Genesis GV70: Luxury With a Flair for the Dramatic

Genesis has a new design language, and it speaks to us.

The new GV70 is the first model from Hyundai’s luxury brand that can be said to be truly all its own. There’s no blatant borrowing from other luxury marques – and the CUV’s interior styling cues are daring, unique and downright easy on the eyes.

And the GV70 is packed with infotainment and driver-assistance technology that works well, too.

That all adds up to a solid landing on the 2002 Wards 10 Best Interiors and UX list.

If the vehicle’s designers borrowed anything, it might be a bit of Italian styling flair: We’re wowed by the cabin’s sleek lines and smooth curves. There are no sharp edges here, and panels come together to form complex artistic shapes along the door inners and dash in an impressive display of fit and finish.

We particularly love the oval surround that houses the climate controls and accentuates the sleek, multidimensional instrument panel. It’s an attractive and unique design treatment that could serve as a brand signifier in models to come.

Materials are top notch and eye-catching in the striking red and gray leather and suede interior of our test vehicle. The carbon-fiber trim that adorns the door inners and center console gives the GV70 the panache of an ultra-luxury Bentley at a fraction of the price. The transparent, cut-crystal-like gear selector is a showstopper too: It changes colors from blue to red to purple depending on whether the vehicle is in drive, reverse or park.

The satin aluminum trim that surrounds the gear selector and is used for the infotainment system’s quick-access buttons also adds a bit of bling.

A flashy startup sequence, super 16-speaker Lexicon sound system, massive sunroof, suede headliner, subtle accent lighting – with more than a dozen colors to choose from – and window shades for the rear passengers button it all up.

Our $65,000 GV70 all-wheel-drive Sport Prestige test vehicle also piles up the points on the UX side of the ledger. The 14.5-in. (37-cm) center screen can be controlled through touch or via a stylized low-profile controller on the center console. The graphics are crisp, and you don’t need to drill down too far to reach what you seek. Sounds of Nature, such as a crackling fire or sea waves, digital key and fingerprint authentication are other great UX features.

The Genesis brings all Hyundai has to bear when it comes to advanced driver-assistance systems. Its Highway Driving Assist II adaptive cruise control/lane keeping technology is among the best we’ve tested. Its blindspot system includes a camera view of adjacent lanes in the instrument cluster.

The CUV’s 12.3-in. (31-cm) digital cluster boasts unique character, with a 3D look to the gauges and readouts. It is complemented by a head-up display that keeps track of vehicles in traffic around the car, some as far as two lanes away.

Add it all up, and the GV70 marks a big breakthrough for Genesis. It exudes quality and character and puts a firm stake in the ground for more to come from the brand.

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