Compare the2025 Genesis GV70VS 2023 BMW X5

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Genesis GV70 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X5 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the GV70 and X5 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The GV70 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X5’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GV70 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X5 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GV70 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X5 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the GV70 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The GV70’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The X5’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GV70. But it costs extra on the X5.

Both the GV70 and X5 have rear cross-traffic warning, but the GV70 has Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The X5’s Cross Traffic Warning doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the GV70 and the X5 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Genesis GV70 (built after November 2023) achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2024 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The X5 is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

The GV70 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The X5’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the GV70 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X5. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the X5 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

The GV70’s optional 3.5 turbo V6 produces 40 more horsepower (375 vs. 335) and 60 lbs.-ft. more torque (391 vs. 331) than the X5 40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Genesis GV70 turbo V6 is faster than the X5 40i 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the GV70 gets better mileage than the X5:

Both the GV70 and the X5 have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All GV70s have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the X5 M50i.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Genesis GV70 higher (5 out of 10) than the BMW X5 (3). This means the GV70 produces up to 16.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the X5 every 15,000 miles.

The GV70 stops shorter than the X5:

The GV70 Advanced handles at .84 G’s, while the X5 xDrive40i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GV70 Sport Prestige executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the X5 xDrive40i (26.4 seconds @ .7 average G’s vs. 27.3 seconds @ .67 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the GV70’s turning circle is 3.6 feet tighter than the X5’s (37.7 feet vs. 41.3 feet).

The Genesis GV70 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 550 to 700 pounds less than the BMW X5.

The GV70 is 8.7 inches shorter than the X5, making the GV70 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Genesis GV70 amounts to more than styling. The GV70 has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .32 Cd. That is significantly lower than the X5 (.36 to .38) and many sports cars. A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the GV70 get better fuel mileage.

The GV70 has 1.5 inches more front legroom and .4 inches more rear headroom than the X5.

The front step up height for the GV70 is 2 inches lower than the X5 (17.5” vs. 19.5”). The GV70’s rear step up height is 2.7 inches lower than the X5’s (17.3” vs. 20”).

The GV70’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The X5’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GV70 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X5 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the GV70’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the X5’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The GV70’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the X5’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Genesis GV70 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X5.

The GV70 Advanced/Sport has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X5 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GV70 Sport Advanced/Sport Prestige’s Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The X5’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GV70 third among compact premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The X5 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The GV70 was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2024 and 2023. The X5 has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the GV70 as their 2022 Sport Utility of the Year. The X5 has never been chosen.