Our 2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T Reaches the Midway Point
20,000-Mile Update
We've just come out of the peak late-summer and fall road-trip season, which saw the GV70 travel as far afield as Colorado and Indiana, as well as take multiple sojourns to northern Michigan.
All of those interstate miles also gave us ample time to explore the GV70's semiautomated driver-assist feature. Highway Driving Assist II adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering does a great job, so long as the road is fairly straight. It has a hard time negotiating curvier divided highways, even though the adaptive cruise control slows down for sharper curves. In fact, it sometimes slows to Sunday-driver speeds, and if you press the accelerator to override it, an admonishment to "drive carefully" appears in the head-up display. Having the adaptive cruise control adjust its speed based on navigation info is a feature than can be switched off, and there is a high degree of customizability for the various driver aids.
The automated lane-change feature, however, seems not ready for prime time. "You have to do abnormally slow and light initial input to get it to work," observed testing director Dave VanderWerp. "When the vehicle is driven normally, every lane change is met with a message saying the conditions weren't met for the assist feature."
One commenter dissed the steering's lack of feel and light effort in Comfort mode and suggested switching into Sport for better effort levels. Another countered that the steering is nicely weighted "and the chassis is composed on the sweeping curves of Michigan's M-22."
And while the heat of the summer is now a fast-fading memory, back in July, one driver found that the A/C struggled to keep things cool during idling in stop-and-go traffic (that was with the auto stop-start system switched off).
We've roundly praised the GV70's chic interior, but the exterior design is garnering mixed reviews. "Flamboyant" and "not attractive to my tastes" were among deputy video editor Carlos Lago's comments. "The tapered-tail exterior design cuts into cargo space, which behind the rear seats seems not much better than a large sedan's," said another commenter. In fact, the GV70 can accommodate seven carry-on-sized suitcases behind the rear seat; that's the same as the more square-bodied BMW X3 but well shy of the Cadillac XT5, which fits 10. With the rear seatbacks folded, the GV70 has room for 22 carry-ons, versus 20 for the X3 and 24 for the commodious Caddy.
In another measure of interior utility, the GV70 fared less well. Here's senior features editor, and new father, Greg Fink: “Now that I have a baby, I have newfound understanding of the importance of LATCH anchor locations, and the GV70's don't quite make the cut.” They're difficult to access, requiring too much digging between the seatback and seat cushion. Maybe it's because we haven't done all that much kid toting, but the interior of our GV70 is showing little to no signs of wear as we cross the 20,000-mile mark. (More like 23,000 miles, but who's counting?)
That mileage triggered the GV70's second routine-maintenance pit stop. An oil change, tire rotation, and air filter change set us back $176. Nothing out of the ordinary, which is just what you want when it comes to service visits. Here's hoping the GV70 can keep that fuss-free record going as it heads into its first winter with us.
Months in Fleet: 7 months Current Mileage: 23,184 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Observed Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $262 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0
10,000-Mile Update
We're settling in for a 40,000-mile get-to-know-you with the Genesis GV70 3.5T, and that means staffers have been taking stock of the SUV's cabin environs.
Initial impressions generally are positive. "A $100,000 interior in a $60,000 vehicle," read one early logbook comment, while others praised "the level of interior detailing" and "the artistry of the cabin design." That design features repeating ellipse shapes (such as on the door panels), textured edges on the knobs and stalks, air vents integrated into the dashboard trim, and even a metal pattern on the pedals. Since our GV70 is the top-of-the-line Sport Prestige variant, it further benefits from exclusive materials including nappa leather and microsuede upholstery, a microsuede headliner, and carbon-look Sport Aluminum accents.
There is one ergonomic issue, though. "Am I the only one who reached for the PRND dial instead of the infotainment dial?" asked creative director Darin Johnson. "No" is the answer, as those controls are too similar in size and function and are located too close together.
Please Be Seated
The key components of any interior, of course, are the seats. The thrones in our car are specific to the Sport Prestige model, and their padding is quite firm—more so than in the lesser trims. As one driver noted, "Numbness sets in around mile 100." However, the GV70 seems to be conscious of that issue: After an hour of driving, the seat-massage function kicks on automatically for relief. It's part of the Ergo Motion driver's seat's Smart Posture Assist, which will also position the seat for you, once you input your height, inseam, and (ahem) weight.
The GV70's driver's seat includes 16-way power adjustment including seat cushion extension and lateral bolsters. In Sport or Sport+ mode, those bolsters will tighten automatically to better hold you in place for a presumed run down the Tail of the Dragon. (The auto-tightening feature can be switched off.)
Ride Comfort
The GV70 3.5T has its own specific chassis tuning, and adaptive dampers are exclusive to this model. We judged the ride to be firm, but it stays just shy of harsh. However, one commenter noted that "big pavement imperfections send shudders through the structure." Lesser GV70s without the adaptive dampers are more compliant, but this is, after all, the most sporting variant, designed to take on the likes of the BMW X3 M40i. It's also riding on 21-inch wheels, whereas 19-inchers are standard with the V-6 (and 18s with the four-cylinder).
Speaking of those 21-inch wheels, we've already curbed one (ugh!), which we still have to get fixed. Happily, that's the extent of our mishaps so far. We've completed our first service, which is called for at 8000 miles, and it was purely routine; an oil change, tire rotation, and inspections were done, and covered by Genesis' three-year/36,000 mile complimentary maintenance plan.
Summer road-trip season is now in full swing, and those long journeys should further test the GV70's cosseting character.
Months in Fleet: 4 months Current Mileage: 13,767 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Observed Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
Damage and Destruction: $0
Introduction
Genesis is on a hot streak lately. Both the G70 sports sedan and the brand's first SUV, the GV80, have collected Car and Driver 10Best trophies. Now comes the GV70—smaller than the GV80, this new crossover is based on the G70 sedan—and while it was not able to nab a 10Best award in its debut year, it is fresh off a comparison test win against two longtime segment staples: the BMW X3 and Lexus RX350.
That great initial impression is now going to be followed by a 40,000-mile stress test. Will our strong feelings for this new Genesis last? We're about to find out.
Our journey with the GV70 began at the grand opening of the Genesis brand's first standalone North American dealership, which is in Lafayette, Louisiana. A storm advancing from the Gulf prompted us to take quick delivery and hit the road. The dealer put the plates on, handed us the keys, and we headed north toward Michigan.
With our long-term G70 sedan, our biggest regret was not getting the more powerful engine. So, we made sure to not make the same mistake this time. We skipped over the GV70's standard 300-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter four in favor of the optional 375-hp twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6.
After a roughly 1700-mile road trip bisecting the eastern part of the country, the GV70 hit the track for its initial test. The sprint to 60 mph took 4.6 seconds, and the Genesis reached the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 104 mph. So far, we're averaging 21 mpg, and that figure matches the EPA's combined rating. On our 75-mph highway test loop, we achieved 23 mpg, slightly lower than the EPA's 25-mpg estimate.
Upgrading to the 3.5T brings a plethora of sporty and luxurious features, too, including an adaptive suspension with road preview, a panoramic sunroof, and leather. On top of that, we got the $9900 Sport Prestige package. It adds 21-inch wheels and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, among other features. Wearing a set of Michelin Primacy all-season tires, our car pulled 0.82 g around the skidpad and required 180 feet to come to a halt from 70 mph. That's a bit off compared to the GV70's more performance-focused German rivals, but we're not complaining as the ride is tuned well for daily driving.
If you do get after it on a back road, the 16-way power driver's seat bolsters hug you and keep you snug when cornering. As part of the Sport Prestige package, our car is equipped with suede seat inserts and headliner and has carbon-fiber trim. These materials help create a posh interior environment that reminds us of far more expensive SUVs, and we're sure to enjoy 40,000 miles in an interior this sublime. The GV70 3.5T comes standard with Highway Driving Assist II—we'll let you know how this Level 2 driver-assist system operates as we embark on numerous summer road trips.
Genesis offers an extensive color palette on the GV70, including hues such as Barossa Burgundy and Cardiff Green, but due to supply shortages we settled for a pre-built car that's finished in Uyuni White, a $500 option. We're not complaining about the dull white-on-black livery, but there surely are more interesting options. The 3.5T features oversized dual tailpipes that poke through the black mesh surround on the rear bumper for a more extroverted look than the upright pentagonal exhaust tips on the 2.5T. The V-6 model also gets black trim on the bumpers and side skirts.
In its comparison-test win, we said that "the GV70 puts an exclamation point on Genesis's ability to compete in the heart of the luxury market." Over the next 40,000 miles, we'll let you know if that punctuation still stands.
Months in Fleet: 1 months Current Mileage: 4032 miles
Average Fuel Economy: 21 mpg
Fuel Tank Size: 17.4 gal Fuel Range: 360 miles
Service: $0 Normal Wear: $0 Repair: $0
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