USED BUYER'S GUIDE Genesis CV70

FROM £35,000 Korean luxury SUV is a left-field choice in a class dominated by the German big three, but there's lots to like about the ICE and electric GV70

- Richard Dredge

ONLY one mainstream brand has been successful in launching a luxury division in the UK, and that's Toyota with Lexus.

Yet in the premium space Lexus has always played second fiddle to the three big German brands (Audi, BMW and Mercedes), but at least it's still here, which is more than you can say for Nissan's attempt (Infiniti). Citroen's premium DS brand has also been struggling to gain traction ever since it arrived in Britain almost a decade ago.

But that hasn't stopped Hyundai from also trying to move upmarket, with its Genesis brand the newest arrival in terms of luxury spin-offs. It's exactly 10 years since the South Korean firm announced that it was going to launch its Genesis division, which arrived in the UK in 2021. It has laboured to make an impact since then, despite offering something genuinely different in a demanding segment - so should you take the plunge?

HISTORY

THE GV70 went on sale in autumn 2021 with a choice of 207bhp 2.2-litre diesel, or 300bhp 2.5-litre petrol engines, both turbocharged four-cylinder units. By July 2022 there was also an electric GV70, using the same bodyshell as the internal-combustion edition. The Electrified GV70 came with a 77.4kWh battery to give a claimed maximum range of 283 miles, and prices started at £64,405.

An updated GV70 was shown back in April 2024 for international markets, but only the Electrified GV70 will be offered in the UK. Changes were relatively slight and restricted to lighting adjustments, fresh wheel designs and interior revisions, which included a new 27-inch display that incorporated the instrumentation as well as a touchscreen.

The trim level hierarchy also changed from Premium, Luxury and Sport to Pure, Dynamic and Luxury with the refreshed car.

WHICH SHOULD I BUY?