Likes
- Superb build quality and reliability.
- Standard levels of equipment are near class leading.
- Beautiful driving experience across all models.
- Value for money very hard to beat.
Used Genesis GV70 review
2021 - current
Dislikes
- Dealer support can be interesting depending on your location.
- Parts availability can be a challenge.
- You’ll waste hours explaining to people what it is.
- Thanks to strong residuals, bargains are hard to find.
Stuff you should know
The Genesis GV70 arrived in Australia in 2021 as the brand’s mid-size luxury SUV, positioned squarely between the smaller GV60 and larger GV80 in the Genesis line-up. Designed to take on rivals like the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, and Lexus NX and RX, it quickly built a reputation for combining high-end design, a generous equipment list, and sharp pricing compared to its European competition. Initially, buyers could choose from three powertrains: a 2.5-litre turbo petrol four-cylinder with 224 kW (304 hp) and 422 Nm (312 lb·ft), a muscular 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol with 279 kW (380 hp) and 530 Nm (391 lb·ft), and a now-discontinued 2.2-litre turbo diesel with 154 kW (210 hp) and 440 Nm (325 lb·ft). An 8-speed automatic was standard across the range, with the base 2.5T Lifestyle offered in rear-wheel drive and all other variants adopting all-wheel drive. In 2022, the line-up expanded to include the all-electric Electrified GV70, featuring dual-motor AWD with 320 kW (429 hp) and a mammoth 700 Nm (516 lb·ft).
Trim levels have always been structured around generous standard equipment (often more generous than the rivals), even in the base 2.5T Lifestyle. Leather-appointed seating, a 14.5-inch central display, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, and an excellent active safety suite all came standard, with wheel sizes starting from 18 inches. Stepping up to the 2.5T Advanced or Luxury trims brought AWD, larger wheels, a better sound system, and more plush interior finishes. The 3.5T Advanced and Luxury added standard AWD, Nappa leather, heated and cooled seating, premium audio (Lexicon or Bang & Olufsen depending on pack), and in higher trims, features like remote smart park assist, a panoramic sunroof, and adaptive suspension. The range-topping Signature and Signature Sports variants further enhanced performance, handling, and interior opulence, with the latter aimed squarely at enthusiastic drivers thanks to its sport-tuned suspension and torque vectoring.
The Electrified GV70 arrived as a single, fully-loaded trim known as the Signature Performance. Beyond its headline-grabbing 320 kW and 700 Nm, it came with EV-specific styling touches, 20-inch alloys, the full safety suite, and premium features like a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen system, Highway Driving Assist 2, and an 800-volt charging architecture capable of 10–80% DC top-ups in around 19 minutes. In November 2024, the GV70 received its first mid-cycle update, which saw a freshened exterior with redesigned headlights, grille, bumpers, and wheels, plus the introduction of a striking 27-inch OLED display spanning the instrument cluster and infotainment system. The facelift also standardised wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with over-the-air update capability, and the Electrified GV70 gained a larger 84 kWh battery for a WLTP range of up to 462 km.
In terms of market position, the GV70 is arguably the most compelling value proposition in the luxury SUV segment for Australian buyers. New, it undercut equivalent European models by thousands of dollars while offering more standard equipment, and in the used market it performs surprisingly well on depreciation—second only to the Lexus RX for holding its value in this class. For many buyers, it strikes a rare balance of performance, luxury, and price, making it a standout choice in a competitive segment. While still relatively niche in terms of brand recognition compared to BMW or Mercedes, its reputation among those who know the Genesis name is excellent.
Servicing and ownership experience largely depend on your location. In metro areas near a Genesis dealer, aftersales support is exceptional, with concierge-style service, courtesy vehicles, and a generally high-end customer experience. Outside of those hubs, Genesis owners can often rely on Hyundai dealerships for mechanical support—since the brand is part of Hyundai Motor Group—and the experience is generally good. However, in more remote areas where neither Genesis nor Hyundai representation is close, servicing can be logistically more challenging, and this is something a prospective used buyer should keep in mind.
Despite its many positives, the GV70 is not entirely free from faults, and we cover these in detail in our “what goes wrong” section below. Broadly speaking, reported issues tend to be relatively minor compared to some rivals, and many early examples are still under factory warranty. That said, as with any luxury SUV, repair costs outside warranty can be expensive, so a thorough pre-purchase inspection is recommended. The Electrified GV70 in particular benefits from its newer technology and fewer moving parts, but battery health, software updates, and charging system performance should still be checked.
Overall, a used Genesis GV70 offers buyers a distinctive and capable alternative to the usual European suspects, with an equipment list that often makes its rivals look stingy, strong residual values, and a driving experience that ranges from refined cruiser to dynamic performer depending on the variant. If you’re shopping for a premium mid-size SUV in Australia and you’re willing to step outside the mainstream badges, the GV70—especially in post-facelift form—is one of the most well-rounded options on the market.
What goes wrong?
Exterior:
In terms of the exterior, for the vast majority of GV70 out there, you simply won’t find an issue, however, they’re not all perfect.
Some owners have noticed that the chrome trim has begun to peel, mainly on early models from 2021 and 22.
A handful of owners mentioned some clear coat discrepancies, peeling or gathering and this seems to be mainly on white examples, however not what we’d call a common issue, if anything we found the majority of owners complimented how good the paint quality is.
There are a few reports of the headlights showing condensation inside, these have generally been replaced under warranty.
As for exterior electronic gremlins, unlike plenty of its European counterparts, hardly any, maybe a parking sensor activating when there’s nothing there but as for issues that are the cars fault, that’s about it.
However, something that is sorry of the cars fault but it’s more a technology or operator error issue, is that there are reports of the battery draining prematurely and or the battery in the key fob draining.
According to the techs we spoke to, the issue here is that the key fob has been left too close to the car, and when the car senses the key fob, it goes into a “I’m getting myself ready to drive” mode and activates a bunch of the computers and this then can drain the batteries of both the car and the fob.
This is something we’ve seen on a number of more recent cars from loads of different manufacturers so not exclusive to the GV70 and if you want a car to have all these amazing features and not take forever to boot up when you get into it, storing the keys well away from the car is a compromise you’re just going to have to deal with.
Interior:
There are some interior issues and complaints you need to know about.
Firstly quite a few owners have had issues with the air conditioning playing up, the cooling just becomes really inconsistent however, every owner we spoke to that had this issue, had it resolved under warranty and the problem hasn’t come back.
In fact some markets issued a service bulletin to sort it before it happens and a few owners claimed that just restarting the car fixed it for good anyway.
Some markets have the availability of over the air updates however a few owners complained that these updates sometimes introduced bugs into their software or removed functions without any warning.
This one is pretty rare but a handful of owners mentioned the dash and doors can develop a bit of a rattle, there are fixes to this but if the
Exterior:
In terms of the exterior, for the vast majority of GV70 out there, you simply won’t find an issue, however, they’re not all perfect.
Some owners have noticed that the chrome trim has begun to peel, mainly on early models from 2021 and 22.
A handful of owners mentioned some clear coat discrepancies, peeling or gathering and this seems to be mainly on white examples, however not what we’d call a common issue, if anything we found the majority of owners complimented how good the paint quality is.
There are a few reports of the headlights showing condensation inside, these have generally been replaced under warranty.
As for exterior electronic gremlins, unlike plenty of its European counterparts, hardly any, maybe a parking sensor activating when there’s nothing there but as for issues that are the cars fault, that’s about it.
However, something that is sorry of the cars fault but it’s more a technology or operator error issue, is that there are reports of the battery draining prematurely and or the battery in the key fob draining.
According to the techs we spoke to, the issue here is that the key fob has been left too close to the car, and when the car senses the key fob, it goes into a “I’m getting myself ready to drive” mode and activates a bunch of the computers and this then can drain the batteries of both the car and the fob.
This is something we’ve seen on a number of more recent cars from loads of different manufacturers so not exclusive to the GV70 and if you want a car to have all these amazing features and not take forever to boot up when you get into it, storing the keys well away from the car is a compromise you’re just going to have to deal with.
Interior:
There are some interior issues and complaints you need to know about.
Firstly quite a few owners have had issues with the air conditioning playing up, the cooling just becomes really inconsistent however, every owner we spoke to that had this issue, had it resolved under warranty and the problem hasn’t come back.
In fact some markets issued a service bulletin to sort it before it happens and a few owners claimed that just restarting the car fixed it for good anyway.
Some markets have the availability of over the air updates however a few owners complained that these updates sometimes introduced bugs into their software or removed functions without any warning.
This one is pretty rare but a handful of owners mentioned the dash and doors can develop a bit of a rattle, there are fixes to this but if the car is out of warranty, before you go running back to the dealer, jump on the owners groups and forums, there’s loads of great advice on how to fix it there.
Some markets and models have a clever finger print reader that allows you to start the car without a key and the car will remember your preferred settings, however sometimes it might not work, probably best you just have the key with you just incase.
Then there’s the seats, a number of owners have complained that the seats just aren’t all that comfortable and you know what, I tend to agree, they’re not uncomfortable at all but compared to the wonderful seats in the Lexus RX and Porsche Macan, they’re just a little underwhelming.
Also, some of the ergonomic choices are interesting, unless you possess military intelligence levels of memory retention you will mistake the infotainment controller for the gear selector and visa versa at least 6 times a day for the first 2 weeks of ownership.
Actually just on the infotainment system, like pretty much every car we’ve reviewed that has been made in the last 5 years, owners have reported bluetooth and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto drop outs, there can be some screen formatting issues and worst case scenario the screen can just lock up.
Although interestingly, compared to pretty much every other car in this class that we’ve covered, these complaints are few and far between and are generally always fixed under warranty or with a software update.
Mechanically:
2.5 Turbo Petrol:
Thankfully, the GV70’s 2.5-litre turbo four has well and truly left behind that old “Hyundai four-cylinder curse” reputation. These engines have, so far, proven to be solid units, no widespread disasters to report. That said, there are a few owner reports of moderate oil consumption, but it’s not at a level that’s going to keep you awake at night. The real Achilles’ heel here is neglect. If these aren’t serviced on time and properly, things can get ugly. Poor maintenance, especially with some ex-lease cars, can lead to turbocharger failures and timing chain wear. And with modern turbo engines, those are not the kind of bills you want to face. So, if you’re looking at one, a full and verifiable service history is absolutely non-negotiable.
3.5 Twin-Turbo Petrol:
This 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is, so far, proving to be a very dependable bit of engineering, with no serious or widespread issues cropping up. The key words there being “so far.” There have been a few isolated reports of coolant leaks from radiators and intercoolers, but it’s rare. Likewise, a small number of owners have mentioned moderate oil consumption, but again, nothing excessive or alarming. The real bonus with both the 2.5 and 3.5 petrols is that they use both direct and port fuel injection, meaning you avoid the carbon build-up on intake valves that plagues some direct-injection-only engines. In other words, no expensive intake cleaning every 80,000 km, happy days.
2.2 Turbo Diesel:
This one’s a bit of a rare bird, making up less than 5% of sales here in Australia, and it’s now been discontinued, which is kind of why we’d steer clear of it if you’re buying used. It’s not a bad engine at all; in fact, a very similar version is used in plenty of Hyundai and Kia models. But as these age, there’s a risk that parts made specifically for the Genesis application might become harder to find. At present, they’re considered fairly reliable, though some owners have reported high-pressure fuel pump failures, uncommon, but not unheard of. There are also occasional cases of timing chain tensioner wear, which can lead to rattling noises and, if left unchecked, engine damage. Usually, this only shows up in high-kilometre or poorly maintained examples. The good news is that, unlike many European diesels, the timing chains are at the front of the engine, so they’re far easier (and cheaper) to get to if they do need attention.
Transmissions & Drivelines:
Across the range, the 8-speed auto is a well-mannered and generally trouble-free unit. That said, there have been some reports of the AWD actuator not disengaging properly, which can cause the driveline to bind up. The good news is that it’s not common and has typically been handled under warranty. Rear differential noise has also been reported on a handful of cars, and again, warranty has covered the affected ones so far, but that factory coverage won’t last forever, so something to keep an ear out for on a test drive. Looking further ahead, parts availability for some of the more Genesis-specific driveline components could become a bit of an unknown as the years roll on.
Electric Variant:
The Electrified GV70 is still a bit of a hidden gem in the EV world, globally EVs are sitting around 20% of sales, but here in Australia, it’s closer to 5%. Mechanically and electrically, these have been excellent so far. The dual-motor setup and 800-volt architecture haven’t shown any major weaknesses yet, and they’re very underrated in terms of driving experience, refinement, and performance. For an EV, this is a very, very good thing.
Driving:
Firstly like so many cars made in the last few years, there are SO many complaints about intrusive safety systems and alerts and beeps and bongs.
This isn’t necessarily the cars or Genesis’s fault, you can thank safety legislation for forcing cars to have all these systems but the calibrations could be better.
And, if you were so inclined, you can turn most of these things off, we’re not saying you should, but you might be able to.
Next up, according to the owners the fuel consumption can be underwhelming at best, some 2.5T AWD owners mentioned the best they’re seeing is around 12 litres per 100 kms, although they might have an extremely heavy right foot like me.
Now this next issue seems to be more prevalent in North American markets but we found a number of reports regarding engine hesitation, weird transmission noises and even the car stalling when trying to pull away.
Exterior:
In terms of the exterior, for the vast majority of GV70 out there, you simply won’t find an issue, however, they’re not all perfect.
Some owners have noticed that the chrome trim has begun to peel, mainly on early models from 2021 and 22.
A handful of owners mentioned some clear coat discrepancies, peeling or gathering and this seems to be mainly on white examples, however not what we’d call a common issue, if anything we found the majority of owners complimented how good the paint quality is.
There are a few reports of the headlights showing condensation inside, these have generally been replaced under warranty.
As for exterior electronic gremlins, unlike plenty of its European counterparts, hardly any, maybe a parking sensor activating when there’s nothing there but as for issues that are the cars fault, that’s about it.
However, something that is sorry of the cars fault but it’s more a technology or operator error issue, is that there are reports of the battery draining prematurely and or the battery in the key fob draining.
According to the techs we spoke to, the issue here is that the key fob has been left too close to the car, and when the car senses the key fob, it goes into a “I’m getting myself ready to drive” mode and activates a bunch of the computers and this then can drain the batteries of both the car and the fob.
This is something we’ve seen on a number of more recent cars from loads of different manufacturers so not exclusive to the GV70 and if you want a car to have all these amazing features and not take forever to boot up when you get into it, storing the keys well away from the car is a compromise you’re just going to have to deal with.
Interior:
There are some interior issues and complaints you need to know about.
Firstly quite a few owners have had issues with the air conditioning playing up, the cooling just becomes really inconsistent however, every owner we spoke to that had this issue, had it resolved under warranty and the problem hasn’t come back.
In fact some markets issued a service bulletin to sort it before it happens and a few owners claimed that just restarting the car fixed it for good anyway.
Some markets have the availability of over the air updates however a few owners complained that these updates sometimes introduced bugs into their software or removed functions without any warning.
This one is pretty rare but a handful of owners mentioned the dash and doors can develop a bit of a rattle, there are fixes to this but if the car is out of warranty, before you go running back to the dealer, jump on the owners groups and forums, there’s loads of great advice on how to fix it there.
Some markets and models have a clever finger print reader that allows you to start the car without a key and the car will remember your preferred settings, however sometimes it might not work, probably best you just have the key with you just incase.
Then there’s the seats, a number of owners have complained that the seats just aren’t all that comfortable and you know what, I tend to agree, they’re not uncomfortable at all but compared to the wonderful seats in the Lexus RX and Porsche Macan, they’re just a little underwhelming.
Also, some of the ergonomic choices are interesting, unless you possess military intelligence levels of memory retention you will mistake the infotainment controller for the gear selector and visa versa at least 6 times a day for the first 2 weeks of ownership.
Actually just on the infotainment system, like pretty much every car we’ve reviewed that has been made in the last 5 years, owners have reported bluetooth and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto drop outs, there can be some screen formatting issues and worst case scenario the screen can just lock up.
Although interestingly, compared to pretty much every other car in this class that we’ve covered, these complaints are few and far between and are generally always fixed under warranty or with a software update.
Mechanically:
2.5 Turbo Petrol:
Thankfully, the GV70’s 2.5-litre turbo four has well and truly left behind that old “Hyundai four-cylinder curse” reputation. These engines have, so far, proven to be solid units, no widespread disasters to report. That said, there are a few owner reports of moderate oil consumption, but it’s not at a level that’s going to keep you awake at night. The real Achilles’ heel here is neglect. If these aren’t serviced on time and properly, things can get ugly. Poor maintenance, especially with some ex-lease cars, can lead to turbocharger failures and timing chain wear. And with modern turbo engines, those are not the kind of bills you want to face. So, if you’re looking at one, a full and verifiable service history is absolutely non-negotiable.
3.5 Twin-Turbo Petrol:
This 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 is, so far, proving to be a very dependable bit of engineering, with no serious or widespread issues cropping up. The key words there being “so far.” There have been a few isolated reports of coolant leaks from radiators and intercoolers, but it’s rare. Likewise, a small number of owners have mentioned moderate oil consumption, but again, nothing excessive or alarming. The real bonus with both the 2.5 and 3.5 petrols is that they use both direct and port fuel injection, meaning you avoid the carbon build-up on intake valves that plagues some direct-injection-only engines. In other words, no expensive intake cleaning every 80,000 km, happy days.
2.2 Turbo Diesel:
This one’s a bit of a rare bird, making up less than 5% of sales here in Australia, and it’s now been discontinued, which is kind of why we’d steer clear of it if you’re buying used. It’s not a bad engine at all; in fact, a very similar version is used in plenty of Hyundai and Kia models. But as these age, there’s a risk that parts made specifically for the Genesis application might become harder to find. At present, they’re considered fairly reliable, though some owners have reported high-pressure fuel pump failures, uncommon, but not unheard of. There are also occasional cases of timing chain tensioner wear, which can lead to rattling noises and, if left unchecked, engine damage. Usually, this only shows up in high-kilometre or poorly maintained examples. The good news is that, unlike many European diesels, the timing chains are at the front of the engine, so they’re far easier (and cheaper) to get to if they do need attention.
Transmissions & Drivelines:
Across the range, the 8-speed auto is a well-mannered and generally trouble-free unit. That said, there have been some reports of the AWD actuator not disengaging properly, which can cause the driveline to bind up. The good news is that it’s not common and has typically been handled under warranty. Rear differential noise has also been reported on a handful of cars, and again, warranty has covered the affected ones so far, but that factory coverage won’t last forever, so something to keep an ear out for on a test drive. Looking further ahead, parts availability for some of the more Genesis-specific driveline components could become a bit of an unknown as the years roll on.
Electric Variant:
The Electrified GV70 is still a bit of a hidden gem in the EV world, globally EVs are sitting around 20% of sales, but here in Australia, it’s closer to 5%. Mechanically and electrically, these have been excellent so far. The dual-motor setup and 800-volt architecture haven’t shown any major weaknesses yet, and they’re very underrated in terms of driving experience, refinement, and performance. For an EV, this is a very, very good thing.
Driving:
Firstly like so many cars made in the last few years, there are SO many complaints about intrusive safety systems and alerts and beeps and bongs.
This isn’t necessarily the cars or Genesis’s fault, you can thank safety legislation for forcing cars to have all these systems but the calibrations could be better.
And, if you were so inclined, you can turn most of these things off, we’re not saying you should, but you might be able to.
Next up, according to the owners the fuel consumption can be underwhelming at best, some 2.5T AWD owners mentioned the best they’re seeing is around 12 litres per 100 kms, although they might have an extremely heavy right foot like me.
Now this next issue seems to be more prevalent in North American markets but we found a number of reports regarding engine hesitation, weird transmission noises and even the car stalling when trying to pull away.
Should you buy one?
So we know this might give the impression that the Genesis GV70 can be a nightmare, but, when researching this, it was abundantly clear that the overwhelming majority of GV70 owners have had outstanding experiences with both the car and dealerships, however, yeah, it seems that unfortunately for a handful of others, they’ve had the polar opposite experience.
Some have found when one issue is finally resolved, which can take weeks if not months due to a lack of parts availability, something else pops up, and then there’s another issue, and another…
We actually found several reports of North American owners enacting US lemon laws, where they return the car and are refunded or receive a replacement vehicle because their GV70 was beyond reasonable help. But again, when compared to the thousands of these that have been sold and are running perfectly, we’re talking a tiny minority.
And that’s why, as long as it passes a pre-purchase inspection or it’s a Genesis Certified Used car like the one we featured, we’d still recommend you buy one.
But do you really need an SUV in the first place, because we still think a Genesis G70, especially in wagon form, is the Genesis you really should buy.
So we know this might give the impression that the Genesis GV70 can be a nightmare, but, when researching this, it was abundantly clear that the overwhelming majority of GV70 owners have had outstanding experiences with both the car and dealerships, however, yeah, it seems that unfortunately for a handful of others, they’ve had the polar opposite experience.
Some have found when one issue is finally resolved, which can take weeks if not months due to a lack of parts availability, something else pops up, and then there’s another issue, and another…
We actually found several reports of North American owners enacting US lemon laws, where they return the car and are refunded or receive a replacement vehicle because their GV70 was beyond reasonable help. But again, when compared to the thousands of these that have been sold and are running perfectly, we’re talking a tiny minority.
And that’s why, as long as it passes a pre-purchase inspection or it’s a Genesis Certified Used car like the one we featured, we’d still recommend you buy one.
But do you really need an SUV in the first place, because we still think a Genesis G70, especially in wagon form, is the Genesis you really should buy.
Should you buy one?
So we know this might give the impression that the Genesis GV70 can be a nightmare, but, when researching this, it was abundantly clear that the overwhelming majority of GV70 owners have had outstanding experiences with both the car and dealerships, however, yeah, it seems that unfortunately for a handful of others, they’ve had the polar opposite experience.
Some have found when one issue is finally resolved, which can take weeks if not months due to a lack of parts availability, something else pops up, and then there’s another issue, and another…
We actually found several reports of North American owners enacting US lemon laws, where they return the car and are refunded or receive a replacement vehicle because their GV70 was beyond reasonable help. But again, when compared to the thousands of these that have been sold and are running perfectly, we’re talking a tiny minority.
And that’s why, as long as it passes a pre-purchase inspection or it’s a Genesis Certified Used car like the one we featured, we’d still recommend you buy one.
But do you really need an SUV in the first place, because we still think a Genesis G70, especially in wagon form, is the Genesis you really should buy.
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Please note that pricing information is subject to fluctuations in the automotive market.
Information correct as of August 8, 2025.
The advice provided on this website is general advice only. It has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this advice, you should consider the appropriateness of the advice, having regard to your own objectives, financial situation and needs.
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