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WHEN you want a car that satisfies your need for speed, you get a sports car. Need to ferry kids? An SUV or wagon gets the nod. But if you need to do the latter, in a relaxed, safe, luxurious environment, you need to introduce yourself to the 2022 Genesis GV70.
In this case, we’re piloting the top of the line 3.5 litre twin-turbo V6 model complete with the Luxury package, which comes in at around $100,000 drive away. That’s a lot of money and while we hate to use cliché’s, there’s no denying that you are getting a lot of car.
Looks may be subjective, but there can be no denying that the GV70 has road presence. The front end has a lovely, large, grille which Genesis calls their signature “Crest” grille and is flanked by quad head lights which light up the road spectacularly.
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Genesis have done a sensational job of making the GV70 look athletic by incorporating sweeping body lines too, which help break up the large amount of body work. Opinion will remain divided on the 21-inch wheels, which happen to remind this writer of a waffle iron.
The rear has a beefy, sporty, and elegant feel to it. Being the 3.5 litre model there are two large circular exhaust tips that sit within a beautifully sculpted lower section with two stripe brake lights, matching the styling of the headlights up front.
Inside the GV70, the cabin is adorned with soft touch materials, high quality metals, and screens with resolutions that could make the latest generation TVs jealous. It’s all based on a very specific spatial design philosophy.
In layman’s terms, what Genesis have done is strike a perfect balance of physical buttons and hidden functions within the infotainment system to make the driver feel comfortable at the lack of clutter surrounding them.
It may seem like a strange point to make, however once you notice it in person it really does become apparent.
At the front of the cabin there is a 14.5-inch high-definition display which comes with DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity, Android Auto and Apple Car Play. The screens response time is fast, and the resolution is razor sharp.
Sound from the infotainment is via the 16 speaker Lexicon sound system, developed by the cool kids at Harman, that does a good job of providing clear audio, although can struggle a bit if you decide to crank the bass.
If you’d rather have the cabin filled by the sound of a crackling fire, softly crashing ocean waves, or even the sounds of an open-air café, then you can look through the media menu and find “Sounds of Nature” to ensure your time in the GV70 is as relaxing as possible.
The gauge cluster is completely electronic and can display a multitude of information such as fuel consumption, which wheel is getting the most torque, and how much of the 3.5 litre engine’s 279kW of power and 530Nm of torque you are currently using.
The rest of the dash and surrounding areas are covered in soft leather and have a high-quality feel to them. The sun visor and roof lining are covered in plush Alcantara that befits the luxury aspirations of the GV70.
The climate controls utilise haptic feedback which gives you surety that you’ve pressed the right button or activated the desired function, even if you’re not able to have eyes on the controls.
Speaking of climate control, the front is a dual zone set up with a third zone for the rear occupants, who also get their own set of controls, useful to avoid any arguments and keep everyone comfortable.
One gripe we did have with the interior was the choice of a rotary dial for the infotainment system, as well as the transmission, and compounding that decision by putting them next to each other.
On more than one occasion, moments where we wanted to change gear resulted in cycling through media menus, conversely, we almost found ourselves on an unintended trip from drive to reverse. Not exactly ideal if you’re in a hurry to execute a three-point turn.
The seats are upholstered in supple Nappa leather too, with the front two seats featuring heating, ventilation, 18-way adjustment and a massaging function for the driver’s seat. The rear two seats also get heating, but miss out on the ventilation.
Above you there is a full-length panoramic sunroof which looks amazing, especially at dusk, and thankfully has a shade cover to shield you from the harsh midday sun. Space is plentiful too, with a small cubby up front for your mobile phone.
In there, you’ll find wireless charging and two USB ports. Door bins can accommodate water bottles, the centre cubby has a 12V socket and plenty of space, and the rear doors also have their own door bins.
With the rear seats in place, the GV70 has 542-litres of boot, while dropping the second row opens up 1,678-litres.
On the road, power is sent to all four wheels via an 8-speed torque converter automatic gearbox. 0-100km/h can be done in 5.1 seconds, according to Genesis, but what that means in practice is that the GV70 never feels lethargic.
It’s surprisingly quick in a straight line, especially given its 2,038kg tare mass. Should the mood strike, you can select sport or sport plus, and the seat bolsters tighten up to hold you in place, the gauge cluster turns red, and the gearbox delivers a sharper throttle response.
You won’t be setting any lap records, but you will surprise yourself at how well the road-preview adaptive electronic suspension can control body roll and give the driver confidence through corners.
In comfort mode the steering is light without being vague, the suspension is soft without feeling wallowy and the overall ride of the GV70 is comfortable and relaxing, especially when it’s hot outside and you have the seat ventilation running.
Technology in the 2022 Genesis GV70 3.5T AWD LuxuryThrow in the massage function, and it’s pure bliss. Visibility is taken care of by cameras mounted to the wing mirrors, which show up on the gauge cluster when an indicator is activated. Those same wing mirrors are generously sized with a great field of view.
When parking, there’s a front camera, a 360-degree camera, and a reversing camera to guide the GV70 around. We found the wing mirror cameras were our preferred method of checking blind spots, as the large C pillar tends to block out a large portion of real estate.
The sheer amount of safety tech is crazy, and we’re not sure there’s a single thing out there that hasn’t been included here, including eight airbags, an active bonnet, blind-spot collision avoidance, driver attention warning and leading vehicle departure alert.
There’s also forward collision avoidance, car/pedestrian/cyclist detection, junction turning and crossing, evasive steering assist, high beam assist, intelligent speed limit assist, lane follow and lane keep assist, and multi-collision braking.
Throw in rear cross-traffic assist, rear occupant warning, safe exit assist, smart cruise control and trailer stability assist, and you pretty much won’t want for a single piece of safety tech, ever again. Literally.
Genesis offers an exceptional owner’s experience too, including free logbook servicing for five years or 75,000km. This is paired with a 5-year unlimited kilometre warranty, a valet service, and 24/7 premium roadside assistance.
Spending a week with the 2022 Genesis GV70 AWD Luxury has allowed us to appreciate just how value you get for your money. On the surface, it’s a medium sized SUV that can hold five occupants, has decent performance, space, and unique looks.
Dig a little deeper and you’ll find a car that can relax you, even when driven in Sydney commuter traffic – that is no mean feat! Go deeper still and you have a capable family car that is enjoyable to drive just about anywhere, is relaxing, and super safe.
Genesis sells its vehicles here in Australia using a fixed price sales model, but you can build your own version of the stylish 2022 Genesis GV70 on the car maker’s website.
Our 2022 Genesis GV70 was provided by Genesis Motors Australia. To find out more information, contact your local Genesis dealer.
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