TESTED: The 2022 Genesis GV70 Has Whispers of Athleticism

• The smallish GV70 competes against the likes of the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Acura RDX.
• With the optional twin-turbo V6 engine, the GV70 is quick, but not "performance SUV" quick.
• All-wheel drive is standard, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

How does the GV70 perform?

Before we begin instrumented testing on any vehicle, we ensure it always has a full tank of fuel and gets weighed. Our GV70 tipped the scales at 4,562 pounds, which is on the heavier side of average by about 100 pounds compared to other six-cylinder-equipped small luxury SUVs.

We were a bit surprised to discover the GV70 had a launch control feature, which helped shave a few tenths of a second off our acceleration runs. To initiate launch control, traction/stability control must be off and Sport Plus mode selected, and then you floor the accelerator after pressing hard on the brake with your left foot to hold the car in place. You'll know you did it right if "launch control" is indicated in the gauge cluster.

On its quickest run, the GV70 went from zero to 60 in 5.3 seconds from a standing start, passing the quarter mile 13.6 seconds at 102.1 mph. While this is pretty swift by most measures, many of the GV70's six-cylinder-propelled competitors are quicker, as seen in the table below. If you had dreams of catching a Porsche Macan or BMW X3 M40i by surprise, think again. Notably, the BMW only makes 7 more horsepower than the Genesis, but it's a couple hundred pounds lighter and wins the dash to 60 by a whopping eight-tenths of a second.

In terms of stopping ability, the GV70 is again not as high a performer, at least by the numbers, as its performance-tuned peers. It wasn't equipped with summer tires like many of the others were, so its stopping distance of 120 feet from 60 mph was predictably unremarkable. But numbers are just part of the story. The GV70's brakes receive high marks for their stability, confidence and noise insulation. Throw on a set of summer tires and the stopping distance is guaranteed to improve.

After seeing what kind of stopping grip the tires provided, we weren't expecting much grip around our skidpad or handling track. And we got what we expected. But, again, the GV70 has a good foundation here and just drives with confidence, even when corner speeds are limited by 540 treadwear-rated tires. The steering is a tad too heavy in the sportiest Sport Plus setting, but you are able to dial up the steering assist by customizing your favorite drive settings.

What was a standout for the GV70, however, was how well its eight-speed transmission behaved. On top of delivering quick and smooth shifts, the transmission delivered surprisingly good response and aggression on downshifts. This is probably the sportiest quality of the GV70 if we had to spotlight anything, and it's also one of the reasons why the GV70 is easy and pleasant to drive outside of the test track.

Edmunds says

The GV70 is an attractive package with performance that'll be more than adequate for many buyers in the small luxury SUV market. The twin-turbo V6 power is substantial and makes an excellent combo with the eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. We know what kind of performance Genesis is capable of, having experienced cars like the G70 and Hyundai's N performance vehicles, and this version of the GV70 isn't on that level. Perhaps there's an overtly sport-tuned GV70 in our future, but as things stand, the twin-turbo specification strikes a nice balance between capability and comfort.