When we drove the 2022 Genesis GV70 with the 2.2-liter turbo-diesel four-cylinder 18 months ago, we were left seriously impressed with what the firm had cooked up. We were blown away by its features, the build quality, and the impressive value for money.
Fast forward to the start of 2023 and Australia’s GV70 range expanded with the launch of the Electrified GV70. As the name implies, this is the all-electric version of the luxury SUV and in April, we lived with it for a week. Given how good the ICE-powered GV70 is and the fact that the electric GV60 is one of the best EVs currently on sale, we had high hopes for this new model as it brings together the best of the GV60 into the more luxurious and traditional GV70.
The important details
Just a single variant of the Electrified GV70 is available in Australia, known as the Performance AWD. It has the same powertrain as the flagship GV60 Performance, meaning there is an electric motor with 180 kW (241 hp) at the front axle and a 180 kW (241 hp) motor at the rear axle. The SUV is good for 360 kW (483 hp) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque in Boost Mode but this is reduced to 320 kW (429 hp) and 446 lb-ft (605 Nm) during normal driving. It also has the same 77.4 kWh battery pack as the GV60. Local pricing starts at AU$138,119 ($94,163) driveaway.
Visually, there is very little to differentiate the Electrified GV70 from the ICE models, but that’s certainly no bad thing. Rather than completely ditch a front grille as some EV makers have done, Genesis’s designers have decided to retain the same proportions as the grille on the ICE model but have made it solid. Carefully hidden within the faux grille is the charging port. The Electrified GV70 also ditches the ICE model’s pronounced front air intakes and instead adopts a pair of slim air curtains.
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The rear end of the electric model is also a little simpler with less mesh, more body-colored parts, and the obvious lack of an exhaust. The rest of the bodywork has gone unchanged. Heck, our test car was even finished in the same shade of Brunswick Green as the diesel model we drove in 2021.
A cabin fit for a prince
The interior of the Electrified GV70 has always been one of its strong suits and the cabin of the electric model is virtually identical. This means it sports the same 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch infotainment screen sitting atop the dashboard.
Genesis clearly spent a lot of time ensuring the materials used throughout the cabin feel expensive and fitting of the price tag. Components like the indicator and wiper stalks have a knurled metal finish while the rest of the cabin is clad in plush leather. A complex ambient lighting system also comes standard and is a little different from that of the ICE model as a new design has been incorporated into the areas of the door panels that illuminate.
While the infotainment software used by Genesis in the Electrified GV70 (and all its other models) seems a little simplistic compared to some of its German rivals, it is very easy to understand and use. Those who have experienced current Hyundai and Kia systems will immediately find it familiar. A nice thing about this system is that it can be operated through a rotary controller on the transmission tunnel or via the touchscreen. Unless you’re parked, actually reaching the touchscreen is quite a challenge, and using the controller is much easier. The only issue is that the controller is placed just a few centimeters ahead of the gear selector and as we found with the ICE model, it is easy to confuse the two, particularly when parking or reversing.
Read: Genesis To Build Gas-Powered GV70 SUVs Alongside EVs In America
An abundance of features come standard with the Electrified GV70 Performance AWD. For example, both the front seats offer 18 levels of adjustment as well as three different massage settings. There is also an excellent 14-speaker Harman premium audio system with a 1,050-watt amplifier, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, an active noise canceling function, and a fingerprint scanner.
Like the GV60, the Electrified GV70 is quick. Very quick. In fact, it can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.2 seconds which is very impressive, particularly for a vehicle that weighs 2,310 kg (5,092 lbs). It lurches off the line with ferocity with Boost Mode enabled and the pull only begins to wane after 130 km/h (~80 mph) or so. It will also light up the tires and leave black lines on the tarmac if you turn off the traction control.
Range and charging
What’s not so impressive is the range. Genesis says the SUV is good for 445 km (276 miles) on a charge, but we think that would be very difficult to achieve. We weren’t even able to eke out more than 400 km (248 miles) from the battery but with that being said, we also were not driving it in the most efficient way possible.
The quick charging of the Hyundai Motor Group’s E-GMP platform helps to somewhat offset the limited range. As with other Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis models, the Electrified GV70 supports 350 kW charging that in theory, should see the battery top up from 10 to 80% in just 18 minutes. I found a 350 kW charger near me and plugged it in with a touch under 20% charger remaining. Charging speeds never exceeded 180 kW and for some odd reason, charging would stop the moment I sat back in the driver’s seat, forcing me to stand outside.
It is hard to fault the driving experience as a whole. Genesis has done a fantastic job at tuning the Electrified GV70 for local roads and it remains extraordinarily comfortable regardless of the road surface. We also found it to be near-silent when behind the wheel, no doubt helped by the active noise cancellation system.
An excellent brake regeneration system also comes standard. This system can be enabled with the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and offers five levels of adjustment all the way from a coasting function to full one-pedal driving. The system is perfect and we spent most of our time in the one-pedal mode.
The handling is commendable for a vehicle that weighs this much. A set of Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires measuring 265/45 R20 come standard and offer mountains of grip. Unsurprisingly, you can only do so much to try and mask the weight of an SUV like this and as you start to hustle the GV70 through corners, it begins to bounce and wallow. The trade-off for this is the comfort you get during regular driving.
Good-looking and well-equipped
Those who pick up the keys to the new Electrified GV70 will be more than satisfied with the safety features and driver-assistance systems that it has. Among the carmaker’s active safety features are Blind-Spot Collision Avoidance-Assist, Blind-Spot View Monitor, Driver Attention Warning, and Forward-Collision Avoidance-Assist with car, pedestrian, and cycling detection.
We were particularly impressed with how effectively the intelligent high beam function worked. While not unique to the GV70, nor to the Genesis brand for that matter, the system detects whether a vehicle is in front of you and if there is, it will redirect the high beam around that car. Other systems like the Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Smart Cruise Control, and Surround View Monitor also work superbly.
All told, the Genesis Electrified GV70 is a brilliant SUV. However, it is hard to recommend it over the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 model that offers similar performance, is just as luxurious, and costs AU$38,000 (~$26,000) less. But, if you must have an electric SUV, it’s hard to look past it.
