This week I was in the fully electric 2023 Genesis GV60. If you have read any of my past reviews on electric vehicles, you know I am not a fan. And that my issues stems from the inaccessibility of fast charging options. I live in a strata that does not have such options, and the free Flo charging station at my gym yields only 3% for every 1 hour plugged in. Plus such media vehicles do not come with the necessary adaptor to have them charging quickly at home. So after 13 hours of plugging it in it at my friend’s house we only moved the needle by 4%.
However, despite being less than 50% fully charged, I stubbornly insisted on driving the GV60 for our latest girl’s day out. A drive from around Surrey into Langley, then all the way to Abbotsford. Thankfully luck was on our side, and we would find a new fast charging station, not listed on any map or Google. It wasn’t until this easy to set up, tap to pay, and plug it in and leave it station did I start seeing the value of fully electric vehicles. When going from 43% to 84% in under 60 minutes, the fear of running out of juice and/or the need to post up and wait for the EV to charge disappears. Therefore, the rest of the review is a glowing look at this sleek and stylish, technology driven SUV.
If simply looking at the EV SUV and judging it based on the way it drives and not the steps needed to get it there, the 2023 Genesis GV60 is fantastic. It is a sexy looking vehicle, with plenty of bells and whistles to have you bragging about it to your friends.
From exterior to interior the vehicle is striking in frosty mint. Its visual components really speak to the aesthetic of the brand and the vehicle itself. The driver is treated to a projected Genesis logo to mark the driver’s side entry. When you unlock the vehicle, the headlights flicker and dance in a greeting. And I have only seen this with Teslas, but the Genesis’ doorhandles pop out at a 45° angle when it is time to enter, then retreat back into the door frame for a clean side panel. This is a sleek looking sliver bar of a handle with just enough to grip, to pull the door open.
This futuristic approach carries on into the interior, with a unique design for all four door armrests, front and back seat. They all seem to hover like a floating island, equipped with a unique rounded door handle to lift and release. As well, on the driver’s side there is a dial to adjust the mirrors left and right. On the front passenger’s a rounded speaker to balance out the design. But worry not about the potential of uneven audio, as there are plenty of speakers to surround everyone in Bang and 0lufsen quality audio. This count includes 2 on each back passenger door located on the top and bottom half, sandwiching the above mentioned, in door arm rest.
But the most iconic feature of this car has to be its ornamental glass orb. Think of a crystal ball in place of the traditional gear shift knob. A fun visual display that unfortunately you don’t get to enjoy much. Because as soon as you push the start button to turn on the car, the orb rotates 180 degrees and reveals the actual gear shift hidden within the centre console. This is an ergonomic dial you turn to reverse the car, put it to neutral, and drive; with a push button park at the centre.
With this and all the other dials, knobs, switches, and bottoms you get the feeling of turning on and using an appliance. A dial to toggle between your left and right mirror, one to dictate how tightly the seat has you, and another for general navigation of the infotainment system. There is a rolling spinner to adjust the volume and change your satellite radio station or Apple Carplay listed song. All these controls humorously reminded me of a child’s or toddlers play toy, engaging and stimulating. And like the collection of buttons and dials, the interior surface was a mix of fabrics, faux leathers, suede, plastics, and even reflector tape; making the vehicle one of a kind in design.
But overall, the interface of the 2023 Genesis GV60 Electric SUV is kept pretty minimalistic. Only your going speed is projected onto the windshield. The dash is divided into 2 halves with gages, showing the speed alongside metres that indicate the charge left and the power available. This includes the temperature and accumulated travel trip in fine print. At the centre is an outline of your vehicle driving in a straight line with sensor signals that turn red should it sense an obstacle within range. It also alerts you when the car in front of yours is pulling away, and you are still stationary, metres behind it.
Similarly, the infotainment system has bullet point information you might need in the moment. Date, time, your media connection, the temperature, the city you are in, plus a black out horizon view of your car in animated motion, set as a relaxing wallpaper.
I liked the built-in wireless charger. A discrete pocket just before the glove compartment, dedicated to charger your phone at a high speed. It vibrates to signal start and a light turns on to indicate it is indeed charging. This compartment allows you to keep your phone within reach, without the temptation of using it while driving.
There is a spacious gap between the infotainment station and the centre console, which is ideal for storage. A nice nook to hold items such as a backpack or a purse. There is also a similar netted option underneath the centre console in reach of the back seat occupants. These provide a designated storage place, so you are not throwing your belongings on the passenger seat, or on to the row at the back. Not that there is no room in the back passenger seats. The row is spacious with similar individual comforts, as with the front 2 seats: C-cable charging ports for both the left and right, individual climate control and heading seats, plus air vents positioned on the door. Plus, the same plushy faux off-beige leather seats as in the front, a concise look that gives the steering wheel a hard yet marshmallow-y feel. I found that the seat cushions absorbs much impact, and you can customize the front 2 with finite detail and plenty of lumbar support considerations.
Although it feels spacious, I found that the GV60 has a smaller cabin, so there are blind spots. For example, the framework columns separating the windows front and back. And depending on your set up, the passenger seat can fully obscure the back passenger window, making right-handed shoulder checks, challenging. Although you can easily adjust the passenger seat from any location, thanks to the buttons on the left of said passenger seat, which is within reach of the driver and back row passengers.
Like with the example above, the Genesis GV60 is very considerate. It has all the modern safety and comfort considerations like heated wheel and seats, cooling seats, collision detection on all 4 sides and all 4 corners. And when you signal to change lanes either right or left, the corresponding side of the dash changes to a wheel side view of the tire on the road, for extra visibility and with safety in mind.
I was impressed by the practically panoramic skylight. Although unfortunately, this continuous piece of glass does not open as a sunroof. And speaking of unobstructed views, looking at the rearview mirror, you are distracted by the thick line across the trunk’s window, you can look around it but it does pose as a visibility issue.
Only towards the end of my weeklong loan, did I bother to toggle through the driving modes of the 2023 Genesis GV60 Electric SUV and I was surprised to learn that on top of the standard sport and normal mode, this eco car had an eco-mode. I would push this immediately, only to play with the yellow “boost” button in the opposite corner of the wheel. This little feature gave you an extra surge of power, Fast and Furious style. And allowed me to easily overtake any vehicle within distance.
In conclusion, I loved the GV60 for all its unique quirks and thoughtful attributes, for its aesthetics and its smooth ride. And if only a fast-charging option was more readily available to me I would seriously consider investing in this and any other luxury EVs.
