Genesis GV60 2023 review: Performance Luxury EV test

For this review we’ve grabbed a top-spec GV60 AWD Performance, and the range has just received an update with some eyebrow-raising new features, which should pair with its dedicated 800-volt electric platform and wacky styling to set it apart from the luxury crowd.

How much are we looking at here? There are just two GV60 variants - a standard all-wheel drive, which costs from $107,100, before on-roads, or this car, the Performance version, which costs from $114,700.

Both grades get the same 77.4kWh battery pack, but only one gets a boosted set of electric motors.

The GV60 Performance grade wears a price tag of $114,700. (Image: Tom White)

Rivals of a similar size, price-point, and range include the BMW iX3 ($104,900), the just-launched Lexus RZ ($123,000) and the Mercedes-Benz EQC ($128,000).

This immediately makes the GV60 look like good value. Unlike its rivals listed there, it has an 800-volt architecture (allowing record fast charging times), and some unique additions.

Standard stuff at this price is as expected for a luxury vehicle and then some. The GV60 gets 21-inch alloy wheels, full LED headlights, tail-lights, and ambient interior lighting, quilted Nappa leather interior trim with suede roof lining, heated and ventilated front seats with heated rear seats and a heated steering wheel.

The GV60's wacky styling sets it apart from the luxury crowd. (Image: Tom White)

There are dual 12.3-inch screens for the digital dash and multimedia suite, plus wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, a head-up display, dual zone climate control, a fixed panoramic sunroof, flush door handles, and even fully digital rear vision mirrors.

Updates for the 2023 model year include a connected services suite, allowing phone app connectivity, emergency assistance, live traffic and weather, EV charging station search functions, voice commands, and a fingerprint scanner for unlocking and starting the car.

Elsewhere, this updated version also gets two additional airbags for enhanced safety, new brake caliper covers, a fine particulate filter for the climate control, and by far the strangest addition, a ‘virtual gear shift’ which makes the electric motors behave as though they have a traditional transmission.

As already mentioned, the front seat is a spacious, open environment, with plenty of practicality offered for occupants.

The floating centre console offers two centre cupholders and a shallow armrest box, and while it doesn’t shift back and forth like the unit in the Ioniq 5, it does have a netted storage compartment underneath.

There are plenty of additional storage areas, including a small bay under the USB-C outlets on the floor, a set of two sunglass holders (one under the climate unit and a second in the roof), large pockets with integrated bottle holders in the doors and an interesting slide-out drawer in place of a glove box.

The GV60's front row is spacious and practical for occupants. (Image: Tom White)

The back seat feels just as spacious, with plenty of width and a flat floor making it a reasonable proposition for seating three adults across. Headroom is its least appealing dimension, with the roof dipping slightly to allow for the sliding sunroof cover.

Amenities are also plentiful, with adjustable vents in the pillars, a bottle holder in the door card, or a cupholder in the armrest, a further two cupholders in the padded drop-down centre piece, hard shell map pockets on the backs of the front seats, USB-C outlets on the back of the centre console, and a huge netted storage area underneath.

Perhaps the most welcome addition, though, is the full-size household-style power outlet under the rear bench, which lets you use the rear space as a mobile office or a comfortable, air-conditioned place to read while charging.

The boot measures in at 432 litres. It’s on-par for the mid-size SUV segment, but like its Ioniq 5 and EV6 relations, the floor is quite high leading to a wide but height-limited area. To fit the three-piece CarsGuide luggage set, for example, I had to remove the roller cover.

Underneath, there’s a small area for the storage of charging paraphernalia and the tyre repair kit. A tiny frunk also exists, best for the storage of similar items.

The two GV60 grades share the same 77.4kWh battery pack. The standard all-wheel drive version offers a combined 234kW/605Nm, while the Performance AWD as tested puts out a massive 360kW/700Nm at its peak, using a temporary ‘Boost’ mode.

Suffice it to say this is more than enough power. It’s more powerful than (at a similar price) the BMW iX3, Lexus RZ and Merc EQC and you’ll need to spend significantly more to get into something which can best it from the traditional luxury space.

Perhaps also consider the Tesla Model Y Performance ($91,400) if going absurdly fast in a straight line is what you’re all about.

The two GV60 grades share the same 77.4kWh battery pack. (Image: Tom White)

Driving range for the Performance all-wheel drive is 466km, slightly less than the standard AWD version which can travel 470km between charges.

Again, it’s slightly better than you might expect from its most direct rivals, so an easy win there for Genesis. A 450km+ range is generally enough to be free from ‘range anxiety’ on almost all trips.

One of the reasons the GV60 is able to achieve a better range than its rivals with a similar battery capacity is efficiency. Like other Hyundai Group products, the GV60 is impressive.

On the far more common 50kW DC units you can expect a 73 minute 10 - 80 percent charge. (Image: Tom White)

Despite its huge power outputs, the official combined cycle energy consumption, according to the more accurate WLTP standard, is 19.1kWh/100km.

And in my time with the SUV, I managed an even better overall number of 18.9kWh/100km over several hundred kilometres of what I would consider ‘mixed’ driving conditions.

Charging is an even better story, with the 800-volt architecture underpinning this car allowing one of the fastest charging times on the market of just 18 minutes (10 - 80 per cent) on a compatible 350kW charger, provided you can find one.

On the far more common 50kW DC units you can expect a 73 minute 10 - 80 percent charge, while on the slower AC standard, the max rate is 11kW, indicating a charge time of around seven hours.

The GV60's official combined cycle energy consumption is 19.1kWh/100km. (Image: Tom White)

The GV60 comes packed with safety equipment regardless of which variant you pick, and for the 2023 model year, the brand has even added a second set of side airbags for rear occupants, bringing the total count to 10.

Active safety features include the full array of auto emergency braking (works to freeway speed and detects vulnerable road users), lane keep assist with lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert (as well as a blind-spot camera in the digital dash), adaptive cruise control with stop and go, safe exit assist and driver attention alert.

With the always-online suite it also includes an emergency call feature in the event of an accident.

The GV60 was awarded a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating to the 2022 standards.

The GV60 comes packed with safety equipment regardless of which variant you pick. (Image: Tom White)