Genesis Electrified GV70 review

A Mr Whippy ice cream is a pleasant treat in its own right but it’s taken to another level with the addition of a Flake. The Genesis Electrified GV70 works along similar lines – it takes the tasty vanilla of the brand’s plush and comfy family SUV and adds the chocolate garnish of electric power.

You see, the regular Genesis GV70 is well-equipped, well-finished and stylish, but it's marred by its uncouth engines. Ditching petrol or diesel power in favour of near-silent electric motors – as this Electrified version does – should improve its refinement at a stroke.

Genesis Electrified GV70 video review

The electric SUV field is incredibly competitive of course, so to keep the Electrified GV70 competitive, Genesis has updated the model for 2025.

The aim is to keep it on a level playing field with premium rivals including the Audi Q6 e-tron, Mercedes EQE SUV and Porsche Macan Electric. Has it succeeded? Read on as we rate the Genesis Electrified GV70 against the best electric SUVs…

The Genesis Electrified GV70 line-up is simple: every version has two electric motors, four-wheel drive and up to 483bhp – although you only get the full power in bursts of up to 10 seconds when you press the Boost button on the steering wheel.

While Boost provides what seems like rocket-assistance for overtakes, you shouldn't need to use it too often because you get a healthy 429bhp without it. The result is that the Electrified GV70 can officially sprint from 0-62mph in just 4.4sec.

That’s even quicker than an Audi Q6 e-tron quattro (5.9sec) and not far off a Porsche Macan Electric 4S (4.1) or Tesla Model Y Performance (3.3sec). In other words, your head is pressed firmly into the head rest when you put your foot down, and the instant surge of power gives you confidence when pulling into traffic, overtaking or joining a busy motorway.

The Electrified GV70 is less competitive when it comes to range, even though the battery was enlarged from 77kWh to 84kWh in a May 2025 update. Entry-level Pure versions (with standard 19in alloy wheels) can officially manage 298 miles, dipping to 287 miles for Dynamic and Luxury trims (with 20in wheels). Bear in mind that, in real-world driving conditions, it will be much less than this (as with all electric cars).

Most electric SUV rivals can go quite a lot further on a charge than the Electrified GV70, with many beating 350 miles officially.

Not all rivals handle as tidily, though. The Electrified GV70 has lots of reassuring grip and traction, and it feels safe and secure through a series of bends, with Sport mode stiffening the adaptive suspension a little to reduce body lean (although it’s still noticeable).

A bit more steering feel would inspire driver confidence further still, but the Electrified model is a lot more settled and taut than a combustion-engined GV70, and a match for the Q6 e-tron for driver appeal.

Even stronger than its handling, though, are the Electrified GV70’s quietness and ride comfort. You’ll feel road imperfections clearly at trundling pace (more so with the 20in wheels), but they dissipate as you speed up and, at a cruise, the ride is very smooth and controlled.

Noise levels remain low too, with more hubbub from the tyres and suspension than from the motors or the wind passing the windows, thanks to the standard acoustic windscreen and laminated side glass. Conversation can be held at little more than a whisper.

The top Luxury trim level takes things even further, with an effective active noise cancelling system as part of an upgraded Bang & Olufsen sound system. It does a good job of taking the edge off the roar from coarse road surfaces.

“It handles pretty tidily in corners, but I like how the Electrified GV70 isn’t trying to be a sporty SUV. You’re encouraged to relax and enjoy its comfortable ride and refinement.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

When you ease yourself into the Genesis Electrified GV70, it's easy to find a comfortable driving position because the seat and steering wheel have lots of electrically-assisted adjustment, including lumbar support for the driver.

The only way to get adjustable lumbar support for the front passenger is by opting for the pricey Comfort Seat pack (available with Luxury trim only), which also adds a massage feature to both front seats (including a programme to improve your posture automatically during long trips).

All the armrests and controls are well placed, and the rotary dials to operate the climate-control settings are easy to use. They're much better than the fiddly touchscreen air-con controls you find in most electric SUV rivals – although the Porsche Macan Electric is similarly user-friendly because it has proper toggles.

The Electrified GV70 provides a commanding driving position, and while the dashboard top isn’t as low as in the Tesla Model Y, you can still see the extremities of the bonnet. The front pillars are surprisingly slim and give you good forward visibility.

Sideways visibility is fine too, and the rear pillars have windows to break up what would otherwise be a large blind spot – although blind-spot assistance comes as standard across the range to help further.

Also standard are front and rear parking sensors, and a rear-view camera. What’s more, the Electrified GV70 has a neat trick to help you see kerbs in the side mirrors: the reversing lights project lines on the ground behind the car. LED headlights are standard, as is high-beam assistance.

The 2025 update reinvented the Electrified GV70’s infotainment system for the better, introducing a single 27in screen that also incorporates the driver's display – it’s much easier to use than the previous 14.5in infotainment screen.

The driver’s display is very configurable and can mirror a sat-nav app from your smartphone via wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connection (many cars only mirror sat-nav on the infotainment touchscreen).

The touchscreen is now placed closer to the car’s front-seat occupants, making it less of an effort to reach out and touch. Its menus are generally easy to navigate once you’re used to them.

There’s also a handy centrally-mounted rotary controller, similar to that used by BMW for some of their excellent iDrive infotainment systems. The Electrified GV70 encourages you to use the dial when you're driving by reducing the number of functions available on the touchscreen if the car is moving.

Dynamic trim and above adds a head-up display, and top-spec Luxury trim brings a more powerful Bang & Olufsen sound system, although the standard system will more than satisfy most ears.

Overall interior quality is very good, with soft surfaces for all the points you’re likely to touch frequently, and even in some unusual places, such as at the bottom of the doors. The whole ambience is lifted by smart metal details.

“The optional Nappa leather is costly but I like that it lifts the interior even further in terms of look and feel.” – Jack Mortimer, Content Editor

The Genesis Electrified GV70 has a generous amount of head and leg room for those sitting up front. The front-seat passenger gets electric seat adjustment as standard (including for height) but you’ll need to add the optional Comfort Seat pack to give your passenger adjustable lumbar support.

Space to store odds and ends is fine, with a decent-sized glovebox and large door bins, as well as handy cupholders and a sizeable cubby under the armrest. There’s also a lidded tray area for your phone with wireless charging.

Two six-footers will be fine in the back seats, but there’s more head room and a lot more foot room under the front seats in a Tesla Model Y. The Electrified GV70's rear seats recline but can’t be slid back to increase leg room.

You also miss out on the more flexible 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats found in the Audi Q6 e-tron and Mercedes EQE SUV. Instead, the Electrified GV70 matches the less versatile 60/40 arrangement of the Volvo EC40. There are, though, useful handles just inside the boot so you don’t have to open the side doors to fold down the seat backs. 

The boot offers 503 litres of storage and will swallow a set of golf clubs or a pushchair with ease, with no loading lip to heave bulky items over. That said, the boot is shallow and doesn’t have deep underfloor storage like you’ll find in a Model Y. The key rivals – and the Skoda Enyaq – have bigger boots.

The compartment under the Electrified GV70's boot floor is big enough to serve as a dedicated storage area for the tonneau cover (which looks so cheap you’ll understand why it has its own hiding place).

A 250V electric outlet is provided along the inside edge of the boot if you specify the optional Vehicle-to-Load pack. That enables you to power household appliances, which could be useful during a power cut or a camping trip. A powered tailgate is standard to make life a little easier.

Under the bonnet is a 25-litre storage tray that’s big enough for storing small items, such as the tyre pump.

“Considering how comfortable the Electrified GV70 is to drive I think it’s a shame there isn’t a bit more space in the rear for me to fully relax as a passenger.” – Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer

The entry-level Genesis Electrified GV70 Pure costs more than a Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD but undercuts the cheapest four-wheel-drive version of the Audi Q6 e-tron (there are cheaper, two-wheel-drive versions of the Q6 though). Genesis doesn't do discounts, but it's worth comparing prices using our New Car Deals pages.

The Electrified GV70 is predicted to hold on to its value similarly to the Model Y, and that should lead to competitive PCP finance rates (resale values form part of the finance calculations). The Q6 e-tron is predicted to lose its value even more slowly.

With a maximum charging rate of 240kW, the Electrified GV70 can get a 10-80% charge in about 19 minutes with a suitably powerful rapid charger – about the same as a Q6 e-tron (21 minutes). A home EV charger will take around 12 hours for a 0-100% recharge.

Entry-level Pure trim has all the standard kit you really need (including LED headlights, dual-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, an EV heat pump, ambient lighting and a wireless phone-charger). It also has a slightly longer range than the upper trim levels due to the lower drag of its smaller 19in alloy wheels.

Dynamic trim ups the price substantially but adds a head-up display, blind-spot assistance and lane-changing assistance, and improves the forward-collision avoidance system while introducing rear collision avoidance. It also unlocks more options, including a digital rear-view mirror, a sunroof and a pack that includes a centre storage box that’s sterilised with UV light.

Luxury trim tops the range – and looks rather pricey. It does, though, add a sunroof and a Bang & Olufsen sound system with active noise cancellation. It also enables you to add the Comfort pack for those massaging front seats.

We don't have any UK reliability data for Genesis but every car is backed up by a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty. Hyundai – its parent brand – did very well in our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey, finishing tenth out of 31 brands.

The combustion-engined Genesis GV70 was awarded a full five-star rating by safety experts Euro NCAP and that's valid for the Electrified model too, so it should provide very good protection for you and your passengers.

“The Second Row Comfort Seat Pack is one of the more affordable options, and adds laminated rear windows, sun blinds and heated outer seats. I think it's worth considering if you want to spoil back-seat passengers.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

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