The Genesis GV70 is a handsome mid-size premium SUV with good driving manners and a stunning interior.
Launched last year, it’s one of a blitz of new models from Genesis, which is the luxury arm of Hyundai.
It aims to steal sales from other upmarket SUVs such as the Audi Q5, BMW i3, Volvo XC60 and Jaguar F-Pace.
Prices start at around the £40,000 mark, undercutting its rivals. What’s more, it comes extremely well equipped.
Go for an X3 or Q5 and you’d have to add a pile of optional extras to match the kit that comes as standard with the Genesis GV70.
Even entry level models get dual zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, heated seats, 19in alloy wheels and a large infotainment screen.
Sport versions have upgraded styling, three-zone climate control so rear passengers can choose their own temperature, and a heated steering wheel.
The luxury SUV category is one of the toughest sectors and one where badge snobbery is fierce. People like their BMW propeller or Audi rings on the nose of their vehicle. So the Genesis will have to be something special to tempt buyers.
Classy interior
It’s certainly a good looking car. Elegant lines and a winged badge caused many of my friends to mistake it for a Bentley.
Inside things get even better. The Genesis GV70 has one of the best interiors in the car industry.
Quilted leather seats, chrome dials, soft-touch materials, subtle mood lighting and a general sense of class make it an extremely pleasant place to spend time.
Under the bonnet there’s a choice of a 2.5 litre petrol engine, a 2.2 litre diesel, or a new all-electric system in the Electrified GV70.
Petrol and diesel versions get an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
I spent a week with the 2.2 litre diesel model, which has an entry price of £42,820.
On the road it’s a very well-mannered car. The ride and handling have been nicely tuned and work well on Scotland’s twisty and all-too-frequently potholed roads.
Ride and handling
There’s plenty of give in the suspension, so holes and bumps are soaked up easily. At the same time, there’s none of the roly-poly feel you often get with SUVs.
The GV70 remains flat and composed during bends, and accurate steering helps you place the car.
At 70mph the cabin is serene and you can talk to rear passengers without having to raise your voice.
Rear head and legroom is more than ample for anyone up to about 6’2”.
Meanwhile the boot has 542 litres of volume and can easily swallow a couple of large dogs or enough luggage to take the family on holiday.
While the GV70 isn’t designed to get you very far off-road, it does have four-wheel drive which helps navigate slippery roads in the Scottish winter.
The only real flaw the GV70 has is the diesel engine that is borrowed from parent company Hyundai.
It can’t match up to the excellent BMW and Audi diesels, which are smoother, quieter, more powerful and more efficient.
We’re into the era of electric cars now, however, so that will become less of an issue.
Having driven the electric version a couple of months ago I can confirm it’s a superb car with a powertrain that eliminates one of the few gripes I have about the GV70.
Another area where Genesis pulls ahead of its rivals is customer care. Every model gets a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. You also get five years or 50,000 miles of free servicing, and Genesis will collect your car and leave you a courtesy model.
It really does make other premium car makers look a bit lazy.
Facts
Price: £42,820
0-62mph: 7.9 seconds
Top speed: 133mph
Economy: 42.3mpg
CO2 emissions: 189g/km
