The new Genesis GV60 electric SUV has an awesome feature

It’s the first dedicated EV from the Genesis brand, and it’s a high-end luxury experience kitted out with a really cool new feature.

REVIEW

This past week I’ve had the pleasure of driving the new, all electric, Genesis GV60 SUV. It’s the first dedicated EV from the Genesis brand, which is the luxury car division of Hyundai. This particular car shares the E-GMP (electric vehicle platform) and a lot of its looks with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 (which I’ve previously tested) and also the Kia EV6.

This is not a hybrid vehicle. The Genesis GV60 can be charged at home, very slowly, in a regular power point or out at a charging station. On a full charge, the car has a range of 470km, and a rapid charge feature makes it easy to “top up” and keep going as it allows you to charge the battery from 10 per cent battery to 80 per cent battery in just 18 minutes (at Chargefox stations).

I’ve been testing the GV60 AWD LUX in the Hanauma Mint colour with a beautiful off-white interior and grey and green accents. It’s a gorgeous colour and kitted out with a ridiculous amount of bells and whistles.

The first dedicated EV from the Genesis brand. Picture: Elly Awesome

Features

Some of the notable features of this luxury EV include its spacious flat floor, cameras that offer 360 degree views to assist with parking, a heads up display on the windshield showing your speed, large touchscreen display, digital side mirrors, heated/cooling seats and a massage driver seat.

Digital side mirrors

The digital side mirrors are cameras that stick out of the sides of your car, replacing regular mirrors. Inside of your car there are displays (mounted in the door) that offer the same visual as a mirror. I found these offered incredible clarity, but I felt as though I had less forward and peripheral vision when glancing at them, as opposed to good old mirrors. It’s definitely a fancy feature to get used to, but they do offer a bright visual at night and also include pop-up visual alerts to notify you if cars are in your blind spot.

The digital side mirrors are cameras, a cool feature. Picture: Elly Awesome

The huge displays include CarPlay support, built-in maps, and other digital controls, yet the GV60 still offers a plentiful amount of traditional, physical button controls, which are super convenient while driving.

Massage seats

I thought the massage feature - known as the “Ergo Motion seat” - was interesting, and it has three different settings. The settings sound hilarious – pelvic stretching, lumbar stretching or whole body stretching.

With the press of the button you can toggle between these modes, which will gently move your hips and thighs or lower back muscles as you drive, which is meant to improve comfort and decrease driver fatigue. It’s pretty gentle, not like a shiatsu massager, but it’s nice to have some movement while sitting still for long periods of time.

The massage seats are also a plus. Picture: Elly Awesome

Crystal ball shifter

I also enjoyed its fancy crystal ball shifter, found in the centre console. When the car is turned off it sits there as a unique and eye-catching design feature but once the car is switched on it rotates 180 degrees and becomes a rotating shifter (for putting the car in reverse, neutral or drive).

The crystal ball shifter is fancy. Picture: Elly Awesome

How it feels to drive

A funny argument I’ve heard used against EVs in general is that they lack the aggressive engine sounds of a petrol car. But in this case, the luxury GV60 leans into its quiet design, and is certainly made for people who prefer to drive whilst relaxing in a blissful silence.

The noise cancellation of the car stops typical road traffic noise and other outside sounds from being heard easily while inside the car. I found this really pleasant, especially after a long day at work.

However, to those who’d prefer some sound, you can blast tunes through the Bang & Olufsen brand speaker system or turn on a range of false car acceleration sounds which offer a regular or futuristic-sounding hum while driving.

Back seats and boot

For the comfort of back seat passengers, you’ll find the left and right back car doors are fitted out with personal cup holders, seat heaters, side airconditioning vents, in-built window shades, two centre console USB-C ports and handbag storage under the centre console. However, one of my favourite features of this car is it has an in-built, three prong power outlet inside the car near the bottom of the rear passenger seat. So, passengers are able to charge a laptop or something of the like while on the go!

This insane convenience is due to this being an electric car. In addition to this, there’s also V2L, which means you can plug all kinds of electronic devices into the charging socket located on the outside of the car. This means you could run a generator, mini fridge or even a gaming console.

Overall, I loved the back seat experience, but the headroom was a little on the low end. Compared to Hyundai’s “cheaper” IONIQ 5 EV that I tested previously, I was surprised that it seemed a little less roomy in the back.

Moving towards the back, the boot space is enough for carting around family goods or packing for a holiday. However, it will just barely fit your golf clubs. They do squeeze in but it’s a seriously snug fit and probably a bit tighter than keen golfers would prefer. This currently isn’t a problem for me, but my guess is that a fair chunk of people who can afford this car might play golf.

The boot space is enough for a holiday but is a bit tighter than what golfers would prefer. Picture: Elly Awesome

Cost

The Genesis GV60 starts at $103,700 and that’s not including drive away costs or additional extras (such as interior seating colour customisation or upgrading performance). Currently, I must say it’s out of my price range but it has certainly been a pleasure to drive.

It’s a pleasure to drive. Picture: Elly Awesome

The only thing to note is there are a few cars under this price range, such as the Hyundai IONIQ 5, that do come close to competing with a lesser cost but this car does feel like a step-up if you’re searching for a high-end luxury experience.

With the GV60’s heated/cooling seats and even a massage seat function, USB-C ports, heads up display, to the power point below the back seat, and V2L capabilities, it would be an excellent car to own. And more importantly, the driving was smooth and the wheels boast attractive 21” alloys, the seats are incredibly comfortable and incredibly adjustable (awesome for my short stature).

Elly Awesome is an Aussie tech and lifestyle vlogger | @ellyawesometech | YouTube