Genesis GV70 long-term test: report 2
Genesis hasn't been around for long, but it already has a What Car? Award winner in its line-up. So, can the new Genesis GV70 follow up on that success and convert buyers from mainstream rivals?...
The car Genesis GV70 2.5T + 8AT AWD Luxury | Run by Darren Moss, deputy digital editor
Why it’s here To show that Genesis can mix with premium rivals at the top end of the large SUV market
Needs to be Luxurious, comfortable, and able to function as a mobile office when needed
Mileage 4411 List price £46,470 Target Price £46,470 Price as tested £57,995 Test economy 21.3mpg Official economy 29.7mpg
13 December 2023 – Interior illuminations
Whether it’s a set of fairy lights, a glass of wine or, perhaps, a butler offering you a warm towel, everyone likes to be welcomed home at the end of a long day. And while my Genesis GV70 can’t serve me beverages or hand me fluffy flannels, it does serve up a welcoming light show.
For starters, when I unlock the car using the key fob, small puddles of light appear on the floor around the GV70’s door edges. These not only illuminate the area to stop me stepping into any actual puddles, but project the Genesis logo onto the floor as a form of subtle branding.
The light show continues inside, because the centre console, climate control panel and door panels are all bathed in coloured lights, which help to give the GV70 a serene atmosphere. It was this which a friend commented on when I picked him up recently, noting that although he hadn’t heard of Genesis before, he was impressed with the look of my car’s interior.
As we headed towards our bi-weekly Dungeons and Dragons game, his appraisal moved from the seats, which he described as comfortable yet supportive, to the materials surrounding the dashboard, which he liked for their softness.
He also loved the blind spot cameras on my car, which automatically activate when I indicate and put an image of what’s over my shoulder onto the digital instrument cluster. Combined with the blind spot warning system, which displays a light in each mirror housing if there’s something I can’t see but the car can, it means I’m more confident moving in the cut and thrust of London traffic.
One thing he didn’t like was my car’s fuel economy, which is currently only 21mpg – despite me having left the car’s drive mode selector firmly in its ‘Eco’ setting since my first report.
I’m hoping some longer motorway runs over the upcoming festive season will help to improve things, but even the official tests suggest I’m unlikely to see more than 29mpg, which means I stand to be spending a lot on fuel over the coming months. Perhaps I will need that drink when I get home.
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