Genesis GV70 3.5TT Long-Term Review

Spun off from Hyundai’s ‘Genesis’ limousine into a standalone nameplate in 2015 before making its local debut in 2019 with the G70 sedan, the budding luxury brand from Korea should be hitting its stride right now, but when will Genesis have its revelation?

While it passed the one million global sales milestone in 2023, fast forward to 2025 and things are less rosy here in Australia, with just 1178 registrations recorded as of September. That’s an increase of 8.9 percent, but it’s also a drop in the ocean compared to segment leaders BMW (20,301) and Mercedes-Benz (17,150), along with Audi (11,001) and Lexus (10,867).

To be fair, luxury segments are historically ruthlessly difficult to break into, with badge loyalty not just an obstacle to overcome, but a tool to harness long-term success. The Australian market has arguably never been so congested and competitive, either, with newcomer Zeekr already clocking up 730 local registrations after barely a year since its introduction.

Perhaps more concerning is the fact that only one model is doing all the legwork at Genesis: the GV70 midsize SUV. Everything else, including the fully-electric GV60 midsize SUV, the recently updated GV80 large SUV and the G70 and G80 sedans, have all declined in sales.

But the GV70 is clearly running its own race, with sales up 56 percent so far this year. Its owners aren’t fools either; this midsizer has generally held up well under our previous assessments – but the sales pitch hasn’t been without its drawbacks.

The GV70 package is said to have improved with the facelift applied at the end of last year and yet pricing still remains enticing compared to rivals such as the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60 and many more.

It’s for that reason, among others we shall now discuss, that we’ve decided to take one on for a gruelling six-month review.

Month 1:  The Genesis of our test

• Odometre start: 6422km
• Kilometres this month: 1067
• Fuel consumption: 12L/100km 
• Costs this month: $283.69 (fuel)

What is it?

The GV70 midsize SUV first launched locally in 2021. This is the first and only generation so far, though it received a mid-life facelift in Australia at the back end of 2024.

It’s an important vehicle for the Genesis brand as it competes in a highly lucrative segment, against big-hitters like the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC.

How much is it?

The GV70 starts at $78,700 for the entry-level variant equipped with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine in ‘Advance’ guise. Buyers can opt for the better-equipped ‘Signature’ for $87,700 or Signature Sport for $89,700.

We’ve opted for a GV70 in Signature Sport guise armed with the V6. It serves as a well-equipped grand touring vehicle with a list price of $100,200. Expensive, but significantly cheaper than high-performance rivals such as the Audi SQ5 ($125,900), BMW X3 M50 ($129,600) or Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 ($136,900).

On the road, our GV70 costs $111,840 when equipped with Makalu Grey Matte paint. It’s the only option on our car, and it costs an extra $2000.

What’s the spec of our car?

Offer a lot, ask for a little. It’s the playbook of new car brands around the world, and while our circa-$110K GV70 is a very expensive vehicle, it’s certainly very well equipped with the following feature highlights:

• 21-inch alloy wheels
• Power tailgate
• 27-inch touchscreen
• Head-up display
• 16-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system
• 18-way power adjustable, heated and cooled front seats
• Centre console with UV-C sterilisation
• Heated rear seats
• Three-zone climate control
• Second row pull-up sunshades
• Nappa leather upholstery
• Heated sports steering wheel
• Air Aroma Diffuser
• Blind spot view monitor
• 360-degree camera
• Phone app connectivity

The step up to our ‘Signature Sport’ is primarily a difference of styling and in our eyes, one worth indulging in, with racier 21-inch alloy wheels, a more handsome front-end, dual exhaust tips and a smattering of sporty touches in the interior – such as the alloy finish for the pedals.

It’s not all show without go, however, as the Signature Sport uniquely comes with a ‘Sport+’ model that allows the brave to turn off traction and stability control.

How long is it sticking around for?

The plan is to hang onto our GV70 for six months. In that time, we plan to put 10,000 extra kilometres on the odometer, which has already endured 6422km of ‘gentle driving’ from other motoring journalists prior to our custodianship.

What are we going to do with it?

Practicality is a must for our GV70, which will serve primarily as the everyday commute vehicle for my family of four, including two kids under three.

That means baby seats (forward- and reverse-facing), a pram in the boot, sticky fingers and daily trips to and from their local daycare centre. Plus, whatever else family life throws at us, we never really know….

We’ll also be doing some roadtrips between Melbourne, Sydney and possibly Adelaide to add some kilometres to the odometer and assess its grand touring abilities.

Naturally, there will also be a comparison test against its rivals to discover where it sits in the luxury midsize SUV pecking order.

To make sure we cover off the entire range, we’ll jump into cheaper variants powered by the 2.5L petrol engine and the fully electric version, which is named – would you believe it – the ‘Genesis Electrified GV70’. Bonuses all-round for the marketing team who came up with that…

Initial performance

After nine months of living with utes, first the Mitsubishi Triton and then the Volkswagen Amarok, it was time to shake things up with an altogether different proposition.

In place of Roman-era leaf-spring suspension, our GV70 has adaptive dampers paired with a camera that scans the road ahead to detect imperfections and react accordingly.

In place of 9.0- or 12.0-inch touchscreens, we have a whopping 27.0-inch widescreen that sweeps across the dash – itself clad in rather lovely red leather.

In place of diesel-clatter, we have a twin-turbo V6 petrol engine plying 279kW and 530Nm of torque to the road in a polite, yet savage manner.

Point being: it’s time to pop in my monocle, pretend I’ve jumped up a few tax brackets and settle into the luxury language for the next six months and 10,000km.

This sort of chopping-and-changing is a common part of motoring journalism but living with a luxury vehicle for half a year is quite rare, and given the miserable reputation some high-end vehicles carry for long-term reliability, I was a bit concerned…

‘Owning’ a vehicle with infamously sensitive matte paint has renewed my hatred of birds and while the clever suspension system might be scanning the road ahead, one look at the potholes in my area and the only message it will be sending back to the dampers is ‘brace for impact’.

Those 21-inch wheels wrapped in 255/40 Michelin Pilot Sport4 SUV tyres are in for a fight, but to their credit, my initial experience has been quite positive, and I was both delighted and surprised to discover a space wheel under the boot floor of our GV70 if anything goes awry.

While some might snicker and call it the ‘Kia Stinger’ engine, the 279kW/530Nm 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 engine is a mighty thing to drive every day, and the GV70 very much conveys a sense of budget Porsche Macan vibes with the way it drives. That’s no criticism, that’s praise to the highest degree.

It comes at a cost, however, as the big V6 loves a drink. So far, we’ve recorded consumption of around 12L/100km using 98 Ron fuel exclusively, driven primarily in urban areas.

We plan on doing more highway miles to provide a more accurate figure across a range of conditions, but even the 11.3L/100km rating is significantly higher than rivals such as the BMW X3 M50 (8.2L/100km) and Audi SQ5 (7.6L/100km), which offer similar performance.

We’ll keep an eye on fuel consumption, but it’s otherwise, so far, so good for the GV70, but time will always tell and we have a lot of time….