2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Review

Key Features:

• Attractive styling
• Good value
• Great driving dynamics

Direct Competitors:

• BMW X3 M40i
• Mercedes-AMG GLC 43
• Audi SQ5

As car enthusiasts, it’s easy for us to turn our noses up at SUVs and lament how their overwhelming popularity has resulted in the near-demise of proper sporty sedans and wagons. Crossovers tend to be fashion statements that compromise on key automotive factors like performance, ride and efficiency, when a minivan, luxury sedan or wagon might be better-equipped for the same tasks.

But a funny thing has happened. Carmakers have poured so many resources and so much engineering into SUVs that a few of them have turned out to be exceptional vehicles on many fronts. The new Genesis GV70 3.5T is just such a machine, blending daily-life practicality with healthy doses of luxury, style and surprising performance.

For something larger, there’s the mid-size Genesis GV80 SUV that made our list of the Best Luxury SUVs in Canada.

Genesis GV70 price & SUV rivals

• 2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Plus - $76,000

Photo: Genesis 

The top-shelf 3.5T Sport Plus model features everything Genesis can throw at their compact SUV, including active safety components, cool 3-D digital graphic gauges and the finest interior trappings. The entry-level 2.5T Select gets by with a 4-cylinder engine instead of the 3.5’s twin-turbo V6, but it’s still a well-equipped machine with most of the essentials expected in a luxury car, like on-board navigation, heated seats, digital gauges, and smartphone connectivity. The Select, at $49,500, costs a significant $26,500 less than the top model, with four additional trims covering the gap between them, each with increasing levels of content.

GV70 versus the Germans

Cost comparisons with the three premium German models can get tricky. Base models all ring in at roughly the same starting cost as the GV70, and with the higher-performance models that compete with the GV70 3.5 Sport Plus, the starting cost of the Audi, BMW and Mercedes is actually lower than the Genesis, but when options packages are added to the equipment levels of the Genesis, the GV70’s value shines.

No extra costs with Genesis

What’s more, amongst its peers, Genesis is the only manufacturer that charges no additional fees or delivery costs, and offers the longest warranty and free service package. With these elements factored in, the GV70 quickly becomes a very impressive value.

Genesis GV70 interior & equipment

Photo: Genesis 

Swathed in navy blue Nappa leather with contrasting vibrant red stitching, our GV70 tester’s interior was lavishly appointed. Assembly and fitment of trim pieces is first rate and there’s plenty of style to the cockpit without it being garish or overdone. 

In the interest of simplifying the controls the GV70’s climate controls have a pair of knobs for temperature adjustments, but the rest of the HVAC system is fine-tuned through a haptic touch display on the dash. It looks slick, but in trying to activate seat heaters (or ventilation), or heated steering wheel controls frequently required a few stabs with gloved fingers to activate. Simpler, actual buttons in competitive models work better, even if they aren’t as fashionable.

Some minor ergonomic issues

The infotainment system features a bright 12-inch display perched atop the dash, but requires quite a stretch to utilize its touch screen functionality. Instead, the operator is better off using the controller dial found on the centre console. Unfortunately, Genesis placed it directly in front of the gear selector knob that’s the same size and shape, making it easy for a driver to mistake one knob for the other.

Ergonomic nitpicks aside, the seats are highly adjustable and very comfortable, and the driving position offers good sightlines to the front and sides, and decent ones to the rear, with a top-view 360-degree display offering help backing up. And if a driver needs more help fitting his or her GV70 into a particularly tight spot, the vehicle can be driven slowly and remotely using the key fob. 

Photo: Genesis 

Rear seat space is comparable with competitive models, as is rear cargo space, although both are affected by the GV70’s sloping roofline.

Most GV70 models (including our tester) also feature a powerful Lexicon sound system, a panoramic sunroof and a head-up display.

Performance: how does Genesis’ compact luxury crossover SUV drive?

Expect 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque from the twin-turbo V6

Genesis designers have done a great job giving the GV70 a sporty look, and it has the performance chops to back up its appearance. Its 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 snarls ferociously when the accelerator is stomped. Acceleration is fierce, which is unsurprising given its 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque, and whether squirting through traffic or rocketing out of a corner, the GV70’s engine is never wanting for power, delivering it smoothly throughout its rev range.

Its 8-speed automatic transmission shifts smoothly and swiftly when called upon, and the 14.2-inch front and 13.6-inch rear brakes make short work of stopping duties, offering good linear feel.

Handling: a premium SUV with a strong, sporty side

Photo: Genesis 

What’s even more impressive than the GV70’s thrust is how well-sorted its chassis is. The ride quality is good, leaning more to the sporty side than posh suppleness, but the trade-off is excellent body control resulting in handling most people won’t expect from an SUV. 

Steering feel is decent and the GV70 seems to genuinely enjoy being driven hard on twisty back roads, doing a pretty good impression of a high-end sport sedan, and given that it shares most of its underpinnings with the Genesis G70 sedan, this makes sense.

Canadian GV70s feature standard all-wheel-drive that, combined with the Sport Plus’s electronic limited-slip differential means it has no trouble putting all the power to the ground.

There is a price to pay for all the GV70’s V6 power when it comes time to fuel up. With an average combined consumption rate of 11.6 L/100 km of premium fuel, the Genesis is thirstier than some of its key competitors.

Verdict: is the Genesis GV70 3.5T worth it?

Genesis has very quickly earned a reputation for offering stylish and well-equipped machines with good performance and value, and the GV70 fits right in with those same attributes. Competitive models from BMW and Mercedes offer arguably better driving dynamics, but when equipped similarly, can represent much costlier alternatives. 

The GV70 3.5T is a good looking, practical machine that should give luxury buyers the comfort and performance they seek, and it’s well worth considering in this class.

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