The Genesis GV60 marks a new era for electrified luxury

As the sister car to the excellent Kia EV6 and the sharp-edged Hyundai Ioniq 5, is there anything extra that the new Genesis GV60 can offer? In many respects, the GV60 is the car that Genesis should have been building from the outset. The luxury arm of Hyundai’s massive global operation, Genesis was a brand built from scratch at a time of rapidly shifting perceptions, especially surrounding the definition of luxury.  

The end result was a series of high-end saloons and SUVs that could certainly walk the talk of their established rivals, with clean lines and finely finished interiors, brimming with the latest in technology and generous levels of equipment.

Up until now, the brand’s Achilles’ heel has been its powertrains; the G70, G80, et al, were initially offered with standard, albeit smooth and silent, petrol engines. Thankfully, electrification is fast overtaking the Genesis line-up.

In silhouette, the GV60 differs strikingly from its Genesis-branded siblings, all of which follow the conventional set-up dictated by an engine located at the front.

Thanks to the shared Hyundai Electric Global Modular Platform, the GV60 can have a longer wheelbase and a larger cabin, boosting the opportunity for Genesis’ interior skills. 

Like the Ioniq 5 and EV6, the GV60 is a good deal bigger than it looks, thanks to proportions that give it the appearance of a compact hatchback.

It’s an approach that has been carried through to the interior, with control surfaces, buttons and handles feeling weighty and substantial. 

Neat little touches abound, like the circular drive selector – the ‘crystal sphere’ – in the floating centre console that swivels round to ‘greet’ the driver when the car is turned on, a little alchemical dance that’s designed to endear you to the Genesis experience. 

The digital dashboard is also sufficiently different from many rivals, with a long, slim screen up top supplemented by a full quota of useful buttons. No dangerous menu-diving whilst on the move. 

A couple of options stand out, notably the digital wing mirrors that help smooth the airflow and increase the precious range (maximum quoted is 289 miles for the Sport Plus model, but a solid 250 miles should be achievable).

Range anxiety is fast becoming a bygone concern as more and more people get to experience EVs on a daily basis and work out their charging and usage patterns. 

Buying into a luxury EV is also accepting supercar levels of performance. As with almost all EVs, there’s plenty of instant power on tap.

On the steering wheel, there’s a ‘Boost’ button, helpful for whooshing bursts of accelerative overtaking. From a standstill, the GV60 Sport Plus will hit 62mph in less than four seconds, evidence of the increasing futility of ‘performance’ as a metric of contemporary luxury. 

The GV60 rides with a smooth, silent authority; it insulates against the outside world without giving out standoffish vibes or the haughty aloofness of old-school luxury brands.

The spacious cabin, with its flat floor, mood lighting and general sense of airiness, also helps differentiate the brand from its rivals.

With a new UK showroom in London’s Battersea Power Station, fast becoming the destination of choice for upscale EV buyers, the brand has a raised presence. In the GV60, it also has an all-conquering product that befits the ambition of the brand. Is this a new beginning for Genesis? 

Genesis GV60, from £47,005

genesis.com