Genesis out to rock the Germans
HERE’S a car that might just achieve Hyundai’s plan to successfully introduce its upmarket Genesis brand into the UK.
We’ve already been impressed by the G80 saloon and GV80 SUV mod- els. They’re well made, stylish inside and out, and offer an alternative to the mighty three German brands.
If you fancy something a bit different a Genesis might tick your boxes.
But now we have smaller versions of those cars – the GV70 and G70. This week we’re driving the GV70 SUV for no better reason than this is likely to be the body style that will attract the most interest. That means sales.
Think of the Genesis as a rival to BMW’S X3, Mercedes’ GLC and Audi’s Q5. It’s 4.7 metres long and comes with a choice of either a 2.5litre turbocharged petrol engine or a 2.2-litre diesel unit.
The car we’re testing has the latter and is in Luxury Line trim, which means a price of £42,820 without any options or packs.
Ours has enough trinkets added, which include an Innovation pack and Nappa leather, to lift the price to £50,620.
The GV70 isn’t quite as good looking on the outside as its bigger brother but that’s subjective – you might prefer it.
What really impresses me is that the interiors of all the new Genesis models take a refreshingly different approach. You’ll not find any piano black trim in the GV70, no wood, nor any of the other cliched materials such as fake carbon fibre.
Instead you get a very tasteful and minimalist cabin with a strong feeling of luxury.
On the centre console there’s a rotary knob with which you can control the infotainment system and its 15.4in display. It’s a good job too since the screen is uncomfortably far from finger reach.
All the controls, including the attractive-looking column stalks, are of high quality and have a slick action – plus there are proper knobs and buttons for essential and oft-used functions such as heating.
The rotary knob is set close to the similar-looking knob with which you select gears.
It’s easy to go for the wrong one but you’d get used to it within a couple of weeks of ownership.
Four-wheel drive is standard on all models, as is an eightspeed automatic gearbox.
The diesel engine is very quiet once it has warmed up and almost silent when you’re on the move.
There’s also very little tyre noise on the motorway. The engine produces 207bhp and 325lb ft of torque and does 0-62mph in 7.9sec. The ride is comfortable and the handling secure. No car like this – an SUV weighing in at two tonnes – is fun to drive but a seating position that’s lower than typical does make you feel more in touch with the road. Although the car is built in South Korea, with design and engineering carried out in America, the chassis development is done in Germany so that the cars feel at home on our roads.
There’s generous headroom and legroom in the front of the GV70 and in the back, too. The rear seats split and can be folded flat from the luggage area via a remote lever. You get 542 litres of space and there’s even a place to stash the luggage cover when it’s not being used. Also, the electric tailgate’s push button switch is up by the windscreen wiper so you don’t get your fingers dirty feeling for it under a lip.
Like the larger Genesis models, the GV70 feels more American than European – and in a good way. It offers a really strong alternative to the current premium brands that’s appealing in its own right and not just because it’s different.
Pure electric models from Genesis are in the pipeline which should give the brand an even better chance of establishing itself after this good start.
You get a tasteful minimalist cabin with a strong feeling of luxury