Category Archives: GENESIS

Coupe, electric, GENESIS, Motoring

Luxury GENESIS now even better

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GENESIS GV60 Pure

By Bill McCarthy

There is no doubt in my mind that Genesis, the luxury arm of Korean manufacturer Hyundai, is maturing impressively.  Parent brand Hyundai was once known for budget motors. No longer of course, but its upmarket GENESIS brand now feels thoroughly luxurious, competitive in the £50k-plus market, and packed with technology.

A recent facelift sees three model specs: the new rear-wheel-drive Pure, the all-wheel-drive Sport, and the high-performance Performance.

The Pure, tested here, focuses on efficiency and luxury, while the Sport and Performance add dual-motor traction and increased power, catering to buyers who prioritise grip and acceleration over maximum range. I previously drove the ridiculously quick, 490PS Sport Plus twin motor a couple of years ago, and although the new Pure lacks that kind of performance, like most electric cars it still offers plenty of pace.

Price and styling

This entry-level model starts at just over £53k, but the tested version – featuring a host of optional extras – bumped the price to well over £63k. Visually, it remains a show-stopper, with a slippery, aerodynamic profile offering luxury, performance and now an extended range via a larger 84.0 kWh battery. With a claimed 348 miles, range anxiety is pretty much dispatched. 

Striking exterior features include quad lamps, the distinctive Bentley-esque badge, a lower crest grille, and eye-catching alloy wheels.

High-tech features include an Electronically Controlled Suspension system, which uses the front camera and navigation data to recognise potential bumps and potholes, pre-adjusting the suspension.

Cutting edge cabin

Inside, the cabin looks and feels superb, with planet-friendly trims made from organic and recycled materials. Despite the dual panoramic touchscreen, a wealth of physical controls remains, making life simple for the driver. The interior is roomy enough and comfortable, with high-quality soft-touch finishes.

This test car came with the optional £2,930 Comfort Pack, adding an 18-way electronically adjustable Ergo-Motion driver’s seat, ventilation for the front seats, heating for the rear, and Premium Relaxation Seats for both driver and passenger. The rear seats recline and fold to increase boot capacity from 520 litres to a capacious 1,580 litres, accessed via the powered tailgate.

Additional security comes from a face recognition panel in the B-pillar, supplemented by a fingerprint recognition button near the drive controls. The door unlocks seamlessly as you approach, and the door handles pop out. Still, I wonder about the longevity of these features – it feels slightly gimmicky.

The cabin’s touch-controlled cockpit is dominated by a new single 27-inch panoramic OLED display that controls instrumentation and infotainment, while Genesis Connect Services offers cutting-edge over-the-air updates and smartphone integration.

The interior centrepiece is the so-called ‘Crystal Sphere’: press the starter, and the sphere revolves to present the automatic gear selector. Switch off the car, and it rotates back to deliver subtle ambient lighting. When indicating, cameras show the road ahead on the screen – an excellent safety measure.

 In additions, the innovative Active Sound Design (e-ASD) delivers three virtual driving sounds. 

Upgraded powertrain

Thanks to a larger battery powering a single motor, the Pure boasts a WLTP combined range of 348 miles. An accurate figure was difficult to obtain, but across all types of driving and sometimes inclement conditions, I estimated around 300 miles. 

When you do stop, the 400V/800V ultra-rapid charging architecture proves a game-changer, capable of accepting up to 240kW DC to charge from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes. Smart Regenerative Braking 3.0 with i-Pedal further helps to maximise efficiency.

Safety and Innovation

The test car offers a comprehensive list of advanced safety kit, including numerous warnings and alerts, front and rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera with dynamic reversing guidelines, smart cruise control with lane assist, collision warnings and blind-spot recognition. 

The £4,170 Innovation Plus Pack adds a head-up display, digital centre mirror, blind-spot view monitor, surround view monitor, remote smart parking assist 2, parking collision-avoidance assist, and the excellent intelligent front-lighting system.

Verdict

The GV60 Pure has matured excellently and still looks the part with sharp styling, cutting-edge technology and cabin comfort. It is not cheap, but similarly specced premium models will cost much more.

Factfile

  • Genesis GV60 Pure 
  • Price: £53,300 (As tested: £62,605)
  • Mechanical: 229PS, 84.0kWh battery/single motor driving the rear wheels via single-speed auto gearbox
  • Max speed: 115mph
  • 0-62mph: 7.5 secs
  • Combined WLTP range: 348 miles
  • Insurance group: 45-49
  • CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
  • BiK rating: 2%
  • Warranty: Five years/unlimited mileage
GENESIS, Luxury, Motoring, Performance

GV70: Luxury meets electric performance

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Genesis Electrified GV70

By Bill McCarthy

Genesis continues to attract attention from curious car buyers, thanks to its eye-catching, often dramatic styling. Since the brand’s launch in 2020, it has sold more than 200,000 units worldwide. Genesis recently updated this electrified GV70 and it certainly looks the part.

It bears more than a passing resemblance to a Bentley, with its winged badge and crest grille. As the luxury sibling of Hyundai, it isn’t cheap, but it undercuts German rivals while Bentley remains in a different price bracket. However, as you’d expect, optional extras can be eye-watering.

The range starts at £65,915 for the Pure trim with features like a power tailgate, wireless charging, fingerprint recognition, heated front seats and steering wheel, and adaptive suspension.

The £70,715 Dynamic version adds 20-inch wheels, a head-up display, and remote smart parking assist, while the £74,915 Luxury model driven here brings a panoramic sunroof, active noise cancellation, ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and a Bang & Olufsen 15-speaker system, rising to over £80,000 fully loaded.

Exterior Design

New features include a G-Matrix crest grille with a heated and electric-folding charging cover, plus parallel headlights.

The front bumper has been redesigned with wider air intakes, rounded off with 19-inch dark hyper silver wheels (or 20-inch diamond-cut alloys on higher trims). At the rear, the parallel indicators are now integrated into the combination lights.

Elegant Interior

The cabin has a luxury feel with aluminium accents and pedals, ambient lighting with a new ‘Mood Curator’ function, and a premium soft-touch finish across the dashboard and centre console. Leather-style seats are heated and ventilated depending on the model, and head and legroom is generous.

The new 27-inch Connected Car Integrated Cockpit (ccIC) combines driver and infotainment screens into one seamless panoramic display.

Unlike many, which can oe hard to navigate, I felt it was really intuitive.

It supports OTA updates via Genesis Connect Services. You can also use Digital Key 2 to lock and start the car with your smartphone, and fingerprint authentication adds a nice layer of security.

The touchscreen can also be operated via a rotary dial – but don’t confuse it with the nearby gear selector, which I nearly did a couple of times. There’s also a UV light-sanitising compartment in the armrest. A bit gimmicky, but handy for phones or keys.

Neat touches include the two main binnacle dials turning into cameras to show the road when the indicator is activated, and the wing-style logo fading from view when the ignition is switched off. Again gimmicky, or classy, depending on your mood.

Electric performance

It is blindingly quick off the mark. The upgraded 84kWh battery powers a dual-motor setup delivering 490PS in Boost mode and 700Nm of torque – especially noticeable during motorway overtaking. It hits 62mph in 4.4 seconds, aided by a ‘boost’ button on the steering wheel that gives you full poke for about ten seconds. That makes overtaking a breeze and feels safe.

Genesis has also thrown in Virtual Gear Shift, which tries to mimic a conventional automatic gearbox. A bit quirky in an EV, but some may welcome it.

Claimed range is up to 287 miles with 20-inch wheels (or 298 miles on 19-inch wheels), assisted by smart regenerative braking 2.0, i-Pedal, and a standard heat pump to maximise range in colder climates.

Rapid charging

Charging times are impressive. The 800-volt architecture delivers ultra-rapid charging at up to 240kW. Under optimal conditions, you can charge from 10 to 80% in just 19 minutes – coffee-and-a-loaf-of-bread territory. No more arriving at a rapid charger only to watch the speed crawl because the battery is cold.

An intelligent battery heating system (now manually adjustable via the infotainment screen) keeps charging consistent in lower temperatures.

Ride and handling

The GV70 delivers a comfortable yet agile drive, even on rough roads. For a large SUV, it handles impressively well, with adaptive suspension effectively reducing body roll.

The all-wheel-drive system has three selectable terrain modes (Snow, Sand, Mud), plus a new AI-powered Auto Terrain mode that analyses road conditions in real-time and adapts automatically. It pretty much went under the radar for me. Which is good.

Practicality and safety

The powered boot offers 503 litres, expanding to cavernous 1,675 litres with the 60/40 split rear seats folded. There’s also the usual array of cubby holes and holders throughout the cabin. Unlike some EVs, there’s no frunk under the bonnet for extra storage space.

Safety kit includes blind-spot monitoring, evasive steering assist, smart cruise control, lane following assist, driver attention warning, forward collision alert with pedestrian and cyclist detection, and a full complement of airbags. Parking is handled by Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist (PCA), which works in reverse, forward, and side scenarios.

Factfile

GENESIS ELECTRIFIED GV70 Luxury

  • Price: £74,915
  • Mechanical: 490PS electric motor and 84kWh battery (approx. 80kWh usable) driving all four wheels via single-speed automatic transmission
  • Max Speed: 145mph
  • 0-62mph: 4.4 seconds
  • Range: 287 miles (WLTP)
  • Insurance Group: 50
  • CO2 emissions: 0g/km
  • BIK rating: 4%
  • Warranty: 5 years/unlimited mileage