2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 First Test Review: A Luxury SUV and EV

Related Video

Maybe you find yourself turned off by the design that rules so many of today's EVs. Maybe they look goofy or strange to you. Maybe you like the idea of EVs, but you don't need to virtue signal it to everyone else on the road. For those of you in the aforementioned camps, there are an increasing number of vehicles like the upscale 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70—a sleek and stylish SUV that also happens to be electric powered.

That last bit is the most compelling thing about this new Genesis EV. In case you weren't aware, the GV70 already exists with a gasoline engine—it's so good, in fact, that we crowned it our 2022 MotorTrend SUV of the Year. The Electrified GV70 builds on that excellent SUV by offering something just as smooth and luxurious, albeit much quieter and with more power.

It's not all good news. As with most EVs, our testing data indicates that its real-world highway range is lower than advertised. But it counters that negative with quick charge times when hooked up to a DC fast charger. And a weekend spent with the electric GV70 also revealed it to be a highly pleasant commuter with an agreeable nature. It's not the fastest or sportiest electric SUV out there, and that's OK; expecting it to be anything else would be missing the point.

The first Genesis model built at the brand's Montgomery, Alabama, plant, it's easy to get the impression the Electrified GV70 is merely a GV70 trim level, especially so from a styling perspective as it's pretty indistinguishable from the non-electric version. The only key visual differences are a lack of tailpipes and its closed-off, diamond-pattern grille where the charge port and its door reside. Only available with all-wheel drive, the electric GV70 produces 429 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque from its motors, with juice supplied to them by a 77.4-kWh battery pack. (A steering-wheel-mounted boost button increases that output by a healthy 54 hp for 10 seconds.)

Inside, the gas-powered GV70's attractive, elliptical interior motif is present here, as well, but it looks next level when outfitted in the frankly dazzling Glacier White leather trim package. Visions of yachts and caprese salads dance in your head as you climb in, though the driver's seat of our test car already wore some color transfer from the jeans of a previous driver. And it must be said: A stark-white leather steering wheel is simply asking for trouble. Same goes for the white brake calipers that are a striking feature but went gray with grime after a weekend of biblical rains.

Front passenger room is spacious, although shorter drivers might wish for longer femurs so their knees can clear the curiously long seat (an issue shorter staffers among us have had with other Genesis vehicles). And because the GV70 sports a slick, slopey silhouette in profile, taller rear-seat passengers might find headroom somewhat limited.

The GV70 was already a pretty quiet-riding SUV at speed, but the experience becomes cosmically silent in the battery-powered model (the Active Noise Control feature as part of the test car's optional Prestige package helps, as well). On tight city streets full of double-parked delivery trucks, the electric GV70 skated by with ghostly ease and boosted driver confidence thanks to a suite of proximity cameras and light but accurate steering.

Steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters control the Electrified GV70's regenerative braking effort, but even on its highest setting the SUV never feels as eager to stop when one-pedal driving like other EVs such as the Rivian R1T. Relatedly, the brake pedal is also difficult to modulate for smooth stops, as the system's inability to seamlessly manage the transition between regenerative and friction braking can cause weird, unintentional lurches. Still, we recorded the braking distance from 60 mph down to a stop in 118 feet—impressive given the V-6-powered GV70 needed 124 feet to stop despite weighing nearly 500 pounds less.

Highway driving is where the electric GV70 shines. Its suspension soaks up everything but the gnarliest bumps, and even those only manage to make it into the cabin with muted thuds. The EPA estimates the Genesis achieves 236 miles of range. In MotorTrend testing, it returned 199 miles at a constant 70 mph; this isn't surprising, as coming up about 15 percent short of the government number in our real-world test is typical.

Genesis also touts the electric GV70's fast-charging capabilities. At a 350-kW charger, it pulled up to 232 kW and recuperated 125 miles of range after 15 minutes of charging, 175 miles after 30 minutes, and 191 miles after 45 minutes. Charging the EV SUV from 5 to 80 percent battery capacity took 20 minutes, and it took 47 minutes total to charge from 5 percent battery capacity to full. These are impressive numbers, and those looking to spend as little time plugged in as possible at fast-charging stations should definitely consider one of Hyundai's EVs (not to mention a Tesla or Lucid). Its front-mounted charge port is a little suboptimally located, though. What happens if you can only pull up alongside a charger or if you damage the fascia?

Not that you opened this review expecting it, but as we've indicated, the electric GV70 is not a sporty SUV. Its figure-eight test performance did not spark joy from anyone. It understeered on turn-in, oversteered in midcorner, and understeered once more at corner exit. While the brakes stopped pretty well in our 60‒0 test, they faded almost instantly around the figure eight, which further complicated matters. Nobody buys an electric GV70 to slay at the track, however, so this is likely a nonissue for would-be buyers. Bottom line, the Electrified GV70's mission is luxury first and sport second—anyone who doesn't understand that wholly misunderstands its mission.

If you absolutely must experience exhilaration while behind the wheel, there's always the boost button. As mentioned above, it adds about 50 hp for 10 seconds and is most effective at generating smiles when deployed at low speeds. There's the school of thought that boost buttons are inherently gimmicky (why wouldn't a car have full power always?), and we used the feature maybe twice during the course of our time with it on public roads. Making matters worse, the button's position is also an issue. You shouldn't have to move your entire hand while on the journey to make your car drive faster (we'd like it closer to the right thumb). But even if you never hit the boost, the electric GV70's always-available power is more than adequate for accelerating, merging, and passing, with a hugely impressive 3.7 second 0‒60-mph time for a 2.5-ton SUV.

If what you've read so far makes you want to run over to your nearest Genesis dealer and plunk down about $75,000, hang on just a sec. As of this writing, the electric GV70 is only being sold at "select Genesis retailers due to extremely limited availability."

So far, a Genesis rep confirmed the car can be purchased in 23 states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin), but the brand has plans to expand once it can increase production numbers.

For the moment, though, it seems like customers in the other 28 states will have to wait. MotorTrend contacted one dealership in Michigan and was told it can't sell an electric GV70 because the dealerships can't service them. Meanwhile, the Genesis rep said its electric cars "can be serviced at select retailers that have been certified."

Nevertheless, you can count the 2023 Electrified GV70 as another home run from Genesis. Its undeniable interior opulence is only enhanced by its purée-smooth road manners. You'll even forget it's an EV with how little fanfare it dedicates to the cause. You get in, turn it on with a push button as you've been doing for years, and just go. All the controls are where you expect them to be. There is nothing new or alien here. It just doesn't use any gasoline and is gobs quicker than any other GV70. But its range isn't up to par with some of its closest competitors, so that's a trade-off. You'll have to decide if it's one worth making.