Genesis Electrified GV70 Review 2024

It’s easy to dismiss the Genesis Electrified GV70 as a bit of an oddity. It’s an expensive electric SUV from a brand that few buyers in the UK will be familiar with. But it’s got an ace up its sleeve - the Electrified GV70 shares technical bits with the excellent Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, albeit wrapped up in a bigger, more premium package intended to tempt buyers away from desirable electric SUVs like the Mercedes EQC and BMW iX3.

It’s worth paying attention to the Genesis Electrified GV70, then, even if it has got a strange name and an unfamiliar badge. The fact that it has about as much road presence as a Bentley Bentayga helps, while the brand hypes up its ‘Genesis difference’ - essentially it respects your time and will come to you for a test drive or servicing rather than make you visit an old-fashioned dealership.

The interior feels posh but not as spacious as some alternatives (that's the price you pay in a car that was designed with petrol and diesel power in mind), while you get a high seating position which isn’t all that different to a Range Rover’s. The cabin is well-finished and we like the 14.5-inch infotainment display with a controller on the centre console.

If you're bored of the same old car interiors the Genesis Electrified GV70 could be a good choice for you - it's available in some fairly bold colour schemes (white or green quilted leather, anyone?) and there are some neat touches, like the mountain graphic mood lighting on the doors. It's not as minimalist as a Tesla Model Y's interior, but the toggle buttons for adjusting the climate control are very user-friendly.

It feels pretty special to drive, too. Pleasingly, it’s been set up with comfort in mind - no, it’s not as agile as a BMW iX3, but the way it softens over speed bumps and isolates you from the inside world is exactly what we’d want in a premium electric SUV. The smaller Genesis GV60 is more nimble, however. 

And it’s quick. Probably quicker than it needs to be. Genesis only offers the Electrified GV70 with a dual-motor setup, providing a punchy 490PS. There's even a 'boost' button which gives you an extra thump of power for short periods, providing Tesla-baiting performance (accelerating to 62mph in just 4.2 seconds).

If you're buying an electric car, you might be more concerned with how far it'll travel between charges. Officially, the Genesis Electrified GV70 has a range of up to 283 miles. If you're looking to travel further afield it can be rapid charged from 10 to 80 per cent in around 18 minutes. Genesis is also offering a free Ionity subscription for five years, too, giving you access to reduced-rate public car charging.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 is never going to sell in huge numbers, but that's also part of its appeal. It stands out and will always feel special, while the brand's Genesis difference and five-year care plan ought to take a lot of the stress out of car ownership. If you can justify the high price tag, we reckon the Genesis Electrified GV70 represents a very tempting alternative to electric SUVs like the Audi e-tron and Tesla Model Y.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 measures 4715mm long, 1995mm wide and 1630mm high, which makes it broadly the same size as a Mercedes EQC or BMW iX3 - a typical mid-size electric SUV, in other words.

Considering its relatively chunky dimensions, the Genesis Electrified GV70 feels a little snug inside. It's not cramped - but neither does it have that feeling of endless space like you get in some electric cars (the new Nissan Ariya, for example). The reason for that is it's based on the regular petrol-powered Genesis GV70, so it's been designed to house an engine and a transmission.

That explains why, in the front, you get a huge centre console which leaves passengers feeling fairly cocooned in the car. The driver's seat gets electric height adjustment and lumbar support as standard but you'll need the optional Comfort Seat Pack for this to be extended to the front passenger (this brings with it massage seats, too - don't knock 'em til you've tried 'em).

There's not a huge amount of storage in the front, either - a few cup holders on the centre console as well as a small tray for your mobile phone and a bit of a cubby under the centre armrest. The door bins are large enough but there's definitely more space in the front of a Tesla Model Y.

In the back, there's a fair but not class-leading amount of headroom and legroom, while the (manually) reclining rear seats are a nice touch - you can't slide them backwards and forwards, though. The middle seat is only really for occasional use, too, as it's narrower than the outer seats and the lumpy transmission tunnel eats into foot space.

The Genesis Electified GV70's 503-litre boot is usefully large and also neatly square in shape, while there isn't too much of a lip for lifting items over. There are some handy levers for dropping the rear seats - doing so increases luggage space up to 1678 litres. In addition to this, there's a handy 25-litre 'frunk' in the front of the car - ideal for stowing away charging cables.

The Electrified GV70 feels pretty posh inside while also making a nod towards sustainability. The headlining is made from recycled plastic bottles and fishing nets, for example, along with the floor mats and sun visors.

Fancy ambient lighting adds to the generally upmarket vibe, while most of the switchgear feels pretty classy. We say 'most'... some of the buttons on the dashboard feel a little flimsier than we'd like in an SUV of this price, while the infotainment controller doesn't feel quite as solid as the one you get in a BMW iX3.

These little gripes aren't enough to ruin the overall plushness of the Genesis Electrified GV70, though, and we love that the brand is daring enough to offer some unusual finishes (how do you fancy green or white quilted leather?).

A huge 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment display is standard on the Genesis Electrified GV70. It's set up quite high on the dashboard and a long way back towards the windscreen, which makes it easy to glance at when you're on the move. It's a bit difficult to lean forward and navigate by touch but, fortunately, on the centre console is a separate controller, much like BMW's iDrive toggle. Built into this is a pad which recognises your handwriting - ideal for keying in postcodes for the navigation, for example (it works quite well, too).

Below the central display is another small digital screen used for operating the climate control, flanked by actual buttons and knobs for performing important tasks. This might not be as minimalist as a Tesla's cabin but we reckon it's much more user-friendly.

Opting for the Innovation Package adds, among other things, a pretty impressive 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. It has 3D effects which we're not quite so keen on, but these can easily be turned off.

Another trick feature is the optional fingerprint reader. With this set up, it'll tweak a number of things to your taste - the position of the driver's seat, for example, as well as the head-up display. It'll even switch the recent destinations in the navigation system and change the audio settings - all useful stuff if you're planning to share the Electrified GV70 with other drivers.

Another cost option is the 15-speaker Lexicon premium sound system. Combined with the GV70's Active Road Noise Cancellation (which works a bit like a pair of noise-cancelling headphones), you can really crank up the tunes and have your own mini concert in the Electrified GV70.

Genesis keeps things refreshingly simple with its pricing structure. The Genesis Electrified GV70 Sport (that's the only model available) costs £64,405. That's the price, take it or leave it - you won't negotiate a discount, while the brand's tight control of the used market means you're unlikely to nab a nearly-new bargain.

Things do soon start to get expensive when you tick some of the boxes for option packages, though. You'll need the £3560 Innovation Pack if you're wanting all the latest tech and safety assist features, while the £1180 Convenience Pack is almost a must-have (if you wanted heated seats and a heated steering wheel, anyway).

There's no denying that the Genesis Electrified GV70 is quite an expensive choice, especially if you compare it to mainstream electric cars like the Volkswagen ID.4 or Nissan Ariya. You can see where your money goes, though, with its plush interior and head-turning looks. We wouldn't be surprised if it gets mistaken for a Bentley - and it's certainly a lot cheaper than one of those.

While other electric cars are available with a choice of battery sizes and power outputs, the Genesis Electrified GV70 comes only with a 77kWh battery providing an official range of 283 miles. That's about the same as a BMW iX3 or a regular Tesla Model Y (although the Tesla's also available as a Long Range model with a 331-mile range).

If you find a super speedy rapid charger, the Genesis Electrified GV70 can be topped up at a rate of 240kW, which'll take it from 10 to 80 per cent charge in less than 20 minutes. Most of the time, we'd recommend charging using a home wallbox, which will fully charge the Electrified GV70 in around 10 hours (ideal for an overnight charge). You can do it using a three-pin charging lead, too, but you'll have to be prepared to wait a couple of days.

Every Genesis Electrified GV70 comes with the brand's five-year care plan. This includes a personal assistant, who will help you book in servicing and even arrange for the car to be transported for scheduled work. Servicing is including as part of the plan, along with a warranty and roadside assistance.

As with all electric cars, you won't pay any VED (car tax) on a Genesis Electrified GV70. Insurance could be pricey, thanks to the performance on offer, so shop around for a quote if you haven't got much driving experience.

Pleasingly, Genesis has gone down the 'soft and squidgy' route with its Electrified GV70. It'll lean quite noticeably during cornering while the steering isn't as direct as a BMW iX3's. The flip side of that, though, is that it rides much better than most heavy, electric SUVs.

That's partly down to the adaptive suspension which uses data from the Electrified GV70's forward-facing camera to 'prime' the dampers for bumps in the road. It's not perfect - don't go tearing over speed bumps for the fun of it - but it certainly rides well for a vehicle of this weight (even combined with the standard-fit 19-inch alloy wheels).

The Genesis Electrified GV70 is available exclusively with a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup that provides up to 490PS. That's a lot of power, but it's only available for short periods at the touch of a 'boost' button on the steering wheel.

It's hilarious - prod the button and hit the accelerator and you can feel this weighty SUV pitch up towards the horizon as it surges forwards with as much pace as an entry-level Porsche 911. Officially, it'll sprint to 62mph in just 4.2 seconds.

No one really needs the Electrified GV70 to be quite so swift but there's no denying it makes light work of overtakes. Even if you stay away from the boost button, it feels rapid enough, while the instant response from the electric motors means it feels much less lethargic off the line than an equivalent petrol or diesel SUV.

One cool feature is the regenerative braking. This is a highlight of many EVs, but with the Electrified GV70 you can adjust the level of regen using paddles behind the steering wheel. Ramp it up and it'll slow down quite significantly as soon as you lift off the accelerator, pumping energy back into the battery at the same time.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 comes loaded with advanced driver assistance tech that can help prevent a crash. This includes technology that'll apply the brakes if it detects a potential impact and various other autonomous driving features, including smart cruise control (which can match the speed of another vehicle on the motorway) and highway driving assist, which can keep the car in its lane on the motorway and even change lanes for you when you indicate.

One novel safety feature of the Electrified GV70 is the front centre airbag which deploys between the driver and front seat passenger during a side collision. This is intended to prevent passengers in the front seat from colliding in a crash.

The Genesis GV70 has been awarded five stars for safety by industry crash test experts Euro NCAP.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 can tow a braked trailer weighing up to 1800kg. That matches the Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC but beats the BMW iX3. It should make fairly light work out of towing a typical family caravan.

There's only one derivative sold in the UK: the Genesis Electrified GV70 Sport. Standard equipment includes leather and wool seat coverings, a leather steering wheel, electric lumbar support and height adjustment for the driver's seat, an eight-inch instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch navigation screen (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).

Standard advanced safety systems include Smart Cruise Control (with stop/start), Lane Following Assist, Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance Assist - Rear, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist - Junction Turning, FCA with Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection, Driver Attention Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Manual Speed Limit Assist and Intelligent Speed Limited Assist.

Option packs include the Innovation Pack (with a 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument cluster, head-up display, Highway Driving Assist II, intelligent front-lighting system and Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist); Convenience Pack (with automatically dimming exterior mirrors, front heated seats, a heated steering wheel, three-zone air conditioning and a premium cabin filter) and the Comfort Seat Pack (with Ergo Motion Seats with massage function for the driver and front passenger, electric driver's side seat bolster, low cushion air support system and ventilated front seats).