The GV60 is the first fully electric vehicle in the lineup of Hyundai’s luxury brand, Genesis, and it’s one of our five finalists for City Dwellers Best Car To Buy 2023.
Built on Hyundai’s E-GMP platform for dedicated electric vehicles, the 2023 Genesis GV60 stands as quite a bit shorter than the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6, but heavier than either of them—likely attributed to how loaded with comforts and conveniences it is.
2023 Genesis GV60
The GV60 sits low to the ground, with the profile of a hot hatch and a coupe-like roofline that includes a V-shaped cue near the rear. The design is neither retro like the Ioniq 5 nor as flamboyant as the EV6, but it finds gawkers wherever you go, and it’s hard to see this vehicle from an awkward angle from the outside.
Inside though, from its bright neon-green “boost” button to the cool crystal-ball shifter and flagship-luxury features like a massage driver’s seat, the GV60 sends a lot of conflicting signals—or maybe it’s just a collective set of features you don’t normally find together. The GV60’s materials are clearly a step above those in its Kia and Hyundai cousins; they’re plush, distinctive, and welcoming. But it lacks backseat legroom, and there’s really not a lot of usable cargo space with the rear seatbacks up in use.
2023 Genesis GV60
2023 Genesis GV60
2023 Genesis GV60
The GV60 already feels quick. But that “boost” button calls up a power boost of 54 hp and 70 lb-ft, boosting overall output of this dual-motor, all-wheel-drive EV to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft in the Performance version.
We found suspension tuning to be the muddled part about the GV60—a little harsher than expected at times in low-speed city driving over pockmarked street surfaces, while too loose and floaty in front on tightly curved backroads. It seems the engineering team behind the GV60 didn’t want to commit to tuning it for one particular environment, so it embraces a range of them halfheartedly.
The 77.4-kwh battery pack offers a driving range of up to 248 miles—meaning it’s not as efficient as those other E-GMP models. Like the EV6 and Ioniq 5, the GV60 can take advantage of 800-volt DC fast-charging. That means on a 350-kw connector it can get from 10-80% in just 18 minutes, or add 64 miles of range in five minutes. An 11-kw onboard charger assures you’ll pile back the miles quickly, with a full charge in about eight hours if you have a 40-amp charger, for instance.
2023 Genesis GV60
Starting at $59,980 (including the $1,090 destination charge), the GV60 is priced competitively for a luxury car. The base Advance version includes Bang & Olufsen audio, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, and 12.3-inch screens for gauges and entertainment, respectively. The Performance version, for $68,890, adds nappa leather, a massaging driver’s seat, 21-inch alloys, and more. There’s gimmickry involving facial recognition and a fingerprint sensor, but the latter technology somehow doesn’t work as fluidly as the equivalent tech you might have for your laptop.
Availability remains a sticking point. Genesis isn’t making the GV60 available across the U.S.; for now it’s offered in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Nvada, New Jersey, New York, and Washington.
Will the GV60’s quirky interpretation of luxury take it to the finish line, and our Best Car To Buy 2023? Check back Jan. 4.
