2022 Genesis GV70 2.5T AWD Advanced new car reviews

What does Genesis want you to think of its GV70? We'll go with "athletic" considering how many times it's mentioned in the press release.

Other staff views

JG Pasterjak
Production/Art Director

Okay, here I go gushing over an SUV again. Sorry, but that’s how good the Genesis GV70 is.

And to some extent, it’s more than just the GV70 itself. At some point in the not-too-distant past, Genesis broke free in the public zeitgeist and separated itself from its Hyundai lineage to become a fully realized company of its own. Much like Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti, Genesis has quietly made a name for itself.

And the product certainly helps with that legitimacy. In the case of the GV70, it leverages a format that so many other manufacturers capitalize on—the moderately sporty, tall-wagon crossover SUV—and executes it in a classy and functional way that doesn’t overcomplicate any part of the equation.

And that’s one of my prime gripes with modern SUVs. Yeah, they have their place—the U is for utility, after all, and many of them serve as solid utilitarian wagons—but so many of them try to be something they’re not. They try to emulate luxury cars or sports sedans–usually failing at both–instead of just leaning into being comfortable, useful and practical. That’s exactly what the GV70 does, and the result is more than the sum of its parts.

Inside you’ll find a near-perfect combination of buttons, knobs and touchscreens that add a touch of smooth-surfaced class. Key functions have excellent first-order accessibility, while other functions and vehicle preferences can be found deeper in the menus–something that should be standard practice across the industry, but, bafflingly is not.

Rear seat passengers may find things a bit snug, but the reality is the average customer for these types of vehicles rarely put more than cargo in the rear seats. For folks needing legit rear-seat capacity, the GV80 awaits on the lot right next to the GV70.

But, yeah, pretty much every other manufacturer playing in this category—which is most of them—could take a lesson from the GV70. Make a solid product without overcomplicating it and you’ll define your own identity in no time.

Comments

View all comments on the GRM forums

You'll need to log in to post.