Genesis Previews 2022 GV70 Crossover

Genesis shared the first official images of the GV70 on Thursday. The model slides in just below the GV80 and serves as the crossover alternative to the G70 sedan, incorporating the now-familiar quartet of LED headlights and crested grille.

The interior has been similarly inspired by its siblings, providing a look that’s synonymous with the Genesis brand but fairly unique within the industry. An ovoid steering wheel influences the rest of the cabin, resulting rounded edges replacing anything that designers might have previously penned at a 90-degree angle. The end result is an interesting and elegant space for drivers to plant themselves.

This is Genesis’ second SUV and once again sees the brand utilizing a floating screen in the least-offensive manner possible. Rather than having the central touchscreen jutting out of the dashboard like the bargain-bin engineering choice it is, Genesis opted to mold the dashboard to cradle it in a manner that makes it look expensive. It works rather well, as does Hyundai Motor Group’s decision to utilize wider tablets for its luxury arm.

However, it’s the finer details that make the whole car shine from tip to tail and has become a hallmark of the brand. Both the cabin and exterior benefit from silver accents and interesting touches that could easily make a vehicle look gaudy if executed poorly. But that hasn’t been Genesis’ bag and has helped it compare favorably against its more expensive rivals in Europe.

The GV70 seems to be largely dependent upon touch controls but seemingly not to an egregious level. Climate controls have a dedicated pod with physical knobs/buttons and there are a handful of buttons left behind for essential features you might not want to bury behind a series of menus. We just hope there’s a volume knob to compliment the rotary-style gear selector. While the latter is subject to personal taste, the former is absolutely mandatory.

Genesis also previewed the Sport package model, which gets its own front bumper, performance steering wheel, and 21-inch, “G-Matrix” wheels. It also has darker chrome accenting, carbon fiber appointed consoles, and fatter exhaust ports which are supposed to make a sweeter (presumably louder) sound. Sport models come with a few exclusive colors and trip options, too.

There’s no word on powertrain configurations but the brand has been fairly easy to predict in terms of engine options. We’re expecting a turbocharged 2.5-liter as standard equipment with sporting models receiving the brand’s twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6. But the GV70 could borrow smaller mills from the G70 sedan, resulting in turbocharged 2.0 and 3.3-liter motors.

The 2022 Genesis GV70 will go on sale by the end of this year in South Korea with U.S.-spec models arriving sometime in 2021. Pricing is TBD but we’re anticipating something a few grand dearer than the G70, putting the crossover’s starting MSRP somewhere around $40,000.

[Images: Genesis]