Quiet and comfortable, the GV60 has a range of 470 km. Photo: Supplied.
Chinese brands are making all the fuss about electric cars in Australia, but they are not the only choice.
The Hyundai-Kia group is also doing a lot of impressive work on battery-electric cars, with Genesis – the Lexus equivalent in Hyundai land – right at the top.
The Genesis GV60 is not as big as the Kia EV9, or as whip-crack quick as the Hyundai Ioniq 5, but it’s impressive in a different way. It is relaxed, and relaxing, with the quietness and comfort winning lots of people to battery power.
But the GV60 is not just about hush power, or the rapid-fire acceleration which has become a trademark of electric motoring.
The finishing work in the cabin is even more impressive, and more than good enough to win people across from the traditional German luxury powerhouses – Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz.
Officially, the GV60 is classified as a compact SUV. It comes with a promised 5.5-second sprint to 100 km/h and, much more importantly, a range of 470 kilometres.
It has two electric motors and all-wheel drive, with combined outputs of 320 kW and 605 Nm.
But it’s the styling and touchy-feely stuff that makes the difference for the GV60.
The GV60 is not cheap but does offer luxury. Photo: Supplied.
Despite its classification as an SUV, the styling – which can be polarising – makes it look more like a new-age hatchback. Inside, there is plenty of space for four adults and it has a roomy boot but only a small ‘frunk’, or front boot.
Its rivals are as obvious as the Tesla Model Y, a worldwide best seller and cheaper in Australia – with the added appeal of the Elon Musk connection. There are Chinese choices, too, and newcomers from the German powerhouses.
The Genesis is not remotely cheap, or even affordable for ordinary families, with a starting price just over $100,000.
But early adopters looking for electric luxury, and there are still plenty in Australia, will find plenty to like.
The test car arrived with a spread of lovely beige leather in the cabin, everything you could want for comfort and entertainment – including a broad sweeping combined display for infotainment and instruments – and design work which elevates the car well above a Hyundai.
There is even a lovely piece of design work on the gear selector, which looks like a crystal ball before you ‘start’ the car, although the decision to fit rear-view cameras instead of mirrors is badly flawed. The outside look is good, cutting drag and noise, but the small display screens inside the doors are counter-intuitive and distracting. Trendy, but …
Performance in the GV60 is what you expect from a mid-level electric car, so spritely but not stupidly quick.
Photo: Supplied.
It also rides comfortably, goes around corners when asked, and stops pretty well. The ride is good but not outstanding.
It’s not trying to be a performance car and that is fine.
But, as always now, there are intrusive and annoying ‘driver assist’ systems which clatter and bang – actually, they bing and bong – when they think you are not driving well enough. They need to be turned off instantly by anyone who is a driver and not just a passenger.
The overall package is everything expected from Genesis, with the added enjoyment of full electrification.
So the GV60 is a good thing, from a brand which is doing lots of good things.
Genesis GV60
- Position: Electric flagship
- Price: From $103,384
- Engine: Dual electric motors
- Power: 320 kW/605 Nm
- Transmission: Single-speed auto, four-wheel drive
- Plus: Smooth, refined, quick
- Minus: Silly mirrors, costlier than Tesla
Score: 7.8/10
