Genesis GV60 review: Compact SUV a milestone for Korean luxury maker

Genesis GV60 Performance AWD review: The launch of the Genesis GV60 compact SUV is proof of the Hyundai-owned Korean luxury brand’s commitment to an electric future.

It is one of three new Genesis EVs to be launched in September, but it’s the first to be based on Hyundai’s E-GMP EV architecture, which means there’s no internal combustion version of the five-door coupe SUV in existence.

In fact, by 2030, Genesis plans to have eliminated ICE completely from its showrooms, Australia included.

So while Genesis is hardly a household name in Australia and it expects to sell hundreds rather than thousands of GV60s here, this is the start of something big.

Value

There are two GV60 models, the $103,700-plus-on-road-costs GV60 AWD and the GV60 Performance AWD at $110,700 we’re sampling here (both prices plus on-road costs).

So what would the GV60 line up against? Well, the luxury part of the market is where you’ll find the most EV choice, but we’re still not overflowing with models. The BMW iX3 is in the pricing ballpark as is the top-spec Tesla Model Y and the new Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 4Matic flagship  

Both GV60s are dual motor all-wheel drives with very similar levels of comfort and safety equipment. The Performance AWD justifies its price premium with a decent whack of extra grunt and a few tech upgrades.

They include a Boost mode that delivers max power and torque for 10 seconds at a time, a mechanical limited slip rear differential, an adaptive suspension system and 21-inch (versus 20-inch) alloys shod with Michelin Pilot Sport rubber. Black brake callipers also mark the top-speccer out – the AWD gets silver callipers.

Befitting a $100K-plus car, the comfort equipment list is huge and includes Nappa leather seats, leather trim with real stitching for the dashboard, doors and console, dual-zone climate control with a heat pump to reduce load on the high-voltage battery, an 18-way powered driver’s seat with massage function, a 12-way powered front passenger seat and heating and ventilation for both front seats, a power tailgate with hands-free opening and powered reach and rake steering adjustment.

There is also a mountain of digital gear including cameras that act as rear-view mirrors, a fingerprint authentication system and two 12.3-inch screens sitting together within a single frame on the dashboard for infotainment and instrumentation.

A 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system, cabled Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless smartphone charging and two USB-C outlets up-front and two in the rear are all standard.

Embedded satellite navigation with augmented reality overlays nav instructions on live vision supplied by a forward-looking digital camera that’s played in the centre of the instrument cluster.

There’s no spare tyre just a mobility kit. Nor is there a smartphone app so you can remotely start your car or find it in a carpark and so on. Wireless smartphone connection is missing as a result of an ongoing dispute between Hyundai and Apple.

GV60 buyers get the choice of a five-year Chargefox subscription or a home AC wallbox charger and installation.

The GV60 comes with a five year/unlimited kilometre warranty, five years complimentary servicing, an eight-year high-voltage battery warranty and 10 years of road-side assistance and map updates.

Interior

The Genesis GV60 Performance AWD marries high tech and luxury in its cabin.

Up-front the seats are plush and commodious, especially under the thigh. The leather is quilted just to add to the decadent atmosphere.

But with the two screens dominating the dashboard this is no retro-mobile, even if you can choose imitation analogue dials in the instrument cluster.

Neither luxury or techno but just plain exotic is the crystal sphere that rolls over to become a gear selector when the car is switched on.

Unlike the other E-GMP vehicles we are familiar with in Australia – the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 – the GV60 does not feel like it has acres of interior space.

That especially applies to kneeroom in the rear. In fact, with its sloping coupe-SUV roofline, nestling into the back seat is a rather cosy experience. In part that’s because the overall length of the GV60 is 4515mm, the shortest of any E-GMP vehicle.

In both rows there’s no shortage of storage opportunities, although there’s nothing really innovative.

Up-front there’s another E-GMP signature, the diving board – sorry free floating centre console – that juts out of the lidded bin.

Genesis claims 432 litres of boot capacity plus 20 litres under the bonnet. The GV60’s luggage capacity expands to 1460 litres with the rear seat split-folded.

Performance and efficiency

The Genesis GV60 Performance AWD’s drivetrain comprises permanent magnet synchronised electric motors mounted on each axle fed by a 77.4kWh Lithium-ion battery pack. Drive to the wheels is via a single speed reduction gear.

The system makes 320kW/605NM without Boost Mode and 360kW/700Nm when the button on the steering wheel is pressed.

Breaking those numbers down a bit more, the two motors make 160kW in normal running and 180kW in Boost mode. Torque outputs are 350Nm in Eco because the car becomes rear-wheel drive only, 650Nm in Comfort and Sport modes and the full 700Nm in Boost.

The GV60 Performance AWD claims a 0-100km/h time of 4.0 seconds (4.6 seconds without Boost), a top speed of 235km/h, a range of 466km and an average electricity consumption rate of 19.1kWh per hour.

So that all sounds pretty promising huh? Especially that 0-100km/h. And there’s no doubt foot-to-the floor acceleration in the GV60 Performance AWD is strong without Boost mode, followed by a startling thrust when it is engaged. It also sharpens the throttle response for a more immediate kick when you brush the throttle.

But in reality, Boost is a gimmick. Genesis says it’s repeatable without limit, so you can drive around with the button permanently pressed if you want. I’d rather just have the full 360kW and 700Nm anytime I press the throttle.

Being such a big performing powertrain, it’s no surprise it delivers strongly from tip-in throttle to well past legal speed limits. But just as enjoyable is its refinement. I hate traffic jams, but if I have to be stuck in one, this car’s charming driving characteristics make this a very quiet and comfortable place to suffer.

Charging

Exploiting the E-GMP architecture’s 400V and 800V charging compatibility, Genesis says the GV60 can recharge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent of capacity in just 18 minutes using 350kW DC fast charging. That translates to a rate of about 180kW per hour.

As usual though, in Hyundai Motor Group press literature, Genesis implies the GV60 can charge at the full 350kW. Doing the sums proves that wrong. The car will only accept a maximum of about 240kW of that power potential and like all fast DC charging the peak is shortlived before the car pulls back the charge to protect the battery.

Plug into 230V AC at home and the GV60 will take about 35 hours to recharge from 10 to 100 percent. The onboard 10.5kW AC charger completes the task in just under eight hours if you’ve got a wallbox that can provide that much power; a 7.4kW wallbox will take more like 10 hours.

The GV60 comes with a CCS Combo Type 2 plug to allow both DC fast charge and slower AC charging.

The car can also be recharged on the road via three levels of regenerative braking controlled by paddles on the steering wheel. Single pedal driving is also available.

The latter seemed best suited to city traffic and the former was a pale imitation of manually changing a multi-gear transmission in an ICE. But at least it offered more engagement than most EVs.

As per other E-GMP models, the GV60 can provides what’s called V2L (vehicle to load) charging at a rate of 3.6kW. There are plug-in points both inside and outside the car to run devices such as laptops – or even charge another EV.

Ride and handling

The purposeful looks of the Genesis GV60 Performance AWD combined with its impressive straight line performance imply this is a fiendish sports drive.

But it’s more relaxed than that.

The long 2900mm wheelbase and 2210kg tare mass discourage sporting pretensions, while the low centre of gravity provided by the high-voltage battery under the floor counter-balances things (literally).

The adaptive MacPherson strut/multi-link suspension system uses a camera to read the road ahead and prepare for impacts, but no matter whether you select comfort or sports mode there is little difference in behaviour. The car controls itself well, containing bumps with only a suggestion of tight control. The ride always remains comfortable.

The electric assist steering is accurate enough while retaining that lack of connection increasingly familiar as such systems supplant hydraulic assistance.

More annoying personally was the thick steering wheel rim, over-sized spokes and the powered reach adjust which didn’t extend out far enough to suit my driving position.

Talking point

The level of tunability available through the touchscreen and instrument cluster of the genesis GV60 Performance AWD is mind boggling.

In the cluster the are choices of colours, design themes and information. Over in the touchscreen there are two home screens to navigate before you even start going through the many sub menus.

Redundancy rules in the GV60 because making changes can be done by various different means including the touchscreen, push buttons and handwriting on a finger pad.

Using fingerprint recognition allows you to drill deeper to achieve greater degrees of personalisation.

Safety

The 2022 Genesis GV60 comes with a five-star ANCAP safety rating based on Euro NCAP testing, autonomous emergency braking and eight airbags. Tick, tick, tick.

The GV60 has an extensive list of driver assist systems to assist with blind spots, lane keeping and parking.

It can even provide automated parking assistance when the driver is remote from the car.

The GV60 reads traffic signs and warns if the car is going too fast. It monitors driver attention and rear seat occupancy. It even locks the door if someone tries to exit when a vehicle is approaching from the rear.

The GV60 also has a 12.0-inch head up display to help keep the driver looking ahead. It also has LED headlights with an intelligent function that allows the continued use of high beam without dazzling oncoming vehicles.

Genesis GV60 review: Verdict

The Genesis GV60 Performance AWD is another impressive battery electric vehicle spun off the E-GMP platform.

Its refined, fast, comfortable, laden down with gear and spits out zero emissions.

It’s a fine first stand-alone effort from Genesis and bodes well for the future.

But if a compact size, crystal sphere and Boost mode aren’t critical to your EV choice, you can get a lot of what the GV60 offers in the larger and cheaper Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. Just saying…

Genesis GV60 AWD Performance specifications

Price: $110,700 plus on-road costs

Basics: EV, SUV, 5 seats, AWD

Range: 466km (WLTP)

Battery capacity: 77.4kWh

Battery warranty: Eight years

Energy consumption: 19.1kWh/100km

Motors: One on each axle 360kW/700Nm

AC Charging: 10.5kW, Type 2 plug

DC Charging: 240kW (estimated), CCS combo plug

0-100km/h: 4.0 seconds