South Korean car manufacturer Genesis has launched its GV70, a medium luxury SUV in Australia. It’s the company’s first vehicle in this class and has some interesting features both inside and out.
There is a choice of three engines driving through an eight-speed automatic and either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Genesis GV70 offers eleven exterior colours, seven interior colours and four trim insert to let buyers have their individual preferences.
The GV70 is available with an optional Sport Line Package and/or Luxury Package. The Sport Line Package was fitted to our test car. Details are provided in the body of this road test review.
The Luxury Package has intelligent Front-Lighting System, puddle lamps with Genesis logo and rear privacy glass.
Prices, excluding on-road costs, range from $66,400 for a GV70 2.5T 2WD to $83,276 for a 3.5T Sport AWD.
Genesis sees its vehicles as competing with the upmarket German marques and the GV70 is certainly part of that plan. However, we feel that’s an almost impossible wish…
STYLING
Genesis GV70 is an attractive looking vehicle with lines that are definitely SUV in the rear. Some competitors have gone for a semi-coupe look, but the Genesis stylists have given us a vehicle with a practical tail.
The rearmost side windows have a fascinating shape that certainly stands out from others in this ever more popular segment of the car market in Australia.
The large panoramic sunroof is likely to be a strong selling point.
The large grille is very much after the style of the latest Genesis cars and seems sure to appeal to potential buyers. Its slim horizontal front lights broaden the frontal appearance.
The Sport Line Package has 19-inch Sport Line alloy wheels, sporty front and rear bumpers, gloss black sport radiator grille, front skid plate and roof rails. It has a dark chrome radiator grille surround and window frame trims.
INTERIOR
Inside, the Sport Line package features Nappa leather and suede appointed sport seats, suede headlining and pillars, a sport steering wheel, alloy pedals, aluminium trim. There are sport gauges for oil temperature and also torque and turbo boost gauges to let the driver get the best from the engine.
The centre console is bulky and tall and really seems to separate the front occupants from one another.
INFOTAINMENT
The screen is very wide but not as deep as we would like it, so we couldn’t not see as far enough ahead on the map. Reaching for the far end of the screen while driving could be too distracting. Obviously, you shouldn’t be doing this – but human nature being what it is…
Entertainment comes from a nine-speaker Genesis audio system which has excellent quality of aural output.
There’s wireless (Qi standard) smartphone charging.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
Engines on offer are the GV70 2.5T which has a 2.5 litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder with 224kW of power and 422Nm of torque. This is the model we tested.
Genesis GV70 2.2D has 2.2 litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel producing 154kW of power and 440 Nm of torque. It uses an electronically controlled Genesis AWD system.
The flagship GV70 has 3.5-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 with 279kW and 530Nm it’s also paired with the electronically controlled Genesis AWD system, and an electro-mechanical limited slip differential on the rear axle.
SAFETY
Every GV70 model has eight airbags, with a centre side airbag between the front seats to prevent serious injuries due to potential driver and passenger collision.
To help avoid a crash there’s Genesis intelligent Active Safety Control technologies.
DRIVING
The Genesis GV70 is quite a large vehicle, but doesn’t feel like it on the road where it’s simple to drive within the lanes, even to smooth out the bends by clipping the corners. It’s not a sports machine but comes closer than many others in the class that we have tested.
The engine may be a four-cylinder 2.5 litre turbo-petrol, but it produces 224kW of power and 422Nm of torque. Once you get below the reasonably short period of turbo lag it gets up and flies with the feeling and sound being almost that of a decent sized six-cylinder – that’s smart.
The eight-speed automatic transmission is quick to response to the needs of the driver and we really didn’t find the need to override the choices made by the transmission’s computer.
However, it does like a drink and we were typically using petrol at a rate of eleven to thirteen litres per hundred kilometres around town. This dropped to a much more acceptable seven to eight litres per hundred during easy paced country touring.
Hallelujah! Wonderful news for me and anyone else who has polarised sunglasses. I can read the image projected on the screen giving vehicle speed and other details. On other cars I have to tilt my head to read it, which is ridiculous. Hopefully all other car makers will follow Genesis’ lead.
SUMMING UP
The first attempt at providing an SUV with looks and practicality means the Genesis GV70 is likely to appeal to many buyers in this burgeoning market segment.
It obviously doesn’t have the snob appeal of the big-name German vehicles, but if you can overlook that it’s well worth a spot on your list of potential SUVs .
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
GV70 2.5T petrol 2WD: $66,400
GV70 2.5T petrol AWD: $68,786
GV70 3.5T Sport petrol AWD: $83,276
GV70 2.2D diesel AWD: $71,676
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Genesis dealer for drive-away prices.
SPECIFICATIONS (Genesis GV70 Sport Line 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-door wagon)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 2.497 litres
Configuration: Four cylinders in line
Maximum Power: 224 kW @ 5800 rpm
Maximum Torque: 422 Nm @ 1650 rpm
Fuel Type: Premium unleaded petrol
Combined Fuel Cycle (ADR 81/02): 9.8 L/100km
CO2 Emissions: 223 g/km
DRIVELINE: Eight-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4715 mm
Wheelbase: 2875 mm
Width: 1910 mm
Height: 1630 mm
Turning Circle: 11.5 metres
Kerb Mass: 1973 kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 66 litres
BRAKES:
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated disc
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Five years / unlimited kilometres
RATINGS:
Looks: 9/10
Performance: 8/10
Safety: 8/10
Thirst : 6/10
Practicality: 8/10
Comfort: 9/10
Tech: 8/10
Value: 8/10
Overall: 8.1/10
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