Hello from the UK
I've had the Genesis GV70 Electrified since Friday 5th Jan and here's my initial impressions of the car vs my previous car, which is the launch model Polestar 2 DM Pilot/Plus with OTA performance upgrade (472 hp/502 lb-ft torque)
Plus points for the GV70
- I love that it unlocks when you walk up to it with the key.
- More space in most places - particularly in the front and in the boot [Trunk]
- The Interior is a different level. Standard part leather seats, leather covered dashboard,
ambient lighting, easy access driver and passenger seats.
- Blindspot cameras on the digital dashboard
- 360 Cameras are higher resolution, and turning circle is slightly better. I like the LED projected light putting 'guidelines' on the road behind you. I find this easier to park at night.
- Heated
and cooled seats. Plus the seat heats you bum and your back.
- It has a heat pump as standard - launch model Polestar 2's didn’t have this. Winter range should be better.
- Always wanted a car with a Heads up Display and now I have one - So useful. I don't even look at the speedometer
- The Genesis app is much better. Push notifications if I leave the a door open, or if I leave the car unlocked. Plus it also lets me actually set the temperature in the car and I can also adjust if I want the mirror heaters on, steering
wheel heater on etc (Polestar defaults to 22°C regardless of the outside temperature, even in summer)
- Great view out the back window, and a rear wiper.
- Two very good and easy to access cupholders and a more useful centre storage console.
- The UI is just better. For example in the Polestar which has Google automotive
built in - if you have Google maps on the centre screen you can't see what music is playing. Using
Android auto in the GV70 when you have Google map on the screen, every time the next track plays (or you skip) from Bluetooth music streaming, a little section appears on the screen telling you what song is playing. I miss having Google maps as standard, but that is easily remedied with
Android auto
- You can turn off the passenger detection for the rear! Sometimes when carrying heavy items on the back seat in the Polestar 2 it would constantly warn you that a seatbelt wasn't plugged in because it thought somebody was sitting there.
- Wireless charger is in a better place and easier to slot phone in to.
- Ride comfort when cruising - That adaptive suspension is so good in 'comfort mode'.
- You can store the load cover under the boot.
Plus points for the Polestar 2 launch edition.
- The polestar 2 gets the power down better and can deal with a twisty UK roads better. It's lower down and weighs 200kg less - In the GV70 I accelerated on a straight road from 30 to 65 mph with the boost button engaged (483 hp for 10 seconds) and it felt like the GV70 was spinning the wheels slightly on a cold, slightly damp road.
- The panoramic glass roof on the Polestar 2 - My GV70 was a pre-built stock vehicle so didn't come with the lovely panoramic sunroof (although it does have beige headliner though so it's not too dark inside.)
- I don't have rear heated seats on this but nobody ever really sat in the back of my car anyway.
- Kick open boot on Polestar 2 was useful and flawless. GV70 does have the feature where the boot [Trunk] will open if you just stand behind it - But I need to test that extensively before putting my dogs in the boot in case it is a bit too sensitive!
- The front trunk in the Polestar 2 is a useful size. The Frunk in the GV70 is pathetically small. I used to keep my AC charging cable in the frunk of the Polestar, but I doubt I could fit the GV70 one in there (haven't actually tried it yet)
- The GV70 has a start button, I don't know if I preferred sitting in the car to start it, but it's certainly something I got used to very quickly.
-
Polestar 2 doesn't have as many annoying 'safety' bleeps and bongs.
- Polestar 2 had cornering lights, which GV70 doesn't have. I didn't really ever notice them until they were gone, and they are quite useful on roads with lots of tight bends.
- Bigger door bins
Minor annoyances:
-HUD will only show directions from the GV70 navigation, not google maps.
-
Android Auto is currently wired, though
Wireless Android Auto is coming soon in an update, now that licensing has been sorted between Hyundai/Kia/Genesis and Google.
- Warning screen on the infotainment display when you start the car. It goes away after about 20 seconds, but we should be able to turn that off.
- GV70 defaults to level 1 regenerative breaking every time you start. It's barely noticeable but I prefer coasting.
- GV70 defaults to Matrix lights disabled every time you start. Polestar 2 remembered how you left them.
- GV70 defaults to lane keep assist on every time you start. This might be a legal requirement now, but I thought the Polestar 2 allowed you to save this setting to off?
-
In 'sport mode' the adaptive suspension is actually more uncomfortable than the Polestar 2.
Other things:
USA cars get a feature that sets the seat position to optimal based on your height, leg inseam and weight - It's not on the UK cars for some reason.
Massaging seats seem like a gimmick, but we will see on a longer journey.
I turned the 3D off the instrument cluster as I didn't get a strong depth of field from it and it was more distracting.
I will likely end up just turning this feature off and using the button on the hatch.
