A lot has happened since I reviewed my last Genesis GV70. In May of last year, I spent a week with the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 AWD Prestige, and since then, demand for EVs has cooled significantly. Fourteen months ago, the Genesis brand was heading towards a full-electric future. Whether they stay that all-EV course is still to be determined, but petrol from dead dinos powers my latest GV70 loaner. Let’s see how this 2024 GV70 3.5T AWD Sport Prestige fared during daily driver duties.

2024 Genesis GV70 Overview

You’ll start your GV70 journey by picking a powertrain. Options include a turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder making 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque or a twin-turbo 3.5L V6 making 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Those are stout numbers, for sure. Our tester came with the 3.5T engine and Sport Advanced and Sport Prestige packages.

I won’t pad my word count by listing all the features, particularly since it’s a pretty long list. You can read through them above, and below. They add $9,600 to the overall starting MSRP of $57,750. Add in the Moana Red paint ($650), and you’re out the door around $69,000. hehe

Let’s get this gas-powered GV70 out on the road and see if it stacks up to the price tag.

2024 Genesis GV70 3.5T AWD Sport Prestige Inside & Out

I’ve said it before, and I’ll keep saying it: the entire Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis lineup looks good. Well, it varies from good to outstanding, with the GV70 on the top end of that spectrum. I’ve had two colleagues migrate from Mercedes and BMW to Genesis, both buying GV70s over the last year. Unsurprisingly, the “Bentley on a budget” design turns heads. While parked outside my house (not the one pictured, sadly), multiple people asked me about it.

From the broad trapezoidal grille to the clean and curvy rear design, it just flows so well. The trademark split headlight and taillight design isn’t necessarily my favorite, but it lets you know it’s a Genesis from a distance. My only other exterior criticism was the wheels. While I like the color and katana-style spokes, I felt like the designer said, “It needs something else,” and just kept drawing. Still, I’m grasping at straws here; it’s a damn good-looking thing. Now, on to the interior.

The GV70 delivers the typical interior luxury touches you might see in an AMG Mercedes. So you’ll find quilted leather, carbon fiber trim, and loads of red accents, from stitching to seatbelts. It’s all pretty great, though the uber-sporty vibe might not be for everyone. Luckily, you can actually save some cash and go without all that if you feel like it hits you over the head with sportiness. The materials feel high quality, though, as you can see from some of the pics above, the light-colored bits don’t hide dirt very well.

It’s full of tech, with all GV70 models getting a nicely sized 14.5-inch touchscreen display. Sport Prestige models also get a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster with cool 3D graphics. It’s small, but I like how it quiets the audio and the fan when you are doing voice-to-text. That’s how I make the notes for these articles, so that’s a nice touch. The audio even fades out when you turn the car off instead of stopping abruptly. The cell phone wireless charging area is cool, there is even a little cover, so if you want to leave it in the car while you run inside, you can.

However, there is no wireless Apple CarPlay, which is shocking in a pricey luxury SUV (it arrives in the 2025 GV70). It didn’t even have a USB–C connection anywhere, again, surprising. It’s also annoying since I moved recently and couldn’t find a USB-A to USB-C cord. I connected my phone via Bluetooth to listen to music and get Waze alerts. Like a caveman.

It has a decent amount of space for a compact crossover, with 28.9 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats. That was more than enough to take on hockey practice for my youngest or do a grocery run. Rear legroom is also solid, at just over 37 inches. So, as long as you don’t need a three-row SUV, the GV70 will tackle most day-to-day family hauler jobs.

On The Road

The 3.5T engine is fantastic; it quickly gets the 4,453-pound SUV up to highway speed. Sixty mph arrives in just over five seconds, making the GV70 quicker than most sport compact cars I lusted over in the 1990s. The drive modes actually work; in fact, Sport+ is rather intense. The revs stay high, the engine and exhaust noises are louder, and acceleration seems more violent and immediate. The seatbelt will even snug up around you during cornering maneuvers. The shifter paddles are too small and plastic, but I doubt they will be used often by most owners.

Click the drive mode selector to Comfort, and the GV70 becomes once again a docile commuter. Reach down to your left and turn on the massage seat, and it’s downright spa-like.

Summary

The compact luxury SUV market has a lot of great options, but Genesis brought the heat with the GV70. Look at how it compares to competitors like the Acura RDX, BMW X3, and Mercedes GLC, and you’ll be pretty impressed. It is priced like the Acura but comes with more power and delivers many luxuries of the Germans without the high price tag. If you don’t need the big engine, the GV70 2.5T starts at just over $45,000. That’s a lot of SUV for the cash, so it should make your short list to test drive. I would have no problem recommending the GV70, particularly in maxed out 3.5T Sport Prestige mode.