2026 Genesis SUVs: Refreshed GV70, New RWD GV80
New model year brings bigger screens, a new accessible midsize SUV variant, and a Terrain mode for driving in snow, mud, or sand. and new accessible midsize SUV variant.
As we eagerly await the arrival of its high-performance Magma electric SUV, the Genesis brand is moving ahead with updates to its existing lineup for the 2026 model year. To keep things fresh, most models are receiving tech upgrades, including larger displays and enhanced traction management systems. A notable addition for 2026 is a more affordable rear-wheel-drive version of the GV80. Read on for a full breakdown of what's new in the 2026 Genesis SUV lineup.
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2026 Genesis GV60
The GV60 was introduced for the 2023 model year, received new features and an entry-level model for 2024, and returns unchanged this year. However, Genesis has teased an upcoming variant called the GV60 Magma. It will be among the first models to launch the brand’s new performance-focused sub-brand.
MotorTrend Ranked: #1 in electric luxury compact SUVs (2025 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Genesis GV60 Review
2026 Genesis GV70
Five years into its model run, the first-gen GV70 receives a midcycle refresh with updated styling and tech.
Vehicle dynamics are addressed with a new Terrain mode for driving through snow, mud, or sand. Also new is Highway Body Motion Control suspension management, which is said to enhance ride comfort and stability. Genesis updates the GV70’s driver assist suite with steering wheel Hands-On Detection, enhanced lane centering, and improved remote parking that now works in diagonal parking spots. Over-the-air software updating has also been improved for 2026.
Inside, there’s a new 27.0-inch dash display that incorporates both the driver and infotainment screens. The cabin’s wireless phone charger has also been relocated to better optimize space. New features include ambient lighting and enhanced voice recognition.
Exterior changes consist of revised wheel, light, and grille designs. The lineup also picks up a new paint color, Ceres Blue.
MotorTrend Ranked: #1 in luxury compact SUVs.
Read Our Experts’ Full Genesis GV70 Review
2026 Genesis GV70 Electric
As with the gas model, the GV70 Electric scores a refresh, but the EV version gets some of its own distinct upgrades. For one, it now comes with an 84.0-kWh battery, larger than the 77.4-kWh pack it was equipped with previously. The Genesis electric SUV is now equipped with a standard North American Charging System port, as well, opening access to Tesla’s Supercharger network.
A large 27.0-inch digital display that integrates driver and infotainment screens is newly standard, as are Highway Body Motion Control suspension management and Terrain drive mode. All 2026 models feature a relocated wireless phone charger, expanded voice recognition capabilities, and revised exterior fascia and wheel styling. Steering wheel Hands-On Detection, enhanced lane centering, and improved remote parking that can now work in diagonal parking spots are also added this year.
MotorTrend Ranked: #2 in electric luxury compact SUVs (2025 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Genesis GV70 Electric Review
2026 Genesis GV80
Following the SUV's refresh for 2025, Genesis updates the 2026 GV80 with revised equipment across most models. A key addition is a new, more affordable 2.5T RWD base trim, offering buyers a more accessible entry point. All models now come with Terrain mode, which optimizes driving performance for snow, mud, or sand. At the GV80 2.5T AWD trim level and above, rear door lock/unlock functionality using Genesis Digital Key 2 Premium is now included.
On the exterior, the 2.5T and 3.5T Prestige AWD trims now feature rear acoustic laminated glass to enhance cabin quietness. Inside, third-row seating has been made available on 2.5T and 3.5T Advanced and Prestige AWD models, increasing flexibility for families or larger groups. Five-passenger GV80s now include a temporary spare tire, while seven-passenger models come equipped with a tire mobility kit. The power second-row seats in the 3.5T Prestige have been discontinued.
MotorTrend Ranked: #3 in luxury midsize SUVs (2025 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Genesis GV80 Review
2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe
The GV80 Coupe, which made its debut for 2025, returns this year with only minor updates. The Storr Green exterior finish has been discontinued, and the Vanilla Beige/Smoky Green interior combination is now available with new orange seat belts and matching orange stitching on the steering wheel, adding a sportier touch.
All GV80 Coupe models now offer manual rear side sunshades for added passenger comfort. The SUV also continues to include Genesis Digital Key 2 Premium, which gains rear door lock and unlock functionality this year. Additionally, the Terrain mode feature that’s new for the GV70 and non-Coupe GV80 has also been added here.
MotorTrend Ranked: #1 in luxury midsize fastback SUVs (2025 model).
Read Our Experts’ Full Genesis GV80 Coupe Review
2025 Genesis SUVs: What’s New
- 2026 Genesis GV60: Unchanged
- 2026 Genesis GV70: Significant update
- 2026 Genesis GV70 Electric: Significant update
- 2026 Genesis GV80: Minor update
- 2026 Genesis GV80 Coupe: Minor update
My dad was a do-it-yourselfer, which is where my interest in cars began. To save money, he used to service his own vehicles, and I often got sent to the garage to hold a flashlight or fetch a tool for him while he was on his back under a car. Those formative experiences activated and fostered a curiosity in Japanese automobiles because that’s all my Mexican immigrant folks owned then. For as far back as I can remember, my family always had Hondas and Toyotas. There was a Mazda and a Subaru in there, too, a Datsun as well. My dad loved their fuel efficiency and build quality, so that’s how he spent and still chooses to spend his vehicle budget. Then, like a lot of young men in Southern California, fast modified cars entered the picture in my late teens and early 20s. Back then my best bud and I occasionally got into inadvisable high-speed shenanigans in his Honda. Coincidentally, that same dear friend got me my first job in publishing, where I wrote and copy edited for action sports lifestyle magazines. It was my first “real job” post college, and it gave me the experience to move just a couple years later to Auto Sound & Security magazine, my first gig in the car enthusiast space. From there, I was extremely fortunate to land staff positions at some highly regarded tuner media brands: Honda Tuning, UrbanRacer.com, and Super Street. I see myself as a Honda guy, and that’s mostly what I’ve owned, though not that many—I’ve had one each Civic, Accord, and, currently, an Acura RSX Type S. I also had a fourth-gen Toyota pickup when I met my wife, with its bulletproof single-cam 22R inline-four, way before the brand started calling its trucks Tacoma and Tundra. I’m seriously in lust with the motorsport of drifting, partly because it reminds me of my boarding and BMX days, partly because it’s uncorked vehicle performance, and partly because it has Japanese roots. I’ve never been much of a car modifier, but my DC5 is lowered, has a few bolt-ons, and the ECU is re-flashed. I love being behind the wheel of most vehicles, whether that’s road tripping or circuit flogging, although a lifetime exposed to traffic in the greater L.A. area has dulled that passion some. And unlike my dear ol’ dad, I am not a DIYer, because frankly I break everything I touch.
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