Genesis GV70 is an accomplished electric SUV that transcends its compromises

In many respects, Genesis’ new GV70 is much more old-fashioned car than the acclaimed GV60 model it launched in 2021. While the latter has much in common with its sibling next-generation electric cars, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6, the GV70 is that fast-fading market anomaly, the electrified variant of a conventional ICE machine. 

Although this slightly retrograde step could harm Genesis’ upmarket ambitions, the good news is that the conversion – planned and accommodated for at the very start of the model’s development – isn’t as much of a compromise as you might expect. In fact, the GV70 feels like a rather more complete EV than several electric models that have been designed from scratch. 

Genesis Electrified GV70

As a ‘crossover SUV’, albeit one that comes down rather more convincingly on the ‘SUV’ side of the equation, the GV70 has the bulk and space to house a decent-sized battery pack. This 77.4 kWh unit gives the silent and smog-free variant the fastest acceleration of the GV70 family, and also lends a reassuring heft to the high-sided vehicle, giving you confidence in fast cornering.

Even so, the range maxes out at an official figure of 249 miles (so less than 230 miles in regular day-to-day use). For many, that’s well into the foothills of the mighty mountain of range anxiety. Happily, charging is fast – very fast – with an ‘ultra-fast 800 V charging system’ that genuinely gives you the all-important 10-80 per cent top-up in under 20 minutes. 

While you’re waiting, the GV70’s cockpit is an accomplished and comfortable place to be. There’s no space for wayward ergonomics or idiosyncratic switchgear; everything works well although there’s a slight overreliance on fiddly touch controls for the heating and ventilation. The chunky steering wheel and plush seats bolster the feeling of driving a large, slightly detached machine, but there’s no denying it handles respectably and without undue fuss. 

Performance is more than respectable. A ‘boost’ button delivers maximum power for overtaking manoeuvres, pushing you back into the seat as the dual drive system hurtles the machine forwards. The GV70’s aggressive regenerative braking makes one-pedal driving a real possibility, as the car sucks the kinetic energy out of the wheels back into the battery with a rare ferocity. 

Those seats are also pretty comfortable, with a very welcome and smart ‘relaxation assistant’ that activates the air-powered massage cells in the seats for a short back-restoring session after you’ve been driving for a predetermined time. The GV70 is also incredibly quiet and refined, with active noise-cancelling used to blot out the tyre noise and electrically controlled suspension that reads the road ahead in order to prime the suspension for the smoothest possible ride. 

Downsides? Apart from that slightly disappointing range, the electrified GV70 does a good job of hiding the fact that it has a near-identical petrol-powered twin. It’s also frustrating to find that under its vast bonnet there’s very little storage space at all, but this is offset by the smart decision to conveniently place the charge socket in the front grille. 

Like other electric offerings from Genesis/Kia/Hyundai, the GV70 can be used to provide power for everything from music systems to fridges and coffee machines. Other innovations include fingerprint authentication as a way of recalling all your stored settings and a clever heat pump system that minimises the energy cost of in-car heating, one of the great issues with EV motoring. 

As a luxury SUV, the GV70 stands out for its restraint, following the brand’s deliberate attempt to design with charming detail, exceptional functionality and low-key elegance (as Luc Donckerwolke, Genesis’ chief brand officer and chief creative officer, explained in a Wallpaper* interview). It bests or equals several EV-only equivalents, in terms of price, performance and range, but there’s still something of the unknown quantity about Genesis, with the cartoonishly broad wings of its generic logo. In styling terms, the GV70 can’t hold a candle to the GV60 for it still carries the legacy of having had an engine up front, and even the exaggerated sweep of the coachline that runs from bonnet down to the taillights can’t save it from convention. 

Overall, the electrified GV70 delivers a certain kind of luxury, one that’s increasingly rare – subtle, refined and discreet while also remaining refreshingly different from the mainstream.

Genesis GV70 EV, from £64,405, Genesis.com