The latest model from the premium brand from the Korean Hyundai Group, which is still fresh in Europe, is surprisingly disrupting the e-SUV market. It starts at the charging station.
Missing nose, low-lying radiator openings, quad headlights: At first glance, the Genesis GV60 differs significantly from its competition.
Everything a little different. This is the impression Genesis’ new «crossover» gives when we get to our hotel room on the 10th floor – Called Car Loft – left driving. The test car, a GV60 Sport Plus, stands on the balcony high above Frankfurt Airport and slides down to the ground floor in the in-house vehicle lift.
From there we slide straight onto the road, amazed by the high level of comfort of the chassis and the elegant interior. It’s bright in the GV60, thanks to the generous amount of space on all seats and large glass surfaces that allow good all-round visibility. The cockpit is equipped with all the displays that are usually found in premium vehicles: 12.3-inch instrument cluster in front of the steering wheel, center display as a touchscreen of the same size and steering wheel with built-in button for driving program selection.
The highlight is an elegant glass ball in the center console, the Crystal Sphere, which rotates downwards by 180 degrees when the start button is pressed and becomes the gear selector knob. A twist to D and off you go, caressed by comfortable seats and the euphony of a B&O sound system with 17 speakers and active noise cancellation.
The Crystal Sphere hides the gear selector knob, which is only revealed when the GV60 is started.
This is also necessary, because the Genesis GV60 is significantly quieter than most luxury SUVs with combustion engines thanks to two electric motors. Any rumble in the chassis would be annoying because it is not drowned out by the hum of the petrol engine. In fact, on the journey we hardly hear anything apart from the sound of the music system.
The exterior design is unexcited. The front is effective due to the lack of a prominent radiator grille in the upper area of the body, but the ten-part headlights in the typical Genesis quad arrangement (two light bands on top of each other on the left and right) loosen up the contourless front. The crease-free design is matched by the low-lying, flat front hood, which partly extends to the front wheel arches in a “clam shell” design.
To the rear, the roof line runs in a semicircle to the rear, the window contour only interrupted by a V in the C-pillar. This chrome letter detail commemorates Alessandro Volt, the inventor of the battery.
The C-pillar is loosened up by a chrome V (V for volt).
Two of the three currently available engines were available for the test drives. The GV60 Premium, available from an affordable CHF 53,000, is driven on the rear axle and has an output of 168 kW (229 hp). As a travel variant, the vehicle is primarily designed for long-distance journeys. Accordingly, Genesis specifies a range of 517 kilometers for this model.
On the highway, the car is sovereign, although not particularly sporty even in sport mode. City traffic shows how agile the GV60 Premium moves forward.
If you want to get more out of the GV60, you can choose the Sport Plus version with all-wheel drive and normally 320 kW (436 hp) of power, starting at 77,700 francs. Among other things, the test car had the option of electronic side mirrors with cameras, supplemented on the inside by side-mounted screens as mirror replacements. For some, these mirrors are a gimmick, for others a nuisance because of the only two-dimensional camera image. In any case, the significantly smaller camera side mirrors reduce wind noise when driving.
The Genesis distinctive feature of the two-line lights can also be seen in the rear lights.
Compared to the basic version, the steering wheel of the Sport Plus version has an additional button called Boost, which can be used to achieve a maximum output of 360 kW (490 hp) for ten seconds. Practical when only short stretches of road are available for overtaking.
The top model pleases with its relatively direct and very precise steering, enormous power delivery and tighter tuning. But the car also delivers the feeling of comfortable gliding. It is not least due to the anticipatory, electronically controlled suspension, which knows how to compensate for bumps in the road in good time. The range is given as a respectable 466 kilometers.
The third version Sport with all-wheel drive and 234 kW (318 hp) forms the golden mean. It offers a range of 470 kilometers and is available from 59,500 francs and could offer the right mix of comfort, luxury and dynamics for many customers.
With its unconventional approach to design and comfort, the Genesis GV60 stands out in the electric SUV segment, regardless of the model specification. But the real highlight is a battery-related one: The system only needs 18 minutes to charge the battery from 10 to 80 percent. record breaking.
