Genesis GV70 vs Lexus NX

What's the difference?

The GV70 was already a pretty good thing, and aside from some small annoyances in the new safety tech, the update has made it a better car to drive.

It’s quieter, packs a few more features in, and still looks stylish and stands out on the road.

Even with its price increasing, its value is hard to deny, especially when it comes to post-purchase ownership.

It’s hard to say if the update will entice more customers away from rivals, but the GV70 continues to earn its place as Genesis’ most popular model.

The Lexus NX450h+ F Sport is a gorgeous mid-size SUV that combines great specs and a fairly efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain. It’s a comfortable and easy ride which should appeal to a wide range of driving styles. It also looks good parked at the kerbside of a city street and with it ticking most of the boxes, it may become your new best friend.

If you’re familiar with the GV70 the design changes aren’t going to seem revolutionary, but they do add a bit of subtle distinction.

For example, new 'Micro-Lens Array' headlights come in a slimmer design. Plus they bring more function, like a welcome light sequence.

They flank a tweaked grille with a 'dual weave’ mesh, plus the bumper has been altered for a low, wide look.

Even the Genesis logo is a bit different, now as a flat imprint.

There are new wheel designs, sizing of course depending on variant, as well as whether some of the trim comes in dark chrome or not.

At the back, the exhaust mufflers are hidden behind a redesigned bumper (unless you’ve got a Signature Sport) and there’s a new rear spoiler with lighting that complements the new tail-lights.

Inside, the styling hasn’t changed massively, either. 

There are some updated materials and new trim garnishes, but the biggest updates are more functional than visual.

The NX simple looks like a scaled-down version of its larger RX cousin, so if you like that you’ll like what the NX.

It looks sweeter, though, with its smaller proportions being only 4660mm long and 1670mm high but there’s enough sharp pleating in the panelling and rear LED lights to give it a sporty edge. It’s a design that should appeal to a wide range of people.

The interior helps the NX compete against some of its flashier rivals, but the BMW X3's interior beats it hands down with the wow factor. Still, the dual-toned leather upholstery and fabrics of our test model scream understated luxury.

The perforated leather of the seats is supple underhand, but even the robust synthetic leather on the backs of the seats and some door panelling feels like the real stuff most of the time.

The dashboard components – like the air vents, displays and accents – are well integrated and seem well-built. The cockpit is intimate and plush overall, and it always reminds you that you're in the cabin of a luxury vehicle.

Of course, it’s hard not to spot the giant 27-inch integrated multimedia and driver display unit, its OLED screen similar to other plush models in the Genesis and Hyundai range.

While the move to make more functions screen-based rather than using physical buttons can be a little annoying, the system here is still easy to use and there’s a climate control panel, so not too much messing around in menus. 

There’s a bunch of other stuff carried over from before, like the huge sunroof and the fact the front seats are heated and ventilated. And they’re proper leather.

From the wireless phone charger to the ambient lighting, the interior is stacked with bits and features that aim to make the cabin feel extra comfy.

The storage and space feels well thought out, there are plenty of places to put things and you don’t feel cramped, even in the second row.

Behind that, there’s a 542-litre boot which is in the same ballpark as the X3, NX and GLC.

The cabin of the NX is spacious where it needs to be for four adults to be comfortable on a longer journey, and features enough equipment to satisfy most.

Access is best at the front because of the wider door apertures and while still easy enough to get in and out of from the back, the rear wheel arch cuts into the aperture a bit.

The front seats are very comfortable with thick padding, tall side bolsters that lock you into place in a turn as well as heating and cooling functions.

The back seats are almost as comfortable as the front! However, the outboard seats offer the best under-thigh support. It is a shame that they miss out on heat functions for its grade level, though.

Storage is fairly good for the class, with lots of small item cubbies up front like a sunglasses holder, a mini drawer next to the drivers' knee and a dedicated phone holder and two cupholders. The large glove box (that can hold more than just a manual) and mid-size middle console shoulder most of the storage burden, though.

In the back you get a couple of map pockets, small storage bins and two cupholders. which is most than enough for this size of SUV.

The boot offers an impressive 520L of capacity and a level loading space makes it an easy car to slide larger gear in and out of. The little storage compartment under the floor is handy for charging cables and the hands-free powered tailgate is always handy to have.

The technology is a nice mix of easy-to-use and high-end with a responsive touchscreen on the 14-inch multimedia display. The system has built-in sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The CarPlay was simple to set up and has maintained a steady connection with my iPhone this week.

Charging options are decent with two USB-C ports and a 12-volt socket per row, as well as a wireless charging pad up front.

With a price hike of almost $6K, our flagship NX sits at $95,900 before on-road costs, but it's still slightly more affordable than its top-grade plug-in hybrid rivals.

The Volvo XC60 Ultra is priced from $101,390 and the outgoing BMW X3 xDrive30e sits at $102,500.

In the flagship variant, the standard features list is well-rounded to include both practical and luxury equipment. There are electric front seats with heating and cooling, an F Sport steering wheel with heating and touch controls, a sunroof, rear privacy glass, and a power-adjustable steering column.

Other items include a powered tailgate with a kick-to-open function, dual-zone climate control with a humidity sensor, parking assist, keyless entry/start, a digital key, Lexus Connected services app, a digital rearview mirror and 20-inch alloy wheels.

The technology looks gorgeous with the 14-inch touchscreen multimedia display taking centre stage with built-in satellite navigation, Bluetooth and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

You also get a 10-speaker Lexus premium sound system, which has AM/FM radio, MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio) compatibility. There are four USB-C ports (2/2), a 12-volt socket and a wireless charging pad.

So while our test model misses out on some of the items you might expect to see for a top-model grade – like three-zone climate control and heated rear outboard seats – it still feels well-specified.

While the GV70 is now all-wheel drive only, two engine options remain. 

All three variants can be had with a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that makes 224kW and 422Nm, driving all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

It carries over from before the update, as does the twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 which makes 279kW and 530Nm and uses the same transmission.

The V6 isn’t available in the base Advanced grade, and while its outputs aren’t sky-high compared to the four-cylinder, it has a much thicker peak-torque band.

The NX450h+ F Sport is the first attempt at a plug-in hybrid powertrain for Lexus. It pairs a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors, one located at each end of the car for all-wheel drive. Together they produce up to 227kW of power, but Lexus doesn’t quote the combined torque figure (cheeky).

The flagship model can do a 0-100km/h sprint in 6.3 seconds and features a smooth continuously variable transmission.

Overall, it moves quickly and the shift between the electric and engine components is barely noticeable.

Genesis claims the GV70 will sip 10.3 litres per 100km of driving in four-cylinder guise, or 11.3L for the V6, both tested under the standard combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle.

The GV70 needs at least 95 RON fuel but is E10 compatible, and has a 66-litre fuel tank.

During the launch drive, we didn’t get a chance to properly test fuel consumption but noted the trip computer for the four-cylinder showed 12.1L/100km since its last reset 1400km prior.

With that figure, you could expect to travel about 540km in the four-pot (likely a little less in the V6) before needing to refuel, though theoretically there’s 640km of range in the tank for the four, and 580 in the V6.

The flagship NX has a smallish 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery and a Type 2 charging port but no CCS enhancement, which means you can’t hook it up to a fast DC charger.

On a standard AC 240-volt domestic plug port, you can charge this from 0-100% in around 7hrs 30mins. You get a great electric-only NEDC-rated driving range of up to 87km and that means you really only have to charge it every other day, which I appreciated. 

The official combined fuel cycle usage is 1.3L/100km, but you won’t really see that in the real world. After doing some longer trips mixed in with city slicking, my average real-world usage popped out at 6.5L/100km, and I averaged 20.2kWh/100km when in pure EV mode. They’re not the best hybrid figures I’ve seen for the class, but they're not too bad either.

On the road, the updates might not be immediately obvious depending on which GV70 variant you’re in.

While it was already a capable and comfortable thing, I can’t recall having noticed in the past specifically how quiet the GV70 is when moving, and that’s something the update seems to have improved.

Even on some of the rougher roads, the active sound cancelling and physical noise and vibration improvements are certainly noticeable.

As before, the 3.5-litre V6 is a sturdy unit. It doesn’t feel like it’s working too hard but gets things moving quickly enough that it doesn’t feel lazy, either.

Cars fitted with the V6 also get slightly better suspension, adding to the quiet nature of the cabin and providing a refined ride that Genesis should be proud of.

The four-cylinder needs a little more encouragement, but it’s no slouch, either, even if it doesn’t sound quite as nice or come with the same upgraded suspension.

Dynamically, the GV70 feels a little bit muted, but no less capable because of it. Steering is light and a little numb, but that’s okay, it’s not really trying to be a sports car.

In sharp, twisty roads, the GV70 will let you get away with slightly more than you expect, but once you start approaching the limit will gently let you know you’re headed for danger if you push too much further.

This NX feels like it has lots of power in reserve when you put your foot down and never struggles going up big hills. When it’s in pure EV mode, it’s very quiet but there’s no big fanfare when this kicks over to the traditional engine. You barely notice it until you’re on the open road travelling at higher speeds, and that’s when the engine starts to sound more growly like its non-hybrid siblings.

The steering is forgiving without feeling too light and around town, the NX is nimble and sure of itself. The suspension is on the firmer side, so you’ll hear and feel the bigger bumps, but it never feels rough.

Visibility is decent with the largish windows, and the pillars that aren’t too wide from my driving position. I do like having the digital rearview mirror, though, because when you have a big car seat or tall adult in the back seat, the vision back there is hindered.

It’s pretty hard to find a modern car that’s terrible to park, especially in the mid-size SUV segment, and the NX is no different. Even in a small car space, you still have good clearance around you, which hopefully translates to less dings from neighbouring cars!

The 360-degree view camera system is top notch with its quality, and I like that the car disappears and you can see the ground underneath.

The NX comes with a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022 and scored very highly across its individual assessment scores; 91 per cent for adult protection, 89 per cent for child protection, 83 per cent for vulnerable road user, and 92 per cent for its safety assist systems.

Eight airbags are standard which includes a front centre airbag and driver's knee airbag. 

Other safety equipment includes emergency steering assist, blind-spot monitoring, lane departure alert, lane-keeping aid, emergency lane keeping, traffic sign recognition, safe exit assist, rear cross-traffic alert, LED daytime running lights, LED cornering lights, tyre pressure monitoring, and an emergency call button.

The only safety item which can feel intrusive when driving is the adaptive cruise control as it has a feature that scans for bends in the road and will slow the car down in anticipation of them. On paper, this isn’t a bad thing but in practice, it was sporadic when it activated and sometimes slowed the car dramatically on bends you wouldn’t even call bends!

AEB with car, pedestrian, cyclist, motorcyclist, backover and intersection turning assist is standard and operates from 5.0 - 80km/h (up to 180km/h for car detection).

There are two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top-tether anchor points in the rear row. The seat isn't wide enough to accommodate three child seats side by side, so two will fit best.

Genesis has a five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty which is about standard for the industry, and relatively good for a premium brand.

It gets better, though.

The brand offers a generous five-year or 50,000km complimentary scheduled servicing plan with 12-month or 10,000km intervals.

And there’s more.

Genesis offers 10 years of free roadside assist if you service your car with Genesis (it’s five years otherwise), and there’s five years of Genesis’ concierge and courtesy vehicle program.

Not needing to pay for anything for at least five years is a slam-dunk when it comes to ownership prospects.

The NX is offered with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, which is on par with its European rivals.

It comes with a five-year capped price servicing program, where services are competitively priced at $595 each.

Servicing intervals are reasonable at every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.