Review: Genesis GV60
What is it?
Genesis remains a fairly new brand in the UK, but it isn’t wasting any time when it comes to getting new cars on the ground. The GV60 - which we’re looking at here - arrives as a battery-powered rival for the likes of the Polestar 2 and Ford Mustang Mach-e, bringing a whole load of new tech and features into the battleground.
With backing from Hyundai - you’ll find a lot of the GV60’s parts are shared with the firm’s excellent Ioniq 5 - Genesis definitely has learning and knowledge on its side. But what is the GV60 actually like to drive? We’ve been finding out.
What’s new?
The GV60 uses a crossover-inspired design and shape, while its overall proportions are a little larger than you might expect going off the images. Genesis also updated the GV60 in 2023, bringing some subtle tweaks to the car’s technology, but leaving the car’s looks - which have always got people talking - alone.
The GV60 is also the first car to get a clever ‘Face Connect’ system. The b-pillar of the car contains a small camera which can scan your face and unlock the vehicle, so you don’t even need to use the key. Once you’re inside, a fingerprint scanner is used to start the car. It works brilliantly in reality and is really handy for times when you really don’t want to have a key with you, such as trips to the beach.
What’s under the bonnet?
You’re able to get the GV60 in one of three flavours, though whichever one you opt for gets the same 77.4kWh battery. The line-up starts with a 226bhp rear-wheel-drive model, followed by an all-wheel-drive 314bhp version and a range-topping ‘Sport Plus’ variant, which is the one we’re testing here.
The headline GV60 features a dual-motor setup and a clever ‘Boost mode’ which can send an extra slug of power for 10 seconds to help when overtaking. In fact, press this button and you get a supercar-scaring 483bhp and 700Nm of torque, which means a 0-60mph time of just 3.8 seconds. Genesis claims a range of up to 289 miles - which is less than the 321 miles you’d get in the most efficient version - but thanks to super-rapid charging a 10-80 per cent charge could be sorted in just 18 minutes with an appropriately speedy charger.
What’s it like to drive?
Speed is a core factor with this range-topping, dual-motor GV60 and, in fairness, it is breathtakingly fast away from the line. With that boost mode engaged, it’ll give most performance cars a run for their money, with a huge level of urgency coming as a result of the instant torque delivery you get from the electric motors.
The only snag is that when you’re not after that performance, the GV60 drives much the same as the ‘regular’ car, albeit with less range. As with all electric cars, range is king - so you’ll need to decide whether you’d rather that brisk acceleration or more miles between trips to the plug.
How does it look?
Genesis has definitely gone bold with the styling of the GV60, making it a car that really stands out on the road. There’s the twin-lighting setip which ties it with other cars from the brand, but whereas a lot of those models have a large front grille the GV60, being an EV, does without and has a rounded, smooth nose instead.
There’s a sloping roofline to add a little drama to the car’s appearance, while large alloy wheels feature on all models too. The only drawback to the design is the rear screen - there’s no wiper for it, so it can get a little difficult to see out on grimier days.
What’s it like inside?
Step inside the cabin of the GV60 and you’ll be met by all kinds of high-end materials. The quality is excellent throughout, in fact, while the level of fit-and-finish puts many more established premium brands to shame. There’s plenty of space to go along with this, too, while the completely flat floor means that rear-seat passengers have loads of room to stretch out.
This updated GV60 also gets ‘Premium Relaxation’ seats as standard, which incorporate a greater level of adjustability and comfort, while even the seats in the rear incorporate heating as standard.
What’s the spec like?
There have been loads of equipment packed into the GV60 as standard. You get 19-inch alloy wheels from the off, quad LED headlights - which provide a huge amount of illumination - and massaging front seats which take the edge off longer journeys.
Even the aforementioned facial recognition and fingerprint-scanning technologies are included as standard, and both of these features would usually come on the options list of rival offerings. It makes the GV60 a very solid proposition when it comes to value.
Verdict
The GV60 might be another entry into what is becoming a very busy electric vehicle market, but it’s done what it needs to in order to stand out. It’s smartly designed, well equipped and very well made inside, while the level of space and practicality is good too.
This Sport Plus version is exciting but, once you take away that mad acceleration, we’d probably opt for the standard variant where that extra range will come in much handier.
