2023 Genesis GV60 Review: Ultra Boost

Design | Comfort | Technology | Performance | Safety | Fuel Economy | Pricing | FAQs

The Genesis GV60 is the automaker’s first EV and shares its electric platform – E-GMP – with cousins the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. And if you’ve read any of our previous reviews on the Ioniq 5 or EV6, you know how much we love what Korea is doing in the EV space.

Now imagine those two crossovers gussied up and given 429 horsepower. Sounds great, right? The GV60 is great; it’s properly quick and wonderfully upscale, and it charges faster than any other compact luxury EV in the class at a rate of 250 kilowatts. Chalk up another win for Genesis.

A vehicle's verdict is relative only to its own segment and not the new-vehicle market as a whole. For more on how Motor1.com rates cars, click here.

22 Photos

• Exterior Color: Uyuni White
• Interior Color: Torrent Navy
• Wheel Size: 21 Inches

The Genesis G80 is beautiful, the GV70 is sharp, and the GV60 is… something else entirely. Compared to the rest of the lineup, the GV60 has one too many weird design elements – especially right behind the rear window. And if you thought the Tesla Model Y looked funky in profile view, check out the GV60 from the side.

That said, the GV60 is interesting-looking in its own way. The too-big 21-inch wheels fill almost all of the available space within the wheel wells and the ubiquitous “Two-Line” light fixture treatment still works, even alongside other funky elements. And even though my tester wears an anonymous Uyuni White paint (a $575 option), this is the only Genesis model available in colors like lime and mint.

The interior isn't controversial at all – it's gorgeous. Torrent Navy blue leather covers the steering wheel, center console, and door panels, while high-end aluminum accents are scattered throughout. The piece de resistance is the weighty rotary-style gear shifter that rotates out on startup, hidden under an etched glass orb while the car is static.

• Seating Capacity: 5
• Seating Configuration: 2 / 3
• Cargo Capacity: 24.0 / 54.7 Cubic Feet

Don't let the “Performance” name fool you, even Genesis' speediest GV60 gets a near-perfect score for comfort. The secret is the electronically controlled suspension, which reads the road ahead and preps for defects. That allows the GV60 to go almost completely undisturbed over bumps and undulations – not even the 21-inch wheels do much to upset the ride.

The front seats coddle you in comfort with excellent butt and back support, adjustable lumbar support, a massage function, and adjustable bolsters that lock you into position. The quilted Nappa leather that covers both of the front buckets is soft and supple, too, and the flat floor – courtesy of the skateboard EV architecture – means the GV60 is plenty roomy.

As for complaints, there are two minor ones. The legroom in the second row is a touch too tight for my lanky 6-foot frame and the cargo space with the seats up is middling.

• Center Display: 12.3-Inch Touchscreen
• Instrument Cluster Display: 12.3 Inches
• Wireless Apple CarPlay / Android Auto: No

A standard 12.3-inch touchscreen sits atop the dash and it's joined by an adjacent 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. As with any Genesis interface, everything is seamless. The graphics are crisp, the touch responsiveness is instant, and the redundant dial in the center console makes all of the settings easier to navigate.

The problem with this interface, common in most high-end Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia products, is the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You still have to plug in for smartphone mirroring, and unless you have a USB-C–capable smartphone (or an adapter for your iPhone), you won't be able to plug in at all.

Here’s a neat thing that the GV60 does have, though: a biometrics feature. The GV60 offers a facial-recognition camera on the outside of the vehicle that combines with a fingerprint scanner inside, allowing you to leave your keys at home entirely. Managing Editor Brandon Turkus had mixed success with the facial-recognition system during his first drive, although he praised the fingerprint sensor. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to test the systems during my week with the GV60.

shop now

 

save over $3,400 on average off MSRP* on a new Genesis GV80

 

shop now

 

• Motor: Dual Permanent-Magnet Synchronous
• Output: 429 Horsepower / 446 Pound-Feet
• Transmission: Single-Speed Automatic

With a 77.4-kilowatt-hour battery pack and two electric motors, the Genesis GV60 has 429 horsepower and 446 pound-feet of torque on tap. That's already more power than the Audi Q4 E-Tron or Mercedes EQB offer out of the box, but use the neon green “BOOST” button on the bottom right of the steering wheel, and the GV60 has even more go.

The overboost function bumps the output to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft for 10-second sprints, and when you click it, the GV60 absolutely rips. The GV60 accelerates so aggressively, in fact, that its Michelin Primacy all-season tires feel like they're barely hanging on. Genesis says the Performance trim can hit 60 miles per hour in 4.0 seconds flat with Boost engaged, but it even feels a touch quicker than that.

When you do launch it, the GV60 has three unique electronic sounds that pump out from the speakers (adjustable via drive modes). Some of them sound futuristic and one of them sounds like a bad gas exhaust – but if you hate fun, you can just turn them off completely.

But while the GV60 would certainly run circles around its gas siblings, it still isn't as agile as, say, a Mustang Mach-E GT. Even in Sport mode, there's a tinge too much body roll when you flick it hard into a turn, and the overly boosted electronic power steering doesn't provide a ton of feedback. That said, the standard electronic limited-slip differential is nice to have; it helps keep power distribution perfectly balanced on the back wheels.

• Driver Assistance Level: SAE Level 2 (Hands-On)
• NHTSA Rating: Not Rated
• IIHS Rating: Not Rated

The latest and greatest Hyundai/Kia/Genesis active driver safety systems come standard on the GV60 Performance. The list includes automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with lane-centering, and of course, Highway Driving Assist. Highway Driving Assist isn’t hands-off like Super Cruise or ActiveGlide, but it is one of the most advanced level 2 hands-on systems out there today.

• City: 97 MPGe
• Highway: 82 MPGe
• Combined: 90 MPGe

• Base Price: $59,985 + $1,095 Destination
• Trim Base Price: $68,985
• As-Tested Price: $69,560

So how much will the Genesis GV60 set you back? The base Advanced model costs $59,985 with the $1,095 destination fee included, while the Performance model tested here starts at $68,985. With one of the few options equipped – the $575 Uyuni White paint – our tester comes in just shy of $70,000.

Considering it has no direct performance competitor from Mercedes or Audi, the GV60 Performance finds itself on an island in terms of pricing – it’s nearly $10K pricier than the next option. And even the base GV60 is more expensive than its alternatives by a few thousand dollars.

As of this writing, the GV60 is still only available in a few states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Utah, and Washington. Eventually, it will make its way to the rest of the US. But price and limited availability aside, the GV60 Performance is a speedy, stylish, and upscale electric crossover that’s hard to beat.

GV60 Competitor Reviews:

• Audi Q4 E-Tron: Not Rated
• Mercedes-Benz EQB: Not Rated
• Volvo C40 Recharge: 7.8 / 10