Ministry of Interior Affairs: 2022 Genesis GV70

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When was the last time you saw a new car with a green interior?

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Well, okay. If you’ve been paying attention, your answer would be the Genesis GV80 , which launched in Canada last year . So, let’s make the question a little more challenging: When was the last time you saw a new car offered with a green interior, and a burgundy interior, and a navy interior with red accent stitching and piping?

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Now we’re into interesting territory. These colourways are all available on the Genesis GV70, the first-ever premium compact SUV from the luxury arm of Hyundai Motor Group. Unchained by such pedantry as dealers who fear cars in unique colours languishing unwanted on their lots, Genesis vehicles are ordered by customers directly from the corporate head office, which makes it easier for the brand to take a few more risks with its option sheets.

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This two-row SUV has little in common in its interior with its larger GV80 sibling. As attractive as the GV80’s interior is, uniqueness is not a bad thing, and the tendency of Korean brands to let a car’s character dictate its design, more than an overall styling directive, is a respectably different approach.

Here, rounded-off elliptical accents are found throughout the cabin, which Genesis representatives say are inspired by the shape of airplane wings. Several aspects of the cockpit hint at its driver-centric nature. A tall centre console cuts the driver off from the front passenger, a feature typical of vehicles designed with sportier intent. The driver’s ergonomics are also well-considered, with a set of intuitive button and dial controls for the 14.5-inch infotainment system, a dial gear selector, and other controls all set within easy reach.

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Like other Genesis vehicles, the GV70’s climate panel is set up as a single pane, rather than with individual buttons, but it does provide haptic feedback to confirm inputs. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are standard equipment, and ventilated front seats are available, as is the Genesis 3D digital instrument cluster. A nine-speaker audio system is standard equipment, while the premium setup is a 15-speaker Lexicon sound system.

The vehicle shown at this media preview is a pre-production unit, so it incorporates elements from multiple grade levels. That means the GV70 can’t be ordered precisely as this one is shown, though it’s possible to come close. The steering wheel here is featured on Sport grades, while non-Sport grades get one that’s closer to that found in the GV80. The inserts here, also unique to the Sport trims, are real carbon fibre with a gloss coating. Some grades receive inserts with a graphic design that’s backlit by the multicolour interior ambient lighting, a treatment that continues in both rows of the cabin when equipped. A wireless phone charger and two USB-A ports are under a flip door on the center console, and a 12-volt outlet is located in the center storage bin, which is just big enough to fit a large wallet or small clutch.

These seats are the design used in the 2.5 Prestige model and feature leather with suede inserts. On higher grades, quilted leather is found on the seats and in the door panels. For the most part, the look and feel of the interior surfaces is of high quality. There are a few spots where plastic is used instead of metal, but they’re mostly in places where occupants aren’t likely to interact with them all that often.

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On our first look, the GV70’s second row looks like it would get plenty of natural light, thanks to a large panoramic sunroof. It’s surrounded by a suede headliner, and light can be blocked off with available manual window shades. The second-row outboard seats are available both heated and ventilated, and the right rear passenger can move the front passenger seat, using buttons mounted on the side of it, to adjust legroom. There are two USB ports and a 115-volt plug in the back, but there isn’t much in the way of storage, other than two cupholders in the centre armrest, two relatively-small door pockets, and front seatback netting. With a high rise in the centre of the second-row floor and a narrow shoulder profile, we don’t want to be in the middle seat very often.

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Cargo volume behind the second row is 819 litres, according to Genesis, which is more than in most of the GV70’s major competitors. The second-row seats fold manually with a pair of levers in the cargo area, and when they’re down, total cargo volume behind the first row is 1,610 litres. A storage area under the cargo floor holds a spare tire, and has space wide enough to store the tonneau cover when it’s not in use.

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The GV70 marks the launch of several new features. Fingerprint recognition allows the owner to drive the vehicle, and have it adjust to his or her driver profile settings, without a physical key fob present. A new, advanced rear-occupant alert uses onboard sensors that recognize movement in the second row or cargo area, rather than detecting occupants by weight, and it alerts the driver if anyone has been left behind.

A GV70 demo unit is embarking on a cross-country tour in April and May, so if you’d like to check out the interior in as much detail as we have here, your local Genesis distributor will be able to tell you when you can expect it to be in town. Pre-orders are open now, with deliveries beginning in the second half of 2021, and pricing to be confirmed closer to launch.