New Genesis Electrified GV70 2022 review

Verdict

It's on the pricey side, but the Electrified GV70 shows how far Genesis has come as a brand in a relatively short period of time in Europe. The GV70's range, performance and charging tech are towards the top of the class, while material and build quality, plus practicality and infotainment are all fundamentally sound. The customer offering is superbly strong, too. However, it could be a little more comfortable still, and balance this with a sharper side dynamically, while it's also a shame there's no single-motor model – but never say never, according to one Genesis exec we spoke to...

In a little over a year since it arrived in the UK Genesis has launched six models, establishing premium alternatives to the usual German players in pretty much every class that matters. But this Electrified GV70 SUV could be the most important variant it's launched yet.

While it's not trying to take on Audi, BMW and Mercedes for volume, when it comes to quality, tech and customer service Genesis is right there. The Electrified GV70 combines qualities from many demand areas in the market at the moment: an all-electric powertrain in a mid-size SUV body with a premium bent.

Priced from £64,405 it might seem pricey compared with some rivals, but they may boast single-motor and/or smaller battery powertrains to bring the starting price down, whereas the Electrified GV70 only comes with a 77.4kWh battery and a pair of electric motors delivering up to 483bhp in Boost mode and a maximum of 700Nm of torque.

While it delivers pretty impressive performance (0-62mph in a best of 4.2 seconds) it's range that's more important; a 283-mile claim is competitive and we saw efficiency that put us within 10 per cent of the car's official figure.

We'll focus on dynamics shortly, but there's a bit more to dissect when it comes to the price, which actually makes the Genesis look better value. The brand calls it 'the Genesis difference', which amounts to its five-year Care Plan, including warranty, road side assistance and servicing (time or 50,000 miles, which ever is sooner) for that period.

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Buyers will also get assigned a Genesis Personal Assistant who will help when it comes to picking up your car and delivering a courtesy car for any routine maintenance needed.

But with the Electrified GV70 it goes beyond this, because Genesis has partnered with Shell Recharge to give access to all of its points, plus five years' free access to the Ionity charging network with a preferential rate of just 24p per kWh. Ionity usually charges 69p per kWh; equate this to paying nearly two thirds less at the pump for your petrol or diesel in an ICE car. It may even be cheaper than some home tariffs as domestic energy prices start to rise.

The Electrified GV70 can accept charging speeds up to 240kW, with a 10-80 per cent top-up taking 18 minutes – it'll sustain its peak charging rate from 15-55 per cent, too.

In Sport with Boost mode selected, like many high-power EVs the GV70 stomps forward, but the throttle pedal's map is nicely calibrated. The very first part of the eye-widening acceleration comes in gently before the full hit of torque is deployed, so even with a focus on maximum performance the car is still smooth and refined.

This is where the Electrified GV70 excels. Our car was fitted with the £3,560 Innovation Pack, which adds among other things, active road noise cancelling. Combined with an almost complete lack of motor whine the Genesis is quiet when cruising, and even on our car's optional 20-inch alloy wheels the ride is mostly good.

All Electrified GV70s feature adaptive suspension with road scanning tech. In the most part the system works well and delivers comfort on motorways and A roads. Around town sometimes the system doesn't seem the most intelligent, but it's far from uncomfortable, while on crowned and rutted country roads there is some sway from the body.

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But that's no doubt due to the car's chunky 2,310kg kerbweight – a problem many electric SUVs suffer from. On bespoke Michelin rubber there's plenty of grip and the steering offers a nice weight in Comfort mode and a predictably linear rate of response, albeit zero feedback on what's happening at the road surface. But in a car like this, to most buyers that might not matter. However, the kerbweight means the Electrified GV70 has a certain lethargy through direction changes, even if it doesn't roll much and feels composed.

This is not a performance SUV despite its power output, so the Electrified GV70's chassis is fairly well pitched. We'd say it's the best-riding Genesis we've tested yet.

And the fact that it's packed with tech helps take the edge off any dynamic shortfall. The regenerative braking set-up, for example, is great. The Smart Regeneration System 2.0 will adjust the regen level depending on traffic conditions and data from the sat-nav. Or you can select from no braking effect right through to Genesis's i-Pedal set-up, the latter providing one-pedal driving.

There's also a max regen feature, activated by pulling the left-hand paddle. It means you can cruise along with low regen to maximise rolling efficiency, but then pull and hold the paddle to brake for a corner, releasing it when you've reached the right speed. It's a very intuitive system.

Otherwise, the Electrified GV70 is as good as its combustion-engined counterparts in most other areas. True, you lose 39 litres of boot space, at 503 litres, but you gain another 25 litres in the front, which can be used to stow the charging cables (the charge port is located within the front grille, so this makes sense).

Otherwise, the level of room inside is good and the Electrified GV70's packaging is sound. The infotainment offering is advanced too, with a digital dash and a 14.5-inch screen that boasts the latest smartphone connectivity and connected services, leather trim, a powered tailgate, plus lots of safety and driver assistance tech.