment that offers a best-in-class 41.3 inches of legroom. The second row is impressively roomy, too, with a low-mounted bench that leads to healthy overhead space and 39.1 inches of legroom – another best-in-class figure. Trunk space behind the second row is a capacious 28.9 cubic feet.

Technology & Connectivity

7/10

• Center Display: 14.5-Inch Touchscreen 
• Instrument Cluster Display: 8.0-Inch Productivity Screen
• Wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto: No

The GV70 stands out thanks to its 14.5-inch touchscreen display. This is the largest standard screen in the segment and it employs the brand's latest infotainment software, which is clean, straightforward, and easy to use. This massive display is a touchscreen as well, but it's mounted too high up and too far from the driver for an easy reach. The rotary dial in the center console is the preferred method while on the move.

There’s a single analog gauge on the left side of the display, joined by an 8.0-inch digital screen and a second digital gauge on the right-hand side. This is an odd setup given the abundance of fully digital displays these days, and it's not all that configurable, offering basic options like fuel economy and audio. The GV70 does have an optional fully digital display, but it's only available on the 3.5T model.

While Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and 4G wi-fi connectivity all come standard in the GV70, the former two are still wired connections. Even on the top-end GV70, there is no wireless smartphone mirroring. That's especially frustrating given that the GV70 only offers USB-A connections, with no USB-C charging or data ports to be found. At least GV70's upgraded audio system is great; the 18-speaker Lexicon system delivers crystal clear sound and deep, rich bass.

Performance & Handling

6/10

• Engine: Turbocharged 2.5-Liter Inline-Four 
• Combined Output: 300 Horsepower / 311 Pound-Feet
• Transmission: Eight-Speed Automatic

The GV70 won't wow you with its cornering abilities or blow you away in a straight line, but this is still an extremely competent crossover. The turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine powering this model produces a robust 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet, paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive.

Smash the throttle and the GV70 accelerates with purpose, but not aggressively as a performance crossover might – the six-cylinder model offers more oomph. Power builds gradually and steadily, propelling the GV70 off the line quickly enough. The eight-speed automatic cogs through its gearing mostly unphased, but doesn't downshift as quickly as you might hope in situations necessitating extra sporty driving.

Using the same base as the G70 sedan, the GV70's rear-wheel-drive bias is on full display in the corners, yielding impressive composure and balance. The torque-vectoring system, meanwhile, delivers the perfect amount of twist on each outside wheel as needed.

The GV70's steering isn't the definition of "sharp," with an overboosted feel and minimal feedback from the tires and your fingertips. But in a crossover not attempting to be sporty, the lightweight steering makes it perfect for around-town cruising and navigating tight parking lots.

Safety

9/10

• Driver Assistance Level: SAE Level 2 (Hands-On) 
• NHTSA Rating: Not Tested
• IIHS Rating: Top Safety Pick Plus

Every GV70 gets automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control with navigation-based Highway Driving Assist (HDA) standard. The Advanced model adds blind-spot monitoring with a lane-view camera, rear cross-traffic alert, and an overhead 360-degree parking camera.

Highway Driving Assist remains one of the best Level 2 active safety features out there. Simply tick the cruise control button on the steering wheel and HDA offers braking, throttle, and steering, keeping the car perfectly centered in the lane and applying throttle and braking with no harsh inputs.

Other Amazing Genesis Products:

2022 Genesis G80 Sport First Drive Review: Do The Locomotion

2021 Genesis GV80 Review: The New Benchmark?

Fuel Economy

5/10

• City: 22 MPG 
• Highway: 28 MPG
• Combined: 24 MPG

The GV70’s turbocharged 2.5-liter engine is middling in terms of fuel economy, returning 22 miles per gallon city, 28 highway, and 24 combined in this Advanced spec. Adding the optional 21-inch wheels as part of the Sport package drops that figure to 22 mpg combined, and opting for the sporty 3.5T models drops that figure further, bringing it to 21 mpg combined.

Those figures for the four-cylinder GV70 are on-par with the all-wheel-drive versions of the Volvo XC60 (24 combined), BMW X3 (25 combined), and some other alternatives in the class. But Lexus stands out as the segment-best with up to 28 mpg combined – with all-wheel drive – while it and other manufacturers also offer plug-in-hybrid or pure-hybrid variants that are far more efficient than the Genesis.

Against other all-wheel-drive, non-hybrid crossovers in the class, here’s how the GV70 compares:

Pricing

7/10

• Base Price: $41,500 + $1,095 Destination 
• Trim Base Price: $50,745
• As-Tested Price: $51,320

The GV70 is a reasonable ask compared to other premium compact crossovers, which tend to get pricey quickly. The base model starts at $42,595 with the $1,095 destination fee included, which makes it one of the most affordable options in the class to start. The Acura RDX is a touch cheaper out of the box, asking $41,145 with destination included, while the $39,525 Lexus NX is the budget option of the group.

The Advanced trim adds $8,150 to the base price of the GV70, while the Savile Silver paint is another $575, which brings the total cost of the car tested here to $51,320. Other than paint – of which there are 12 – Genesis packages everything neatly within a single trim. Want new wheels or a sportier exterior? You'll have to splurge on a different trim level entirely.

Bottom line is, the GV70 is a great value. Active safety features come standard across the board, as does the large touchscreen display, and on the Advanced model, the company doesn't nickel and dime you for avant-garde features. Even with every option box ticked, the four-cylinder GV70 just barely crests $50,000 – the same can't be said of some alternatives.

And even with the four-cylinder engine, the GV70 is a standout in this crowded class. No need to splurge on the V6. The styling is top-notch, the interior is appropriately lavish, and overall, the GV70 drives and feels like a proper luxury crossover should.

Competitor Reviews

• Acura RDX: 8.6 / 10
• Alfa Romeo Stelvio: Not Rated
• Audi Q5: Not Rated
• BMW X3: Not Rated
• Jaguar F-Pace: 8.8 / 10
• Lexus NX: Not Rated
• Mercedes-Benz GLC: Not Rated
• Volvo XC60: Not Rated

FAQs 

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How Much Bigger Is The GV80 Than The GV70?

The Genesis GV80 is considered a mid-size luxury crossover and measures 194.7 inches in length, offering 34.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. The GV70 is a compact luxury crossover and is 185.6 inches long, with 28.9 cubic feet of cargo room behind its second row.

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What Engines Does The Genesis GV70 Offer?

The Genesis GV70 comes with two engine options: a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder and a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. The four-cylinder engine produces 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, while the V6 delivers 375 hp and 391 lb-ft.

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How Much Does The Genesis GV70 Cost?

The Genesis GV70 starts at $42,595 with the $1,095 destination fee included. The model tested here, a 2.5T Advanced, costs $50,745 to start.