Genesis’ GV70 luxury SUV is a smooth, comfortable ride

The GV70 includes every tech option imaginable, particularly because it has the US$5,000 Advanced Sport Package (including Nappa leather, Android-compatible digital key and park assist); and the US$4,900 Prestige Sport Package (21-inch wheels, electronic limited slip, carbon fiber trim). The net result for the test vehicle was US$65,045.

Although based on a sedan (the sporty G70), the Genesis is the polar opposite of a sports car like the BMW Z4 – the point is isolation from the road in moderate opulence, music purring quietly over the 16-speaker Lexicon stereo. You can take it off-road, but maybe you’re not supposed to – Genesis calls the GV70’s category “sporty urban midsize”. But if you go off the beaten path, you will be pampered.

With gas prices over US$4 a gallon, the combined fuel economy of 21 mpg (19 city/25 highway) will sting. It also needs premium fuel, and some testers saw results worse than those EPA numbers. This is not surprising, since the vehicle weighs 4,584 pounds.

There are actually two engine choices for the GV70, and there’s some relief from pump shock and awe with the 300-hp 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder on offer, but not as much as you might expect. think so – 22 mpg combined (19 city/26 highway). In other markets you can get a GV70 with diesel power.

As noted, the GV70 is classed as mid-size but it’s a big SUV, and it’s also accommodating, swallowing a sick e-bike with the second row folded. There are 29 cubic feet of storage. Genesis is doing its best to entice consumers to upgrade to the 3.5T – it has sharper styling, a panoramic roof, heated and ventilated front seats and a very bulky and useful safety package.

The interior is important on a car like this, and the Genesis feels luxurious. The driver sits high and watches a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, with a head-up display to give more information. There’s tri-zone climate control, heated front and rear seats and strategically placed carbon fiber trim. Snuggle up, long trips aren’t tough assignments.

The appeal of the Genesis GV70 is for customers who would have otherwise purchased a Range Rover, but also need to reline the pool. It matches the British ride-to-hounds competition feature, and in this class it has an appealing result. Prices in this luxury category can wither. Mercedes-Benz G-Class departures at US$134,300.

It’s a hot segment, and Genesis’ big challenge is to stand out among the very many entries available to buyers. In fact, given the scarcity of actual vehicles on the showroom floor, if Genesis can just keep dealers stocked, it will have a distinct advantage.

A new Kelley Blue Book survey showed not only that luxury vehicles reached 17.4% of total U.S. sales in April, but the supply of cars is still very low, “allowing most dealers to continue to sell inventory at or above the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. That’s 11 consecutive months of an “over-sticker” market.

The average transaction price for a new car was US$46,526 in April, down from US$41,172 in April 2021. Meanwhile, the average price for an electric vehicle has actually fallen, as new affordable entries come to market.