2022 Genesis GV70 First Drive: Getting Real
2022 Genesis GV70 First Drive: Getting RealAuto123 gets in a first drive of the 2022 Genesis GV70 luxury compact SUV.
The route taken by the Genesis brand to get to this point in its development is an interesting and not entirely typical one. The Genesis name began life as a nameplate attached to a top-range luxury sedan under the Hyundai banner; then came the creation of a stand-alone marque featuring three sedans, this at a time when SUVs were busy gobbling up market share. Only last year did we see a first utility model from the brand, the midsize GV80.
Throughout, there’s been a lopsidedness to Genesis’ progression; the automaker’s high-quality, value-packed models have racked up tons of awards but sales haven’t necessarily followed in lockstep. The reality is that many luxury-car consumers are loath to give up what comes with a double-kidney grille, four-ring logo or silver star and venture towards a brand that hasn’t had the time yet to build up its own cache. Let’s not forget the brand only turns five years old this coming November.
Hats off to Genesis for sticking to its plan, though. Theirs is a long game. And that game enters an important new phase with the introduction of the 2022 Genesis GV70, the second SUV to appear in the Hyundai-owned brand’s stable. Why important? Because the luxury compact SUV segment is big, with far more potential for reaching new customers than the category the GV80 or any of the brand’s sedans sit it. We recently had occasion to test-drive this high-stakes new model and see if it has what’s needed to make real inroads in its segment.
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