2024 Genesis GV70 vs 2025 Jeep Wrangler

The 2024 Genesis GV70 distinguished itself within the Genesis lineup and its competitive set with its sleek design and luxury-car style. It featured signature Genesis styling elements like split headlights and a large shield-like grille, but it was sleeker than the larger GV80 and avoided the quirkiness of the smaller GV60. Notable details included a hatchback-like rear window profile, large round exhaust outlets on the Sport trim, and distinctive 21-inch wheels. The GV70 struck a balance between SUV size and luxury, outperforming competitors like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Porsche Macan, and Mercedes-Benz GLC in terms of finesse and brand prestige. The Electrified GV70, recognized as the 2024 Canadian Electric Utility Vehicle of the Year, maintained the same styling as its gasoline counterpart, with a shiny grille housing the charge port for convenient charging. The interior was distinctive, featuring quilted Nappa leather upholstery, a panoramic sunroof, and unique design elements like an elliptical pod for climate controls and a rotary infotainment controller.

In contrast, the 2025 Jeep Wrangler Sport S hardtop, with its black-on-black-on-black colour scheme, presented a rugged and utilitarian appearance. Despite the heat-sink colour combination, the Wrangler's design was rooted in its World War II military vehicle heritage, emphasizing function over form. The Wrangler was available in various trim levels, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, and Rubicon X, with the Rubicon 392 discontinued in Canada after 2024. The Wrangler's interior featured classy grey fabric dashboard trim, metallic accents, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. While the Wrangler lacked sophistication compared to modern cars, it remained popular for its capability to go almost anywhere. The Wrangler's design and capability made it appealing despite its uninspired wheel design and wimpy-looking all-season tires.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered a range of powertrain options, including a standard 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, and an available 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 with 375 hp and 391 lb-ft. Both engines were paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The Electrified GV70 featured front and rear electric motors delivering a combined 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque, with a "Boost Mode" providing 483 hp for short bursts. While the GV70 offered vigorous straight-line acceleration, its chassis tuning didn't match the sportiness of rivals like the Acura RDX, BMW X3, or Porsche Macan. The GV70's suspension tended to crash down on bumps, and its ride quality was average for its class. The Electrified GV70 maintained similar handling characteristics despite its additional weight, and it offered adjustable regenerative braking for a customizable driving experience.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler offered a standard 3.6-litre V6 engine with a six-speed manual transmission, or an optional turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The four-cylinder engine produced 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, offering slightly better fuel efficiency than the V6. The Wrangler's standard four-wheel drive, high ground clearance, and generous approach and departure angles made it capable off-road. However, its slow steering and sloppy handling traits were noticeable at higher speeds. The Wrangler's ride was rough, delivering constant jiggles and jolts, and its disconnected steering feel could be disconcerting. The Wrangler's three-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA was a concern, and its fuel economy averaged 12.3 L/100 km during testing.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered competitive interior space, with slightly less headroom than rivals like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC, but more front-seat legroom than the BMW and Mercedes. The GV70 provided 818 litres of cargo space with the rear seats in place, surpassing the Mercedes and BMW but falling short of the Audi. Folding the rear seats increased cargo capacity to 1,611 litres. The Electrified GV70's interior space was minimally impacted by the battery pack, with slight reductions in legroom and headroom. The GV70's stylish interior design came at the expense of small-item storage, but it included features like automatic side bolsters for the front seats in Sport mode.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's high ground clearance and narrow door openings made entry and exit challenging. The front seats were comfortable, with cloth upholstery and optional heated front seats and steering wheel. Rear-seat legroom was adequate, but taller passengers needed to be cautious of plastic hooks on the front seatbacks. Storage space was limited, with small items often ending up in cupholders. Accessing the cargo area required opening the tailgate and lifting the rear window, which could be inconvenient in tight spaces. The four-door model offered 897 litres of cargo space, expandable to 2,050 litres with the rear seats folded.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 featured a 14.5-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher trims offered a 12.3-inch unit with a 3D effect. A 12-inch head-up display and a 16-speaker Lexicon audio system were available. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with an intuitive layout and a rotary controller. Genesis included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles, but digital key functionality was not available for the GV70 in Canada.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler's Uconnect 5 infotainment system included a 12.3-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM satellite radio preparation. An eight-speaker stereo was standard, with a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system optional. Jeep Connect offered adventure guides and GPS trail logs for off-road navigation. The touchscreen remained bright and easy to use, even with the roof panels removed. The Convenience Group pack added a 7-inch digital display, passive entry, and remote engine starting. Rear parking sensors were part of the optional Safety Group package.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 received the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award for both gasoline and Electrified models. The NHTSA published four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings for gasoline models, with the 2023 GV70 receiving a five-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and Highway Driving Assist. The Highway Driving Assist 2 system added automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring. Genesis also offered a safe exit assist function and a radar-based rear occupant alert system.

The 2025 Jeep Wrangler introduced standard side curtain airbags for front and rear seats. Advanced driver assistance systems were optional, with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert available on most trims. Forward collision warning with automatic braking was standard on the Sahara trim. Adaptive cruise control and automatic high-beam headlights were available on models with automatic transmissions. The NHTSA gave the Wrangler a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating. The IIHS rated the Wrangler's side-impact protection as Good, but the small overlap frontal-impact test resulted in a Marginal rating.