GENESIS GV70 ELECTRIC ESTATE 360kW Pure 84kWh 5dr Auto AWD

With this GV70 Electrified model, luxury brand Genesis takes on full-sized Teutonic EV crossover rivals. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Review

The Genesis GV70 Electrified offers a very different take on what a full-sized premium badged Executive segment crossover EV should be. Thinking of an I-PACE, a Q8 e-tron, an iX or an EQC? Factor in one of these as well.

Background

Premium brand makers are divided over whether full-sized crossover EVs should be merely electric versions of existing models or completely new designs. If you like different, you'll appreciate cars in this class like the Jaguar I-PACE, the Mercedes EQC and the Audi Q8 e-tron. BMW, in contrast, serves up an iX3 model visually much the same as the combustion X3. And it's that latter approach that Korean premium maker Genesis is followed with this GV70 Electrified. This is the only car in this class with an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows use of the ultra-fastest public chargers. And it's the only one with a clever 'Vehicle-to-Load' feature that allows you to power electrical ancillary devices from the vehicle - or even charge another EV. Plus, as with all Genesis models, this one comes with a level of customer service back-up that rivals can't approach. It all sounds intriguing.

Driving Experience

Both the fossil-fuelled GV70 powerplants are impressively quiet. But of course nothing like as silent as the third powertrain option that Genesis is offering, that for the fully electrified version of this model. The electric GV70 drives all four of its wheels, as the petrol and diesel versions do, but as with any such EV, does so rather differently, with separate motors driving each axle collectively generating a rather impressive combined output of 483bhp and 700Nm of torque. That's good enough to power the car to 62mph in 4.2s, which to give you some class perspective is over half a second quicker than a rival Mercedes EQC. Of more interest though to a likely owner is the projected driving range between charges, WLTP-rated at a fairly unremarkable 283 miles between charges of the 77.4kWh battery. Special noise-cancelling technology on the EV variant improves refinement, reducing tyre roar by using microphones and sensors to project inverted sound waves through the audio speakers. You'll also appreciate the electrified GV70's 'Smart Regenerative Braking System, which analyses your driving habits and road conditions to alter the level of energy recuperation; or you can maximise that manually and select a 'one-pedal'-style driving mode that'll see you hardly ever having to use the brake, so abrupt is off-throttle deceleration. This EV model also gets an e-Terrain driving mode to handle slippery surfaces.

Design and Build

The main visual difference with this GV70 Electrified model over its combustion stablemates is the fact that this model's usual signature 'Crest Grille' has evolved into an aerodynamic appendage that features an inverted G-Matrix pattern and incorporates a hidden electric charging port. Chief Stylist Luc Donckerwolke and his team call this 'a minimalist yet sophisticated look'. Inside, the EV theme is emboldened by a bright 'Glacier White' interior that looks striking but is unlikely to prove very practical. A variety of eco-friendly materials have been used to furnish it and each features a high quality finish, completing a design that embodies Genesis' vision for a sustainable luxury from the inside out. Up front, as in an ordinary GV70, there's a big 15.4-inch central touchscreen which can be operated by a touchpad controller dial you'll constantly mistake for the similarly-shaped gear selector until you get used to the car. It's a little different at the back with this EV model. The central tunnel has been lowered to make up for the bulkiness of the powertrain, creating a level of second row space equivalent to that of a combustion GV70. The boot is of a comparable size too; at 503-litres, it's down just a little on the 542-litres you'd get in a conventional GV70, but in this case, you also get an extra 22-litres of 'frunk' capacity under the bonnet.

Market and Model

Genesis won't launch any further combustion cars after 2025 and will only sell EVs from 2030. With that in mind, you'd be surprised if demand for this full-electric GV70 variant didn't grow considerably over its lifetime. Even at pricing pitched at around £65,000 for the single 'Sport' trim level available. Still, it comes much better equipped than rivals for that. As standard, the Electrified GV70 is generously equipped, including advanced technology such as next-generation safety systems, a widescreen 14.5-inch infotainment display, an E-Terrain mode for extra driver confidence in all conditions and Electronically Controlled Suspension with a 'Road Preview' system. Luxury and tranquility come to the fore in the beautifully crafted interior, with powered leather seats, LED mood lighting and the extensive use of high grade materials. Furthermore, a range of carefully chosen option packages allow for further personalisation, each with a theme of technology, luxury or versatility. Included among these extras are even more advanced driver aids, including the semi-autonomous Highway Driving Assistant II (HDA II) and Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA). Also available are the supremely supportive Ergo Motion seats with massage function and the high fidelity Lexicon sound system with the cutting edge Active Noise Control-Road (ANC-R) system.

Cost of Ownership

As we said in our 'Driving' section, the car gets twin electric motors powered by a 77.4kWh battery which, when fully charged, delivers a rather unremarkable 283 mile WLTP-rated driving range. As with all EVs from the Hyundai Motor Group, the powertrain here is underpinned by an 800 volt electric architecture, which means that unlike most of its rivals, the car can use ultra-fast 350kW chargers - such as those provided by IONITY. In the unlikely event you can find one of those, a 10-80% battery top-up will take just 18 minutes. A V2L feature is available to supply up to 3.6 kW of power from the battery pack to charge ancillary devices - say a drone or an electric scooter for instance; or even another EV. Like every Genesis, this one will come covered by a generous 5 year Care Plan, which includes scheduled servicing for 5 years or 50,000 miles. With each service visit, Genesis will collect and return the car to your door. This also applies to any necessary work required, including warranty work. You simply contact your Genesis Personal Assistant to make it happen. Who can also arrange a courtesy car. Try asking for any of that to be included in the price from a rival premium brand model. The 5 year Care Plan also includes updates to in-car navigational maps. And there's complimentary subscription to Genesis Connected Services, which will allow you to access information services from your 'phone to digitally enhance your ownership experience.

Summary

The challenge for Genesis is going to be getting segment customers to register that this GV70 Electrified model even exists. If it can do so and get them behind the wheel, there's scope for conquest business here for the brand. This car can, after all, offer you right now the 800-volt ultra-rapid charging tech and 'Vehicle-to-Load' EV technology that won't appear in rivals until their next generation. It can also undercut them on price and give you more equipment. The smaller GV60 gave this brand's EV dreams some credence. And that gets underlined here.

Body Glass

Acoustically insulated front side windows and windscreen

Automatic window defogger

Rain sensor

Rear privacy glass

Rear wash/wipe

Brakes

Anti-lock brake system

Dynamic torque vectoring

Electronic parking brake with auto hold

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

Multi collision braking system

Smart regenerative braking

TSA (Trailer Stability Assist)

Chassis/Suspension

eTerrain mode

Preview electronically controlled suspension

Communication

Bluetooth connection with voice recognition

E-call

Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto

Driver Aids

Electric rear tailgate opening and height adjustable

Front wireless device charger

Driver Convenience

Advanced driver distraction warning

Blind spot collision avoidance assist rear (BCA-R)

Digital key 2.0

Drive mode select

Forward collision avoidance assist (FCA 1.5)

Front and rear parking sensors

Highway Driving Assist (HDA)

Intelligent speed limit assist (ISLA)

Lane Following Assist 2 (LFA2)

Lane keeping assist (LKA)

Manual speed limit assist (MSLA)

Power assisted steering

Rear view camera

SCC smart cruise control with stop and start

Driver Information

27" Integrated OLED infotainment touchscreen and cluster display

Low washer fluid warning

Over the air (OTA) software updates

Over The Air (OTA) vehicle updates

Satellite navigation with live services

Trip computer

Driving Mirrors

Auto-dimming rear view mirror

Electrically adjustable, folding and heated door mirrors

Electrically folding door mirrors

Engine

Battery conditioning 2.0

Battery preconditioning

Shift by Wire Gear Selector (SBW)

Entertainment

DAB radio

Entertainment streaming

Front 2 USB-C ports

Exterior Body Features

Active hood system

Body coloured bumpers

Body coloured wheel arches

Rear side wing doors

Rear spoiler with integrated LED high mounted stop light

Roof rails

Exterior Lights

Automatic headlights

High beam assist

LED daytime running lights

LED tail lights

Multi-lens array (MLA) LED headlamps

Puddle lamps with logo

Rear fog lamp

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

3 zone climate control

Air purifier

Heat pump

Premium air filter

Interior Features

Aluminium interior inlays

Auto up/down/safety (variable speed)

Centre console storage box with 12V socket and 2x USB C ports

Finger print reader authentication

Heated leather steering wheel

Heated motorised charging door

Ipedal

Leather upholstery

Luggage board

Luggage net

Metal pedals

One touch flat folding handle in luggage area

Power adjustable steering wheel

Rear centre armrest with cup holders

Steering wheel paddles for regenerative braking selection

Virtual gearshift

Interior Lights

Auto light control

Multi colour selectable ambient interior lighting

Packs

Trailer pack - GV70

Safety

3x3 point rear seat belts

8 Airbags

Tyre pressure monitoring system

Seats

3 seat bench in 2nd row

3 stage heated front seats

60:40 split back folding rear seats

Driver + front passenger electric lumbar support

Electric driver and front passenger seat height adjustment

Front headrests

Front seat back pockets

Power adjustable front seats

Rear headrests

Remote 2nd row folding from boot

Single front passenger seat

Security

Manual child lock + Deadlock + Cat 1 alarm

Rear occupant alert

Smart key/button start

Vanity Mirrors

Driver and passenger vanity mirrors with LED light

Vehicle Charging

400V/800V Charging Technology

Internal Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) socket

Type 2 mode 3 AC charging cable

Wheels

Michelin summer tyres

Wheels - Alloy

19" Alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Temporary mobility kit (TMK)

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Capacity % guaranteed under warranty: 70

Battery Capacity in kWh: 84

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Charge Time (Mins): 2060

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Percentage Change: 10-100

Battery Charging Scenario 1 - Power Supply - kW: 2.7

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Charge Time (Mins): 455

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Percentage Change: 10-100

Battery Charging Scenario 2 - Power Supply - kW: 11

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Charge Time (Mins): 76

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 3 - Power Supply - kW: 50

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Charge Time (Mins): 19

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Percentage Change: 10-80

Battery Charging Scenario 4 - Power Supply - kW: 350

Battery Leased: 0

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

Charging Port Location: Front

Coupler/Connector Type: CCS Type 2

Maximum Charging Rate - kW: 350

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Mileage: 120000

Standard manufacturers Battery warranty - Years: 8

Usable Battery Capacity: N

WLTP - EC (kWh/100km) - Comb: 19.4

WLTP - EC (miles/kWh) - Comb: 3.2

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (km) - Comb: 480

WLTP - Pure Electric Range (miles) - Comb: 298

Emissions - ICE

CO: N

CO2 (g/km): 0

HC: N

HC+NOx: N

NOx: N

Particles: N

Standard Emissions: N

Engine and Drive Train

Camshaft: N

Catalytic Convertor: N

CC: 1

Compression Ratio: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Cylinders: N

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

Engine Code: N

Engine Layout: N

Fuel Delivery: N

Gears: 1 SPEED

Number of Valves: N

Transmission: AUTO

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Combined (mpg): N

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Urban (mpg): N

General

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Badge Engine CC: 0.0

Badge Power: 490

Based On ID: N

Coin Description: N

Coin Series: Pure

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Generation Mark: 1

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 50D

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: 89

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: 87

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: 5

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: 64

NCAP Safety Assist %: 87

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 5

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

Performance

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

0 to 62 mph (secs): 4.4

Engine Power - BHP: 490

Engine Power - KW: 360

Engine Power - PS: No

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 516

Engine Torque - MKG: 71.4

Engine Torque - NM: 700

Top Speed: 146

Test Cycles

Emissions Test Cycle: WLTP

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Tyres

Alloys?: No

Space Saver?: 0

Tyre Size Front: 235/55 R19

Tyre Size Rear: 235/55 R19

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Wheel Style: N

Wheel Type: 19" ALLOY

Vehicle Dimensions

Height: 1630

Height (including roof rails): N

Length: 4715

Wheelbase: 2875

Width: 1910

Width (including mirrors): 1995

Weight and Capacities

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): N

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2850

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1678

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 503

Max. Loading Weight: 515

Max. Roof Load: 100

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: 1800

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: 750

Minimum Kerbweight: 2335

No. of Seats: 5

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.5

Exterior Body Features

Matt paint

Metallic paint

Model designation deletion

Pearlescent paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Ceres blue

Metallic - Makalu grey

Metallic - Savile silver

Metallic - Tromso green

Metallic - Vik black

Paint - Pearlescent

Pearl - Uyuni white

Paint - Solid

Solid - Alta white

Paint - Special

Matt - Ceres blue

Matt - Makalau grey

Matt - Matterhorn white

Trim - Leather

Leather - Frozen grey/Urban brown with aluminium inlay

Leather - Glacier white/Icy blue with aluminium inlay

Leather - Obsidian black with aluminium inlay