Genesis GV60 Review 2025

There was a danger that the Genesis GV60 was going to be little more than a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 in a fancy suit. But – while it does share many technical similarities – it manages to be very different from its Korean counterparts. It strikes a good balance between comfort and performance, while also packing loads of interior space and an upmarket cabin. The GV60's biggest stumbling blocks are the price... and the fact barely anyone will know what it is.

Hyundai's premium brand Genesis arrived in the UK back in 2020 with bold ambitions to change the way we buy cars. It doesn't do conventional dealerships: instead, it has a handful of 'studios' containing personal assistants available to answer any questions you may have and even deliver a demo car to your house.

The brand's first offerings were a bit old-school, available solely with old-fashioned petrol or diesel power, and not even a hint of electrical assistance between them. But the Genesis GV60 is an electric SUV that shares its platform with the aforementioned Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, two of the best EVs on sale today.

It's not a budget option, but to be fair, very few electric SUVs are. Prices start from around £54,000. Even the entry-level Genesis GV60 feels quite posh, though, while its single-motor setup provides more than adequate performance, along with the best range figure.

Genesis GV60 Sport and Performance models are, well, sportier. Both feature an extra electric motor and all-wheel drive, with the Sport Plus (later renamed Performance) featuring such headline-grabbing highlights as a 'boost' mode. It's more than a bit sprightly, its combined 490PS and 700Nm of torque (with the 10-second boost mode engaged) meaning it can cover 0-62mph in just 4.0 seconds.

It's that kind of performance that might tempt Tesla drivers to reconsider their choice of electric car, but most buyers will be trading in their petrol or diesel vehicle and will be more interested in how far the Genesis GV60 can travel between charges. And the official answer is up to 321 miles on early GV60s, and up to 348 miles on cars built after the 2025 facelift.

Charging the Genesis GV60 is a speedy process, too. Plug it into a rapid charger and you'll be able to top it up from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes. It works the other way, too – spec the optional Vehicle-to-load Pack and you'll get an inside and outside socket, allowing you to use the GV60 as a massive portable battery (ideal for charging your laptop, plugging in a camping kettle... maybe even charging another electric car).

There are other gimmicks, too, like the (optional) digital door mirrors and a crystal ball that spins around when the car's switched on to reveal the gear selector. But they don't (mirrors aside, perhaps) interfere with how easy the Genesis GV60 is to live with. The infotainment system, for example, is more user-friendly than you'd get in VW Group alternatives like the Volkswagen ID.4 or Skoda Enyaq IV. You even get a rotary controller rather than having to rely on the touchscreen display.

While the Genesis GV60 looks quite compact in our pictures, it's actually a pretty big car. That space isn't wasted, either: it feels enormous inside, with rear legroom being particularly impressive.

A lot of EV buyers will stick with the recognisable badge of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6, but we reckon the Genesis GV60 stands out enough that it's worth experimenting with a brand your neighbours won't have heard of, bought in a way that still feels a bit futuristic.

Genesis GV60: Range and charging times

How far your GV60 goes on a charge will depend which version you buy and how old it is (not to mention how you drive it, of course).

Early models all had a 77kWh battery. In the entry-level Premium version, this was good for an official WLTP range figure of up to 321 miles. In the more powerful all-wheel-drive Sport and Sport Plus models, it was a little less, at 292 miles and 289 miles, respectively.

A facelift in 2025 brought a range of enhancements, including a new 84kWh battery pack across the board. Again, the entry-level rear-drive version - now named Pure - is the longest-legged, with an official range figure of up to 348 miles. The Sport and Performance model (the latter previously known as Sport Plus) didn't do too much worse, with figures of 318- and 311 miles, respectively.

The Genesis GV60 can take DC rapid charging at a rate of 350kW, which means that, if you find a powerful enough public charger, you can top it up from 10 to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes. Suddenly, the idea of using an electric car for a long journey seems a lot more palatable. That's a very expensive way of charging, though: it's not uncommon to see prices of 90p per kWh at many DC public rapid chargers, and very few of these are anywhere near as fast as 350kW, anyway..

If possible, we'd always recommend charging an electric car at home overnight. The UK's national average price for domestic power is 28p per kWh, so significantly cheaper than power that comes out of a public DC rapid charger, and domestic power is usually charged at a lower off-peak rate overnight, so you you'll probably pay even less if you charge then. It'll take around 11 hours to fully charge a Genesis GV60 using a 7kW home charger.

As electric SUVs go, the Genesis GV60 is one of the sportier choices in terms of handling. Sure, it never entirely hides its mass, but the steering is eager and it remains surprisingly flat during cornering (that'll be the low centre of gravity provided by positioning the batteries under the floor).

We really like the way the (relatively) affordable GV60 Premium goes about its business. As its sole electric motor powers the rear axle, the GV60's front wheels are left to handle the, er, handling. As a result, it feels nimble both in and out of town, while there's loads of grip on hand so you don't need to worry about the rear tyres spinning up or trying to thrust you into the scenery.

More powerful models are four-wheel drive but this doesn't ruin the fun. You can get the GV60 Sport Plus (later renamed Performance) with a drift mode, which we're yet to try out but will apparently allow you to control a sideways slide should you ever venture on to a circuit in your electric family car.

There's quite a noticeable difference between the drive modes in the GV60, with 'sport' adding a hefty chunk of weight to the steering, and sharpening up the accelerator response. You can also adjust the amount of regenerative braking using paddles behind the steering wheel (a feature we wish more electric cars had... ahem, Volkswagen ID.5 we're looking at you). With recuperation set to the max, it'll slow down quite significantly as soon as you lift off the accelerator, eventually coming to a complete stop, allowing you to negotiate the city streets without having to touch the brake pedal (it takes a bit of practice but is a masterclass in planning ahead).

With its 19-inch alloy wheels, the GV60 Premium (later renamed Pure) has the chunkiest tyres so is also the most comfortable in terms of ride quality. Generally, the GV60 does a pretty good job of smoothing over broken road surfaces, albeit with a slightly firm edge, but like most electric cars, it has its limits. Don't expect to take speed bumps at warp 10 and expect not to notice them.

All early Genesis GV60 models came with a 77kWh battery pack, powering one or two electric motors (depending on spec).

The entry-level Genesis GV60 Premium featured a single electric motor on the rear axle, providing 229PS and 350Nm of torque. Those are almost the kind of figures you'd expect from a hot hatch not that long ago, and, with the instant oomph provided by the electric motor, it feels more than lively enough for any driving situation, so is really all you need. If you're looking to sprint to 62mph from a standstill, you'll find it does that in around 7.8 seconds.

The Genesis GV60 Sport lives up to its name by adding an extra electric motor to the front axle. This four-wheel-drive model packs a combined 318PS and 605Nm of torque, meaning it's quite a bit quicker than the Premium derivative. Standstill to 62mph takes just 5.5 seconds.

The fastest of the early Genesis GV60s is badged the Sport Plus. This is pretty rapid, even by electric car standards, helped by a 'boost' button which can increase its power output to 490PS for short periods (great for a quick getaway or hasty overtake). It'll accelerate to 62mph in four seconds flat, and feels good for every millisecond of that.

During the 2025 facelift, the power outputs of the various powertrains were unchanged, but all were given a larger 84kWh battery for more range. The names of two of the three versions also changed: Premium changed to Pure, Sport remained the same, while Sport Plus became Performance.

In the case of a collision, the Genesis GV60 has no fewer than eight airbags ready to deploy within a fraction of a second (including a handy central airbag that'll prevent the driver clashing with the front-seat passenger).

Hopefully it won't come to that, though, as there's all the usual tech on hand to prevent a crash in the first place. This includes an autonomous emergency braking system (which can apply the anchors if it detects danger) as well as an evasive steering assist feature that'll help you swerve around a potential collision.

The GV60 has been smashed to smithereens in the name of science by the crash test experts at Euro NCAP, and happily, they awarded the car the full five out of five stars.

All versions of the GV60 have the same braked towing weight of 1600kg, which is enough for a medium-sized caravan.

The beauty of cars built on dedicated electric vehicle platforms like Hyundai's E-GMP architecture (which underpins the Genesis GV60) is that they're often designed to maximise interior space. Without the need to cram in an engine, transmission and fuel tank, manufacturers have a lot more freedom with the car's layout, and the batteries can be laid out flat underneath the floor.

As a result, the Genesis GV60 feels huge inside. While you don't sit quite as high as you do in the Skoda Enyaq iV, the cabin feels extraordinarily spacious. Passengers in the back could well be sitting in the back of a Mercedes S-Class, such is the space on offer. There are cubbies aplenty, too, while there's even a fancy drawer which slides out where you'd normally find a glove box.

While passenger space has clearly been a priority in the Genesis GV60, the boot can still carry up to 432 litres of luggage. That's less than rivals and the access is quite high, although a standard-fit false floor reduces the lip that you'll need to lift things over, as well as giving you somewhere to hide things away. There's a small 'frunk' under the bonnet, too, providing a convenient place to store charging cables.

From its fancy crystal ball gear selector to the leather-covered dashboard, the Genesis GV60 feels sufficiently different from its Hyundai and Kia relations. It's actually quite posh and goes some way towards justifying its steep price tag, although some of the switchgear and plastic door handles do give the game away that you're not in something like an Audi Q4 e-tron.

Genesis has resisted the urge to follow Tesla's lead with a minimalist cabin: we'd actually go as far as describing the interior as 'anti-minimalist'. You get a pair of 12.3-inch digital displays, with the one in the middle of the dash providing access to all the usual infotainment functions (including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto).

The infotainment is easy to operate, while it's not reliant purely on touchscreen: you can navigate it using a rotary controller on the centre console. This is much easier, in our experience, when driving than having to lean forward and press the touchscreen display.

During the 2025 facelift, the two screens were 'replaced' by a single 27.0-inch widescreen display that covers the same area and does the same things. We've put that word in punctuation marks because very little has changed about the way the system works. The small portion of the screen in the very middle (where the previous two screens were once separated) still serves no purpose, and is blocked from your view by the left-hand side of your steering wheel. Still, the system is as easy to use as ever, and a standard wireless phone charger has also been added.

We're not quite so keen on the (optional) digital door mirrors, which replace conventional mirrors with cameras and OLED monitors on each of the front doors. Maybe you'd get used to them with time, but they feel a bit like tech for tech's sake. We found that using them to judge the distance of an approaching vehicle on the motorway can be difficult.

The Genesis GV60 isn't cheap. It starts from around £54,000, while the priciest version costs about £68,000, and that's before you've added any optional extras.

If you're looking for a more affordable electric car, you'd be better looking at the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 instead. But, like-for-like, the Genesis GV60 isn't all that much pricier than its Korean brethren. And it's priced in-line with premium competitors like the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Much more tempting prices can be found on the used car market, as usual. Around £27,000 will bag you a two-or three-year-old entry-level example with around 20,000 miles on the clock, or around £36,000 will get you one less than a year old with around 1500 miles on the dial.

The Genesis GV60 will be extremely cheap to run. Servicing's included for five years through the Genesis Care Plan, while they'll even pick the car up from your home or workplace and drop off a courtesy car.

There's no need to be concerned about reliability, either. While Genesis is a relatively unknown brand in the UK, don't forget that the GV60's mechanicals are pretty much identical to the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. We haven't heard of many issues with either of these, while electric cars are generally very dependable. What's more, the Genesis Care Plan also includes a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.

Initially, the Genesis GV60 was available in three distinct versions: Premium, Sport and Sport Plus, each with its own powertrain setup. In 2025, the versions were changed to become Pure, Sport and Performance. The powertrains remained the same, but each was given a bigger battery, up to 84kWh from 77kWh.

The basic level of standard kit has remained broadly similar throughout, and is generous. Even the entry-level car, the Genesis GV60 Premium or Genesis GV60 Pure comes with:

• dual-zone climate control
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• electric front seat adjustment
• heated front seats
• man-made leather upholstery
• power tailgate
• infotainment (two 12.3-inch screens pre-facelift, one 27-inch screen post facelift)
• satellite navigation
• wireless phone charging (only on post-facelift cars from 2025 onwards)
• fingerprint recognition
• reversing camera
• smart key
• heat pump
• smart regenerative braking

The Genesis GV60 Sport doesn't really get anything in the way of standard kit, but it does get more power, slightly bigger wheels, and all-wheel drive.

The Genesis GV60 Sport Plus and Genesis GV60 Performance get more power still, and a few extra items of luxury kit. These include:

• boost mode
• electronic limited-slip differential
• nappa leather upholstery
• suede headlining and door trims
• electric steering wheel adjustment
• ventilated front seats with massage
• heated rear seats
• head-up display
• augmented-reality navigation
• blindspot view monitor
• surround view monitor

The 2025 facelift brought slightly revised looks, along with some new standard features including a digital rear-view mirror, entertainment streaming through the infotainment, and revised upholstery colours. It also brought upgrades to some existing systems, such as the battery preconditioning system, the smart regenerative braking, the lane following assist system, and the remote parking system.