Genesis has been selling its range of premium cars in the UK since 2021 and for those that haven’t come across it yet, it is the luxury arm of Korean manufacturer Hyundai. The brand was established in 2015.

A raft of swish cars was swiftly launched, all beautifully crafted, but with combustion engines. Electrification of their range followed and not wanted to rest on their laurels, the company has begun to refresh all their electric cars. First to get the treatment is the GV70.

Keen to get behind the wheel, I made the long trip to Surrey for an early drive in what I was told is the company’s first new product in two and a half years. So, what’s new?

A keen eye may be needed to spot the exterior changes, but up front there are new headlights and grille, plus of course the new Genesis emblem. The charging cover is now electrically operated and heated too. To the rear, the indicators are now in a higher position and new diamond cut 20-inch alloy wheels are available. I’ve probably missed something. A wider range of colours can now be optioned, some twelve in total which includes four matte finishes.

I have always been impressed by the plush interiors that are fitted to the full Genesis range and the interior of the updated GV70 does not disappoint. Soft touch sustainable materials abound, seats are as comfortable as you will find in any car and overall, you will be hard pressed to find a nicer interior at this price point.

A new 27-inch OLED screen now spans the dashboard, integrating both driver information and infotainment functions. This replaces the previous split-screen setup and is now easier to use. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard, as is wireless phone charging. A digital key is now available, and the central mirror can offer a digital view too if that’s your thing. I prefer the conventional.

The Electrified GV70’s Mood Curator offers a choice of four interior modes – Vitality, Delight, Care and Comfort – which seamlessly control music, scent and interior lighting for all occupants. On models with Ergo Motion technology, the Mood Curator also works in harmony with the massage seating functions.

Customers can choose from Obsidian Black, Frozen Grey and Glacier White interior trim and colour options, expanding personalisation opportunities across the three trim levels. Leather and wool upholstery is standard on all specifications, while quilted Nappa leather tanned with sustainable, bio-processed dye is available as an option.

The hushed cabin is an ideal place to enjoy the fine Bang and Olufsen sound system (on the top model) and should you be that way inclined, you can use the infotainment system for streaming YouTube videos and the like.
There are three trim levels with the entry ‘Pure’ model priced at £65,915. Highlights include heated front seats and steering wheel, fingerprint recognition, power tailgate and adaptive suspension all as standard.

Up the spend to £70,715 to buy a ‘Dynamic’ model and you will find 20-inch alloy wheels, a useful head-up display, and enhanced collision avoidance systems. A smidgen over £4,000 more will get the ‘Luxury’ variant which boasts an electric panoramic roof, ventilated front seats and heated rear seats and active noise cancelling.

Under the skin of the GV70 is a new larger 84kWh battery (up from 77kWh). As a result, the official range jumps up to 298 miles for the ‘Pure’ model, and around 10 miles less for the other two variants. I would expect a real-world range of around 250 miles, more if confined to an urban environment. Charging speeds are up too, so a 10 to 80% charge on a suitably fast unit can be done in as little as 19 minutes.

My time behind the wheel encompassed a broad range of road conditions and although fairly brief, was enough to form an impression. The Electrified GV70 is not just a quick car on paper, it’s bloomin’ quick in the real world too, especially if you push the ‘boost’ button which allows a short burst of maximum power (490PS). The 0-62mph sprint time of just 4.4 seconds feels wholly credible and fast overtakes are a doddle.

The GV70’s selectable drive modes (Eco, Comfort and Sport) allow the driver to manually tailor their experience behind the wheel to suit both their mood and the road ahead. At the touch of a button, each setting carefully retunes the steering, damper and powertrain response, either enhancing efficiency, promoting a more relaxed environment or priming the car for dynamic driving.

The Electrified GV70 is also the only Genesis model to feature e-TERRAIN technology, augmented for Model Year 2025 using advanced AI technology. The e-TERRAIN selectable modes (Snow, Mud and Sand) are now complemented by the AI-powered ‘Auto-Terrain’ feature, which analyses road conditions in real-time and automatically adjusts the car to optimum settings.

For a large car, the GV70 handles well, and ride comfort is suitably cossetting. For those who want to have some fun behind the wheel there is a virtual gearshift option and there’s dynamic torque vectoring too.
There’s no doubt that the improvements to the GV70 are more than worthwhile. Better range, upgraded technology and more choice of trims and options. There has only been a very modest price rise too, which all helps make the Electrified GV70 an even stronger contender in the premium electric SUV sector.