2023 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Plus – Road Test

When Genesis announced the GV70 SUV I rolled my eyes… not another manufacturer joining the sporty SUV craze! Then when I saw it the first thing I thought was… this is a sporty SUV. OK, it appears they know something I don’t. It’s a good thing I don’t work for a manufacturer in the design department. The question is… is it REALLY a sports-car on stilts or just a pretender? The short answer – oh yeah – it is.

What Is It?

Mid-size Premium SUV with an attitude
According to Genesis PR Dept: “With standard All-Wheel Drive, powerful engines, and optimal suspension that combine to provide dynamic and balanced driving performance, the GV70 is guaranteed to bring the “sport” back in SUV”
In reality: NAILED IT!!
Advanced AWD comes standard across the range
Available with: 2.5L Turbo (3 variations)
3.5L Twin-Turbo (Sport or Sport Plus)
8-speed automatic with paddle shift
The Sport Plus gets a Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) – park the GV70 from outside using the key FOB. We didn’t try this – it’s just one thing we’d not want to go wrong while testing it
An All-Electric is also available (429 hp / 516 lb-ft of torque and a range of 380 kms)

How Does It Look?

Aggressive and sporty
To these eyes – the front and back, it’s very attractive…but the profile, it’s not such a beauty. Others really liked it, just not me, but that’s OK
We absolutely loved the 21″ G-Matrix-patterned wheels
Power Folding Outside Mirrors + Puddle Lamp are a nice touch

What’s It Like Inside?

The nice big Alloy Pedals are one of the first things you see even before climbing in – we wish all vehicles has similar pedals instead of those mickey-mouse little one’s that seem to permeate the car industry
The entire interior is beautiful and classy…and sporty at the same time
The driver’s position is perfect and with the 2-person memory it keeps it that way – set the multi-way seat once, lock it in the memory and no need to touch it again
Power Tilt & Telescopic Steering Wheel – also included in the memory button
Heated AND Ventilated front seats, heated rear seats
The Driver’s seat is 16-way power adjustable with power lumbar, power cushion extension and power bolster – is extremely comfortable
Front Passenger seat is 8-way power operated
The driver gets a very nice 12.3-inch digital gauge display that is programmable to your own preferences – also a HUD is included
Microfibre suede headliner is unique to the Spot Plus – it gives it a classy, yet sporty feel to the interior
The switches, buttons and knobs are all a high-end medal feel/look to them and really add a lot of quality to the interior
The HVAC controls are great – either use the dial, or just touch the mini screen to adjust your preferences. I found the touch method the easiest and fastest way
Thanks to the panorama moon roof there’s plenty of light in the cabin
Test vehicle interior is Obsidian Black – all the interior bits are black. Others available are: Sevilla Red and Ultramarine Blue and the interior colour combo is quite striking, especially in the red
Rear legroom is good, but the headroom might be an issue for taller rear passengers due to the steep curve of the roofline
Rear seats fold 60/40 and completely flat. There’s a tiny cargo cover storage area under the floor – nice touch, especially when you need to remove it for bulkier items
Cargo Volume: Seats up: 819L Seats Down: 1,610L (29 cu-ft)

Infotainment System

There are 2 rotary knobs in the centre console. One is the transmission selector, the other the Infotainment selector – when not looking, I was constantly using the Info dial to try and get into reverse/drive – probably something you’d get used to if you were living with it longer term
The dial for the infotainment/controls uses a combination of clicking left/right pressing down or rotating to get the desired adjustment. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but it is very easy to use and very effective
The 14.5-inch widescreen infotainment display is nice and clear – it’s a touchscreen, but you’ll find it easier to use the dial if you’re the driver – the front passenger however with just reach out and change you’re setting
Lexicon Premium Audio with 18-Speakers – is superb
Surround View Monitor – now becoming more as a standard feature among all the manufactures – love it!!
Wired Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot are all standard features
Wireless device charging is in a deep pocket right under the HVAC control – it also houses 2 illuminated USB plugs and has a cover to protect from prying eyes
Rear passengers get 2 USB and a 120-volt plug

So How Quick Is It & How Does It Handle?

With 375 hp and 391 lb-ft torque available under your right foot… amazing – even in Eco mode it is a beast
Steering input is very good, with enough feedback that you know you’re losing grip on the corner – that you WILL push as hard as you can to see the limits
It handles like a sports car – you just have to remember it’s got a higher centre of gravity , so don’t push it too hard
In Sport + mode it really goes like a sports car – as the 0-60 time proves
Electronic Control Suspension with Road Preview – it reads the road ahead and prepares for the bumps – something that is plentiful in Ontario – works great in smoothing the drive
The Sport Plus gets an Electronic Limited Slip Differential
The Parking Collision Avoidance-Assist Rear (PCA-R) – works great, there are a few blind spots when reversing out of a stall parking spot in a busy parking lot

Horsepower: 375 @ 5,800 rpm

Torque: 391 @ 1,300 rpm

Top Speed(est): 241 km/h

0 – 60 mph: 4.6 seconds

What Does It Cost?

~ To Buy… For up-to-date pricing and options in your region visit: Genesis.ca

Base Price (Sport): $70,500 // Sport Plus: $77,500

~ To Operate…

Unfortunately it requires premium fuel – but that’s to be expected in a vehicle like this
(L/100 km) is rated at: City -12.9 / Highway – 10.0 / combined – 11.6
On the highway I was averaging between 9.6 and 10.0 L/100 km – perfectly acceptable considering the power this thing insists you use at every opportunity
Town/city numbers were:

~ Warranty:

Comprehensive Warranty: 5 year / 100,000 km
Roadside Assistance: 5-year – 24/7 Enhanced Roadside Assistance

The Genesis Experience:

For service and maintenance appointments, we’ll come to your location of choice to pick up your vehicle. While your vehicle is serviced, a Genesis courtesy vehicle is left at your disposal.
Complimentary Scheduled Maintenance for 5 years or 100,000 km whichever comes first
Keep your vehicle’s advanced navigation system up-to-date with complimentary annual updates

The Competition

Alfa Romeo Stelvio, BMW X4 / X6, Jaguar E-Pace / F-Pace, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Porsche Macan, Tesla Model Y, Volvo XC60

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly…

The Good: It’s like a sports car… but it’s practical
More Good: If you don’t need/want the V6, there’s a 4-banger Turbo also available
The Bad: Takes premium fuel. Not an issue in Europe, but in Canada with an additional 20-25¢ per litre – it adds up!
The Ugly: Zero

What’s The Verdict?

What do you call an SUV that thinks it’s a sports car? You call it a Genesis GV70! What an amazing SUV…I loved every minute behind the wheel and found any excuse at all to go for a drive. It feels solid and sporty at the same time and corners like a true sports car. Its main competitors are more expensive (a few of them are many thousand$ more) and they’re not as well equipped –some of them have questionable reliability and all have shorter and/or not as comprehensive warranties either.

If you want to save $20,000 buy the 2.5T version – not quite as good – obviously, but you get much the same equipment and superior build quality, the Genesis Experience and you still get AWD, 300 hp /311 lb-ft torque and a 0-60 mph time of 5.6 seconds!

Text: Iain Shankland / Images: Iain Shankland

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