2023 Genesis GV70 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The naming convention “GV70” is key here, because there are stylistic connections to the G70 compact luxury sedan, especially above the belt-line. From the split-bar headlights to the strong chrome line that curves from behind the rear window afterward visually connect the GV70 to its sedan counterpart. The chrome bar is a clever design touch that alludes to the notion of a coupe-like SUV (See Mercedes GLC Coupe) without actually losing the versatility.

If any shopper is questioning the luxury credentials of Genesis versus the established players, just step into the GV70’s cabin. The interior is fantastic, using top-notch materials and boasting great fit & finish. It’s not just that the stitching and panels all exude luxury, it also has the design. The aesthetic is both contemporary and classic all at once. The climate controls are baked into a curving bezel and the touchscreen rises organically out of the dash.

Like other Genesis models, the GV70’s dash has a full touchscreen backed up by a rotary dial and helpful button controls in the center console. While it doesn’t have a traditional volume dial or tuning dial, it does have helpful rollers on the center console and in the steering wheel. This is something that Mercedes used to have but is going away from in favor of touch capacitive controls. The physical rollers on the Genesis are far better than the touch capacitive controllers on the Mercedes.

The gas-powered GV70 is available in two trims, correlated to the drivetrain preference, while the Genesis Electrified GV70 offers two trims of its own. For the gas-powered model, you can select the 2.5T or 3.5T. The Electrified is offered in Advance and Prestige trims.

The base GV70 2.5T comes very well equipped and includes power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, four USB ports, wireless device charging, a hands-free power liftgate, remote start, remote keyless entry, and adaptive cruise control. There is also a selection of standard and optional tech features, which we cover later in this review. A Select Package adds a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. An Advance Package adds genuine leather upholstery, ambient cabin lighting, an upgraded stereo, rear sunshades, and a wall-style power outlet, as well as everything from the Select package.

Moving up to the 3.5T trim adds standard genuine leather upholstery, 19-inch alloy wheels, a wall-style power outlet, massaging front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, and performance-inspired touches inside and out. On the 3.5T, the Advance package includes a number of additional driver-assistance features, as well as an upgraded stereo, premium Nappa leather, and a suede headliner. The Sport Prestige package adds all of the aforementioned features plus heated second-row seats, carbon fiber trim, a head-up display, and tri-zone automatic climate control. It also adds an electronic limited-slip differential and 21-inch wheels.

If you’re looking at the all-electric GV70 Advance trim, you’ll be rewarded with genuine leather upholstery, a power tilt-telescoping steering wheel, the wireless device charger, tri-zone climate control, heated and ventilated front seats, four USB ports, and ambient cabin lighting that’s optional on the gas-powered GV70.

Moving up to the Electrified Prestige trim adds a Lexicon premium stereo system, heated rear seats, a suede headliner, a heated steering wheel, and a fully digital instrument panel that’s surrounded by synthetic leather.

We drove the GV70 Electrified Prestige trim, and its luxury credentials were impressive. The soft, cream-colored seats featured a fetching quilt stitch pattern and the perforated leather was impressively comfortable. The cream primary leather color was set off with black leather in the dash, for an eye-catching, high-contrast design.

The Genesis GV70 2.5T comes equipped with a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It develops 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The 3.5T is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque. Both engines route power through an eight-speed automatic transmission to all-wheel drive (AWD).

The turbo-four makes plenty of power for most driving situations. You won’t be wanting for the V6, but performance enthusiasts will appreciate the extra grunt as well as the throaty engine note. Some luxury SUVs trend towards comfort and others towards sharp handling. The GV70 artfully blends both into a refined and well-rounded driving experience. You can confidently take a corner at speed, but it will also soak up bumps in the road.

We drove the GV70 Electrified. It uses a 77.4-kWh battery back, powering two electric motors in an AWD setup. The dual motors make a combined 429 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration is stout, yet smooth. It does not throw your head back, but you do feel a confident swell of acceleration. For even more oomph, there’s a Boost button at the bottom of the steering wheel. Boost Mode will increase output up to 483 horsepower for up to 10 seconds.

The electric version of the GV70 has a total of 236 miles of range, which is on the shorter side for a modern electric vehicle. Luckily it has DC fast charging and can replenish the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in just 18 minutes on a fast charger. The charging port is located behind a panel in the faux grille. The charger door seamlessly blends with the driver’s side of the grille pattern.

As required by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for EVs, the GV70 Electrified emits an external “engine noise,” but there’s also noise pumped into the cabin. There are several sounds to choose from, including a strangely visceral simulated engine noise, which can be turned up and turned down and off.

Like its gas-powered counterparts, the GV70 Electrified showcases well-rounded handling, though it errs slightly more towards comfort than sporty. It’s worth comparing the GV70 Electrified to its dedicated EV counterpart, the Genesis GV60. The latter only has a slightly longer driving range, and the GV70 is still better at being an SUV. The GV60 is more of a performance crossover with sharp handling and decent passenger space, but its cargo space is on par with that of a hatchback.

The GV70 provides 56.9 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, which is about average for the compact luxury SUV segment. With the rear seats in use, the GV70 has 28.9 cubic feet, which is above average in the class. The GV70 comes standard with a hands-free power liftgate.

Up front, the GV70 has decently large cupholders in the center console, though the in-door cupholders can’t hold larger water bottles. There’s a helpful tray in the center console with a retractable lid, as well as the typical center console bin.

Drivers and front-seat passengers will find it easy to adjust to a comfortable seating position. The same can’t be said for the rear seats. Legroom is tighter and will require the front-row occupant to slide their seat further forward. The rear bench does recline, and you’ll want to make sure it’s at least partly reclined in order to find a comfortable seating position.

The standard infotainment system is a 14.5-inch touchscreen setup with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. We found the touchscreen easy to use, featuring large icons and logical menu navigation. Genesis also provides a series of helpful buttons in the center console as well a rotary dial for scrolling and selecting. Unfortunately, the rotary dial is located directly adjacent to the vehicle’s rotary shifter. Drivers could easily confuse the two.

The GV70 comes equipped with four USB ports, wireless device charging, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a nine-speaker stereo system. Ambient lighting, a digital instrument panel, and the Genesis digital key are all available features.

Shoppers can expect a full suite of driver-assistance technology in the GV70, including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, driver attention monitoring, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. On the 2.5T, the Advance Package adds a blind-spot camera system, reverse automatic emergency braking, and a 360-degree parking camera system. On the 3.5T, these features are found in the Sport Advance package.

On the Genesis GV70 Electrified, more of this comes standard. In fact, the only driver-assistance feature that does not come standard is the head-up display, which is part of the Prestige trim.

The most efficient conventionally powered version of the GV70 is the four-cylinder turbo. It returns fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 28 highway, 24 combined. The V6 model returns 19 mpg city, 24 highway, 21 combined. Genesis recommends premium fuel for both engines.

The EPA measures EV fuel economy on a mile-per-gallon equivalent. The GV70 Electrified returns 98 MPGe city, 83 MPGe highway, and 91 MPGe combined.

At the time of this writing, the base MSRP for the 2023 Genesis GV70 is $43,150 for the 2.5T AWD. That’s thousands less than the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV. On the 2.5T, the Select Package adds $3,750 and the Advance Package is $8,650. The Sport Prestige Package combines both previous packages for $12,800.

The V6-powered 3.5T costs $55,250. On this trim, the Sport Advance Package costs $4,950 and the Sport Prestige Package costs $9,900.

The GV70 Electrified starts at $65,850 for the Advanced trim. The Prestige trim starts at $72,650.

Unlike most luxury brands, the GV70 enjoys a generous 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. The Electrified’s battery and electric motor components are also backed by a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

In the realm of luxury vehicles, there is an understanding of elevated quality and craftsmanship. But in an era where most vehicles are produced on an assembly line, don’t overwhelming resources outshine nice handiwork? Genesis has the might of its Hyundai parent company behind it, and Hyundai has some of the most compelling EVs on the market today. Even a standard Hyundai Sonata is a fantastic vehicle, and the Hyundai Elantra N is a snot-nosed and nimble performance runabout. And no matter the vehicle, Hyundai also has powerful yet easy-to-use technology. All of these attributes have made their way into the GV70 and GV70 Electrified.

So how much do labels matter? The BMW and Mercedes emblems that discerning consumers seek out might be simply for clout, but those logos have earned their reputation because of the decades each brand has spent building fantastic vehicles. Genesis might not have the storied history of these luxury greats, but for the past eight years, the brand has had a stable of terrific vehicles that rival the luxury establishment, often undercutting the competition on price. If you follow the logo on the hood simply for its logo, we can’t help you there. But if you go for those premium brands because they build great vehicles, then take a closer look at a GV70.