2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vs 2022 Genesis GV70

The 2022 Genesis GV70 showcased a distinctive design that borrowed elements from other Genesis models while maintaining its unique identity. It featured quad LED strips for both headlights and taillights, along with a prominent shield-shaped grille. The GV70's sloping roofline and ribbed detailing added a muscular profile, blending SUV bulk with sleek, car-like elements. The Sport Prestige variant further enhanced its character with unique styling features, including a model-specific front fascia, 21-inch wheels with a web pattern, and dark chrome trim. Inside, the GV70's interior boasted an elliptical theme inspired by an airplane wing's cross-section, with a minimalistic design that included a perched touchscreen and hidden air vents. The interior offered a variety of color options and luxurious materials, such as Nappa leather upholstery with suede inserts in the Sport Prestige model.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a "modernist" and "reductive" design philosophy, emphasizing clean and simple lines. While it lacked flashy factory options, it exuded understated luxury with its Eiger Gray paint, silver 23-inch wheels, and Black Exterior Pack. Inside, the Range Rover Sport featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, creating an opulent atmosphere. The SUV offered a range of specifications, including SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e, with various upgrades available. Notable design highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED technology for taillights. The Range Rover Sport's interior boasted sustainable Ultrafabrics and Windsor leather upholstery, providing a luxurious and high-tech appearance.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 offered two engine options: a base 2.5-liter turbo-four engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 generating 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. Both powertrains came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The GV70 also featured a rear electronic limited-slip differential and launch control, emphasizing its sporty character. The Sport+ drive mode further enhanced performance by holding high revs and sharpening throttle response. However, the GV70's chassis felt heavy, lacking the sharpness of competitors like the Acura RDX, BMW X3, or Porsche Macan. While it excelled on highways, the GV70's firm ride and lack of solidity detracted from its luxurious driving experience.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement and driver-focused engagement. It offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in the SE Dynamic model. The lower-priced SE P360 delivered 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was available in the Autobiography P440e, providing 434 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque with an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range. The Range Rover Sport's 395-hp inline-six engine accelerated to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds and featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with Intelligent All-Wheel Drive. It boasted a towing capacity of 7,716 pounds and achieved impressive fuel efficiency, averaging 22.3 mpg on evaluation routes. The SUV's new architecture increased torsional stiffness by 35 percent, and its adaptive damping air suspension enhanced ride comfort and handling. However, the Range Rover Sport's steering lacked involvement, and its performance in tight curves was hindered by body roll and drivetrain lash.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 offered mid-pack interior space for its segment. Despite its car-like roofline, it provided front-seat headroom comparable to a Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class and back-seat headroom similar to a BMW X3. Legroom in both rows was adequate, and rear-seat visibility was good due to thin rear pillars. Cargo space measured 28.9 cubic feet with the rear seats in place and 56.9 cubic feet with them folded, placing the GV70 in the middle ground of its segment. The daring interior design compromised storage space, with a slim center console and thin door pockets. However, it included a covered storage cubby with USB ports for phones and rear-seat climate controls. The Sport Prestige model featured heavily bolstered front seats with heating, ventilation, massage, and posture-assist functions, though some controls were buried in touchscreen menus.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport retained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall, airy feel with a low dashboard, upright windshield angle, and thin roof pillars. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit, accommodating shorter passengers. The front seats were comfortable, with 20-way power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and available massage features. The rear seat, while improved, remained tight for taller passengers, with hard front seatback panels and narrow door openings. The back seat provided excellent support but had a reclined angle. Storage space was decent, with a deep bin under the center armrest and a second bin under the sliding cupholder tray. The power liftgate revealed a 31.9 cubic-foot cargo area, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The full-size spare tire limited storage space under the cargo floor, but Land Rover provided a contraption to secure smaller items.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 impressed with its tech offerings, featuring a standard 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The tile-based layout and crisp graphics made it user-friendly, while the glass rotary controller added functionality. Higher trim levels offered a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a 3D effect and a 12-inch head-up display. The GV70 also included a digital-key feature, allowing smartphone use in place of a key fob, and a fingerprint scanner for starting the car. Genesis Connected Services provided remote camera activation, driver profiles, last-mile guidance, and valet mode, all included free for three years.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, SiriusXM satellite radio, and connected services. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment platform proved confusing and frustrating, with difficulties in accessing features and understanding its functions. The native digital assistant struggled with basic tasks, such as finding nearby locations. Despite these issues, the Range Rover Sport offered impressive Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers and 1,430 watts of power, along with Active Noise Cancellation. A wireless smartphone charging pad was available, though accessing it could be challenging.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 came equipped with a comprehensive suite of safety features, including lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, blind-spot and forward collision-avoidance assist, rear cross-traffic alert, a driver-attention monitor, and Highway Driving Assist with automated lane centering. It also featured eight standard airbags, including a front-center airbag. Optional driver-assist features included Highway Driving Assist 2 with lane-change functionality and navigation-based adaptive cruise control. While Highway Driving Assist impressed with smooth control inputs, its lane-centering function struggled with curves.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered a range of advanced driving assistance systems, such as forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Remote Park Assist allowed the SUV to park itself using a smartphone app. However, the adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems were slow to respond and lacked smoothness, particularly on freeway curves with inconsistent lane lines.