Over the next six months, Iโm living with a 2025 Genesis GV70 Signature Sport 3.5T โ not for a quick test drive, but to understand what itโs really like as a daily companion for a family man.
So often our motoring reviews are limited to what are fleeting impressions, so I thought Iโd take this opportunity to write a journal of sorts, sharing my ongoing thoughts, quirks and frustrations, those that only begin to surface once the shine has worn off.
My goal here is to go beyond the specs and drivability to ponder the liveability โ to focus on the details that matter if youโre considering buying a Genesis GV70.
Model: Genesis GV70 Signature Sport 3.5T
Price As Tested: $102,000
Kilometres on pickup: 9,190km
Kilometres after month one: 11,093km
Likes:
- 3.5T engine performance
- Lumbar support system
- Cabin, seat and interior refinement
- Panoramic Sunroof & 27-inch screen
Dislikes:
- Overzealous safety tech
- Inadequate windscreen wipers
- Gear selector placement and infotainment control placement
- Awkward boot button
Jump To:
First Impressions Of The Genesis GV70
Itโs been years since I was last in a Genesis. We went on the original GV70 launch and produced some paid content for them later that year, which they enjoyed, so we did the same for the G70 Shooting Brake. Climbing in this time around, the first thing that struck me was how much theyโve nailed the immediate feel, and the Storr Green Matte paint job (a $2,000 option).
I recall taking a photo of the white GV70 we had in 2021, under the harbour bridge and thinking, this is a pretty bloody good thing, but I didnโt recall the specifics until I climbed into it again. The finishing impresses straight away โ brushed aluminium, a tactile gear selector with a satisfying flick, and a phone tray with wireless charging thatโs both well placed and well designed, so your phone wonโt slide around.
I appreciate the additional consideration for the iPhone camera too, with the charging area slightly raised in the centre so your phone sits flat. The singular infotainment and instrument cluster screen is a seamless 27-inch OLED display that looks like the cabin was designed around it, not an afterthought, which so many brands get so wrong.
The quilted seat is gently bolstered to sit on, as it should be for a city-focused SUV, almost flat, and supremely comfortable. When you require bolstering, itโs right where you want it (and automated when you select sport mode), securing your hips and upper back. An expansive sunroof opens promptly and lets the warm winter sun fill the cabin.
Even before pressing the engine start button, I thought, โThis thing feels good, and how good are these orange seatbelts!โ As I pulled away from Hyundai HQ, I was impressed by the wonderfully light and graceful steering feel, which manages to still be purposeful and direct, controlled by a thick, heated wheel.
Family Matters
I didnโt spend a lot of time in the car the first fortnight, but my wife made a point of telling me it could be her favourite car yet, and sheโs driven a lot of the cars Iโve brought home. โIt drives like Iโm on a cloud,โ she said. Sheโs not wrong either, which is commendable given the 21-inch wheels.
I will say with two forward-facing baby seats in the rear, there isnโt a lot of room for driver or passenger (and Iโm not tall at 5โณ 9โฒ), but thatโs probably my only qualm with cabin size. Not a concern if you have older children, or none at all. Iโve deactivated the โDriver seat easy accessโ (which moves the seat back when you turn off the engine for easy access next time you get in) because thereโs no room for loading the kids with it on.
The rear, stowable sun shades are a big win, though, as are the passenger seat controls on the right-hand side of the seat back, allowing the driver to move the seat backwards and forwards without leaning over.
A Day At The Wheel
Fast forward a few weeks, and I found myself on a nine-hour haul from Sydney to the Northern Rivers in horrible weather. It must have rained for at least 7.5 out of the 9 hours I was on the road, which is a shame, because I feel like the GV70 would have been in its element, and not to say it didnโt do a great job anyway.
The 3.5T is a peach โ a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 punching out 279kW. Itโs so nice to have two extra cylinders with proper torque for effortless overtakes on the open road, while the cabin is noticeably quiet at highway speeds, even with an occasional planting of the foot. Thereโs a synthetic engine setting, which I had dialled up to โEnhancedโ, but Iโm longing for more exhaust note.
It was a testing drive in torrential rain, made somewhat bearable by the active lumbar support, aka Ergo-Motion seat with Smart posture assist. The car will automatically activate the โComfortable stretchโ massage function for up to 20 minutes if youโve been fidgeting in your seat for an extended period, which aims to improve comfort and alertness when fatigue creeps in. The side bolstering also engages at a certain speed, which is a nice touch, assuming performance driving, perhaps?
The adaptive cruise control is easy to set and customise, and I appreciate the long push for increasing or decreasing the speed in increments of 10km/h. I also enjoyed the Bang & Olufsen sound system over 5 hours of Acquiredโs โRolexโ podcast, and the heated seats, which I kept at setting one.
Safety (Or Not?)
Letโs chat about safety tech, because itโs been a point of contention for me all month. As soon as I get in, I turn off the speed warning alert and the lane keep assist โ every time. Both can be deactivated via buttons on the wheel, which is great, but muting the speed warning alert also mutes a call if you happen to be on one at the time, which is very annoying.
Also, the car chimes when you go into a new speed zone, despite the warning being off. You can turn it all off, but itโs a lengthy process going through the menu items, and despite having driver profiles, you cannot save these settings to your profile; itโs a manual process each time you enter the car.
For my drive north, I kept Highway Driving Assist and Blind-spot Assist on, paired with the fantastic Blind-spot View Monitor, but killed the speed, lane-keep and fatigue warnings entirely. Unfortunately, the safety kit is far from perfect โ the driver fatigue system seems to trigger without rhyme or reason, often right after youโve stopped, and the lane keep assist is worryingly intrusive at times.
Ironically, all these safety features forced upon Australian car buyers make us feel decidedly unsafe at times โ sucking the enjoyment out of motoring. But thatโs an industry-wide issue in pursuit of ANCAP ratings. The blind spot cameras are amazing, however, and they should be standard on all new cars.
Niggles
Iโll start with the windscreen wipers. In torrential rain, they just donโt keep up. Thereโs an auto setting, a low and a high, but full speed, theyโre still too slow, to the point where I considered pulling over multiple times during my drive. Coming from a Volvo XC40, where the top wiper setting is borderline chaotic, this feels like a shortfall.
Other niggles I noticed: the central locking is slow to react to your proximity to the vehicle, it doesnโt unlock on approach, so you find yourself waiting or grabbing the handles too early before it unlocks. The boot release button, located under the rear wiper, is awkward; pushing upwards into it is unnatural.
The gear selector and infotainment selector are all similar-sized circles, so you often find yourself reaching for the wrong one when looking for reverse. Additionally, the wireless charger was also a bit of a letdown on the long drive, intermittent, overly hot, and incapable of charging my phone fully over a full day of driving.
Finally, the swipe-to-skip function for media on the steering wheel is infuriating. Itโs touch-activated, so you place your thumb on the central button and move it across to the right. Sometimes it changes tracks, sometimes it changes the driver display menu. Rarely does it do what I want.
Consumption & Verdict So Far
The fuel tank is a modest 66L, but Iโve found economy to be decent for a 3.5-litre turbo, dropping from 13.4 L/100 km from around town driving in Sydney to 8.9 L/100 km by the time I arrived at Cabarita. Genesis claims fuel efficiency of 11.3L/100km, which is almost smack bang in the middle of the two.
They claim 10.3L/100km for the 2.5-litre cylinder turbo, which I think in the real world would be a nominal difference in consumption. You can get into the V6 โSportโ for $98,000 (an additional $8,500 over the 2.5T). Money well spent, Iโd say.
There are a number of features I havenโt investigated too much, like ambient lighting and an in-car fragrance that offers two different scents โ itโs set to โStrongโ intensity currently, but I havenโt noticed it. I have changed the scent, so I will report back next month. I also have yet to explore the remote start and parking assist functions on the key fob, which assist with parking manoeuvres.
All told, the GV70 has made a strong first impression in month one, blending luxury, comfort, and solid road manners with a few frustrations that Iโll be keeping a close eye on over the next five months. In month two, I have to take the car for its 10,000km service, which is complimentary for five years or up to 50,000km, and I will be exploring its performance in the hinterland.
Would I recommend it after one month? 100%.