Genesis GV70 Delivers An Electrifying Drive

The Genesis GV70 is a handsome, capable upmarket SUV with a superb interior.

Around the same size as an X3 or a Q5, it’s designed to tempt buyers away from BMW, Audi and Mercedes.

With a sophisticated, handsome exterior and a superb interior it is well placed to do so. Until recently the only thing holding it back was the hoary diesel engine sourced from parent company Hyundai, which sounded agricultural next to the smooth German units.

Replace that rough-edged power source with something better and you’d have a car that was pretty phenomenal.

That’s exactly what Genesis has done with the GV70 Electrified. The fully electric version comes with dual motors that supply a combined 483bhp, and a 77.4kWh battery.

With nearly 500bhp on tap it should be fast…and it is. Put the foot down and it’ll do 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds. And that’s not the end of it. Press a button on the steering wheel marked “boost” and it gives you 10 seconds of extra power, improving the 0-62mph time to 4.2 seconds.

Use boost mode and the dashboard dials go red while the seat’s side bolsters grip you more firmly to hold you in place. It can be useful for tight overtaking manoeuvres or joining motorways, but mainly it’s a gimmick to show off to your friends. Left in normal mode the GV70 is more than fast enough.

Grown up good looks

Genesis has gone for a grown up look with the GV70. It’s elegant and smooth, with a well proportioned shape and nice detailing.

Inside, things get even better. Genesis does an interior that isn’t improved on until you get to Range Rover or Bentley levels of spending.

In real world driving expect 250 miles in the summer and 200-220 in the winter

Quilted leather seats, chrome dials, and a large screen give a feeling of opulence. It’s user friendly too: the large screen can be operated via touch or using a rotary dial.

Essential systems such as the climate control functions are clear and easy to operate.
The GV70 is a roomy car as well. With plenty of head and legroom front and rear it will easily accommodate five adults.

On paper, the electric version of the GV70 has a slightly smaller boot due to the space required by the battery – 503 litres compared to 542 in the internal combustion version.

Having driven both electric and diesel versions of the GV70 though, I can confidently say you’d be hard pressed to notice the difference in boot size. The electric model also comes with 25 litres of storage under the bonnet, which is enough to fit a set of charging cables.

Charging

According to official figures the GV70 Electrified has a range of 283 miles. In real world driving expect 250 in the summer and 200-220 in the winter. That should be plenty for most users.

Setting off with the car a little over 80% charged I drove from Dundee to Portobello and back, arriving home with around 20% left in the battery.

BMW, Audi and Mercedes buyers are a conservative lot who tend to stick to what they know

Charging from 10-80% will take just 18 minutes when 350kW chargers eventually become commonplace. Getting to the same level from a 50kW charger takes an hour and a quarter.

Five-year warranty, servicing and roadside

On the road, the GV70 is luxurious and comfortable. Ride quality is excellent and the cabin is extremely quiet.

The diesel Genesis GV70 starts at a little over £41,000 but you have to pay upwards of £64,000 for the electric version. That’s on par with BMW’s iX3, however, and a good bit less than the £74,330 price of the Mercedes EQC.

You also get five years’ warranty, servicing and roadside assistance, as well as almost two-thirds off the cost of charging using the Ionity network.

My test car came loaded with extra kit. Nappa leather seats, 20in alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof, upgraded stereo and various comfort and technology packs drove the price up to £78,000.

That’s a lot. However, the GV70 Electrified is one of the very best fully electric SUVs on the market right now. The only issue is BMW, Audi and Mercedes buyers are a conservative lot who tend to stick to what they know. The big challenge for Genesis will be getting potential customers to give their cars a try.

If I had £65,000 to spend on an electric car the Genesis GV70 Electrified is the one I’d buy.