GARAGE

Nov 01, 2023 14 minutes

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Genesis GV70

HELLO

£45,635 OTR/£57,995 as tested/£686 pcm

WHY IT’S HERE

Can Hyundai’s posher offshoot stand out on the saturated SUV scene?

DRIVER

Charlie Rose

“IS THAT YOUR BENTLEY OUT FRONT, MATE?” THE PLUMBER ASKED through the intercom. “Err, you mean the Genesis?” I replied. “Genesis? Oh. Um… can you just move… it, please?” he responded.

In fairness, he could be excused for this mix up, given that though Genesis has been around for a while in the USA, the brand only arrived on British shores a couple of years ago and many people wouldn’t recognise it as the luxury arm of the Hyundai/Kia mothership. Plus, I suppose, the badge does somewhat resemble Bentley’s fancy winged ‘B’. Alas, a Bentley it is not. It is, in fact, Genesis’ mid-sized SUV, the GV70, and in ‘Luxury’ guise, it costs substantially less than a Bentley, with a modest £46k starting price. OK, this particular one isn’t £46k; it’s actually closer to £60k. Someone’s clearly been a bit liberal with the options.

We’ve got the 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 300bhp and 311lb ft. In other words, enough to move its 2.5-tonne weight with ease, but it’s by no means bombastic. You can also opt for a 198bhp diesel for a £500 saving, but that’s your only other ICE option.

I haven’t had much exposure to the Genesis model range, but this thing feels mighty premium. Add-ons include the innovation pack (£4,190), comfort seat pack (£1,690), second row comfort seat pack (£600), panoramic sunroof (£1,480), Lexicon Premium Audio System (£790), detachable towbar (£1,399), e-LSD (£450) and even fingerprint authentication (£80). It’s basically better equipped than my home office.

So, initial impressions? Well, despite the somewhat thirsty engine, it looks great and has a fancy interior going for it. Comparatively, a similarly equipped Audi Q5 would cost around £64k, making the GV70 a competitively priced alternative, especially when factoring in Genesis’ five-year care plan as standard. I’m looking forward to spending some more time in it.