2024 Genesis GV70 vs 2023 Nissan Pathfinder

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder carried over its design from the 2022 model year, maintaining a blend of traditional and modern elements. Its futuristic headlights and angular C-pillar gave it a forward-thinking appearance, ensuring its relevance for years. Inside, the Pathfinder offered a clean and sensible layout, making it both visually appealing and practical for everyday use. The trims ranged from the basic S to the luxurious Platinum, each adding more features and comfort. The Rock Creek trim stood out with its rugged design, off-road capabilities, and water-repellent interior, making it ideal for adventurous drivers.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 distinguished itself with sleek styling and luxury-car aesthetics. It featured signature Genesis elements like split headlights and a large grille, but with a sleeker profile than its larger sibling, the GV80. The GV70's design struck a balance between SUV presence and luxury style, outperforming competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 in finesse. The Electrified GV70 retained the same styling as its gasoline counterpart, with a unique grille housing the charge port. Inside, the GV70 boasted a distinctive design with quilted Nappa leather, a panoramic sunroof, and an innovative dashboard layout, making it memorable and luxurious.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 284 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Rock Creek variant offered a slight power boost, with 295 hp and 270 lb-ft. Power was managed by a 9-speed automatic transmission, available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The Rock Creek trim featured off-road enhancements, including a taller suspension and all-terrain tires, though these made for a rougher ride on paved roads. The Pathfinder's engine provided ample power for city and highway driving, but the unique shifter design was a point of contention. The vehicle offered various drive modes, including Eco, Sport, and All-Terrain, with a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds for the Rock Creek.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered two gasoline engine options: a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 300 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 with 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Both engines came with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive. The Electrified GV70 featured dual electric motors producing 429 hp and 516 lb-ft, with a Boost Mode increasing output to 483 hp temporarily. While the GV70 provided strong acceleration, its handling was less agile than sportier rivals. The ride quality was comfortable but not exceptional, and the Electrified model maintained similar dynamics despite its additional weight. The GV70 also offered adjustable regenerative braking for a customizable driving experience.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder provided up to 80.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the second and third rows folded. With the second row in use, it offered 45 cubic feet, and 16.6 cubic feet with all seats upright. The first two rows provided ample headroom and legroom, while the third row was suitable for short trips. The optional second-row captain’s chairs facilitated access to the third row. The Pathfinder featured 12 cupholders and four bottle holders, along with numerous storage compartments. The Rock Creek trim's roof rack could hold up to 220 pounds, though its proximity to the roof made snow removal challenging.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered competitive interior space, with slightly less headroom than some rivals but more front-seat legroom than the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class. It provided 28.9 cubic feet of cargo space with rear seats up, and 56.9 cubic feet with them folded. The Electrified GV70's interior space was minimally impacted by its battery pack. The GV70's stylish interior design limited small-item storage, but it included a dedicated phone storage nook and rear-seat climate controls. The Electrified model featured automatic side bolsters for the front seats, enhancing support during spirited driving.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, supporting Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims featured a 9-inch system, though some found the graphics dated. The Pathfinder included four USB ports, Bluetooth connectivity, satellite radio, and voice recognition. The SV trim added a Wi-Fi hotspot, while the SL trim offered wireless Apple CarPlay and additional USB ports. The Platinum trim included a second third-row USB port, ensuring connectivity for all passengers.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher trims offered a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect. A 12-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were available. The touchscreen was intuitive, with large tiles for easy navigation, and a rotary controller provided an alternative input method. The GV70 also included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles and a digital key for smartphone-based access.

The 2023 Nissan Pathfinder included standard driver assistance features like automatic emergency braking, collision warning, pedestrian detection, and blind-spot monitoring. The SV trim added ProPilot Assist with lane centering and adaptive cruise control. The SL trim offered front parking sensors and a 360-degree monitor, while the Platinum trim included rain-sensing wipers and a head-up display. The Pathfinder's off-road mode provided camera views for obstacle monitoring.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 received the IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award for both gasoline and Electrified models. NHTSA ratings included four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings for gasoline models, with a five-star overall rating for the 2023 model. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and Highway Driving Assist. The Highway Driving Assist 2 system added automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring. Genesis also offered a safe exit assist function and a radar-based rear occupant alert system.