2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD First Drive: The Luxury Underdog That Just Keeps Getting Better

It was just a decade ago when Hyundai announced the launch of its Genesis luxury sub-brand. Many thought they were in over their heads, since lots of automotive start-ups have learned, building a car brand from the ground up is no walk in the park. Many met their demise in the process from a hugely cutthroat and competitive world, which had skeptics casting doubt on whether the Korean automaker could pull it off.

Despite consistently improving on their product and moving upmarket with models like the original Hyundai Genesis sedan and coupe, and even the flagship Equus, skepticism ran amok. But nonetheless, Hyundai waded through the clouds of doubt and accomplished exactly what Toyota, Nissan, and Honda did back in the 1980s. And 10 years later, Genesis is alive and thriving.

It wasn’t without a rocky start, of course. But despite an arguably slow start, Genesis is bigger and better than ever with a full lineup of vehicles and growing. One of which is the GV70, a crossover SUV Genesis needed to solidify its future by taking advantage of their unrelenting demand. Launched in 2022, it’s since become the company’s top-selling model. With a mid-cycle refresh in order, did Genesis mess with success, or did it not fix what isn’t broken? We flew to Houston to find out.

2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD First Impressions

So, what’s new with the ’26 GV70? Well, not much really, as you can tell from the exterior and even at first glance of the interior—aside from the ginormous screen taking up the whole dash. But we’ll get to that in a moment. Although Genesis purports this as a “redesign,” it’s definitely more in line with a mid-cycle refresh, especially since the GV70 itself is only about three years old.

The ’26 GV70 may look almost exactly the same as the one it replaces. But it’s got new headlights, new lower fascia treatments on both front and rear bumpers, a new grille, new wheel designs, some additional new color choices, and a bunch of tech upgrades. Engineers also tweaked its suspension and steering systems for better, more agile handling, while a new underbody skid plate and additional drive modes boost the GV70’s flexibility on unpaved surfaces. And no, although there’s a new “Terrain” mode for the all-wheel drive system, the GV70 is best kept on paved surfaces.

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

Since the GV70 first launched in 2022, it earned a reputation for being quiet and comfortable and an automobile that prioritizes comfort and ease of drivability over hard-edged performance. Yes, others, like the BMW X3 and even the Audi Q5/SQ5, offer more driver-focused and sportier experiences. But the GV70 made itself known to those who sought a balance between luxurious comfort and performance—a position typically held by Mercedes-Benz with the GLC. Except, the GV70 does it at a considerably lower price point.

For the ’26 update, Genesis’ engineers focused on improving the GV70 by tweaking the suspension, chassis, and steering. They’ve also added an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential and adaptive dampers for a more dynamic experience, specifically V-6-equipped models, like our tester. They also swapped out old, solid, suspension bushings for fluid-filled ones for better harshness and vibration reduction and the adaptive dampers now preemptively prepare the car for imperfections like speed bumps and better body control under acceleration and braking maneuvers.

The result is a noticeably smoother and more buttoned-down driving experience over the old model. The outgoing GV70 was already a smooth operator with commendable handling. The updated model feels slightly more honed in and ready to play if the driver wants to quicken the pace. Any of the six-cylinder-powered Germans will be much more aggressively tuned for some curvy back roads. And while the GV70 can certainly tackle those same roads, especially if you select Sport or Sport+, which stiffens the dampers, it does so with a slightly more relaxed approach.

Braking And Acceleration

The relaxed approach can also be felt when you mash the go-pedal. With 375 horses on tap from its twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6, 0-60 happens in around 5.8 seconds, as we tested with our butt-o-meter and smartphone stopwatch. But the GV70 doesn’t quite leap for the horizon like an X3 M50 xDrive or a Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 does, despite being similarly priced and with matching cylinder counts. And the GV70’s transmission doesn’t behave as quickly as the BM’s or Merc’s. But the GV70 isn’t slow either. There’s more than enough to get out of its own way and then some.

Genesis also upgraded the brakes with four-piston clamps up front, which now also adjusts brake pedal response and feel, depending on the selected drive modes. With the revisions, Genesis engineers claim they’ve been able to improve braking performance by reducing distances, and it can certainly be felt when used aggressively.

• Acceleration 0-60 MPH: 5.7-5.8 Seconds
• Top Speed: 155 MPH (Est.)

Performance Specifications

2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD Fuel Economy

The Environmental Protection Agency is still currently evaluating the updated 2026 Genesis GV70 and thus, has not rated the vehicle’s fuel economy just yet. But for reference, the 2025 GV70 of the same specification is rated at 18 miles per gallon in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 20 MPG combined. We imagine the 2026 model’s figures will be very similar.

During our afternoon drive with the ’26 GV70 in and around Houston proper, with some heavy-footed testing, highway and county road cruising, and some minor stop-and-go, the onboard computer registered around 20.2 MPG.

Interior Design And Comfort

Like the exterior, despite being heralded by Genesis as a “redesign,” the interior’s overall theme remains mostly the same at its core. The biggest change, however, occurs with the dashboard and the driver and infotainment displays.

Comfort has always been a hallmark of Genesis models. I’ve always likened the brand to essentially being Korea’s Lexus, but with nicer insides and better driving dynamics. And that one-liner continues to hold true. Interior design, quality, fit-and-finish, has always been an area where Genesis punches above its weight.

With soft, premium leather-trimmed bits galore, quality plastics, sturdy switchgear, and solid door thunks, this loaded GV70 continues the trend and then some. It feels far more expensive in the cabin than its price tag suggests. And at Texas interstate speeds, it’s quieter inside than an Oxfordian library. Just keep the suspension out of Sport/Sport+ as the damping becomes considerably stiffer and makes the ride too jittery for anything except butter-smooth surfaces.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

Although the overall interior design remains unchanged, a new ultra-wide single-screen 27-inch OLED display replaces the old model’s conventional hump for the gauge cluster and the protruding 12.3-inch infotainment system. It’s a change similar to BMW updating its iDrive system with Curved Display.

The result is a beautiful array of digital eye-candy that’s easily legible and a breeze to use, thanks to touchscreen capabilities and logical controls. Like previous iterations of Genesis’ infotainment system, which is largely based on those found in other Hyundai and Kia products, the system is overall very easy to use and intuitive. There’s also a killer Bang & Olufsen sound system that kicks.

Genesis’ active and passive driver aids and safety systems also remain some of the best in the industry, with all the usual assists, such as automatic emergency braking, lane-change and keep assist, radar-guided cruise control with sat-nav-based speed adjustment, semi-hands-free highway driving assist, being standard in the GV70.

All GV70 models equipped with the top-spec 3.5T V-6 now also come with electronically-controlled adaptive dampers with “Road Preview.” In combination with sat-nav data and forward-detecting sensory gear, the GV70 3.5T will “read” the road ahead and preemptively adjust the suspension accordingly for better body control, reduced motions, and improved handling. This is top-grade chassis control tech typically found on far more expensive and loaded German luxury cars.

Cargo And Storage Space

Because of the GV70’s update isn’t revolutionary, cargo space remains unchanged for the 2026 model-year. About 28.9 cubic feet reside behind the second row, which almost doubles to 56.9 cubes with the rear seats folded down. A BMW X3 is a few cubes larger in both measurements, but the GV70 still offers plenty of space for up to four adults and their things (five adults if you scrunch three in the back).

2026 Genesis GV70 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD Vs. Its Competitors

As a compact luxury crossover SUV with a starting price of $49,435, which goes as high as our tester’s $72,195—both with $1,450 destination—the Genesis GV70 goes head-to-head with some of the proverbial European and Japanese segment standards. These include the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5/SQ5, Lexus RX, and upper trims of the Infiniti QX50 (which ends production later this year) and Acura RDX. However, none of the Japanese alternatives offer six-cylinder power, and they’re all outpaced by the GV70’s 375 horses. The GV70 is also way more luxurious on the inside than any of Japanese alternatives.

The competition also gets muddled with the higher-specification V-6-powered 3.5T, which starts at $64,865. To get anywhere near that power with the Europeans, the six-cylinder BMW X3 M50 xDrive costs nearly the same, but will leave the GV70 3.5T in the dust with its 0-60 MPH time of 4.4 seconds. Yet, it’s also cheaper than a $68,250 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, the latter being the only way to get a V-6 with the GLC. The Benz too will leave the GV70 3.5T in the dust both in a straight line and in the bends. And the cheaper Audi SQ5 is also the only way to get V-6 power, which too will also outpace the Genesis.

So, Why Get The Genesis GV70 3.5T?

Because Genesis offers way more amenities and is far more luxurious on the inside than any of its competition—it’s just an amazing all-rounder. If you prioritize luxury and comfort, with a balanced dollop of performance that doesn’t make it too hard-edged, the GV70 delivers all of those, in that order, in spades. There’s no shortage of performance with the GV70 3.5T, both in a straight line and in the corners. But there are sharper and more focused tools in the shed for more serious and fast-paced drivers, such as the BMW X3 M50 xDrive, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43, and the Audi SQ5. That is, until Genesis launches its Magma performance brand.

But none of those can match the level of luxury and high-class feeling and balanced performance you get in the Genesis. It feels as richly appointed and cosseting as a Bentley for a fraction of the cost. Yes, I know, those are some big, fightin’ words. But it’s true. That isn’t to say the BMW, Benz, and Audi aren’t nice on the inside—they plenty are. But those who have any of those will hop into the Genesis will realize how much nicer and more lavishly appointed it is. And those who get to drive one won’t feel like they’re missing much in the go-department, unless they’re squealing tires all the time.