2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Status AWD Assessment & Take a look at Drive : Automotive Addicts

There’s one thing particular a couple of luxurious car and the way it simply feels totally different, most frequently in a great way, to appease those that like good issues. Genesis, as a luxurious model, has had a problem of competing with the huge area of established luxurious automobiles, however lately, it appears they’ve discovered a brand new stable footing. That footing extends past the standard massive automobiles into the compact GV70, which I had an opportunity to evaluation this week in its top-level 3.5T Sport Status AWD trim.

As a rear-wheel-drive biased car, the GV70 is already a winner in my e-book, and for the 2026 mannequin 12 months, it receives just a few tweaks that place it in line to raised compete with luxurious juggernauts. The brand new tweaks revolve principally round a brand new 27-inch touchscreen show that seamlessly flows into the digital gauge cluster with up to date graphics that add to the pure movement of graphics and display shows. Different modifications are narrowed all the way down to small modifications within the exterior lighting and revised bumpers, which preserve the GV70 a reasonably enticing car with some sports activities attraction that doesn’t take away from its luxurious theme.

Efficiency and Driving Character

Powering the Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Status AWD is the job of the model’s 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque despatched out to an 8-speed computerized transmission. Powering all 4 wheels and exuding a supple journey high quality aided by adaptive dampers does nicely to take in street imperfections even with the bigger 21-inch wheels wrapped in all-season Michelin Primacy tires.

I discovered that I benefit from the driving character that feels tight and buttoned down with out undesirable drama, virtually on the verge of feeling like an costly sporty luxurious sedan, much more so with the 2026 from some unmentioned drivetrain modifications – all for the higher. The steering feeling is great with a properly weighted resistance, with a brand new variable ratio helping steering rack. There’s a little bit of turbo lag for a second out of the opening, however the engine does nicely to observe up with a surge of energy after hitting about 2,000 rpm. Zero to 60 mph ticks off in 5 seconds flat via using the launch management whereas within the Sport+ drive mode, the place you assist get rid of the turbo lag that you simply in any other case get from usually accelerating from a cease.

Gasoline Economic system

Gasoline economic system stays principally regular, getting the estimated 18 mpg metropolis, 25 mpg freeway, and 21 mpg mixed in real-world circumstances. The cruising vary is about 435 miles in the event you hit and preserve the 25 mpg freeway determine. One factor to notice is that premium unleaded gasoline is really helpful to get the complete energy score out of the twin-turbo V6, whereas it could in any other case retard timing barely, inflicting a small loss in energy output.

Inside and Know-how

The inside of the Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Status AWD is an inviting house the place a lot time was spent on consideration to element, with its leatherette-wrapped dashboard and plentiful soft-touch surfaces laced with high-quality-looking trim items. Furthermore, there are actual carbon fiber trim bits within the cabin as nicely. Genesis even goes the space to make the decrease door trim delicate contact, one thing that just a few luxurious manufacturers fail to do.

The seats are properly supportive with heating and air flow up entrance, and the motive force’s seat will get therapy to the Ergo movement seat features, which is actually a therapeutic massage characteristic. Nonetheless, to at the present time, I don’t know why Genesis doesn’t lengthen the therapy to the entrance passenger seat along with a few energy changes, such because the entrance thigh extender, solely discovered on the motive force’s seat. In any other case, the seats are comfortable however might use a ahead and backwards adjustment of the guide headrest, as they appear a bit too thick for my style.

Seemingly, Genesis cleverly makes use of the house within the GV70 and does nicely to cope with its considerably sloping rear design to present you simply sufficient house within the rear seating space for adults.

The brand new infotainment display setup makes use of a a lot bigger 27-inch display that integrates each the digital gauge cluster, which is a pleasant contact and considerably distinctive in how the display flows graphics all through your entire display. These graphics are sometimes adaptable, the place the background cleverly modifications to imitate the out of doors circumstances – whether it is storming with rain, the background shows a cloudy day with rain. The identical goes for a sunny day and so forth. Organising the display could be a bit cumbersome to show your required data, although, utilizing a contact capacitive slide-action button, which regularly modifications its major perform primarily based on different button inputs. There’s a studying curve to beat for many which will take a number of days to grasp. The training curve is considerably helped together with some bodily controls, similar to nonetheless having a bodily quantity knob and knobs for the 2 entrance local weather zones temperature changes.

There’s wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration along with being able to show some mapping apps’ navigation, like Waze, via the motive force’s gauge cluster space. Apparently, there are various different updates to the GV70 for 2026 which might be subtitle added and tweaked, even the car sounds have been up to date for sure warnings and chimes. I admire an automotive model that retains innovating and retains issues recent, which Genesis does nicely for the 2026 GV70, far past what you possibly can see on the floor!

Security

Security stays paramount, and you’ll count on the complete bevy of anticipated lively security options within the Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Status AWD, along with having the newest freeway driving help characteristic, which is a sophisticated adaptive cruise management setup the place I get pleasure from solely having to ‘contact’ steering wheel to forestall the system asking you to position your palms on the wheel.

Pricing

Pricing stays an attraction for Genesis within the new GV70 and feels such as you get a cut price contemplating how cohesive the luxurious and sportiness come collectively for the brand new 2026 mannequin 12 months. Beginning at $48,985 for the bottom GV70 with the much less highly effective turbocharged 4-cylinder continues to be interesting for the quantity of apparatus that you simply get. Transferring to the twin-turbo V6 3.5T Sport Status AWD trim, my favourite, is the place you’ll really feel that you simply’ve leveled up in opposition to rivals which have a bonus of being round for much longer than the GV70. Nonetheless, even on the a lot greater as-tested value of $72,225, there’s lots to understand that many mustn’t sleep on as a result of Genesis means enterprise, because it’s evident within the new GV70 3.5T Sport Status AWD.

Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice within the automotive media world for over 20 years. With 20+ years of hands-on expertise overlaying the business, Malcolm has constructed a status for delivering sincere critiques, sharp insights, and in-depth protection of all the pieces from new automotive debuts to high-performance take a look at drives. Passionate concerning the evolving automotive tradition and staying forward of the curve, Malcolm continues to guide Automotive Addicts as a go-to vacation spot for fanatics and business insiders alike.