2023 Genesis GV60 Performance Dual-Motor Review

Genesis has been on a roll over the past year or so, with the Korean brand aiming to cement itself as the leader in the premium electric vehicle space. Joining its EV stablemates – the GV70 Electrified and the Electrified G80, the 2023 Genesis GV60 might be the smallest EV the brand has on offer, but unlike the other two, the GV60 was designed from the ground up as an EV, just like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6 that share its platform. This gives the GV60 improved interior space, an improved driving experience and proves just how serious Genesis is about adopting an electrified line up as the future of mobility.

Right from the outset, the Genesis GV60 manages to feel bespoke and quirky, with its distinctive design. Its bold exterior styling even more apparent with our test car’s matte white paint. It truly does look imposing from any angle, and rather interesting at that.

Tested here in top-spec Performance spec, the GV60 also promises to add a sporting edge to its luxurious appeal. So has Genesis managed another winner with its first built from the ground-up EV? Time to find out.

Price & Equipment: 8/10

There are two models of GV60 on offer in Australia so far: the entry-level all-wheel drive (priced from $103,700 plus on-road costs or around $114,000 drive away and the upper-spec Performance that we tested, which is priced at $110,700 + ORC or around $121,000 drive away.

Standard equipment on the 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance includes 21-inch wheels, an electronic limited-slip rear differential, adaptive suspension, dusk-sensing all-LED lighting, auto wipers, digital side mirrors, roof rails, a panoramic glass roof, keyless entry and fingerprint-based start, an electric tailgate with kick-to-open functionality, a leather dashboard, doors and centre console, Nappa leather upholstery, dual-zone climate control, 18-way electrically adjustable driver’s and 12-way electrically adjustable front passenger seating, driver’s seat memory and massaging functionality, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, rear door sunshades, LED ambient lighting, a 12.3-inch touchscreen with a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, satellite navigation with live traffic, wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and wireless phone charging.

A five-year Chargefox subscription or an AC home wall box charger (including installation) is included in the purchase price as well.

Safety kit includes eight airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian, cyclist and intersection assist, blind-spot monitoring with a blind-spot camera and braking, rear cross-traffic alert with braking, rear auto braking, auto high beam, lane keep assist with lane follow assist, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, front and rear parking sensors, a 360-degree parking camera, safe exit assist, a heads-up display and remote smart parking assist. The GV60 earned a five-star ANCAP safety rating in September 2022.

Available exterior colours include the polarising ‘Sao Paulo Lime’, ‘Uyuni White’, ‘Savile Silver’, ‘Himalayan Grey’, ‘Vik Black’, ‘Adriatic Blue’, ‘Barossa Burgundy’, ‘Mauna Red’, ‘Hanauma Mint’ and ‘Atacama Copper’, while the Performance can also be had in $2,000-extra matte colours: the ‘Matterhorn White’ of our test car or ‘Atacama Copper’. Interior options include black and white Nappa leather, as well as a blue suede and Nappa leather option too that has lime stitching and metallic centre console trim inserts.

Performance & Range: 9/10

The GV60 Performance has two 180kW motors for a total output of 360kW, and a combined peak torque of a rather mighty 700Nm. A motor sits on each axle and they both propel the Genesis GV60 to 100km/h in just 4.0 seconds from rest. To get that sort of performance, you’ll have to enable Boost Mode via the steering wheel button. Doing so will prep both motors to provide their maximum power for 10 seconds, and allow the GV60 to gain pace at an astounding rate. Acceleration from standstill is brutal, pinning occupants to their seats in a way few internal combustion engines can. In the other drive modes, the GV60 also accelerates well. Just note that Boost mode won’t engage for prolonged periods of time, and under a 25% battery state of charge.

In Sport mode, the GV60 still feels swift and even in Eco mode which dulls throttle response significantly, the GV60 feels more than adequate. Kudos to the Genesis engineers too for creating a very natural one pedal driving setup too. With “i-pedal” enabled, the GV60 can almost always be driven without touching the brake pedal, with lifting off from the accelerator all that’s needed to come to a stop.

The GV60 features a 77.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the cabin’s floor which gives it a claimed range of 466km on the WLTP test cycle. While EV efficiency depends very much on how a car is driven, with city stints most efficient and long distance cruising less edificant, Genesis says the GV60 Performance should average around 19kWh/100km on the WLTP cycle.

In our testing around town, we were broadly able to match that figure, when driving sedately and not resorting to using full acceleration every time from the lights. Out of town, and on a freeway trip down the Mornington Peninsula, a 100km/h cruise resulted in an energy consumption figure of around 21kWh per 100km. We do think that this figure could be a tad lower, with a Tesla Model Y capable of some every so slightly better economy figures.

The Genesis GV60 also uses Hyundai’s class leading charging tech and can charge at up to 350kW when hooked up to a DC public fast charger, allowing a charge from 10 to 80 per cent as little as 18 minutes. We saw the charging speed max out at around 230kW, which might not be as fast as Genesis claims, but is still incredibly fast considering how much energy is being funnelled into the battery pack. The GV60 is able to pre-condition its battery for more efficient fast charging at DC stations by telling it of an upcoming charging stop in the GV60’s charging menu. The GV60 is also able to charge at a maximum of 11kW when using an AC charger, such as a home wallbox, giving it a charge time of around 7 hours. A level one three pin charger is included with the car as well, and offers charging speeds of just 1.5kW. Expect a few days of charging this way if your GV60 has a flat battery.

With the GV60 featuring V2L technology, owners will be able to run electric appliances off the GV60 battery, up to a maximum load of 3.6kW. Perfect for a camping trip.

Ride & Handling: 6.5/10

It comes as no surprise that the Genesis GV60 rides and handles much like its related e-GMP siblings: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and the Kia EV6. While it might not be as talented as the Kia, which benefits from a local ride and handling program, the GV60 makes do with running the same suspension tune that all GV60s have around the world. Sadly, this means the GV60 isn’t as capable through corners as the cheaper Kia, nor is it as composed when going over bumps.

The steering is accurate and predictable, albeit low on feel, and does a decent job of letting the driver point the heavy 2.2 tonne SUV where it needs to go. That weight really makes going through corners at speed a little scary. Sure, there are seemingly massive amounts of grip from the sticky and wide bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport EV tyres, but the GV60 pitches up and down oddly over bumps and imperfections and feels a little wild through corners. Physics is physics, and a large SUV weighing over two tonnes is bound to struggle.

Add in the GV60’s prodigious ability to gain speed and the lacking chassis becomes all the more apparent. Going through corners at speed in this car is not for the feint hearted. Rapid changes of direction are met with odd responses and getting on the power in the middle of a corner can feel rather scary.

Sadly, that heavy weight also means the dampers have to work hard to keep the body in check when driving sedately. The dampers might be adaptive and the car might have the ability to scan the road ahead with its front facing camera to then adjust damping as needed, but the GV60 never feels particularly comfy, with a stiff and wooden feel at speed. The 21 inch alloys probably don’t make things any better in this department.

Luckily, being an EV, the GV60 is whisper quiet at speed with impeccable wind and road noise suppression. The expert sealing and double glazed windows certainly go a long way to create a serene environment inside.

Interior & Practicality: 8.5/10

Genesis interiors are always beautiful places to spend time in, and the GV60’s cabin adds a high tech vibe to the suave luxury feel usually on offer. First things first, the design can only be described as astonishing, especially with the high quality dark blue leather accented with lime green piping throughout the cabin. With its crystal ball shifter, liberal use of chrome and massive twin 12.3-inch displays, there’s no mistaking the GV60 interior for something from the future.

The front seats are supremely comfortable, holding occupants in snugly without feeling too sporty. They offer seemingly infinite adjustment, especially on the driver’s side which even hugs you closer when selecting the sportier driving modes. Sadly, due to the battery under the floor, the seats are perched a little too high in the GV60 rather shallow body. We do wish they could adjust a little lower.

On the dash of the GV60’s cabin is a pair of huge 12.3-inch screens. The left one handles the infotainment, the right one plays the role of the driver’s instruments. The GV60 features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation with live traffic and digital radio. The smartphone mirroring is unfortunately not wireless, however the screen is excellent and quite easy to use despite its multitude of features.

Graphics are smooth and slick and apart from the long reach to touch the screen, the system is one of the best in the industry. A rotary dial controller on the centre console can be used to control the screen’s features too. Its close proximity to the gearshift selector which is also a rotary dial can confuse those jumping into the GV60 for the first time. There are also multiple USB-C ports front and rear, a wireless phone charger in the centre console and an excellent 17-speaker B&O sound system, which is one of the best systems we’ve ever heard.

The screen for the instruments might be similar to those on the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 but the GV60 does have a few little tricks up its sleeve however with a rather more sophisticated system – it can show a live camera feed from the front of the car, the navigation or a a good old fashioned trip computer.

We have to also cover that this GV60 doesn’t have any externally mounted mirrors, something which divided opinions during the test. The novelty of having screens mounted on the upper door trims is certainly there and as cool as they might look from he outside, we feel that getting rid of conventional mirrors leads to creating a problem that shouldn’t exist in the first place.

Watching the screens mounted on the top of the doors take a bit of getting used to and it’s really hard to judge distances to other cars when changing lanes. Luckily, the screen includes some guide lines showing the rear of the car when indicating. The quality of the image is fine however, if a little under saturated. Hyundai claims the lack of mirrors improves the aerodynamics of the GV60 and that’s probably true, but doing so at the expense of utility isn’t the way forward.

Storage up front is really good, with a large glovebox drawer that extends out of the dash when opened, a large central cubby, decent door pockets and cup holders.

In the rear, the second-row seats are relatively comfortable but due to the raised floor containing the battery pack. Rear seat occupants sit with their knees up, with no under thigh support. Legroom itself is decent however, as is headroom but ultimately the GV60 feels a little small for an EV in the rear, like a Kona EV.

Behind the rear seats is a 432-litre boot, which expands to 1,460L with the 60:40 split second row folded. The boot itself is a little shallow sadly and fails to match the EV6’s 480L figure and the Ioniq 5’s 527L of space with the rear seats up. Like the other two, the GV60 features a small 20L storage compartment under the bonnet, which is only ever really handing for storing a charging cable.

Service & Warranty: 9.5/10

Like all other new Genesis products in Australia, the 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance has a five-year/unlimited km warranty with 10 years of roadside assistance and an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the battery. Five years/75,000km of servicing is also included in the price, and the GV60 can travel 5,000km further between each service than Genesis’ petrol or diesel-powered cars.

The 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance DiscoverAuto Rating: 8.3/10

Genesis keeps on launching distinctive premium vehicles in the hope of going toe to toe with established premium marques, and the GV60 is another fine addition to the line-up. We’re big fans of the GV60’s stunning interior, its ability to gain speed in an instant as well as its standard equipment. But a performance vehicle this is not, despite what the name suggests. With its hefty weight the main culprit, we can only hope that Genesis engineers are one day able to pull off what Kia has with the EV6: making an EV actually drive really well by modern standards.

Still, we love the GV60’s design and its foreshadowing of what the brand Genesis wants to be. It has substance to match its style, and proves once again bright the future is for EVs locally. The more, the better we say, and we can’t wait to see Genesis mature and develop further into the established premium brand of the future it deserves to be.