Driven. 2026 Genesis GV70 Advanced 2.5T
- Jul 31
- 5 min read
As I reflected on a week in the Genesis GV70 Advanced 2.5T, I came to the realisation that this model was really the one I wanted to drive most in their SUV range. In a lot of ways, it represented the brand in my mind.
The reason is unclear, but I suspect it was purely visual. There is a cohesiveness in the exterior design that really struck me from the moment I saw one.
Compared to its bigger brother the GV80, it's smaller overall dimensions endow it with a more balanced aesthetic. All the lumps and bumps are in all the right places, complimented by sharpness in the headlights and frontal treatments.
It’s got a distinctly European feel about it, simultaneously casting an athletic and graceful visual.
The Ceres Blue is also a great colour to highlight the shape, switching from silver to a pale blue depending on conditions. If it’s not to your liking there are another 7 options available, including 3 matte finishes which carry a staggering $4000 additional cost.
Nevertheless, the pale blue is the perfect complement to the beautiful contrasting Vanilla Beige interior. Climbing aboard for the first time is almost breathtaking (yes, I know that’s a little over the top – but I am a huge fan of light interiors!).
Like the exterior, there are optional finishes available inside if you prefer a more subdued vibe, but this is exactly how I would specify for purchase personally.
Looking around the cabin it’s hard to imagine that this Advanced grade is the most basic in the range. Climbing into the 12-way electric adjustable leather seat, it moves forward and meets with the steering wheel, which also studiously returns to your predetermined position.
Its comfortable, with good bolstering for support, along with heating and ventilation.
The dash ahead carries aluminium highlights with elliptical elements around knobs and sensible buttons used to operate the air-conditioning.
Further down sits a crystal-like knob for gear selection duties as well as a separate wheel for manipulation of vehicular systems. It’s a little archaic, but it does work and offers choice. I simply went for the screen when I needed to do anything.
On that screen, it’s an enormous 27-inches of OLED goodness when you combine the Infotainment side with the driver screen. Not only is it visually striking, but it’s also beautifully crisp and responsive to the touch.
Apple Car Play and Android Auto are available wired and wirelessly, and USBC ports supplement a wireless charger at the bottom of the centre stack. Tunes are played through the “Basic” 9-speaker sound system.
The light-coloured finishes continue up into the roof lining, which is broken up by a full-roof sunroof, adding even more vibrance to the interior space.
Unlike the GV80 I reviewed recently, the GV70 is a 5-seat affair. Rear seat passengers get the same lovely seat coverings, with reasonable leg space, air conditioning controls and USBC ports for charging purposes.
Storage is reasonable in the cabin and extends out to the luggage space in the rear. With 542l available it’s certainly not small and can be tripled with the rear row down.
Hitting the start button fires up the 2.5L 4-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, which quickly settles to an imperceivable hum in the background. It’s backed by an 8-speed convertor automatic that sends drive to all four wheels.
The combination musters 224kw and 422Nm of power. These are admirable numbers that manifest in a drivetrain that can be both punchy and unobtrusively smooth, depending on your mood.
Ultimately though, a vehicle that looks and feels like this needs something that has a little more aggression to it. Compared to the GV80, which is a different car yes, I simply didn’t get that connection and feeling of power in this variant.
Thankfully though, higher grades get the exacting 3.5L twin turbo mill found in the bigger brother, which I suspect would take things to the next level in terms of harmonics, performance and feel.
Nevertheless, the 4-cylinder returned a figure of 11.2L/100km against Genesis’ claimed 10.2L/100km. This was even with the clever Coasting Mode, which decouples the engine from the gearbox in specific conditions in Eco Mode.
The smaller (if you could call them that!) 19-inch wheels in this specification allow for more sidewall profile, which should result in better bump absorption. It’s hard to tell without driving a higher-grade riding on 21-inch rolling stock.
You do miss out on the trick adaptive suspension that we sampled in the bigger brother, instead making do with what Genesis calls High-Performance Dampers. The truth is this is no performance car, let alone a performance SUV.
In practise what I found was a supple but well controlled ride. It absorbs bumps admirably, whilst allowing a level of plushness.
What you don’t miss out on is safety gear, because everything is the same across the entire GV70 range. The list in long and distinguished, and includes everything from basic airbags to lane keep assist and my personal favourite amongst Genesis and its sister brand Hyundai, the on-screen camera feeds down the side of the car when indicating for a turn. It’s such a simple but useful feature, it bewilders me that this isn’t on every new car.
Coming into a week behind the wheel of the GV 0 carried a little weight of expectation. I had always enjoyed the look of them, and I can say that like every Genesis I’ve reviewed to date, I came away impressed by it.
However, as a car person I wouldn’t buy the GV70 in this specification.
I can do without the 14-speaker B&O Sound system, and the Nappa leather which comes with the Signature and Signature Sport. The ticket for me is access to the V6, because it would take an excellent thing and make it exceptional.
Now to try and snag the keys to one of those!
Like: Lovely to look at, beautifully executed interior, comfortable and serene ride
Dislike: It needs a tougher motor, the smaller wheels are visual let down, the fuel economy isn’t the best for a 4-cylinder
Car Guy Rating: 7.5
The GV70 met every expectation that I carried going into a week with it. It’s lovely to look at inside and out and is a luxurious and comfortable way to be transported. However, the Genesis GV70 Advanced 2.5T misses the visceral component that comes from the extra two cylinders, which is available in the higher grades in the form of a twin turbo V6. Id buy one, but not with this drivetrain. Would Not Buy.
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