By Joel Feder
Genesis is no longer the upstart from South Korea playing things off as a gussied-up Hyundai. Germany better wake up, because Genesis is playing to win, and at the moment, it’s hitting its stride as BMW stumbles. The 2026 Genesis GV70 arrives with a nip, tuck, and updated tech delivering a sharper and more tech-forward experience without detracting from the sauce that made it so great.
The Ultimate Driving Crossover is no longer the BMW X3, and while the Porsche Macan is obviously what comes to mind, that’s in a different price bracket. After a week of driving the GV70, it became clear that this lightly updated 2026 model only brings serious heat to a competitive segment.
The GV70 hasn’t visually changed much, but Genesis tweaked certain bits for those who look closely. The Superman-like grille has been given more depth, the intakes are a bit larger, the twin strips of jewel-like LED lights that make up the headlights are finer, and Genesis claims a skid plate was added to the front, but really, it’s a piece of silver plastic. The exhaust tips feature a new shape, and the 19- and 21-inch wheel designs have been revised. They even feature the same twin-stripe design found in the headlights and taillights. It’s rad, and Genesis is leaning into it.
The dashboard received a tech overhaul with the separate gauge cluster and touchscreen now combined into one 27-inch OLED display, with the right half being a touchscreen. The screen itself is not integrated into the dashboard. It feels as if someone was trying to finish before 5 p.m. on Friday and just placed the screen temporarily on the dash. While the climate control systems are now primarily touch-based (and do not get washed out in the sun like in some Hyundais), Genesis has wisely retained knobs and buttons for key essentials such as radio volume, radio tuning, and temperature.
The updated three-spoke steering wheel retains buttons, a roller knob for volume control, and even toggles for the adaptive cruise control system. However, there is a touch-sensitive slider button enabling the ability to scroll through various screens like other Genesis models. The touchscreen and digital cluster’s interface matches the other latest models in the luxury automaker’s lineup, right down to the Sport+ model’s digital needles having the appearance of being on fire. The new blue interior color option (which my test car had paired with orange stitching and orange seatbelts) is fetching, and I highly recommend it. Notably, the interior feels and looks much more upscale, user-friendly, and less plasticky than the most recent BMW X3.
The GV70’s powertrains carry over for 2026. Base models feature a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood, rated at 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The GV70 I tested had the more powerful 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, which ups output to 375 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque. Every GV70 is equipped with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The carryover powertrains didn’t change, which means the turbocharged V6 is the ripper with what can only be described as more power than necessary for daily driving. I’d say it’s capable of a zero-to-60-mph sprint in the high 4s, probably. It sounds fantastic and nearly like an imitation of the turbo-six found in the BMW X3. Under load, the engine sounds a bit coarser than the smooth inline-six in the BMW due to the V cylinder arrangement. The eight-speed automatic transmission cracks off smooth shifts, and those gear changes hasten with Sport and the Sport+ drive modes. Gears are held longer in these modes, especially the latter, and the revs hang a bit. Unnecessary in daily driving, but fun when on a twisty road.
In a world where enthusiasts almost turn to BMW by default, Genesis is quickly making a swift move as the Germans take their eyes off the ball and look… who knows where? The refined GV70 delivers all the modern tech consumers ask for, including wireless Apple CarPlay, but none of the cumbersome controls or distractions, all while delivering sharp dynamics and solid build quality.
Seems odd, but suddenly the driver’s crossover hails from South Korea and not Germany.
In a timeline where the BMW X3 disappoints the Genesis GV70 delights.
As Director of Content and Product, Joel draws on over 15 years of newsroom experience and inability to actually stop working to help ensure The Drive shapes the future of automotive media.
Car Buying Service
By Adam Ismail
By Caleb Jacobs
