AutoTrader SCORE
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STYLING6/10
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Safety9/10
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PRACTICALITY7/10
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USER-FRIENDLINESS7/10
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FEATURES10/10
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POWER10/10
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COMFORT8/10
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DRIVING FEEL10/10
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FUEL ECONOMY8/10
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VALUE6/10
With an all-electric future on the horizon, the 2024 Genesis GV60 is a sign of what’s to come for this burgeoning luxury brand.
Not much has changed for its second full year on the market, aside from the addition of a couple new paint colours to pick from, but then this electric vehicle (EV) didn’t need much – or at least not much that could be addressed without a serious structural overhaul. Range woes continue, with the GV60 coming up short of the 400-km minimum cited by Canadians as the golden number that might encourage them to consider buying an EV in the first place.
If that doesn’t describe you, know that this crossover is packed with plenty to like, including a drive experience that’s enough to surpass anything it competes with. But it’s also not without its share of frustrations, either.
Styling: 6/10
OK, first a point of contention. While there’s no crystal ball stashed in the AutoTrader offices – at least not that we’re aware of – it strikes us that this subcompact isn’t going to age especially well as far as styling is concerned. Sure, it’s a subjective issue, and you might think the GV60 is the most stunning machine you’ve ever laid eyes on; but from where we’re sitting, the gaping grille and beak-like bulge just above it, plus the split lighting front and back, are the kind of design cues that probably aren’t going to stand the test of time.
Likewise, the chrome strip that zigs and then zags as the roofline dips towards the rear end looks bizarre and a little unbecoming. Then there’s the reflective striping on the door panels and seats inside – an odd exercise that seems to serve little purpose besides being different. But then the quilted leather and microsuede upholstery throughout the cabin looks and feels excellent, while the wheels the top trim tested here rides on are simply stunning.
Comfort: 8/10
The GV60 falls victim to the elevated road noise levels typical of EVs like it. Such is the price to pay for motoring around in near-silence, with outside interference making its way into the cabin – especially on the highway, where the roar of other vehicles is a common nuisance. There’s also the issue of the cheap plastics used for the door handles and various switchgear inside, which is low grade next to the swaths of fancy upholstery on the seats, ceiling, and door panels.
As far as ride quality is concerned, while the low centre of gravity created by the battery pack doesn’t always jive with the road below, with pressure cracks jostling the GV60 around just a bit, the GV60 is sublime on anything close to smooth surfaces. In fact, it ranks up there with the finest on the market – especially amongst those priced this side of six figures. It pairs particularly well with a silky smooth steering system that, while obviously electrically assisted and absent of actual feel as a result, does well to simulate the real stuff.
Driving Feel: 10/10
Indeed, the drive experience is the real attraction here – more than the creature comforts the GV60 is stuffed with (although those are nice, too). It’s as opulent and easy-going as a luxury vehicle should be, electric or otherwise, but then there’s that extra serving of smoothness that comes courtesy of its powertrain; plus, it means this thing can rocket away from a standing start with stomach-turning quickness – another byproduct of the the way the GV60 is powered.
Its tidy dimensions mean it’s naturally athletic and agile, with something that resembles playfulness when pushed on a winding road (don’t forget all the stuff this Genesis shares with the Kia EV6 GT, including its adaptive suspension). It’s that balance of smooth and sporty dynamics that makes the GV60 so enjoyable from behind the wheel, landing this EV near the top of the list of crossovers like it as far as driving enjoyment.
Power: 10/10
Both versions of the GV60 sold in Canada come powered by a pair of electric motors, one each for the front and rear wheels. (In the United States, a new single-motor model gets more range at the cost of relinquishing four-wheel traction.) Torque is the same no matter what – a hearty 446 lb-ft of it – while the entry-level Advanced trim makes a combined 314 hp, and the Performance version tested here generates 429 hp.
Better still, the range-topping trim gets a button-activated boost mode that unlocks 483 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque for up to 10 seconds at a time, allowing this unassuming EV to scamper and scurry away at a moment’s notice – and it will do so with enough gravitational force to make even the most hardened stomachs turn. You’d do well to keep some Gravol in the glove compartment for uninitiated passengers.
Fuel Economy: 8/10
That anti-nauseant will come in handy with the adjustable regenerative braking working to slow the GV60, particularly in its strongest setting. There are three selectable levels, each more aggressive than the last, plus a fourth setting that enables full one-pedal driving. Each harvests the kinetic energy that would otherwise be lost when using the mechanical brakes and puts it in the battery for later use, doing so as soon as you ease off the accelerator pedal. The system works consistently if nothing else, and it helps to make up for the GV60 Performance’s relatively limited 378 km of range. (The entry-level Advanced is rated for 399 km.)
While that number isn’t much lower than the estimated 413 km the dual-motor version of the Volvo C40 Recharge can travel with a full battery, it’s less than the entirely reasonable 400-km cited by 80 per cent of Canadians as the minimum an EV must travel before they’ll consider it, according to KPMG’s annual auto survey. On the bright side, the unit tested here nailed its official estimates in spite of cool conditions and the fact it was barely broken in, with less than 1,000 km on the odometer at the start of this week-long evaluation.
Practicality: 7/10
With its 800-volt architecture, the GV60 is capable of charging speeds as fast as 350 kWh – the highest on the market. That allows it to make the benchmark 10-to-80-per cent jump in a claimed 18 minutes in ideal condition, according to Genesis. However, it’s worth noting the faster battery degradation that comes with charging at such speeds. (Hooking up to a 50-kW charger is better for the battery but takes a claimed 72 minutes to achieve the same state of charge.)
With its 77.4-kWh battery pack stashed under the floor of its EV-specific architecture, there’s more room inside this compact crossover than its diminutive dimensions might suggest. Legroom in particular is impressive, with plenty of it front and back. It’s only rear-seat headroom that’s penalized by the placement of the battery, while lowering the height-adjustable front seats leaves them so close to the floor that passengers in the back won’t be able to tuck their feet underneath.
Cargo room is good, too, with 680 L listed on spec sheet – a number that exceeds the likes of the similarly shaped C40 Recharge. More than that, it provides ample space to stash stuff for a trip to the cottage. Conversely, that Volvo’s frunk is bigger than the tiny compartment under the GV60’s hood (albeit barely).
Safety: 9/10
Standard safety features include an advanced forward collision warning system that can detect pedestrians as well as oncoming traffic when turning through an intersection, lane departure warning and keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and adaptive cruise control that relies on navigation information to recognize road signs and adjust speed. There’s also a head-up display system and an occupant alert system that uses cabin radar to detect movement inside the vehicle.
Stepping up to the range-topping Performance trim adds a few extra features like surround-view cameras and camera-based blind-spot monitoring that shows a live look at either side of the vehicle in the instrument display when the corresponding signal is activated. There’s nothing earth-shattering, but the systems work well overall. The lone exception is the automated lane changes that are supposed to work on certain stretches of divided highway but more often than not end up being cancelled by the computer at the hint of any manual steering input – even the unintended kind.
Features: 10/10
As has been the case from this brand’s very beginnings as a high-end spin-off from the Hyundai lineup, the list of creature comforts across the GV60’s two-trim lineup is an extensive one. The entry-level Advanced trim gets practical stuff like a heat pump that recovers waste-heat from the battery and uses it to warm the cabin, and a battery heating system that optimizes temperatures for charging, as well as biometric access via a camera in the driver’s side door that can be used to unlock the GV60, and a fingerprint reader on the console that can be used to start it.
Other goodies include heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel and rear seats, quilted leather upholstery, a microsuede headliner, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as subscription-based satellite radio. Upgrades to the Performance trim include electronically-controlled adaptive suspension, additional motor output, plus that button-activated boost mode, and an electric limited-slip differential. There’s also a 17-speaker stereo, plus a few other tweaks and changes.
User-Friendliness: 7/10
To each their own and all that diplomatic wholesomeness, but if you fancy yourself the type who enjoys simple, approachable motoring – well, you won’t find it near. It’s not that the wheel has been entirely reinvented, but it’s been tweaked and changed for the sake of it. The deployable door handles, for example, seem unnecessary and don’t always eject as you approach the vehicle.
While you still need to push a button to start it (and again to shut it off), the sphere-like orb on the console that flips over to reveal a rotary-style gear selector – not our favourite type around AutoTrader HQ – is another gimmick the GV60 could do without. Worse still, its adjacent location to an infotainment control dial makes for plenty of foibles and fumbles. And then there’s the sheer array of controls inside that can be a little overwhelming at first. Buttons, toggles, dials – there’s even a BlackBerry-style thumb sensor on the steering wheel.
Value: 6/10
Pricing is up slightly in its second year on the market, with the 2024 Genesis GV60 ringing in at $72,500 before tax but including freight for the entry-level Advanced trim and $80,500 for the top-of-the-line Performance. Both represent year-over-year increases of $1,500.
The Volvo C40 Recharge that’s offered in the choice of rear- or all-wheel drive starts at $59,950 before freight and tax, while the top-of-the-line version checks in at $74,750. Over at Audi, the Q4 E-Tron offers about the same range as the GV60 and starts at $63,400, while its Premium package adds $9,100.
The Verdict
Age isn’t enough to knock this EV off its pedestal, and it remains one this brand’s best offerings. That’s in spite of its few shortcomings, including a smattering of low-grade interior materials, its occasionally overwhelming assortment of interior controls, and driving range that’s short of what it needs to be. It’s that last point that makes the Volvo C40 Recharge more appealing by comparison, but the 2024 Genesis GV60 counters with a fantastic drive, not to mention an impressive array of features.
| Engine Displacement | 320 kW |
|---|---|
| Engine Cylinders | Dual electric motors |
| Peak Horsepower | 429 hp (483 hp w/Boost) |
| Peak Torque | 446 lb-ft (516 lb-ft w/Boost) |
| Fuel Economy | 2.4 / 2.9 / 2.6 Le/100 km, 21.7 / 25.5 / 23.0 kWh/100 km cty/hwy/cmb; 378 km est. range |
| Cargo Space | 680 / 1,550 L seats up/down |
| Model Tested | 2024 Genesis GV60 Performance AWD |
| Base Price | $80,500 |
| A/C Tax | $100 |
| Destination Fee | Included |
| Price as Tested | $80,500 |
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Optional Equipment
None
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