Genesis may be a relatively new luxury car maker, but it’s already making a name for itself, having produced some great cars. In fact, a Genesis car recently beat out the competition from the best-known luxury automakers, including BMW and Mercedes. Here’s a look at the Genesis luxury compact SUV that impressively outperformed its competition from more established luxury brands.
The best luxury compact SUVs for 2023
US News recently released its list of the best compact luxury SUVs on the market, and while many of the entries were expected, there were a few surprises. For example, in the top 10, only two luxury compact SUVs came from American brands. The 2023 Buick Envision came in tenth and the 2022 Lincoln Corsair in fourth.
Buick and Lincoln were surrounded by European and Asian luxury car manufacturers. In addition to the Corsair, the top seven compact luxury SUVs had three vehicles that came from an Asian automaker and three vehicles that came from a European one. In fact, the Corsair was tied four ways with other big SUVs like the 2023 Lexus NX, 2023 Acura RDX, and 2023 Volvo XC60.
Why the 2023 Genesis GV70 outperformed the BMW X3 and Mercedes GLC
The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC came in third and the 2023 BMW X3 came in second. However, first place went to the 2023 Genesis GV70.
While all three luxury SUVs are excellent, the GV70 outperformed its German competitors overall. The GLC has a well-designed, “refined” cabin that’s equipped with some high-tech infotainment features, but its interior volume and cargo capacity aren’t great for the class.
US News also praised the GLC for its powertrain and handling, and the car reviewer said similar things about the X3’s performance capabilities.
That said, while the X3 is roomy, its cabin isn’t quite as luxurious as its peers. By comparison, the GV70 won it all because it has even fewer glitches than the X3 or GLC. Like those two German luxury SUVs, the Genesis gets a lot of power from its engine, and it handles well, too. The GV70 starts with a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder and makes 300 hp.
That’s significantly more power than the base BMW and Mercedes engines offer, as they make 248 hp and 255 hp respectively. And since the GV70 is a compact luxury SUV, its cabin is also well-designed and packed with features.
Leatherette upholstery is standard, as is a 14.5-inch touchscreen. That’s bigger than the 10.25-inch touchscreen that’s standard on both the X3 and GLC. The GV70 is also safe and reliable, and in fact, the only flaw US News complained about was that the GV70’s seats “could be more supportive.”
Despite being a relatively new car manufacturer, Genesis is doing very well.
All three SUVs are similarly priced as well, starting at around $45,000 each, though the GV70 is the most affordable. It’s impressive that Genesis has managed to beat out experienced automakers like Mercedes and BMW because Genesis as a carmaker is so new. Genesis was founded in 2015, while BMW and Mercedes date back to the early 20th century.
Despite being so new to the luxury car segment, Genesis has already built other well-scoring vehicles like the GV70. That being said, Genesis is not a new car company by any means. It’s actually the luxury arm of Hyundai, and as such the two automakers have a lot in common.