Genesis Electrified GV70 Review & Prices

If you’re in the market for a posh electric SUV, chances are you’re looking at something German like the BMW iX3 or Audi Q6 e-tron. What you may not have considered is a car from South Korea, but the Genesis Electrified GV70 is here to convince you that you should.

Genesis is a spin-off luxury brand from Hyundai, a bit like what Lexus is to Toyota. You can therefore think of the Electrified GV70 as being like a dark chocolate-covered Digestive - it’s built on solid foundations, but it looks and tastes more premium.

The Electrified GV70 doesn’t just look like a Hyundai in a posh suit. It’s a properly handsome car which easily looks as upmarket as an Audi Q6 e-tron, with an imposing grille up front and smart split headlights and tail lights helping it stand out.

Step inside and the sense of opulence is even more apparent. The build quality is more than on-par with the German brands, and everywhere you look there is soft leather and alcantara trim. You’ll be hard-pushed to find any scratchy plastic in here, and the cabin design is more interesting than a BMW iX3’s as well.

Watch our review of the petrol-powered Genesis GV70

Sat proudly atop the dashboard is a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and it’s pretty easy to use. The screen is a bit of a reach from the driver’s seat, but the BMW-style rotary controller in the centre console mitigates this.

Interior space is decent, but nothing to write home about. Rear passengers have adequate kneeroom and headroom, and the back seats recline as well so those riding in the rear can have a nap on the move.

The boot falls slightly short of alternatives in terms of outright capacity, but it’s a good square shape and there’s no load lip to lift stuff over. You also get plenty of storage space under the floor for your charging cables, which is handy because the front boot is laughably small.

So, you’ve loaded up the kids and all their stuff and it’s time to hit the road. The first thing you’ll notice is that the cabin is very quiet on the motorway thanks to the double-glazed windows, and it’s smooth and refined on a long journey. However, the suspension does jiggle about a bit over smaller imperfections, and it gets pretty bouncy on a twisty back road.

The GV70 rolls into the corners quite a lot as well - a BMW iX3 is a bit more engaging when the going gets twisty. It’s not meant to be a hot hatch though, and if you take it easy it’s a very pleasant car to waft around in.

Taking it easy can be tricky though, because this electric SUV has a ferocious turn of speed. Powering this Genesis is a dual-motor setup with 490hp, and 0-60mph is dealt with in 4.2 seconds.

There’s also a button on the steering wheel which delivers a 10-second boost of power for overtaking. If you push it and plant your right foot, the whole car pitches back and the nose points at the sky like a speedboat as you catapult towards the horizon. It’s very entertaining, but the way the steering goes light as you do it is also slightly unnerving.

Feeding the motors is a 74kWh battery, and the claimed range is 283 miles. This isn’t too impressive these days, as you have cars like the Audi Q6 e-tron which can touch 400 miles between charges. Still, at least the 350kW DC fast charging can top you up from 10-80% in less than 20 minutes.

Genesis may not have the same brand recognition as, say, Audi or Mercedes, but that doesn't mean the GV70 Electrified isn’t worthy of your attention. It’s easily as posh as the German competition, and it’s arguably more stylish as well. Add in a decent level of standard equipment and hilarious performance and you have a very compelling, left-field alternative to the more well-established brands.

If you want to make the Genesis GV70 Electrified your next car, check out the latest deals available through Carwow, or browse offers on other Genesis models. You can also take a look at other used Genesis models, and if you’re looking to sell your car, Carwow can help with that as well. It’s quick, easy and you’ll get a fair price.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 costs almost £10,000 less than a Polestar 3 and it’s almost exactly the same price as a BMW iX3, however the Audi Q6 e-tron is around £5,000 cheaper.

Choosing which GV70 is right for you is easy, because there’s just one trim level called Sport. It comes very well-equipped as standard, with all cars getting electrically-adjustable half-leather seats, a leather dashboard, a 14.5-inch infotainment screen, LED headlights and 19-inch alloy wheels.

There are a few different option packs to choose from which include additional features. The Innovation Pack gets you a 3D-effect 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, a head-up display and an advanced adaptive cruise control system, for example. There’s also a Comfort Seat Pack which adds heated and ventilated front seats and a massage function.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 is comfy and refined on the motorway, but it’s a bit too bouncy on country roads

In town

Electric cars are at their best in town, and the Electrified GV70 is a decent SUV for nipping around in the urban jungle. You have excellent all-round visibility thanks to the thin windscreen pillars and the large rear window, and the optional surround-view cameras are really handy as well.

This Genesis also comes with a one-pedal driving mode, which means you can come to a complete stop just by lifting off the accelerator making it easy to shunt along in stop-start traffic.

What’s not so good is the response when you put your foot down. In anything other than sport mode there’s a delay between pressing the accelerator and the car taking off, which can catch you out when you’re trying to exploit a gap in traffic.

The suspension is a tale of two halves as well. On the one hand, it handles big bumps and potholes really well, doing a good job of just soaking them up, but on the other hand it can feel a bit too jittery over smaller imperfections.

To help you out in tight car parks you can get a smart parking assist feature, something which can do the tricky steering for you to slot the car into a space. If you come back to find someone has parked too close to your door, you can also pull the car forwards from the key.

On the motorway

It’s on the motorway that the GV70 really shines. The seats are nice and supportive, so there’s no back ache on long journeys, and the suspension irons out any bumps to keep you nice and comfortable.

It’s also really quiet at speed, something which is partially down to the double-glazed windows. There’s very little wind or road noise in the cabin, making it feel that bit more relaxed than a BMW iX3.

All cars get adaptive cruise control as standard to keep you a safe distance from the car in front, and the Innovation pack includes a more advanced system which can change lanes for you and slow down as you approach junctions. This is well worth having because it takes the strain out of long-distance drives.

On a twisty road

Venture out onto a twisty road and you’ll quickly realise that the GV70 isn’t as engaging as a BMW. There’s a lot of body roll through the corners, and it feels quite bouncy and jiggly as you go over bumps. A Polestar 3 is more composed on a country road.

The lane-keeping assist can be irritating here as well, because it doesn’t let you get anywhere near the central line without beeping and tugging at the wheel. This can be especially annoying if you’re trying to avoid standing water to the side of the road.

If you need to do a quick overtake, the Electrified GV70 has more than enough power. There’s a boost button on the steering wheel which provides some extra shove for 10 seconds, and it’s shockingly quick when you plant your foot. The steering goes light as the front end lifts which can be a bit unnerving, so you need to have a tight grip on the wheel.

The GV70’s cabin is spacious and comfortable, but the boot isn’t as big as some alternatives

Getting comfortable behind the wheel of the Genesis Electrified GV70 is a piece of cake. There’s loads of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel, and all cars get electrically-adjustable lumbar support.

The chairs themselves are also lovely. They provide plenty of support to keep you free of back aches on long journeys, and you can get a massage function if you go for the Comfort Seat Pack - which also includes heated and ventilated front seats to make sure your bum is always the optimum temperature.

Once you’ve got your driving position sorted, there’s plenty of cubby holes for you to empty your pockets into. There’s a massive storage space under the armrest with a little tray to keep your key out of the way, and there are two good-sized cupholders in front of this.

There’s also a clever storage compartment for your phone which is big enough to fit even the most bulky of devices, and it features wireless charging and a couple of USB ports. The glovebox is a decent size, as are the door bins which will fit a big bottle of water.

Space in the back seats

Moving to the rear of the GV70 and space is pretty good. Kneeroom is decent, although not quite as generous as you’ll find in a Hyundai Ioniq 5. There’s good headroom as well, it’s just space for your feet which is a bit lacking. Still, the rear seats can recline quite a long way for some added relaxation. Heated rear seats can also be added as an option.

The feeling of quality extends to the rear as well, with the same standard of soft leather covering almost every surface and posh-feeling switchgear for the climate control. You get some good-sized rear door bins, a couple of cupholders in the centre armrest and two USB ports to keep your phones and tablets charged up.

Fitting a baby seat is pretty painless as well thanks to the large rear door openings. The ISOFIX anchor points are a little bit tricky to locate, but a little bit of stabbing around between the seat base and the backrest and it’ll slot into place.

Boot space

Accessing the boot is done electronically via a neat button under the wiper arm, which is a good place for it because it’s out of the way of any road grime. Once you’re in you’ll be greeted by a decent amount of space, but not quite as much as some of this car’s main competition.

The Electrified GV70 has 503 litres of luggage space. Not only is that 40 litres less than the petrol-powered GV70, it’s over 20 litres down on both the Audi Q6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE SUV. On the plus side, the Genesis does have almost 20 litres more space than a Polestar 3.

It may not be quite as big as some other cars, but the GV70’s boot is a nice square shape with no load lip to lift things over. You also get a 12-volt socket back there, as well as plenty of nets and tie-down hooks to keep things in place.

You can fold the rear seats down from a handy lever in the boot, and once they’re down you have a completely flat floor and 1,678 litres of space to play with. Transporting the odd chest of drawers will be no issue.

There’s also a useful amount of underfloor storage for your charging cables, which is good because the 25-litre front boot is laughably small. It’s barely big enough for the car’s puncture repair kit, making it almost not worth having.

The Electrified GV70 has a cabin which could go toe-to-toe with much more expensive luxury SUVs, but some of the controls are a bit fiddly.

It’s impossible to not be impressed by the interior quality of the Genesis Electrified GV70, because you’d never guess that it’s related to a Hyundai under the skin. Everything not only feels really solid, but the material quality is top-notch.

The dashboard, doors and even the glove box lid are covered in soft leather, and all the silver trim has a solid, metallic feel to it. You even get a suede-effect headlining. It’s a properly luxurious place to be, more so even than the BMW iX3.

All models get a massive 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system atop the dashboard, and it’s a bit of a stretch to reach. Thankfully, you also get a BMW-esque rotary dial in the centre console which makes it easier to use on the move. Annoyingly though, this is right next to the rotary gear selector which means you often find yourself grabbing the wrong one.

The system itself is pretty clear and easy to use. The menus are all logically laid out, although most people will just use the standard-fit Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. What is a shame though is the fact you have to plug your phone in to use these, there’s no wireless phone mirroring.

The climate controls aren’t buried in the screen either, they get their own dedicated screen lower down the dashboard. The temperature is controlled using good old-fashioned knobs, however even the touch-sensitive buttons are easy to use on the move.

Opting for the Innovation pack gets you a couple of handy tech upgrades, the first being a head-up display which shows you your speed and navigation directions. It also adds a 3D-effect 12.3-inch digital driver’s display which looks pretty nifty.

Powering the Electrified GV70 is a pair of electric motors with a combined 490hp, and it’s properly rapid - especially when you press the boost button for an extra burst of power. Overtaking slower traffic is no bother at all.

Feeding these motors is a 74kWh battery, which gives the car a claimed 283 miles of range. It’s not too bad, but the BMW iX3 will go around 10 miles further on a charge, while the Audi Q6 e-tron will get close to 400 miles from a charge. A bit of time spent with the car saw a real-world range of just over 250 miles - the GV70 averaged 3.5 miles per kWh in a variety of driving conditions.

At least you won’t be waiting around at chargers for too long, because the GV70 will charge at up to 350kW DC - enough to top up from 10-80% in under 20 minutes. Charging at home can be done at up to 11kW AC, which will take 7 hours and 10 minutes to go from 10-100%.

Being a pure EV, the Genesis Electrified GV70 will cost you nothing in road tax (until 2025) and it’ll be in a much lower Benefit in Kind tax bracket for company car drivers than the petrol-powered GV70.

The petrol-powered Genesis GV70 scored the maximum five stars in its Euro NCAP safety tests back in 2021 and, while the electrified version hasn’t been tested, you can expect it to offer the same level of protection.

All cars come with a plethora of safety kit as standard as well. In addition to a multitude of airbags you get adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assist, intelligent speed assist and forward collision warning.

The GV70 Electrified has been around for a couple of years now, and there haven’t been any reliability horror stories to report. Being loosely based on Hyundai’s technology, you can expect it to be a reliable workhorse.

You get a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty with all Genesis cars for added peace of mind, although this isn’t as impressive as Kia’s seven-year coverage or Toyota’s 10-year service-activated warranty.