Some years ago, luxury cars seemed to be the forte of the Germans. The Japanese were not far behind, and American brands were in the mix as well. However, in the modern age, the Koreans seem to redefine the automotive luxury. To cater to the flashy rich boujee or Gangnam lifestyle, the luxury arm of Hyundai has released a brand new electric car. The Genesis GV60 is essentially a Hyundai Ionic 5 and Kia EV6 underneath. But as it turns out, the GV60 is so much more than that. Vitally, it is aimed squarely at the Tesla Model Y.
Genesis GV60 Is A More Interesting Tesla Rival
While Hyundai conquers the mass market. The objective for Genesis is to take the fight to the luxury players like Audi, Mercedes, and BMW. But to compete in the modern automotive landscape, an electric car is the need of the hour. So behold, the Genesis GV60. A battery-electric crossover with chic styling and some cool tech that no one was expecting.
One does not simply dive into the EV space with boring-looking cars of course. Genesis knows that as a fact, which is why the GV60 looks like an interesting proposition. The front styling sees a flush design, as expected from an EV featuring a clam-shell hood. The Genesis ‘V’ grille does appear as a small spec over the large grille opening. The grill features active vents that open and close to cool the batteries or improve aerodynamics. The headlamps are designed in the signature Genesis twin horizontal stripe design.
Along the sides, we find flush retractable door handles and a fascinating C-pillar design that adds a touch of bling. Around the back is a fixed mid-mounted rear wing that helps improve the airflow, allowing for a better EV range. The twin-stripe taillights are also used for the GV60 with a flush and elegant design. The overall look of the GV60 is sedated and very understated. But the individual elements beg you to take a closer look. When you do, you will definitely notice the funky-looking alloy wheels. The designers have spent a lot of time having fun with them.
The Genesis GV60 Likes To Go Sideways!
The top of the line 490hp spec Genesis GV60 is designed to be a sporty crossover. Sure, the performance figures are interesting, as it does 0-60mph in an impressive 4 seconds. But Genesis decided to go a step further and add a Drift Mode to the car.
If you want to have a bit of fun with the GV60, toggle a couple of settings in the touchscreen to get into Drift Mode. The system will send an ample amount of torque to the rear wheels to help break traction, so you can power slide this sensible and elegant family crossover. Interestingly, that is something we would have probably expected from the Ford Mustang Mach-E, not a mid-size luxury crossover from Korea.
Furthermore, the driver gets a green button on the steering wheel that says “Boost”. When activated, the car goes into an over-boost mode. The system spikes up the motors to give you maximum thrust of power for 10 seconds.
Genesis GV60: The Madness Continues
One of the quirks of driving a silent electric car is not knowing whether the vehicle and its motors are alive or asleep. Hyundai seems to have solved the problem in a very over-engineering German way. Push the start button, and a glass orb on the center console flips around into a ball-style rotary gear selector. Clearly something we might find on the Starship Enterprise.
While there looks to be some obvious and applaudable lunacy in the GV60. Genesis was also wearing their sensible hat while designing. The climate control switches are thankfully physical buttons. A similar thought process can be found on the steering wheel. The paddles behind it help change the regenerative-braking settings. Unlike the Ionic 5 and EV6, the GV60 uses a curved bezel screen setup for the digital gauge cluster and the touchscreen infotainment system. It even has facial recognition cameras on the doors to lock and unlock the car like your smartphone. Everything simply screams impressive and expensive.
The Final Word On The Genesis GV90
The GV60 inherits the impressive powertrain system used in the Ioniq 5 and EV6. So it is powered by a well-proven setup that uses a 77 kWh battery that is capable of up to 350kW of fast charging. The GV60 claims a best-case scenario, driving range of 280 miles for the most efficient version. The higher performance model concedes some range, of course, claimed at 240 miles on a single charge.
Sure, a Tesla has more range to offer. But one cannot argue that Hyundai and its brands certainly deserve applause for trying to make electric cars more exciting. Importantly, they did so with a sensible but quirky approach, rather than diving into the fancy and gimmicky tech route.