Hyundai’s luxury off-shoot, Genesis, is no stranger to our sunburnt shores. Last year Australia saw the arrival of its flagship SUV, the commanding GV80, whose road presence and somewhat familiar design signalled the dawn of a new ethos for the Korean automotive company – an era of “athletic elegance.” Hailed as a luxurious value proposition by BH – and the wider motoring media – the GV80 appealed to savvy buyers, seeking a European look and feel, minus the price tag.
Hot on its heels, and with a goal of reinforcing the brand’s impressive SUV lineup out of the gates, is the Genesis GV70, bringing all the spoils of the GV80 into a smaller, more affordable package. Together, the two models are plotting a coup d’etat of the Australian SUV segment, offering far more than meets the eye for a buyer who likes to flirt with futurism and be rewarded with value.
The first-ever GV70 arrives with a choice of three engines: a 2.5-litre turbocharged unit in RWD or AWD, a punchy 3.5-litre turbocharged AWD offering, as well as a 2.2-litre turbocharged diesel option, also AWD, mated to an in-house eight-speed automatic transmission. It builds on the core Genesis strengths of comfort and quietness and adds confident, dynamic driving performance and, in particular, impressive new technologies.
The signature Genesis crest grille and two-stripe quad headlights lend it a distinctive muscular front view and the GV70’s interior is inspired by the Korean love of white space, carefully balancing function and tranquillity to create an open, uncluttered cabin with a sporty, driver-focused instrument layout. Genesis set an undeniably high bar with the GV80, and you can rest assured the GV70 follows suit.
In its class, the Genesis GV70 offers one of the most compelling tech packages on the market, bringing the best of the GV80 across. Built with the driver’s needs in mind, there’s an unseen intelligence at the core of the GV70 that allows it to surprise even those who are already initiated with the brand, and blow the socks off everyone else.
26.8-Inches Of High-Definition Display
The 14.5-inch infotainment system and 12.3-inch 3D instrument cluster offer some serious real estate for the eyes to consider. Specifically, the cluster can recognise the driver’s eye trajectory with a series of built-in cameras, offering a vivid 3D screen that can be seen from every angle regardless of glare. The integrated controller with handwriting recognition glides in the hand of the user, allowing control of all of the vehicle’s functions, be it through Apple CarPlay or Google Android Auto.
Fingerprint Authentication
Flexibility and convenience are at the core of the GV70. The one-touch fingerprint authentication system can recognise up to two unique drivers and adapt the interior environment to them accordingly via their Personalised User Profiles. This includes core seating adjustments (plus steering wheel and exterior mirrors), preferred linked smartphone, navigation favourites & recent addresses, audio sources & preferred radio stations, sounds settings, multimedia/instrumentation colour schemes & interior lighting, as well as various settings including door locking.
Augmented Reality Navigation
This nifty feature overlays digital road guidance onto the actual road image that’s projected onto the 14.5-inch central infotainment screen. It uses exterior cameras to show the driver’s distance from the vehicle ahead, highlight the directions you’ll need to take to reach your destination, and ping to remind you when the vehicle ahead starts moving forward.
Industry-leading safety features
Come 2021 – cars have never been safer. But there’s one unique inclusion in the GV70’s compelling interior that’s worth a second look in particular. It’s the centre-side airbag between the two front seats. It complements another 7 airbags in the cabin by preventing serious injuries should the passenger and driver collide in the event of a side impact.
Remote Smart Parking Assist
No matter how good you think you are at reverse parallel parking, this feature will search for a parking space while automatically controlling the steering wheel, vehicle speed, and transmission to deliver an effortless parking experience for all involved. The RSPA can also be controlled remotely using the smart key while you’re out of the vehicle.
Above all, the Genesis GV70 can’t lead from the front without the pre-emptive safety technology we’ve come to expect from such a brand. There’s the full suite of standard Genesis Active Safety Control advanced technologies – which are standard across the range – including Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance-Assist (BCA), High Beam Assist (HBA), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) and Surround View Monitor (SVM) with 3D surround view.
With such an impressive suite of tech, you’d be forgiven for assuming the GV70 is all show and no go. However, if our time in the GV80 is anything to go by, you’ll find it anything but. With generous weight savings over the GV80 and the same 2.5 and 3.5-litre power plants to choose from, expect a spritely contender at $66,400, and Audi SQ5-matching acceleration at $83,400.
For those who embrace what is a hugely underrated badge, the 2022 Genesis GV70 delivers a refreshingly luxurious medium SUV experience – with performance to boot – from AU$66,400 (MSRP).
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This article is proudly presented in partnership with Genesis. Thank you for supporting the brands who support Boss Hunting.
