I find this review very biased. He must be a BMW fanboy. His criticism of the handling is highly suspect. I've pushed mine through some very tight twisties at 8/10ths in Sport + mode and if anything I was shocked at how good it is. Especially with the E-diff out back. Yes it's a bit top heavy and will never be a 3 series sedan but given what it is... it's excellent. At least he complimented how quiet it is at speed.
"along the twisties, the GV70 left us cold no matter which mode we chose. Its mild-mannered handling character provides adequate control of roll, squat, and dive but little actual verve in corners... if you want assertive handling or an impressive level of lateral grip, it's hard to recommend this 4,453-pound crossover. That combo of weight and a comfort-oriented suspension are anathema to fun driving.... While competent, the GV70's light, numb steering and lack of feedback through the chassis are in contrast to Germany's performance-focused models."
Fun... such an inherently biased concept. If you measure the heartrate and expressions of a race driver on the limit their vital signs actually read closer to fear than any other emotion; they'll tell you they had a blast.
What's "fun" depends on the road, the conditions, how you drive and what type of driver you are. I particularly enjoy vintage cars on the road: an old 356 Porsche with a diabolical swing axle can be a blast simply trying to keep up with a modern Toyota Camry on a twisty road. Meanwhile a 918 supercar can feel completely pointless on the same road, limits far too high to even approach. Get the 918 on a track however, where you can use all that drip and power, and it's pure adrenaline.
With this in mind you learn to avoid driving one car as you would another and expecting it to be "fun". Drive a BWM M car with traction control off as you would a Porsche and you're going to crash. Try enjoying big, sideways drifts that are so accessible in a proper M car in a Porsche and you'll be sorely disappointed. Yet both cars are huge fun.
My read is that this guy is looking for a particular
type of fun and not finding it, and his version of "fun" is all about quick response and high grip limits. And I agree the GV70 is somewhat short on grip compared to some rivals and the initial turn-in does
seem soft if you're used to quicker steering and stiffer shocks/ swaybars. If those are your "fun" cues then the GV70 will come up a bit short. But I think it says a lot about the type of driver he is that he's just talking about grip and response and not about what comes after you push past that. This is why I listen to specific writers- there are guys I know and trust, and then there a lot of other guys. A lot of those guys (including this one) are not from automotive backgrounds and have somewhat limited experience...
The GV70 reminds me in some ways of a Surbaru WRX, another car that didn't have the sharpest turn-in or the highest grip but was an absolute blast when you learned how to dance with it. Based on what he wrote I have a strong suspicion this guy wouldn't think that car was "fun" on an initial review either...
www.caranddriver.com
