LEGACY HAS MET ITS MATCH
Exquisitely designed with the soul of a sports car, the 2026 GV70 leaves convention where it belongs—in the past – Genesis.com
Genesis, the luxury brand from Hyundai, has come a long way since it launched in the United States. Its first sedan, the G90, was launched in 2017; and the first SUV, the GV 80, in 2020.
Worldwide, Genesis reached 1 million sales in 2023, and has 68 retail stores across the U.S. with impressive growth from 16,834 sales in 2020 to 85,689 vehicles since 2021.
Recently, automotive media assembled in Houston, Texas to experience the 2026 GV70 SUV.
Houston is the most populous city in Texas, and is America’s fourth largest. It’s closely linked with the NASA Space Center. The city’s Downtown includes the Theater District, home to the renowned Houston Grand Opera, and the Historic District, with 19th-century architecture and upscale restaurants.
There’s always something to do in this city where Southern hospitality meets urban chic.
Son-Nim
Houston’s Southern hospitality was the perfect choice for Genesis, which honors its “Son-Nim,” or “Honored Guest” philosophy. Son-Nim extends to everything about the brand, which features impressive retail stores and Genesis House in New York City where current and potential customers can experience Korean fine dining, a library with Korean literary works, a Terrace Garden, Tea Pavillion, and a showroom that features the newest Genesis models and future concepts.
Specially trained Genesis House curators promote the ethos of a shared oasis for cultural and commercial cross-pollination. Curators can highlight details of each model in various languages, including English, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Korean, defining what Genesis wants Son-Nim guests to feel and experience.
Further, Genesis has adopted the mantras An Audacious and Progressive Spirit, Strictly Korean, and Keep Beginning as the “North Star” for the brand. Additionally, the Keep Beginning mantra has been further defined by Genesis into 18 segments with titles that include Keep Listening, Keep Looking Forward, Keep Learning, Keep Refusing to Settle, and Keep Taking Chances.
2026 GV70
The newly redesigned 2026 embraces what Genesis calls their “Athletic Elegance” design philosophy by offering consumers the perfect blend of utility and refinement.
“GV70 is the most popular Genesis model in North America and the 2026 model year updates bring even more excitement to our SUV lineup,” said Tedros Mengiste, chief operating officer of Genesis Motor North America. “With its athletic appearance, updated cabin and elevated driving experience, we look forward to welcoming even more customers into our growing GV70 family.”
GV70 Exterior
The GV70’s exterior design includes enhanced details, especially up front, where the redesigned G-Matrix Crest Grille and iconic two-line headlamps equipped with Micro Lens Array technology and LED Matrix capability distribute super bright, next-level illumination. The front end also features a skid plate design, and extended air intake grilles.
The sleek side profile offers newly redesigned 19” and 21” wheel options. At the rear, the turn signals have been redesigned to align with the front headlamps’ two-line concept.
GV70 comes in ten different exterior colors, including new Ceres Blue, which was inspired by the dwarf planet between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Four Nappa leather color options, led by Ultramarine Blue, provide a robust set of choices for customers.
GV70 Interior
The interior of the new GV70 offers a new 27-inch OLED display that integrates the gauge cluster and updated infotainment system into a sleek, single housing. Numerous features elevate the in-cabin and driving experience, including enhanced voice recognition controls, improved over-the-air update capabilities, Genesis Digital Key, Smart Key, Terrain Mode, and new standard adjustable interior ambient lighting.
A new 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen surround system delivers audiophile sound quality and is standard on 3.5T Advanced and Prestige trims. Standard Lexicon Premium Audio also sounds terrific.
Wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multi-adjustable, ventilated front bucket seats including a 16-way power driver seat including power side bolster & cushion extension and Ergo Motion driver seat are among myriad interior goodies. Ergo Motion utilizes air pockets to provide adjustable cushioning and support to the driver, helping reduce fatigue and improve comfort during long drives. It features various functions like “posture assist” and “comfort stretch” that can be adjusted through the GV70’s infotainment system.
The top trim 3.5T Sport Prestige model comes standard with next level comfort, convenience and safety features including:
- 3-Zone Climate Control
- Remote Smart Parking Assist 2
- Carbon Fiber Trim
- Heated 2nd Row Seats (Outboard)
- Manual Rear Door Shades
- Nappa Leather Seating Surfaces
- Microfiber Suede Headliner
- Acoustic Rear Door Glass
- Electronic Limited Slip Differential
- Parking Collision Avoidance Assist – Front / Side / Rear
GV70 Powertrains and Drive Experience
The 2026 GV70 is available with two powertrain options: a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline 4 producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 outputting 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque.
New chassis high-tech includes GV70’s Highway Body Motion Control which controls front and rear dampening forces when accelerating or decelerating, while the updated Road Preview feature uses forward-facing cameras to read the road surface and control the GV70’s electronically controlled suspension to optimize comfort and minimize impact.
Also new for the 2026 model year is Terrain Mode, which allows drivers to drive in the optimized mode – snow, mud or sand – depending on road conditions.
You don’t buy All-wheel drive vehicles for ultimate traction in deep snow or mud – they’re best suited for increased traction, stability and overall safety when the weather and the roads get rough. So, it’s impressive that the G70 offers legitimate trail chops.
On highways and driving throughout inner city Houston, we found the GV70 to be silky smooth on paved roads, and exceptional quiet. As mentioned above, an electronic limited slip differential is standard on 3.5 Sport Prestige trim. All of the aforementioned interior comfort and convenience features meld harmoniously with the GV70 drive experience. Acceleration from the base 2.5T motor is decent, but spending the extra money for trims with the 3.5 Twin-Turbo V6 is a worthy investment, despite the decrease in fuel economy (estimated 22 mpg-city/ 28 highway for the turbo 4; 18 city/24 highway for the twin-turbo V6). The V6 models also come with more standard luxury features. Both engines require premium gasoline.
GV70 Safety/Convenience
The 2026 GV70 comes with a comprehensive suite of available advanced safety and convenience capabilities including: Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot Monitor, Surround View Monitor, Rear Cross Traffic Avoidance Assist, Parking Distance Warning, Highway Drive Assist, and more. GV70 maintains a comprehensive suite of advanced driver assistance features across Driving and Parking Convenience & Safety capabilities. New features include steering wheel Hands-On Detection, improved Lane Following Assist functionality, and upgraded Remote Smart Parking Assist with forward-to-back, parallel, and now diagonal parking capabilities.
2026 GV70 Trim Levels and Pricing
- 2.5T AWD: $47,985
- 2.5T Select AWD: $50,885
- 2.5T Advanced AWD $55,435
- 3.5T Sport Advanced AWD: $63,415
- 3.5T Sport Prestige AWD: $70,095
All trim levels are exclusive of a $1,450 freight charge.
The 2026 Genesis GV70 is assembled in Montgomery, Alabama, and Ulsan, South Korea.
The 2026 Genesis GV70 impressively delivers Son-Nim. Well done Genesis!
