The Genesis GV60 marks a new era for electrified luxury

Genesis GV60
(Image credit: Genesis)

As the sister car to the excellent Kia EV6 (opens in new tab) and the sharp-edged Hyundai Ioniq 5 (opens in new tab), is there anything extra that the new Genesis GV60 can offer? In many respects, the GV60 is the car that Genesis (opens in new tab) 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.  

Genesis GV60 electric car inside empty building

Genesis GV60, a clean-sheet design

(Image credit: Genesis)

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.

Front view of car inside building

The GV60 is a modestly styled, high-performance EV

(Image credit: Genesis)

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. 

Rear-side view of electric car

The GV60 shares the Hyundai Electric Global Modular Platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6

(Image credit: Genesis)

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. 

Genesis car interior showing video camera wing mirrors

The interior features optional video camera wing mirrors

(Image credit: Genesis)

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. 

Crystal sphere set into centre console of Genesis EV

The crystal sphere adds a touch of theatre to the interior

(Image credit: Genesis)

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. 

Rear seat of car

The spacious interior benefits from the flat floor design

(Image credit: Genesis)

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. 

Car with open boot

The GV60, a new breed of hot hatchback

(Image credit: Genesis)

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.

Car parked in street

An elegant profile belies the GV60’s size

(Image credit: Genesis)

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 (opens in new tab)

Jonathan Bell has written for Wallpaper* magazine since 1999, covering everything from architecture and transport design to books, tech and graphic design. He is now the magazine’s Transport and Technology Editor. Jonathan has written and edited 15 books, including Concept Car Design, 21st Century House, and The New Modern House. He is also the host of Wallpaper’s first podcast.