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The exterior of the new 2022 Genesis GV70.

Courtesy photo

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The exterior of the new 2022 Genesis GV70.

Courtesy photo

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The interior of the new 2022 Genesis GV70.

Courtesy photo

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The exterior of the new 2022 Genesis GV70.

Courtesy photo

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If someone would have told us a couple of years ago that we would have the opportunity to drive a vehicle that would basically work from our fingerprint after entering that vehicle, we may have thought they were a little crazed. However, if they would have then told us that it would come from the Hyundai brand, yeah even more so.

Not to be out done in the luxury segment, Hyundai has done just that with their new line of Genesis luxury sedans and SUVs, being a “genesis” of sorts in the industry. They have done this by giving a great value to their products and making them affordable for most anyone to step into luxury that we would never have expected at the price points they have used.

Once set up, the fingerprint thing was pretty awesome. Depending on who was driving, all we had to do was place our finger on the small circular button on the dashboard and the car would start without a smart key, the seat would go to its preprogramed position for the driver and the vehicle would set itself into the drive mode said driver preferred.

It was the first vehicle we have driven with this kind of startup technology involved — and we have driven those that come in at twice the price! If someone ever wanted to steal the GV70 with this tech inside, they would never be able to start it again after they shut it down, if nothing else making it a useless target — but oh so cool, just like getting into our phones with fingerprint technology. Most likely, it will not be long that we will just have to sit in the vehicle and it will scan our face and start right up!

On top of that awesome tech, the GV70 came equipped with a 3.5-liter twin turbocharged engine that could produce a whopping 380 horsepower and was over the top when jetting from 0 to 60 in a mere 4.9 seconds! Oh, and did we mention that it came complete with Launch Control? Yes, you read it right; it had a launch control system.

This number puts the Genesis in some very elite company, the likes of the Dodge Durango SRT ($68,195), a BMW X4 M ($74,595) or an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio ($84,650), all of which do a sub-5-second jump to 60. In comparison, our fully loaded GV70 out the door was only $64,045, which had not only speed but technology and comfort included.

After a week with the GV70, we found ourselves looking for excuses to go other places or just get out on the road, as this Genesis was so exciting and engaging to drive! The power and acceleration added too much fun-to-drive quotient for us to even try and stay away.

And the comfort did not stop there. The seats were clad in leather and were quilted, of course, to add an even greater comfort level and, quite frankly, an extra dose of sophistication. They were heated and cooled up front and even heated for the rear passengers.

The designers have even wrapped the doors so that upon exiting there would be no way to get stains on any of the passengers’ pants. Now there is thinking ahead. Oh, and to make the journey even better, the front seats had a massaging function. (OK, maybe that’s why we were always looking to get into the GV70.)

A new clean-air system has also been added for comfort that will rid the interior air of the SUV of up to 99.9% of all dust and bioaerosols within 10 minutes, something we really appreciated as during our early spring week there were a few different pollens in the air and taking a ride in the GV70 would calm both of our spring allergies down in a hurry.

The huge, 14.5-inch high-definition infotainment touch screen was the front and center masterpiece of the console and helped to control the vital functions of the vehicle. It was easy to maneuver around in and proved to be quite intuitive.

With the included navigation when using the adaptive cruse control, the GV70 would automatically slow down when coming to tight curves or other road conditions that needed a gentle nudge to make them safer to navigate.

We also loved the fact that when we were using the cruise control, the GV70 kept track of all the vehicles around us, displaying them on the heads-up display. And when we needed to change lanes, it would put the path up and help us to navigate the lane change. It was some great technology we have only seen at double the price of the Genesis.

The SUV was loaded with other safety features also: forward collision avoidance and assist if needed, blind spot monitor and avoidance assist, driver attention warning, forward attention warning, and an intelligent speed limit assist that would lower and or raise the SUV’s speed to the current posted limit along the highway.

With the addition of the Sport Prestige Package, we also received a 12.3-inch 3-D digital center cluster that was completely configurable — again, a fine addition.

There really was nothing that we didn’t like about the GV70 and all the technology that came along with the ride. It will prove to be a disruptor in the market and a great value for anyone looking to get a luxury SUV.

Base price: $52, 600

Destination charge: $1,045

Price as driven: $64,045

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