2022 Genesis GV70 Yearlong Review: From California to Texas and Back

Whenever I told people my brother and I were going to drive from Los Angeles to Houston for the holidays, everyone asked, "Are you crazy?" We've done that drive twice—once in a 2019 Volvo S60 and again in a 2021 Toyota Venza, both previous long-term vehicles I chaperoned. When our long-term 2022 Genesis GV70 arrived back in April, the question of driving to Texas for a third time crossed my mind, but I decided not to think about it until we got closer to winter. A few months later, my brother and I were on another cross-country road trip through the southwest.

I much prefer taking the scenic route, even if it's a little longer. That's why we decided to avoid Interstate 10 and head south toward San Diego taking I-8 east, like we did in the Venza. The freeway goes over the Cleveland National Forest, before passing through the Glamis Dunes and bordering Mexico. The drive is breathtaking through some parts and makes the long drive more entertaining.

We stopped for gas and pit stops a couple of times, and Saguaro National Park outside of Tucson was a great place to stretch our legs. We only had about two hours before sunset, and a small dirt loop around the western part of the park had some easy hiking trails that circumnavigate the tallest cacti we've seen, some of which look like they're three stories tall.

Because the next day France and Argentina were facing off in what was arguably the most exciting World Cup final, we departed our hotel in Tucson late in the morning and decided to take the boring (but basically only) way to get to West Texas—the interminable I-10. I was thankful for Genesis' Highway Driving Assist II with automatic lane changing, which was almost flawless at high speeds and kept the GV70 centered in its lane. The automatic lane change capability could use a bit more refinement, though; it's slow and had a hard time sensing my hands on the wheel, but it got the job done. After about two hours of driving in the dark, we were thankful for the GV70's bright and wide-angle headlights, which illuminated the road brilliantly.

We spent the night in the small town of Monahans, Texas, and were on our way to San Antonio early the next morning. My cousin Manuel and his family were visiting San Antonio from Mexico City, and we stopped for lunch to meet up. He was impressed by the GV70's premium interior design and quality. My nieces, on the other hand, had fun seeing how our long-term SUV can move forward and backward with the smart key. Thanks, Smaht Pahk.

We got to Houston later that night after having covered more than 1,700 miles in three days. Although the weather in the Lone Star State was relatively calm, we got a mix of rain and snow while crossing New Mexico, where we experienced temperatures from the mid-30s to the mid-70s. We appreciated the seat warmers and heated steering wheel.

We started our way back to California on the first day of the new year, but we couldn't leave Texas before stopping at Buc-ee's, the popular gas station with the cleanest bathrooms and dozens of pumps. With a brisket sandwich and a healthy supply of snacks, we headed to Pecos, Texas, for our first overnight stop. After an eight-hour drive passing through dozens of petroleum wells and driving on flat country roads, we were glad to get some rest.

Having visited White Sands National Park on a previous trip, we decided to stop at the Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico the next day. The hike down the cavern was well worth it, and my brother and I were in disbelief that we were 700 feet below the surface at the deepest point.

A big cold front heading west brought high-speed winds and storms with it. We stopped for gas just before leaving the cavern after reading a traffic sign that indicated no services for the next 130 miles. The GV70's fuel tank holds 17.5 gallons, which is average in the segment, but because we were averaging about 20 mpg per the trip computer, we were stopping every 280 to 290 miles, which isn't great on a long road trip. Although we were a bit conservative with our fuel stops, I wasn't going to gamble with our destiny after experiencing the weather-related consequences during our 2019 fuel economy challenge.

Somewhere in New Mexico, we got an alert on the cluster display requesting an oil change, which was weird because I'd taken the GV70 to the dealer a few days before starting our road trip. The alert came up every time we started the car. I took the GV70 to the dealer after the road trip and learned that the engine oil timer wasn't reset during its service, hence the alerts. It was annoying to read and hear the alert every time we got in the SUV.

We stopped once again in Tucson for our last night on the road. As at the beginning of our journey, we took the scenic I-8 to San Diego before continuing home, though not before another lunch stop to visit more cousins in La Jolla. California welcomed us with the most rain we saw during the entire trip, including Texas. From the moment we climbed the mountains of the Cleveland National Forest until several hours after we got home, it never stopped pouring.

In total, we covered over 3,800 miles, had lots to talk about, and listened to dozens of playlists, one full audiobook, and three podcasts. We were pleased with the comfort and quietness of the GV70, and despite the engine oil alert and a couple of hiccups with CarPlay not connecting to the infotainment system, we didn't experience any issues with it. This may be another page in the books for the GV70, but it's a trip that will forever be engraved in our hearts and minds.

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