Genesis Electrified GV70 2022 first drive
This version of the GV70 is a plush EV for the traditionalist, but the lack of a more affordable version will limit its appeal
Sibling rivalries might inspire competitive spirit in people, but it’s something car manufacturers usually try to avoid, because having two of your models court the same customer is not very good for business. What to think of Genesis, then, which is launching the *Electrified GV70* next to the equally battery-powered, similarly sized and – for equivalent spec – similarly priced Genesis GV60?
In case you haven’t been keeping up with the rapid pace of Genesis launches, the Genesis GV70 is the brand’s medium executive SUV – think BMW X3 and Audi Q5 – and is available with both petrol and diesel engines. It has now been ‘Electrified’, which in the world of Genesis means that it loses its combustion engine entirely and gains a big battery pack and an electric motor on both axles.
‘Electrified’ is a term that’s bandied around and is most often used to make a mild-hybrid petrol engine sound more innovative than it is, but Genesis isn’t messing around. There is just one version of the Electrified GV70, and it has a whopping 483bhp. The other key numbers are the 77.4kWh battery pack, 283-mile range, charging at up to 240kW and a starting price of £64,405.
Which brings us back to the GV60, because those figures are almost exactly the same as for the GV60 Sport Plus we road tested a few weeks ago. So why not go for that, a ground-up electric car that doesn’t have to share its architecture with combustion-engined cars? As a result, the GV60 uses its footprint more efficiently: it’s 200mm shorter yet offers just as much interior room – slightly more leg room and about 70 litres less boot space.
The thinking is that while some EV buyers want their car to look different and futuristic, others would like to go electric without shouting about it too much. They prefer the traditional feel of an SUV, with a long bonnet and a centre console. With the pair of electric GVs, Genesis now caters to both tastes.
That bears out in practice. The family resemblance between the Electrified GV70 and GV60 is obvious in the driving experience. Genesis’s infotainment system is brilliant, and the interior is equally classy in both, although with a slightly more traditional flavour in the ’70.
The prodigious acceleration, the drive modes, the behaviour of the regenerative braking, and the remarkable silence on the motorway are all very familiar. The GV70 sits on its springs slightly more lazily and irons out the big bumps a touch better although it can still feel unsettled over the worst roads.
Despite being available in only a single trim level called Sport, neither Genesis is much of a sports SUV. They grip reassuringly and turn in keenly, and the GV70’s steering feels slightly more keyed into the road, but any rotation when powering out of a corner – like you would get from the rear-drive BMW iX3 – is out of the question.
We liked the GV60 Sport Plus when we road tested it and awarded it four stars, so it stands to reason the Electrified GV70 gets the same. One caveat is that while there is a much more affordable single-motor GV60, there is no such thing for the GV70. Genesis doesn’t rule out adding such a model in the future, but it also has no immediate plans to do so, even though it would be the more sensible choice for most buyers.
As it stands, the cheaper, rear-drive-only BMW iX3 is a smarter buy, although it’s not quite as plush inside, while the Kia EV6 GT is much more of a driver’s car for the money.
In its current dual-motor form, the Electrified GV70 is looking for quite a specific kind of buyer, one who’s after a luxurious, ultra-quick EV but wants to retain an otherwise traditional feel. Within that brief, it ticks a lot of boxes, but until a more affordable version joins the range, it will remain a niche proposition.