Genesis

GV70/Electrified GV70

Genesis is a premium Korean brand that arrived in the UK in 2021 but has been a household name since 2008 elsewhere in the world. The GV70 is a luxury SUV  boasting excellent quality and safety at a price that is unmatched. It is available in fully electrified guise too.

The good

Styling, quality and pricing

The bad

Brand snobbery

Tech Specs

Price from

£39,450

Combined Fuel up to

42.3mpg (EV driving range 283 miles)

0-62 from

4.2 seconds (EV with Boost)

max speed up to

149mph

co2 from

175g/km (0g/km EV)

Test Drive

Genesis Electrified GV70 – First Drive (2022)

When you take into account the first Genesis model delivered to a UK customer was only back in September 2021,the company is certainly making its presence felt with launch after launch of new cars.

And the latest model to make its mark is the Electrified GV70 – a family SUV with a driving range of 283 miles between charges.

The ICE versions of the GV70 have proved exceptionally popular and, until the launch of the dazzling all-electric GV60, it was the best-selling model in the UK.

Now its larger sibling is on offer with more space and just as much appeal. Unlike the traditionally-powered GV70, the EV version is only available in one trim level called Sport.

It costs £64,405, but the addition of numerous optional extras and packs, including an Innovation Pack (£3,560), Convenience Pack (£1,180), a premium Lexicon audio system (£990) Comfort Seat Pack (£1,630) amongst others, saw the final price-tag creep up to £73,220. Admittedly that is quite steep, but to put it into perspective, it’s on a par with rivals from the German manufacturers.

And the Electrified GV70 is certainly a looker with bags of road presence. Head-turning features include an EV crest grille with hidden charge port, quad headlamps along with rear quad lights, an EV bumper and diffuser (as no exhaust pipes are needed), 20-inch alloys with a turbine design for dynamic styling and the GENESIS name sitting proudly on the tailgate.

The interior is high end with quality fixtures and fittings throughout, along with a number of eco-friendly materials. And customers can select between upholstery created from vegan leather, normal leather or Nappa leather.

The main focal point within the cabin is the sleek 14.5-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system along with a click-wheel dial offering access to the many features.

There are truly comfortable massaging seats that can be heated or cooled, a pitch perfect sound system, head-up display, a 3D instrument cluster, full smartphone mirroring, sat nav, over-the-air software updates, backlit trim inserts and slim air vents.

And when it comes to performance, the Electrified GV70 is quite a powerhouse. It has a 77.4kWh battery offering 490PS and 350Nm of torque. This results in impressive performance stats with a 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 146mph. But that’s not all – the acceleration time is made even sharper at 4.2 seconds if you press the Boost button which delivers an extra 20kW of power on each motor for 10 seconds.

Out on the open road, the car is composed and confident offering great grip through tight bends. It’s a motorway cruiser, quickly reaching the 70mph mark and sitting there effortlessly.

Drive modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport alter the driving characteristics of the car and there is the reassurance of an E-Terrain mode for driving in more challenging conditions with Snow, Mud and Sand settings.

in addition, there are four regenerative braking levels that are controlled via the steering wheel paddles. In the highest setting, single pedal driving is possible via the i-Pedal system which is practical in stop, start traffic. The car’s brake lights are automatically activated when level two on the regenerative braking scale is reached to warn following drivers.

The cabin is beautifully refined with barely a sound filtering through and comfort levels are sublime thanks to the clever electronically-controlled suspension system that scans the road ahead and reacts accordingly.

The car stretches 4.7 metres in length and is almost two metres across so it does feel fairly wide when driving along narrow lanes. But those dimensions result in good passenger and storage space within the car. Three adults can fit in the back at a bit of a squeeze, but two will be happy enough on longer journeys.

The boot is accessed via a powered tailgate and it will open if you are 50 to 100cms behind the vehicle which is ideal if you are laden down with shopping. And with the battery pack positioned low down, it has minimal impact on storage limits.

The boot can hold of kit 503 litres of kit, increasing to 1,678 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat, which is slightly less than the 542 litres on the ICE models, but you do get an extra 25 litres of storage room beneath the bonnet on the Electrified GV70.

Another clever feature of the car is its Vehicle-to-Load system which can be used to power items such as coffee machines or airbeds from the battery.

Factor in the maximum five-star Euro NCAP safety rating and this model is the complete package for any active family looking to make the step to electrified motoring.

And it’s always worth remembering the Genesis difference and the company’s unique way of operating. Each potential customer is assigned a personal assistant that will guide them through the entire process. If test drives are requested, then Genesis deliver the car– it is all about the owner experience and saving people time.

Then there is the five-year care plan supplied as standard across the range, providing five years of warranty, roadside assistance, servicing, courtesy cars, plus maps and over-the-air software updates.

Test drive

Genesis GV70 – first drive (2021)

A new player has arrived on the UK motoring scene and it’s hit the ground running. Genesis is the premium arm to Hyundai and its high-end cars are on sale now.

And with the German marques in its sights, Genesis recently unveiled its large G80 saloon and GV80 SUV to great acclaim. Now, following closely on their wheels is the GV70 model and we had an opportunity to drive it on an extended road route.

The GV70 is a spacious, feature-rich, five-door SUV model that is packed with luxurious design specifications and easily holds its own if challenged by the established names.

However, the Genesis car has a very unique selling point and that is the price. Like its Korean sibling, it comes with an excellent five-year warranty and also in keeping with the Hyundai ethos, the pricing structure is exceptionally competitive.

With the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes seen as key rivals, Genesis has its strategy just right with the GV70 starting from £39,450 and rising to £43,350. And instead of massive price hikes due to optional extras, Genesis models are offered with additional packs so any increases to the final outlay are clearly highlighted.

The GV70 is available in three trim levels called Premium Line, Luxury Line and Sport Line with a 2.2-litre diesel RWD version matched to an eight-speed auto gearbox or a 2.5-litre turbo petrol AWD model also mated to the same transmission.

We took to the road in the petrol model in top-of-the-range Sport Line specification and it certainly lived up to the big build up.

Boasting a distinctive design with a large grille, split head and tail lights, large round exhaust pipes and tinted windows, the GV70 looks the business and certainly turned heads as it passed by. Our car boasted stunning Mauna Red paintwork that conveyed its sporty characteristics perfectly.

Move inside and it’s impossible not to be wowed by the elegantly designed interior which oozes quality and class with the finest leather upholstery, powered seats, a 14.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with click-wheel dial that can be used for access (very BMW-esque), plus a head-up display. Everything is finished to an exceptionally high standard and a special mention to the striking 3D instrument cluster behind the wheel that looks futuristic and stylish.

The test car was priced at £43,350 although it also included a few packs which bumped the cost up to £50,810.

With 304PS and 421Nm of torque on tap, the GV70 could complete the 0-62mph dash in 6.1 seconds and topped out at 149mph. According to official WLTP testing, it can achieve a combined 29.7mpg with CO2 emissions of 218g/km.

The acceleration through the gearbox is smooth and responsive with steering wheel-mounted paddles for added driver engagement. There are also drive modes called Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ that alter the characteristics of the car.

It feels quite weighty on the road, but is also nicely planted through fast bends with good levels of grip and minimal body sway. The steering is well weighted with plenty of feedback and the GV70 cruises effortlessly on motorways as well as fizzing through the lanes.

The all-round visibility is good thanks to the elevated driving position and all the controls, dials and readouts are easy to operate and digest on the fly.

There is bags of room within the car with space for a trio of rear seat passengers to sit comfortably. And storage options are good too with a boot that can swallow 542 litres of luggage, increasing to 1,678 litres with the rear seats dropped flat.

Yes, there are more dynamically driven rivals out there, but for all-round appeal and outstanding value for money, the GV70 will certainly make its mark.

Safety features are comprehensive and include the likes of highway driving assistance, a blind spot view monitor that shows a camera view of the blind spot in the tft display as soon as you indicate, rear cross traffic collision avoidance, intelligent front lighting, Brembo premium brakes and lots more besides.

Genesis has also adopted a somewhat unusual approach to its sales and servicing procedure. There will be no physical showrooms as such, but anyone interested will have their very own Genesis Personal Assistant to see them through the entire process from test driving, selecting the right model and even delivering it. And when a service is needed, the car will be collected and a courtesy vehicle will be left in its place. This will be a five-year plan and will be transferable if the car is sold on.

It’s always good to welcome a new marque onto the motoring scene and hopefully Genesis will prove to be a success. There are lots of plans in the pipeline including electrified models on the horizon, but only time will tell.