It’s hard to deny that the Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) cars from the Hyundai Motor Group are among the most compelling electric vehicles you can buy in 2024. The Genesis GV60 is no exception. This model arrived last year as the first EV from Genesis, and the only one to not offer a gasoline-powered equivalent. Unlike the Electrified G80 or Electrified GV70, the GV60 uses the aforementioned E-GMP setup that enables an 800-volt charging architecture and other advanced features.
The GV60 doesn’t look any different for 2024, but the lineup is expanded with a more affordable model with a longer range as well as a new feature that mimics gear shifts. The GV60 now boasts nearly 300 miles on a charge, making it a more compelling option for road trips. Are these additions enough to make you consider a GV60?
Genesis sent us their top model, the 2024 GV60 Performance, for a week to find out. We ended up loving it – but we actually wished it was slower.
Exterior: Another Genesis Stunner
The GV60 is a small luxury crossover that competes against vehicles like the Lexus RZ and Tesla Model Y; the designers didn’t need to go this hard to make it look better than the competition – although, admittedly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whereas the Model Y is pretty anonymous and the RZ seems ultra-futuristic, the GV60 strikes a good balance and looks like nothing else on the road. There’s a unique detail no matter where you look: that little triangle above the grille, those split headlights, the spider web wheels, that wacky kink in the roofline, and split tailgate glass with a spoiler that reminds us of a more subtle Ford Sierra Cosworth. Other Genesis EVs do their best impression of a gasoline car, but the GV60 screams, “I’m different!”
Genesis even offers some fun colors to further spice up the GV60. Last year’s Sao Paulo Lime (an eye-searing green/yellow) is no longer available, but we fell in love with our tester’s Atacama Copper (a $650 option). It’s not dissimilar from Copper Crest (a Lexus color) and it looks like rose gold when the light hits it. Barossa Burgundy, Mauna Red, and Hanauma Mint are the other interesting hues while the rest are either black, grey, white, or silver.
Interior: Wow Factor
So many automakers either go super minimal or over-the-top screen crazy with their EVs (think Tesla for minimal and Mercedes for all the screens); Genesis gets the formula just right. The current Genesis interior design language could best be described as “affordable Bentley,” which is high praise at this price point. The GV60 Standard comes with heated leatherette seats, but stepping up to the Advanced brings real leather with heating and ventilation.
Our GV60 Performance came with Nappa leather featuring gorgeous quilting that enhances the Bentley vibes. Those seats on the Performance also come with what Genesis calls Ergo Motion, a light form of massage. No matter which trim you choose, the GV60 offers a choice of a Obsidian Black or Ash Gray Glacier White interior. The latter is stunning, but might be tough to keep clean, especially with kids.
Like the exterior, this cabin has many special little details that set it apart from other EVs: a two-spoke steering wheel, knurled buttons and knobs, plenty of storage cubbies, a glove drawer instead of a glove box, and a floating center console with the most unique detail: the orb. It might seem like a gimmick, but the glowing orb in the console lets you know that the GV60 is off and not ready to drive (something that is often tough to discern in an EV). When you press the start button, the orb rotates away, revealing the drive selector that also illuminates in your chosen ambient light color.
Dual 12.3-inch displays come standard and Genesis gives several methods to control the infotainment. The touchscreen is easy to reach, but there’s also a rotating knob on the console with a glass touchpad on the top. Genesis still hasn’t added wireless CarPlay or Android Auto, but we don’t mind using a wired connection. Bang & Olufsen Premium audio comes on the Advanced and Performance models and sounds excellent.
Performance: Fast Or Frugal
Genesis introduced a new single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version of the GV60 called the GV60 Standard for 2024. It produces just 225 horsepower, meaning 0-60 should take approximately 6.5 seconds. As a trade-off, the GV60 Standard can travel up to 294 miles on a charge, the highest in the Genesis EV lineup. Stepping up to the GV60 Advanced adds a second electric motor and all-wheel-drive, dialing the output to 314 hp. This model drops the 0-60 time to around 5.1 seconds but it also lowers the range to between 248 and 264 miles, depending on the size wheels equipped.
At the top end, the GV60 Performance produces 429 hp from dual electric motors. Pressing the Boost button unleashes 483 hp for up to 10 seconds, scooting the GV60 up to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. Unfortunately, the most powerful GV60 also yields the lowest range of just 235 miles.
Genesis won’t win any range records with the GV60, but the 800-volt charging architecture does allow for peak charging speeds up to 235 kW. In other words, ideal conditions will get the 77.4 kWh battery from 10-80% charge in just 18 minutes. We didn’t observe speeds that quick, but we did manage to get from 15-80% in 20 minutes.
Practicality: A Nice Fit
The GV60 is not a large car; it’s smaller than its cousins from Hyundai and Kia. It measures in at a length of 177.8 inches with a 114.2-inch wheelbase, meaning the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 are between five and seven inches longer overall even though the latter shares a wheelbase with GV60. Still, the Genesis GV60 has 37.6 inches of rear legroom, around an inch and a half less than the Ioniq 5 or EV6, and the GV60 lacks sliding rear seats like its mainstream counterparts. The rear seats are heated, at least.
The cargo area accommodates 24 cubic feet and can open to 54.7 cubes. The EV6 offers a bit more with the seats up (but only 50.2 cubes with the seats folded), and the Ioniq 5 offers the most with 27.2 cubes behind the back row and 59.3 cubes with the seats folded down. There is a small frunk in the GV60, but it is only large enough for a charging cable.
Driving Impressions: Quiet Rocket
It feels like Genesis wasn’t sure what it wanted the GV60 to be; it’s a luxury crossover but with a splash of hot hatchback thrown in. With 429 hp on tap, the GV60 Performance leaps forward whenever you press the pedal. Pressing the Boost button temporarily dials the power up with an extra 54 horses, pinning occupants into their seats in the process. Be warned, though: Launching the GV60 in Boost mode can completely overwhelm the Michelin Primacy Tour A/S tires. In fact, the whole car can be upset during a launch, with the front end jumping skyward and the rear end squatting down from the ferocity of the electric motors.
We’d love to see a more hardcore model positioned above the Performance that has larger brakes, stickier tires, and firmer suspension to truly take advantage of the potent powertrain. That being said, the GV60 Performance is still fun to drive on a winding road. The steering is accurate and nicely weighted and the suspension doesn’t allow too much body roll.
Playing around with the Drive Mode button dramatically changes the GV60’s personality. Eco Mode dials back power in the name of efficiency, making the Performance model feel more like the rear-drive Standard trim. Comfort Mode is the default, enabling more eager acceleration. Sport Mode firms up the adaptive suspension, tightens the steering, and tunes the throttle to require less input for quick bursts of power. Each mode gets its own theme in the gauge cluster: green for Eco, bronze for Comfort, and red for Sport.
For 2024, Genesis added a new Virtual Gear Shift (VGS) feature. Similar to tech that’s available on the Ioniq 5 N, VGS simulates eight gears with pauses between shifts. Some drivers don’t like the feeling of an EV’s linear acceleration, especially on a race track. While VGS is a bit silly on a public road, it might convince some sports car enthusiasts to consider going electric. The gear shifts are accompanied by a simulated engine sound through the speakers, which can be swapped for two other sound profiles so long as VGS is not enabled.
Pricing & Verdict: A Tough Choice
Adding a cheaper trim level with longer range was a great decision by Genesis, but there are some tough decisions to be made when choosing which GV60 model is right for you. The base GV60 Standard starts at $52,000, meaning it overlaps with the upper-tier models from Kia and Hyundai. Unfortunately, you can not add options like ventilated seats, a 360-camera, and more to the Standard. If you want the max range, be prepared to sacrifice a few features.
The GV60 Advanced starts at $60,550 and offers a nice middle ground between luxury amenities and driving range. We love the power of the GV60 Performance, but its lower range, inability to fully utilize that extra oomph, and $69,550 MSRP make it a tough sell for an average household. We’d stick with the Advanced, but we really wish Genesis would offer a package for the Standard to combine the best range with more bells and whistles.
In addition to the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, both of which offer similar features without the premium badge at a lower price, Genesis needs to contend with the Tesla Model Y, the best-selling EV in the world. On paper, the Tesla bests the Genesis in most metrics, but it feels spartan inside by comparison. If you value the intangibles, the GV60 leaps off the page as a great EV option; sadly, you will have to choose between performance or range.
