GV60 debut puts Genesis ahead in the electric race

The GV60 is the first fully electric Genesis. A mid-size luxury crossover, it goes on sale in the UK on June 6. Ahead of its launch I headed to Frankfurt where I was one of the first British journalists to drive it.

Genesis is a new premium car company owned by Hyundai. Last year saw it launch four models in the UK – two SUVS and two saloons.

The hotly-anticipated GV60 is the company’s first electric car. It shares a platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, but adds an extra layer of luxury.

What it gets from its parent company’s architecture is excellent efficiency, 800V electrics and ultrafast 360kw charging.

Three models are available: Premium, Sport and Sport Plus.

Prices start at a little over £47,000 for the Premium version, which has one 226bhp electric motor powering the rear wheels, and does 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds.

For around £55,000 you can have the Sport version. This has motors on the front and rear axle, making it four-wheel drive.

Power rises from 226bhp to 314bhp and the 0-62mph time drops to 5.5 seconds.

At the top of range and costing £65,405 is the Sport Plus, which uses a more powerful front motor to develop a mighty 429bhp – enough to do 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds.

With its lower power and lighter weight the Premium model has the best range, at 321 miles. The Sport and Sport Plus versions both cover around 290 miles.

Genesis designed the GV60 to be luxurious and here is where the car succeeds best.

Active suspension uses cameras to scan the road ahead and prepare the car for bumps and potholes. In practice this makes for a ride quality that borders on sublime.

Hurtling towards 120mph on Germany’s speed-limit-free autobahn the GV60 remained composed and whisper quiet.

Through town it handled speed bumps and awkward cambers with equal aplomb.

The GV60’S interior is superb. Start the car and a glass sphere on the centre console rotates to reveal a gear selector.

A large infotainment touchscreen is clear and easy to use. Blessedly, Genesis has avoided the route taken by other manufacturers in trying to get rid of buttons altogether.

Good old knobs and dials control temperature, fan speed and other functions you want to use without taking your eyes off the road.

The GV60 is a mid-size SUV that’s comparable in dimensions to the Audi Q4 e-tron and Volkwagen ID4.

There’s plenty of space for four six footers to sit comfortably. At 432 litres, the boot is a good size – though that rakish rear window will restrict headroom for large dogs.

There’s more space under the boot floor and a 50 litre compartment under the bonnet where you can stash the charging cables.

Genesis had Premium and Sports Plus versions for us to test out. Both are excellent. With less power

the Premium version isn’t as fast, but it still surges to 62mph in under eight seconds and has the best range at 321 miles.

At £47,000 it’s excellent value for money and is the most sensible one to go for.

However, if you like thrills the Sport Plus model supplies them.

It has a “Boost” button on the steering wheel. This gives you an extra burst of power for 10 seconds – upping it from 429bhp to a whopping 483bhp.

It’s fun to play with but seems a needless gimmick – if I’m overtaking quickly I want full power without having to press a button first.

With or without the boost function, it’s seriously fast.

Floor the throttle and you’ll absolutely rocket towards the horizon. At more than £65,000, it is expensive, though.

The Sport version is around £10,000 cheaper, also offers four-wheel drive and is nearly as fast.

Genesis is hoping to shake up the premium car market. All of their cars are extremely well equipped and competitively priced against the equivalent Audi, BMW or Mercedes.

The company’s business model is another game changer.

You get a personal assistant for the buying process. They’re not on commission so won’t give you the hard sell.

Prices are fixed so there’s no haggling. There’s five years’ warranty and servicing. The company even picks up the car from your home for servicing, leaving a courtesy car.

This sort of care and attention puts all other premium car makers to shame.

The GV60 is the first salvo in Genesis’s electrification war.

Fully electric versions of the GV70 and G80 will arrive this year. And by 2025 Genesis will only launch electric models.

If future electric Genesis models are as good as the GV60 I’ll be very happy.

HOT TOPIC: The highly anticipated GV60, which goes on sale on June 6, is the first all-electric car from Genesis, and comes with a superb customer care package.

SMOOTH: Genesis has designed the GV60 to be luxurious and this is where it excels. Inside there is plenty of room for four large adults and, for the driver, knobs and dials control temperature, fan speed and other cabin functions without the need to take your eyes off the road. The Sport version costs around £55,000 and comes with a four-wheel drive option.