Genesis GV70: Luxury mid-size SUV offers good value compared with rivals

Ever since its local release in 2021, the Genesis GV70 premium mid-size SUV has impressed with its luxury feel. And while it’s the backbone of the brand’s global sales, in Australia Genesis’ sales have been modest so far. Now it’s embarked on a period of new or refreshed product over the next few years, with the refreshed GV70 premium mid-size SUV one of the first.

Pricing starts at $78,700 plus on-road costs for the entry-level model and three models are available: base Advanced (2.5T only), mid-spec Signature and top-spec Signature Sport. The least expensive V6 asks $98,200 +ORC and the top-spec 3.5T Signature Sport we tested is $100,200 +ORC.

While that’s not cheap, the GV70’s value is obvious: the BMW X3 M50 it competes against asks $128,900 +ORC and then you still have to option $4000 leather trim to match the Genesis for equipment. That’s an almost $33,000 difference, and that’s not even considering the GV70’s included five years’ servicing.

Regardless of model, every GV70 is generously equipped with even the entry model featuring a 27-inch interior display, panoramic sunroof, heated electric front seats and a full suite of active safety features.

The Signature Sport then adds large 21-inch wheels, Nappa leather trim, ventilated and massaging front seats, a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a sporty flat-bottomed steering wheel and sportier exterior styling.

Making 279kW of power (@ 5800rpm) and 530Nm of torque, the 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 engine is strong and sounds suitably snarly as well, though in a refined way. Its 5.2-second 0-100km/h sprint time is quick and it hits a 250km/h top end – that’s only 0.6 seconds slower than the X3 M50. Peak torque hits at just 1300rpm and stays until 4500rpm, making swift progress effortless. The eight-speed auto is also fairly seamless too.

What could use improvement, however, is the fuel consumption. Even the lesser 2.5-litre turbo engine is thirsty but you’d need your own oil company to run the 3.5-litre V6 – its claim is 11.3L/100km but even for mainly motorway driving, we ended up on a figure of 12.6L/100km during our week with the vehicle. In urban driving, expect figures upward of 15L/100km. The aforementioned X3 M50, makes slightly more power and torque, yet uses 3.1L/100km less on the combined cycle, proving that a turbo six can be efficient.

Otherwise, driving the GV70 is great. It’s quiet, refined and very comfortable. The ride is nicely soft and well damped – it firms up in sport mode for sportier driving – despite the huge wheels, and is a relaxing car to drive. It’s extremely quiet at speed as well, and a 1000km drive would fly by. It’s also a real driver’s car thanks to keen handling.

The active safety features in the GV70 are comprehensive and cover almost everything from AEB to adaptive cruise control that knows when to slow down based on GPS data, to effective adaptive high beam headlights. Only the active speed warning – which can thankfully be defeated with a long press of the mute button on the steering wheel – and sensitive driver monitoring are annoying.

The updates to the GV70’s exterior are quite subtle, but there are more meaningful changes inside. There’s a new centre console layout that’s more practical than before, while the materials are still wonderful. The Nappa leather in the Signature Sport is lovely and is available in many colour options, including a cool navy blue with orange stitching or a fetching dark red with black.

But while Genesis has made a number of changes to the interior of the GV70, the most noticeable difference is the new 27-inch infotainment and driver’s display. Unlike most other brands that fuse two screens together or have them laid out separately, Genesis has implemented one giant screen and it looks and feels fantastic. It now also features over-the-air updates to keep it all current.

If you’re using Google Maps in Android Auto or Apple Maps in CarPlay, the map impressively covers both sides of the screen in front of the driver as well as in the centre. The new Bang & Olufsen sound system is a massive improvement on the older Infinity unit too. With 16 speakers, there’s plenty of aural punch and the options to make it even more vibrant.

The screen itself is bright and uses soothing colours and fonts, while it’s also featured with sat-nav, digital radio and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. One glitch emerged in that CarPlay would refuse to wirelessly connect each time the car was started in our time with it and then wouldn’t let you re-pair your phone to the car. Hopefully a future update fixes that, but until then, best to connect via cable.

The GV70’s cabin is comfortable and practical, with a lot of storage space, while the multi-way electrically adjustable front seats are seemingly infinitely adjustable. Their massaging capability could be better however – we suggest driving a modern Peugeot and trying the sublime cat’s paw option, Genesis engineers.

The rear seat of the GV70 is, like the front, comfortable and feature rich: a separate zone of climate control, heated outboard seats, map and door pockets, window shades and two USB-C charging ports are all standard. However, it’s not the most spacious rear seat and two six-foot adults will be good for headroom – legroom might be cozier. Thankfully, the seats slide and recline for extra room or cargo space.

The boot of the GV70 measures 542 litres, which is healthy in the segment, and a large 1678L with the rear seats folded. The foot also features a full-size alloy spare wheel, side and under-floor storage, a 12V socket and remote releases for the rear seats.

Even though pricing rose with the update, the Genesis GV70 Signature Sport 3.5T still plays the premium mid-size SUV segment quite well

It’s not cheap, but it’s over $30,000 less expensive than its main rival and that’s before you consider the included servicing for the first five years. While it’s not quite as practical or anywhere near as fuel efficient as the X3 M50, it feels even more luxurious inside and it’s even better equipped. Like the BMW, the Genesis is also practical, lovely to drive and punchy. Because of products like the GV70, Genesis’ remains a serious contender in this space of the market.