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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

Audi Q4 S line 45 e-tron

By Bill McCarthy

Audi’s enduring popularity is a tribute to a strategy developed over recent decades, built on premium quality, a comprehensive vehicle range and clever marketing. Who has never heard of the phrase “Vorsprung durch Technik”, even without understanding its meaning?

Many EVs lose their brand character, particularly with the disappearance of the traditional grille, but Audi remains an aspirational brand for many customers looking to move upmarket. There is, however, a premium to pay for a premium vehicle, with this mid-range S-Line model costing well over £50,000.

Sleek and aerodynamic

This Q4 e-tron also stands out not just as a handsome vehicle, but because, unusually in this segment, it is a rear-wheel-drive model powered by a single motor. Although the grille is now a smooth, flat panel, it still retains the signature Audi four-ring look.

Featuring modern LED headlights, the car’s slippery shape is designed for efficiency. To the rear, there is a full-width LED light strip and a built-in spoiler. The look is rounded off with smart alloys and integrated roof rails. Overall, the 0.28 drag coefficient improves its driving range and reduces road noise.

Hi-tech, premium cabin

As one of the smaller SUVs, sitting between the Q3 and Q5, it remains spacious, offering a 2.77-metre wheelbase that delivers decent rear legroom. Inside, the cabin offers a premium ambience with logically placed, intuitive controls and typical high-end, hi-tech equipment.

It is dominated by an 11.6-inch multifunction central screen and a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. The central screen controls major functions like smartphone connectivity, various apps, infotainment and navigation via the familiar Multi Media Interface (MMI) system.

Standard equipment on this version includes the usual electronic aids, camera-based traffic sign recognition, a digital radio, four-way lumbar support for the front seats, an auto-dimming frameless rear-view mirror, exterior folding door mirrors with an auto-dimming function, a front centre armrest and logo projectors in the exterior mirrors. This is not to mention more than £2,000 worth of optional extras fitted to our test car.

Performance and drive quality

Performance is decent. It is not the quickest off the mark, but hitting 60 mph in 6.7 seconds should provide enough pace for most. The powertrain consists of a 77 kWh battery and a single rear-mounted electric motor delivering 204 PS and a hefty 310 Nm of torque, which also provides great mid-range pull.

It handles well, feeling agile on sharp bends, and its responsive steering enhances the overall driving experience. On the motorway, it is a near-silent cruiser, with only tyre noise – depending on the road surface – becoming intrusive. There is little wind noise, and the car offers a refined driving experience. Adjustable regenerative braking helps to maximise efficiency during driving.

Real-world range

The official WLTP range is around 337 miles, a figure that proved impossible to match over a lengthy 400-odd mile drive. Conditions were appalling for the first part – heavy rain and murky weather – with wipers, de-misters and lights draining the battery at, at times, an alarming rate. The indicated range hovered around 210 miles. As conditions improved on the return leg, that figure increased to nearer 260 miles.

What was noticeable was that using the adaptive cruise control on the motorway and setting it to around 65 mph allowed the vehicle to run at its most efficient, with the range dropping at a much slower rate.

While range anxiety is always at the back of one’s mind with an EV, the vast improvement in charging infrastructure means longer journeys can be planned with confidence. Using a DC fast charger with a peak rate of 135 kW allows the battery to be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in just under half an hour.

Practicality and safety

Like all SUVs, it is a practical vehicle and offers good stowage capacity. Accessed by a powered tailgate, the boot provides 520 litres of space, which can be expanded for larger loads by folding the 40:20:40 split rear seats, opening up to 1,490 litres.

All Audis are safe and this model includes the Audi pre sense front system, which provides autonomous emergency braking and lane departure warning. Other features include adaptive cruise assist with lane guidance and a full suite of airbags.

Verdict

In summary, this Q4 e-tron delivers a quality, tech-focused interior, practical space, and a refined, stable driving experience. While its real-world range is weather-dependent and its price is high for the class, it remains an upmarket choice for buyers prioritising brand prestige, cabin finish, and motorway comfort over outright efficiency or value.

Factfile

Audi Q4 S line 45 e-tron
Price: £56,580 (plus options)
Mechanical: 286 PS, single rear-mounted electric motor and 77 kWh battery driving rear wheels.
Max speed: 112 mph
0-60 mph: 6.7 seconds
Range (WLTP): Up to 332 miles
Insurance group: 34 tbc
CO2 emissions: 0 g/km
BIK rating: 3 per cent
Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles. Battery: 8 years/100,000 miles.

On the road

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GV70: Luxury meets electric performance