Genesis GV60 review

Driving position 

We’ve long found Kia and Hyundai seating positions to be pretty spot on, so their Genesis luxury sub-brand should be the same, and it is. 

Even in our base spec Pure trim, you get electric seats in the front, which make adjustments a breeze. You can even alter the bolster settings; engage Sport mode, and they automatically hold you in place. 

The view over the road ahead and to the side is really good, but rear visibility is poor due to the large bar that goes across the back window. Genesis has fitted a rear-view camera to toggle between the traditional glass mirror, which does help. 

Tech and features 

Genesis GV60 trims 

–  Pure 

– Sport 

– Performance 

– Magma 

If you compared a Genesis GV60’s interior to any modern Mercedes, you’d think the Genesis has been left behind in 2010 when it comes to screens, but in actuality, we prefer it. 

The GV60 still has two large 12.3-inch screens (one in the centre and one in front of the driver), but it also has a whole array of physical buttons to control the temperature, heated seats, heated steering wheel and so on. 

It’s a minor touch, but one worth pointing out because it makes the whole driving experience easier and safer. 

Our test car was the entry-level Pure trim, which comes very well-equipped from the get-go. 

As standard, you get interior ambient lighting, a digital rear-view mirror, a wireless phone charger, parking sensors and camera, and much more. 

Move up the range, and there are upgrade packs you can add on, such as a vehicle-to-load (V2L) three-pin plug under the rear seats, a sunroof, upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system, digital side mirrors and more mod cons. 

Electric motors and power 

Genesis GV60 performance stats 

Power: 229hp to 650hp 

0-62mph: 3.0 seconds to 7.8 seconds 

Top speed: 146mph 

Driven wheels: Rear-wheel drive (RWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD) 

There are a few different flavours of GV60 when it comes to performance. The range starts with the Pure, which has 229hp and rear-wheel drive.  

Next is the Sport with 318hp and all-wheel drive thanks to front and rear-mounted electric motors.  

Sitting at the top of the range (before the crazy 650hp Magma) is the Performance with 490hp and a 0-62mph time of 3.0 seconds. 

Our Pure test car is a great place to start. It never feels underpowered, is stable across all types of roads and is the lighter of the three models. 

However, if you want AWD for the occasional dodgy weather, we’d recommend the Sport, treading the line between efficiency and performance. 318hp is absolutely plenty. 

Handling and ride comfort 

The stand-out feature when driving any electric Kia, Hyundai or Genesis is its regenerative braking. They all have three stages leading up to the strongest i-Pedal, which is effectively one-pedal driving, meaning you never really need to touch the brakes. 

It’s by far our favourite regen system in the game, and makes driving around town the easiest task. However, we found the ride to be a little too firm for most towns and cities, so potholes and speed bumps feel much more aggressive than they look. 

Having said that, this improves at motorway speeds, and you can soften off the regen to make it more efficient on a longer run.  

Wind noise is also pretty good at higher speeds, and the majority of any sounds will be down to the tyres you’re running. Our car had a set of Michelin eco EV tyres, which reduced the rolling sound. 

When you turn onto a more fun country road, the GV60 isn’t the most agile EV we’ve driven, but it still feels nippy. But if you’re after proper performance, a Hyundai IONIQ 5 N is a better choice. 

Boot space 

Genesis GV60 boot space: 

• Boot space: 432 litres 

• Incl. Rear seats folded: 1,550 litres 

• Front boot (froot): 53 litres (20 litres in AWD versions) 

Boot space stands at 432 litres, growing to 1,550 litres when the rear seats are folded. When compared to rivals like the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron (535 litres) and Tesla Model Y (854 litres – to the ceiling), it doesn’t quite keep up. 

But in our testing, we found there to be enough space for a weekly food shop, though some more under-floor storage wouldn’t go amiss. 

Under the bonnet is a froot (front boot) with 53 litres of space in rear-wheel drive models and 20 litres in all-wheel drive cars due to the added electric motor at the front. 

Rear seats 

Rear passengers get it pretty good. It’s nowhere near the space we found in the Genesis G80, but it’s plenty for most people.  

Six-footers may struggle for head space and kneeroom, so they’re better off shot-gunning the front seat for longer journeys. 

Our car had the upgraded three-pin power socket, which is perfect for charging laptops, tablets and anything. 

And a nice bonus was the addition of three-stage heated outer seats – ideal for a cold winter’s drive. 

Storage solutions 

There are some really useful storage areas in the GV60. For starters, the centre console has an array of handy compartments, with the best being down near the two USB-C charge ports and underneath the console altogether – we didn’t even know it was there for several days, it’s that hidden. 

Door bins are large enough for longer bottles, and the glovebox is a decent size. Rear space isn’t quite as good, but they have access to the area under the centre console to store larger items. 

Genesis GV60 dimensions 

• Height: 1,580mm 

• Width: 1,890mm 

• Length: 4,545mm 

• Kerb weight: From 2,145kg 

Safety 

The Genesis GV60 scored a full five stars in its 2022 Euro NCAP safety test, which proves just how much thought has gone into its safety tech. 

It's got the usual affair of adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind spot warning, speed limit assist and forward collision avoidance.  

But Genesis has also added some clever ways to make the more invasive (and not always accurate) mandatory features less annoying. 

Namely, lane-keep assist, which is disabled via holding a button on the steering wheel, and the speed limit warning bongs that disappear after a long press of the volume dial also on the wheel. 

More car makers need to make it easier to do this without taking your eyes off the wheel. Well done, Genesis.  

Genesis GV60: electric range, battery and charging 

Range: 311 miles (Performance), 318 miles (Sport), 348 miles (Pure) 

Battery size: 84kWh 

Max charging speed: 240kW 

Charge port location: Rear right 

Charge time (AC): 12 hours at a 7kW home charger 

Charge time (DC): 10-80% in 18 mins using a 350kW charger 

Efficiency: 3.6mi/kWh (claimed), 3.9mi/kWh (in our testing) 

Charging cost: From £5.88 

While the power increases as you move up the GV60 model range, the electric range decreases. 

Pure trims get 348 miles, Sport has 318 miles, and the most powerful Performance has 311 miles of range. 

All are over 300 miles, so that’s a good start, and this is helped by just how efficient the car is. 

Our Pure car stayed pretty true to its claimed 348-mile range, allowing for a drop in colder conditions (we drove ours in the snow...). 

Genesis told us it has a claimed efficiency of 3.6mi/kWh, and we thought that was rather high. Then, to our surprise, we were averaging 3.9mi/kWh over 300 miles in mixed driving conditions. 

Over a longer 500-mile distance, this dropped to 3.3mi/kWh, but still mighty impressive for a lot of motorway driving and near-freezing weather conditions. 

All versions have the same 84kWh battery that is rated to charge at 240kW, which means a 10-80% charge takes just 18 minutes, so you’re never waiting long. 

Charge at home on a 7kW charger, and this will take just over 12 hours, which is perfect for an overnight boost. 

Reliability 

Every new Genesis GV60 comes with a five-year/unlimited-mileage warranty and can be passed on to future owners within that window.  

Then, there’s an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery for added peace of mind. 

Being part of the Hyundai Motor Group means you’re in safe hands and shouldn’t worry about any dependability issues.