2024 Genesis GV70 vs 2024 Lexus GX

The 2024 Lexus GX presented a bold departure from its predecessor, the GX 460, with a more geometric and aggressive design. The signature spindle grille was less pronounced, flanked by standard triple-beam LED headlights. The front end stood more vertically, with a stiffened chin and a flat hood featuring humps above the front wheels for better off-road visibility. The side profile was minimalistic, with a low window beltline and a horizontal character line, enhancing visibility. The GX was available in Canada in a single trim with five packages, focusing on luxury and off-road capabilities. The interior combined luxury with utilitarian materials, featuring a 14-inch touchscreen and physical controls for off-road functions.

In contrast, the 2024 Genesis GV70 stood out with its sleek design, balancing SUV presence with luxury-car style. It featured split headlights, a large shield-like grille, and a hatchback-like rear window profile. The GV70's styling was more refined than its competitors, like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, and it offered a unique interior with quilted Nappa leather, a panoramic sunroof, and distinctive controls. The Electrified GV70 maintained the same styling as the gasoline model, with a shiny grille housing the charge port. The interior was memorable for its elliptical pod housing climate controls and a rotary infotainment controller, offering a different approach to luxury design.

The 2024 Lexus GX transitioned from a V8 to a twin-turbocharged 3.4-litre V6 engine, producing 349 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain, combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4WD, provided impressive off-road capabilities. The GX's GA-F truck platform offered a stiffer chassis, enhancing stability on and off-road. The Overtrail packages added advanced suspension technology, increasing wheel articulation and ensuring all four wheels stayed in contact with the ground. Despite its weight of 2,570 kilograms, the GX demonstrated controlled behaviour on-road, with effective brakes and minimal body roll.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 offered a choice between a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 300 horsepower and a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 with 375 horsepower. The Electrified GV70 featured front and rear electric motors, producing a combined 429 horsepower, with a Boost Mode providing 483 horsepower. While the GV70 delivered strong straight-line acceleration, its chassis tuning didn't match the sportiness of rivals like the BMW X3. The suspension was reasonably comfortable but tended to crash on bumps. The Electrified model offered adjustable regenerative braking and a 380-kilometre range, maintaining competence without being overly sporty.

The 2024 Lexus GX's interior was more minimalist and sophisticated, with fewer physical buttons but retaining essential controls. It offered comfortable seating for six-foot-tall adults in the first and second rows, with 1,047 millimetres of legroom in the front and 933 mm in the second row. The third row was tight, suitable only for children. The GX excelled in cargo space, with 292 litres behind the third row, expanding to 1,138 litres with it folded, and a total of 2,178 litres. Overtrail models offered even more space, with 45.6 cubic feet behind the second row and 1,291 litres total.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 provided comparable interior space to its rivals, with slightly less headroom but more front-seat legroom than the BMW and Mercedes. It offered 818 litres of cargo space with rear seats in place, better than the Mercedes but less than the Audi. Folding the rear seats provided 1,611 litres, less than its German competitors. The Electrified GV70 had minimal impact on interior space, with slight reductions in legroom and headroom. The stylish interior design limited small-item storage, but it included a dedicated phone storage nook and rear-seat climate controls.

The 2024 Lexus GX featured a 14-inch touchscreen with Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It offered USB-C ports and a wireless charging pad for front-seat passengers, with additional ports for the back seat in Overtrail packages. A 120-volt AC outlet was standard in the trunk. The Lexus Interface infotainment system included an intelligent voice assistant and subscription-based services like Drive Connect and Remote Connect. The GX came with a 10-speaker audio system, with higher packages offering a 21-speaker Mark Levinson stereo. However, subscription costs for certain features were a consideration for long-term ownership.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 came with a 14.5-inch touchscreen and wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Lower trims had an 8-inch digital instrument cluster, while higher grades featured 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 intuitive, with a rotary controller offering a high-quality feel. Genesis included a fingerprint scanner for driver profiles, but digital key functionality was not available for the GV70 in Canada.

The 2024 Lexus GX received significant safety upgrades with the Lexus Safety System+ 3.0, offering pre-collision detection, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, and road-sign recognition. A new proactive driving assist feature enhanced safety during highway driving. While crash-test ratings from IIHS and NHTSA were not yet available, the modern GA-F architecture and advanced driver assistance systems improved confidence in the GX's safety.

The 2024 Genesis GV70 received the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ award for both gasoline and Electrified models. NHTSA ratings for the gasoline GV70 included four-star frontal and rollover crash-test ratings, with the 2023 model receiving a five-star overall rating. The GV70 came with standard safety features like lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, and Highway Driving Assist. A more advanced Highway Driving Assist 2 system was available, adding automated lane-change capability and blind-spot monitoring. Genesis also offered high-tech safety features like safe exit assist and a radar-based rear occupant alert system.