Genesis Electrified GV70 Luxury (2025 - )

Genesis has given its all-electric GV70 flagship model a mid-life refresh with comprehensive design enhancements, interior upgrades and advanced technologies added to the mix.

The five-door luxury SUV was launched back in 2022 and has established itself as the company’s most popular model in Europe. Now the MY25 version represents an even more attractive proposition.

A new trim structure sees three grades called Pure, Dynamic and Luxury with on-the-road prices starting from £65,915. All versions feature an 84kWh battery with two 180kW motors at the front and rear for all-wheel drive capabilities.

The driving range of 298 miles (278 miles on Dynamic and Luxury trims) is bettered by some rival models, but as a teaser to the Genesis Electrified GV70’s performance, it features a BOOST button. Press that and it can complete the 0-62mph sprint in a blisteringly quick 4.4 seconds. 

We opted for the high-end Luxury model for our test drive and it came with all the bells and whistles imaginable … at a price, of course.

The Electrified GV70 is a full-sized family SUV that boasts a strong road presence with distinctive styling that makes it stand out in any crowded car park. New for the latest model are reprofiled bumpers for a bolder appearance, a redesigned grille with flush diamond pattern (hiding the charging port), two-line quad headlights with superior illumination, a new rear bumper that accentuates the car’s width, striking alloy wheel designs in 18 or 19-inch sizes, white brake calipers on our test car, an electric panoramic sunroof, plus the latest Genesis emblem.

Move inside and the interior oozes class with the finest materials, fixtures and fittings incorporated into a truly premium cabin. 

You can expect chic Nappa leather upholstery with seats that offer 18-way power adjustment, are heated, ventilated and even deliver a massage function. The main focal point is a new 27-inch panoramic display that seamlessly merges the infotainment screen with the driver display readouts. A head-up display is also a most appreciated feature on a car delivering such rapid pace.

There is a reshaped three-spoke, touch sensitive steering wheel that can be heated, new wraparound ambient lighting functions, slim air vents and numerous soft-touch surfaces. 

The list of creature comforts also impresses with a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system with noise cancellation technology, sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus plenty more besides  And when the vehicle is in Park, you can check out the latest Netflix, Disney+ or YouTube broadcasts.

A separate panel controls the climate settings, while a user-friendly dial offers access to the drive selector with another dial to control the audio’s volume. Elsewhere a convenient toggle switch allows the driver to easily move between the drive modes or terrain settings without taking their eyes from the road ahead.

Powering our 2025 Electrified GV70 was an 84kWh battery working in tandem with two electric motors (one on each axle) for all-wheel drive. With a maximum output of 490PS and 700Nm of torque, the car can reach 62mph from a standing start in just 5.0 seconds – a figure that drops to 4.4 seconds with the BOOST mode selected. This increases the power output to its maximum 490PS from the standard 440PS the car usually utilises, so you have the full firepower as the clock counts down from 10 seconds. 

The top speed is 146mph and our test car in Luxury guise had a driving range between charges of 287 miles.

When faced with the open road, the acceleration through the single speed transmission is smooth and rapid, so it’s important to keep a watchful eye on the head-up display where the speed is clearly highlighted.

Despite its size, the Electrified GV70 is agile through sweeping country lanes with impressive grip into and out of tighter bends. Excellent driver visibility, along with a raft of parking aids makes city driving more enjoyable. And paddles can be used to increase or decrease the strength of the regenerative braking - in its highest setting, the car can be brought to a complete standstill without touching the brake pedal. 

The steering is perfectly weighted with ample driver feedback which is a bonus when firing through twisting B roads. Additionally, drive modes called Eco, Comfort and Sport alter the dynamics and performance, while the Terrain Modes of Snow, Mud and Sand will help you conquer more challenging conditions.

A new feature on the latest model is the Virtual Gear Shift (first seen in stablemate, the Hyundai Ioniq 5N) which allows you to drive the car using the paddles to accelerate while there is a matching engine note. It mimics a traditional manual gearbox with torque and revs giving the feel and driving experience of a combustion engine. It may sound a bit gimmicky, but it’s actually a great addition and something that works really well when put to the test.

Our only slight gripe was the firmness of the ride which could be attributed to the car’s larger 20-inch wheels. While the suspension set-up does an excellent job of smoothing out the uneven surfaces, you will feel more bumps and dips than models riding on smaller wheels.

The Genesis Electrified GV70 has plenty of kerb appeal thanks to its larger than life dimensions. It stretches 4,715mm in length, is 1,995mm across and 1,630mm tall with a wheelbase of 2,875mm. 

Those figures make for a spacious cabin with ample room up front for two exceptionally tall adults to sit comfortably and space in the back for a couple more (three at a bit of a squeeze).

The boot features a powered tailgate and can accommodate 503 litres of luggage, a limit that increases to 1,678 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. There’s an additional 25 litres of storage space beneath the bonnet too.

Elsewhere, there are numerous practical storage compartments scattered throughout the cabin, including a lockable glovebox, central cubby, door bins, seat back nets, front and rear cup holders, trays and a wireless charging pad.

One clever feature on the latest Electrified GV70 is its Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 system which is controlled via the key fob. This is handy if you park the car in a narrow garage. The intelligent system uses a number of sensors and cameras and can detect parking spaces, manage the steering, speed and the transmission. The latest version has upgraded parking line recognition and is available on both the Dynamic and Luxury models.

With all-wheel drive, the Electrified GV70 is ideal for family breaks and can tow a trailer or caravan weighing up to 750kg (braked) or 1,800kg (unbraked).

Charging the vehicle takes just 19 minutes from 10 to 80 per cent if using a 350kW rapid charger; 76 minutes via a 50kW unit; 7 hours, 55 minutes from 10 to 100 per cent if plugged into an 11kW wallbox and 34 hours, 24 minutes via an AC domestic socket (10 to 100 per cent).

The new Electrified GV70 is a premium car through and through, so not surprisingly, it has a price-tag to match. The entry-level Pure grade costs from £65,915 OTR and is expected to be the best-selling model accounting for 40 per cent of sales. Mid-trim Dynamic is priced from £70,715, while the Luxury is £74,915. Both these models are expected to account for 30 per cent of the sales each.

Our test car, the high-end Luxury version, started out costing £74,915, but there was a raft of optional extras that saw the final price creep up to £81,185. These included a Comfort Pack (£1,070), Nappa Leather Seat Pack (£2,500), a Serenity Pack (£260), a Vehicle-to-Load Pack (£890), white brake calipers (£320) and a digital centre mirror at £420.

In April this year, a number of financial incentives for EV drivers were cut back or withdrawn completely. That means, that road tax is no longer free so EV owners will pay a token £10 first-year charge increasing to the standard annual cost of £195 after 12 months.

Additionally, EV owners are also now liable for the government’s Expensive Car Supplement which applies to any vehicle costing in excess of £40k. This adds an extra £425 from years two to six of ownership. 

The Electrified GV70 comes with a five-year, unlimited mileage warranty, increasing to 10 years or 100,000 miles for the battery. Additionally, Genesis does things a little bit different to ensure the customer enjoys a smooth purchasing and aftercare service. It’s called the Genesis 5-Year Care Plan and includes at-home collection and return for servicing (free up to 30 miles), supplying a courtesy car, providing five years of Roadside Assistance and regular free multi-media and map updates.

There will be a lot of readers who will be asking why this Genesis Electrified GV70 should be given a chance when there are so many excellent, tried and tested German models out there who have already earned their stripes. And it’s a fair question. 

But change isn’t always a bad thing and it’s nice to stand out from the crowd at times. This new Electrified GV70 will help you achieve that. It boasts distinctive, bold styling, a luxurious cabin that has all the mod cons you could wish for and delivers on the ride and handling front too.

Yes, it’s expensive (as are its rivals) and we would have liked a little more range, but it’s still a car that’s certainly worth more than a second glance.