Our 2022 Genesis GV70 Ended Up a Winner

40,000-Mile Wrap-Up

Genesis was already scoring points in the luxury segment when the GV70 entered the game. The G70 sports sedan earned a 10Best award in 2019, and the GV80 SUV did so in 2021. But the GV70 is a bigger deal than both of those vehicles, or any other Genesis model, because it plays in the premium market’s largest and most important segment. And after the GV70 vanquished the BMW X3 and the Lexus RX in a three-way comparison test, we ordered one up for a 40,000-mile shakedown.

Our GV70 arrived packing the optional twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 rather than the base turbo 2.5-liter four. Standard on all GV70s are an eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. Our test car was also kitted out in top-drawer Sport Prestige form, a $9900 upgrade that brought niceties including a 3-D digital instrument cluster, heated second-row seats, 21-inch wheels, a head-up display, nappa-leather and suede upholstery, and, on the performance side, a limited-slip rear differential. All in, the sticker was $64,045.

With 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque, the V-6 delivered a 60-mph time of 4.6 seconds, which lengthened to 5.0 seconds after 40,000 miles. The quarter-mile result, initially 13.3 seconds at 104 mph, slipped by 0.3 second and 1 mph at the end of our test. That’s satisfyingly brisk, although not far ahead of the 300-hp base engine’s 5.6 seconds to 60 and 14.1-second quarter-mile at 99 mph.

The GV70 was just average when it came to braking, however. Stops from 70 mph took 180 feet in our initial testing and 182 feet after 40,000 miles. (The comparison-test car, on the same Michelin Primacy Touring A/S tires, was much better, at 167 feet.) The two levels of brake-pedal response didn’t feel much different to us. They’re among the many configurable elements in this car.

The drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, and Custom) alter throttle and transmission mapping, steering effort, the augmented engine sound pumped into the cabin, and—exclusive to the V-6 version—the adaptive dampers. The 3.5T’s chassis has a firmer baseline ride than the four-cylinder version (in part because of the 21-inch wheels), and Michigan’s brutal pavement sometimes sent a shudder through the structure and into the cabin. Still, we found the suspension to be on the right side of harsh. And that, combined with this sportiest GV70’s roll resistance, faithful steering, and overall composure, lands it in a sweet spot “exactly halfway between a Lexus RX and a Porsche Macan,” as one commenter put it.

An area where the GV70 did not overachieve was in fuel economy. We averaged 20 mpg overall, against an EPA combined estimate of 21 mpg. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the GV70 managed 26 mpg, versus the feds’ best guess of 25 mpg. The 2.5T with the standard 19-inch wheels returned 28 mpg in our highway test. And if you’d rather not buy gas at all, there’s now the Electrified GV70, with a 236-mile EPA range.

Several multistate road trips gave us plenty of experience with Highway Driving Assist II. Mostly, it works well, but if you let the system adjust the set speed based on navigation info, it slows to an absurd degree in curves (fortunately, you can turn off this feature). The system is similarly trepidatious about executing lane changes, often chickening out with a message that conditions aren’t met.

Genesis really swung for the fences when it came to the cabin. “The interior design is wonderful,” raved video deputy editor Carlos Lago. “Rich and luxurious.” Others pronounced it worthy of a six-figure SUV. The ovoid shapes, high-quality materials, and textured-metal detailing inside the GV70 wowed us. Since Genesis retains much physical switchgear, the high style doesn’t come at the expense of usability—with one exception. “Whenever I reach for the shifter, I grab the infotainment knob,” said editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga, echoing a refrain from other drivers. We liked the infotainment system’s menu logic and generous screen size, and we wished only for a wireless Apple CarPlay connection.

The seats, which are specific to the Sport Prestige, didn’t score as high. Many drivers found them overly firm (the chairs in lesser trims are softer). The consensus was that numbness set in around the two-hour mark, but these Ergo Motion chairs have an unusual solution: After a while, the massage function automatically kicks in. And there’s more automation with lateral bolsters that squeeze tighter in Sport and Sport+ modes.

Rear-seat comfort is good, but the swoopy, sloping tail wasn’t so accommodating to bulky cargo. Still, there’s room for seven carry-on suitcases behind the rear seats, the same as in a BMW X3. The factory trailer hitch cost $889 to install and allowed us to put the SUV’s 3500-pound towing capacity to the test, with Quiroga hauling a utility trailer from Los Angeles to Detroit. He reported that the V-6 powertrain was unfazed by the task.

In one instance, the drivetrain went into a reduced-power mode, but the issue cleared up on its own and never reappeared. Otherwise, the service history reads like a sleepy bedtime story, a boring repetition of oil changes, tire rotations, and filter replacements, which are gratis for the first three years/36,000 miles. We did note faded trim around the windows, for which the dealer blamed our carwash soap, except no other long-term cars have been affected.

After 40,000 miles, the GV70 was undiminished in our estimation. In fact, this vehicle is so well turned out that our big takeaway may be that going for the top-spec V-6 Sport Prestige version isn’t really necessary. The GV70 is strong throughout the lineup—exactly the kind of performance that makes an MVP.

Rants and Raves

“I find myself turning back to look at the GV70 after I’ve parked it.” —Caleb Miller

“Interior functionality is challenged by the shifter design, which is too similar to the touchscreen controller wheel.” —Carlos Lago

“This is a well-tuned vehicle that feels more expensive than it is.” —Greg Fink

“The seat- bottom cushions in the front are too firm and flat.” —Dave VanderWerp

“I got 55 dozen eggs in the back without dropping the rear seats.” —Matthew Skwarczek

---

Service Timeline

March 30, 2022 310 miles: Long-term test begins.
June 20, 2022 11,089 miles: Dealer performs oil change, tire rotation, and inspections. $0
August 22, 2022 16,970 miles: Dealer performs oil change, tire rotation, and inspections, and replaces cabin air filter. $0
November 10, 2022 25,593 miles: Swap to Michelin CrossClimate2 winter tires. $1284
November 22, 2022 25,959 miles: Dealer performs oil change, tire rotation, and inspections, and replaces cabin air filter. $0
December 16, 2022 24,695 miles: Dealer installs factory trailer hitch. $889
January 9, 2023 26,548 miles: We replace front wiper blades. $49
Feburary 28, 2023 34,247 miles: Dealer performs oil change, tire rotation, and inspections, and replaces cabin air filter. $0
May 10, 2023 41,619 miles: Reinstall Michelin Primacy Tour A/S all-season tires. $0
May 17, 2023 42,000 miles: Dealer performs oil change, tire rotation, and inspections. $0
May 29, 2023 42,894 miles: Long-term test ends.

30,000-Mile Update

We’re a little behind with the 30,000-mile update on our 2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T. By way of excuse, the GV70 has been busy lately. It went to California and then returned to Michigan with a U-Haul trailer in tow. Immediately after that, it headed out to Colorado but now, finally, is back in Ann Arbor.

The towing adventure was in support of editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga’s move from L.A. to metro Detroit. Here’s his report:

“I can’t imagine many GV70 customers will be using their little SUV to tow, but that’s exactly what I did on a cross-country drive to move some of my more fragile items. Equipped with a beefy-looking hitch and trailer brakes, the GV70 is rated to tow up to 3500 pounds, and the loaded trailer was safely under that number.

“With the trailer hooked up—something the backup camera makes super easy—the GV70 remained as comfortable and quiet as it is on its own. The engine easily dealt with the stress and made short work of mountain passes. It’d stay in seventh gear occasionally, but there wasn’t any hunting between the top gears. Great handling doesn’t really factor into what people think are good towing vehicles, but it’s incredibly important. The responsive steering, strong brakes, excellent ride and body control all benefit the driver of the GV70 when a big weight is tied to its tail. Stability was excellent, even in crosswinds.

“Fuel economy with the trailer came in at 14 mpg. The interior also was filled with boxes, which further weighed down the GV70.

“The lane-keep and radar-cruise driving aids are things I don’t typically use, but out of sheer boredom in West Texas, I gave them a chance. A little bit of torque is required on the wheel, and it’ll occasionally find itself playing pong with the lane markers, but mostly it throws the GV70 right down the middle.

“A great audio system is a wonderful thing to have for a long drive, and the GV70’s 16-speaker Lexicon system ensured I didn’t miss a lip smack or a throat clearing on podcasts and remained clear and vibrant when playing music.

“Seat comfort is critical to enjoying a long drive too. I’d say these are four-hour seats, but with the tank lasting about 250 or so miles, the seat comfort coincides with the range while towing.

“The GV70’s infotainment interface is easy to use, but even after living with it for over 2500 miles, I still contend that Genesis got the rotary infotainment control and the rotary shifter backwards. The touchscreen works well enough that you don’t need the rotary dial, but whenever I reached for the shifter, I’d grab the infotainment knob. Not too many other gripes. Well, the power windows are a little slow to go up and down. You notice these things when you eat as much fast food as I did.”

We did find time to sneak in a scheduled service visit at 32,000 miles. It included an oil and filter change, tire rotation, cabin filter replacement, and inspections, for $178.

With fewer than 5000 miles to go, our GV70 will be completing its long-term test soon. Check back to see how it fared over the course of 40,000 miles.

Months in Fleet: 12 months Current Mileage: 35,203 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 20 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Observed Fuel Range: 340 miles
Service:$625 Normal Wear: $49 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0

20,000-Mile Update

We’ve just come out of the peak late-summer and fall road-trip season, which saw the GV70 travel as far afield as Colorado and Indiana, as well as take multiple sojourns to northern Michigan.

All of those interstate miles also gave us ample time to explore the GV70’s semiautomated driver-assist feature. Highway Driving Assist II adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering does a great job, so long as the road is fairly straight. It has a hard time negotiating curvier divided highways, even though the adaptive cruise control slows down for sharper curves. In fact, it sometimes slows to Sunday-driver speeds, and if you press the accelerator to override it, an admonishment to “drive carefully” appears in the head-up display. Having the adaptive cruise control adjust its speed based on navigation info is a feature than can be switched off, and there is a high degree of customizability for the various driver aids.

The automated lane-change feature, however, seems not ready for prime time. “You have to do abnormally slow and light initial input to get it to work,” observed testing director Dave VanderWerp. “When the vehicle is driven normally, every lane change is met with a message saying the conditions weren’t met for the assist feature.”

One commenter dissed the steering’s lack of feel and light effort in Comfort mode and suggested switching into Sport for better effort levels. Another countered that the steering is nicely weighted “and the chassis is composed on the sweeping curves of Michigan’s M-22.”

And while the heat of the summer is now a fast-fading memory, back in July, one driver found that the A/C struggled to keep things cool during idling in stop-and-go traffic (that was with the auto stop-start system switched off).

We’ve roundly praised the GV70’s chic interior, but the exterior design is garnering mixed reviews. “Flamboyant” and “not attractive to my tastes” were among deputy video editor Carlos Lago’s comments. “The tapered-tail exterior design cuts into cargo space, which behind the rear seats seems not much better than a large sedan’s,” said another commenter. In fact, the GV70 can accommodate seven carry-on-sized suitcases behind the rear seat; that’s the same as the more square-bodied BMW X3 but well shy of the Cadillac XT5, which fits 10. With the rear seatbacks folded, the GV70 has room for 22 carry-ons, versus 20 for the X3 and 24 for the commodious Caddy.

In another measure of interior utility, the GV70 fared less well. Here’s senior features editor, and new father, Greg Fink: “Now that I have a baby, I have newfound understanding of the importance of LATCH anchor locations, and the GV70’s don’t quite make the cut.” They’re difficult to access, requiring too much digging between the seatback and seat cushion. Maybe it’s because we haven’t done all that much kid toting, but the interior of our GV70 is showing little to no signs of wear as we cross the 20,000-mile mark. (More like 23,000 miles, but who’s counting?)

That mileage triggered the GV70’s second routine-maintenance pit stop. An oil change, tire rotation, and air filter change set us back $176. Nothing out of the ordinary, which is just what you want when it comes to service visits. Here’s hoping the GV70 can keep that fuss-free record going as it heads into its first winter with us.

Months in Fleet: 7 months Current Mileage: 23,184 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Observed Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $262 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0

10,000-Mile Update

We’re settling in for a 40,000-mile get-to-know-you with the Genesis GV70 3.5T, and that means staffers have been taking stock of the SUV’s cabin environs.

Initial impressions generally are positive. “A $100,000 interior in a $60,000 vehicle,” read one early logbook comment, while others praised “the level of interior detailing” and “the artistry of the cabin design.” That design features repeating ellipse shapes (such as on the door panels), textured edges on the knobs and stalks, air vents integrated into the dashboard trim, and even a metal pattern on the pedals. Since our GV70 is the top-of-the-line Sport Prestige variant, it further benefits from exclusive materials including nappa leather and microsuede upholstery, a microsuede headliner, and carbon-look Sport Aluminum accents.

There is one ergonomic issue, though. “Am I the only one who reached for the PRND dial instead of the infotainment dial?” asked creative director Darin Johnson. “No” is the answer, as those controls are too similar in size and function and are located too close together.

Please Be Seated

The key components of any interior, of course, are the seats. The thrones in our car are specific to the Sport Prestige model, and their padding is quite firm—more so than in the lesser trims. As one driver noted, “Numbness sets in around mile 100.” However, the GV70 seems to be conscious of that issue: After an hour of driving, the seat-massage function kicks on automatically for relief. It’s part of the Ergo Motion driver’s seat’s Smart Posture Assist, which will also position the seat for you, once you input your height, inseam, and (ahem) weight.

The GV70’s driver’s seat includes 16-way power adjustment including seat cushion extension and lateral bolsters. In Sport or Sport+ mode, those bolsters will tighten automatically to better hold you in place for a presumed run down the Tail of the Dragon. (The auto-tightening feature can be switched off.)

Ride Comfort

The GV70 3.5T has its own specific chassis tuning, and adaptive dampers are exclusive to this model. We judged the ride to be firm, but it stays just shy of harsh. However, one commenter noted that “big pavement imperfections send shudders through the structure.” Lesser GV70s without the adaptive dampers are more compliant, but this is, after all, the most sporting variant, designed to take on the likes of the BMW X3 M40i. It’s also riding on 21-inch wheels, whereas 19-inchers are standard with the V-6 (and 18s with the four-cylinder).

Speaking of those 21-inch wheels, we’ve already curbed one (ugh!), which we still have to get fixed. Happily, that’s the extent of our mishaps so far. We’ve completed our first service, which is called for at 8000 miles, and it was purely routine; an oil change, tire rotation, and inspections were done, and covered by Genesis’ three-year/36,000 mile complimentary maintenance plan.

Summer road-trip season is now in full swing, and those long journeys should further test the GV70’s cosseting character.

Months in Fleet: 4 months Current Mileage: 13,767 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Observed Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0

---

Introduction

Genesis is on a hot streak lately. Both the G70 sports sedan and the brand’s first SUV, the GV80, have collected Car and Driver 10Best trophies. Now comes the GV70—smaller than the GV80, this new crossover is based on the G70 sedan—and while it was not able to nab a 10Best award in its debut year, it is fresh off a comparison test win against two longtime segment staples: the BMW X3 and Lexus RX350.

That great initial impression is now going to be followed by a 40,000-mile stress test. Will our strong feelings for this new Genesis last? We’re about to find out.

Our journey with the GV70 began at the grand opening of the Genesis brand’s first standalone North American dealership, which is in Lafayette, Louisiana. A storm advancing from the Gulf prompted us to take quick delivery and hit the road. The dealer put the plates on, handed us the keys, and we headed north toward Michigan.

With our long-term G70 sedan, our biggest regret was not getting the more powerful engine. So, we made sure to not make the same mistake this time. We skipped over the GV70’s standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four in favor of the optional 375-hp twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6.

After a roughly 1700-mile road trip bisecting the eastern part of the country, the GV70 hit the track for its initial test. The sprint to 60 mph took 4.6 seconds, and the Genesis reached the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 104 mph. So far, we’re averaging 21 mpg, and that figure matches the EPA’s combined rating. On our 75-mph highway test loop, we achieved 23 mpg, slightly lower than the EPA’s 25-mpg estimate.

Upgrading to the 3.5T brings a plethora of sporty and luxurious features, too, including an adaptive suspension with road preview, a panoramic sunroof, and leather. On top of that, we got the $9900 Sport Prestige package. It adds 21-inch wheels and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, among other features. Wearing a set of Michelin Primacy all-season tires, our car pulled 0.82 g around the skidpad and required 180 feet to come to a halt from 70 mph. That’s a bit off compared to the GV70’s more performance-focused German rivals, but we’re not complaining as the ride is tuned well for daily driving.

If you do get after it on a back road, the 16-way power driver’s seat bolsters hug you and keep you snug when cornering. As part of the Sport Prestige package, our car is equipped with suede seat inserts and headliner and has carbon-fiber trim. These materials help create a posh interior environment that reminds us of far more expensive SUVs, and we’re sure to enjoy 40,000 miles in an interior this sublime. The GV70 3.5T comes standard with Highway Driving Assist II—we’ll let you know how this Level 2 driver-assist system operates as we embark on numerous summer road trips.

Genesis offers an extensive color palette on the GV70, including hues such as Barossa Burgundy and Cardiff Green, but due to supply shortages we settled for a pre-built car that’s finished in Uyuni White, a $500 option. We’re not complaining about the dull white-on-black livery, but there surely are more interesting options. The 3.5T features oversized dual tailpipes that poke through the black mesh surround on the rear bumper for a more extroverted look than the upright pentagonal exhaust tips on the 2.5T. The V-6 model also gets black trim on the bumpers and side skirts.

In its comparison-test win, we said that “the GV70 puts an exclamation point on Genesis’s ability to compete in the heart of the luxury market.” Over the next 40,000 miles, we’ll let you know if that punctuation still stands. –Connor Hoffman

Months in Fleet: 1 months Current Mileage: 4032 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0

---