2022 Genesis GV70 AWD 3.5T Sport Prestige – Review by David Colman +VIDEO

KnowledgeBase/Genesis

2022 Genesis GV70 Top drawer excellence at an affordable price

David Colman

Story and Photos By David Colman
Special Correspondent to THE AUTO CHANNEL

Imagine rolling out an all-new automotive product that so captures the imagination of its intended audience that it is immediately named best of breed by industry critics. The 2022 Genesis GV70 is just such a hot property, having made the cover of the December 2021 Motor Trend as "2022 SUV OF THE YEAR." I spent a plush week behind the wheel of this gem before I became aware of the MT accolade, and my experience with this Genesis confirmed the validity of their choice.

Let's start with the appearance of the GV70. What you're getting here is Rolls Royce/Mercedes S Class excellence for Toyota/Mazda money. Genesis stylists have concocted an understated design that eschews flashy bravura in favor of the beauty of simplicity. The ovoid lines of the body shell wrap under the chassis to create a sleek mass that looks like nothing else on the road. The egg-like cues continue inside with the stretched oval fascia of the dash, which mimics the matching panels of the arm rests and window actuators on all four doors.

While this layout is pleasing to the eye, its ultimate success rests on attention to detail. I spent more than half an hour photographing the various knobs and switches that operate the GV70. All of them share a design DNA that stresses tactility and elegance. The stalks for the turn signals, the dial that controls gear choice, even the tabs that alter the direction of the air vents all operate with surgical precision. Knurled rings and tabs on all operational surfaces facilitate micro management. The interior of the GV70 is nothing short of a work of art. Any Museum of Modern Art would welcome a gallery display of this sublime interior.

Not only does the Genesis interior meet the highest aesthetic standards, but it also exceeds your need for comfort as well. The infinitely adjustable seats are perfectly contoured for long trip support, while the 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster is informative without being busy. The 14.5 inch HD screen atop the dash occupies enough real estate to obviate squinting at icons. A couple of thoughtful touches make the GV70 more livable than any other SUV. One is the inclusion of a seat control on the inside top of the passenger seat which allows adjustment of the seat's fore/aft position and seatback inclination. Another plus is the presence of two oversize HVAC knobs which control airflow to the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. No need to mess with menus for this elemental operation.

The GV70 is based on the platform shared with the G70 Genesis sedan. Unlike the sedan, however, all models of the GV70 feature all-wheel-drive. Like the sedan, the SUV is offered with two different drive trains. The base model uses a 2.5 liter turbo 4 which produces 250hp. The top line GV70 we drove ups the performance envelope with a 3.5 liter all aluminum V6 that churns out 375hp. That whopper of a turbo motor jets the GV70 to 60mph from a standing start in 5.4 seconds. the standing start quarter mile flashes past in 14 seconds with a trap speed of 99mph. The GV70 is configured to tow 3500 pounds. An 8-speed automatic transmission is equipped with aluminum paddle shifters and a Drive Mode Select feature that includes snow, eco, normal, sport and sport+ operation. Launch control is standard on the GV70, and an electrically controlled limited slip differential (EC LSD) is optionally available as part of the Sport Prestige Package. Handling of the GV is predictable, safe and secure. The chassis hunkers down on a set of 9x21" windmill-inspired sport alloy wheels that mount all season Michelin Primacy Tour A/S radials (255/40R20).

Base price of the GV70 is just $52,600. The top line example we tested priced out at $64,045. This difference is attributable to two worthy options: $5,000 for the Sport Advanced Package (SAP), and $4,900 for the Sport Prestige Package (SPP). The SAP adds all the goodies that made the GV70 we drove so special -- Nappa Leather seats with sports pattern quilting, layered edge backlit trim, and Lexicon Premium Audio with 16 speakers. The blue backlit trim is spectacular at night. The SPP contributes the idiosyncratic alloy rims, the EC LSD, suede inserts for the seats, real carbon fiber trim, and the 12.3 inch digital instrument cluster with head-up display.

The sheer brilliance of the GV70 we tested will undoubtedly force other manufacturers of much more expensive SUVs to rethink their offerings in comparison to this new bombshell from Genesis.

2022 GENESIS GV70 AWD 3.5T SPORT PRESTIGE

ENGINE: 3.5 liter V6, all aluminum, turbocharged, direct injection, 24 valve, DOHC
HORSEPOWER: 375hp@5800rpm
TORQUE: 391lb.-ft.@1300rpm
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 19MPG City/25MPG Highway
PRICE AS TESTED: $64,045

HYPES: Exquisite Design, Shattering Performance

GRIPES: Wife Judy Disliked the Alloy Rims

STAR RATING: 10 Stars out of 10