Regardless of what happens with import tariffs, we can expect to see a host of Chinese brands setting up shop on these shores in the not-too-distant future – many already have – so you could argue Hyundai couldn’t have picked a worse time to launch its Genesis luxury brand into the UK.
Obviously, Genesis is Korean, not Chinese, but it faces similar marketing challenges when it comes to capturing the hearts and minds of UK customers and that’s before the European legacy brands really start to roll up their sleeves. Anyone remember what happened to Infiniti?
Well resolved drive
Of course, you could argue Infiniti got everything wrong from the outset, introducing outmoded rolling stock that had been on sale for several years in the US and by the time the company realised it was totally out of kilter with market demands – at the time that demand was for fuel-efficient diesels, not gas-guzzling petrol engines – it was too little too late.
Now you could accuse Genesis of scampering down a similar rabbit hole by introducing the GV70 with 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol and 2.2-litre diesel engines but thankfully, some brave soul must have shouted loud enough ‘is it just me’ and convinced some high ups to sign off the funds to for an electrified powertrain, hence, the Electrified GV70.
Now there are obvious signs that the GV70 platform proably wasn’t designed with a fully buzzed application as a priority. Perhaps a mild or a plug-in hybrid may have been considered but the fact a great big transmission tunnel runs down the centre of the GV70 tells me it was formulated primarily with internal combustion engines in mind. Therefore, it is all the more remarkable that the Electrified GV70 feels so well resolved.
Granted, like almost every EV, Genesis’ mid-sized SUV is a proper heavyweight. At 2,300kg it is 400kg heavier than the petrol version but the combination of sophisticated suspension and accurate steering do an excellent job of disguising this inherent bulk.
Cathedral quiet
Perhaps the most notable aspect of the Electrified GV70 is just how quiet it is, I mean, it is cathedral-quiet. While the electric motors are so well isolated you’d swear you are being motivated by celestial influence rather than any form of electrickery, road and wind noise are reduced to mere background murmurs. This is the best news possible, if, like me, you’re inclined to spend far too many hours enduring the torturous nature of our moribund motorways, as noise is an absolute terror when it comes to inducing tiredness. Our particular GV70 comes with a host of defences designed to outwit outside bombardments, such as all-round laminate side glass and a lush Lexicon sound system, which, as well as supplying rich melodies pumps active noise-cancelling tones into the cabin to help reduce the thunderous slapping of those tortured 20in tyres on pummeled tarmac.
Of course it helps that the interior also combines a sense of regal old money elegance with subtle and intuitive tech. While precison-tailored leather covers almost everything I’ll come in touch with, our car features the Nappa leather diamond stitched seats, designed to cosset and gently pulsate every inch of my lumbar regions.
A wide-screen infotainment display can be controlled via digit interaction, or in my particular case by the BMW-like rotary controller, and I’m absolutely cock-a-hoop about the similar rotary controls for easy adjustment of the cabin temperature.
Bombastic performance
What’s not quite so much in keeping with all this calm and deportment is the GV70’s ability to summon up bombastic performance thanks to a maximum power output of up to 490hp. If I chose, I can press the boost button, which is somewhat eccentrically located on the centre-spoke of the steering wheel and fire me and the GV70 from a standstill to 0-62mph in a scenery blurring 4.2 seconds. Of course, as gigglesome as these antics are I can ill afford to wave goodbye to the already rather limited 276 miles official range. And this is before Jack Frost and his range-depleting nip comes calling, so no doubt I’ll be exercising a measure of restraint most of the time.
From a load-lugging perspective the GV70 isn’t particularly great. Yes, there are handles just inside the boot so I don’t have to open the side doors to fold the seatbacks down but that sloping roof line means the boot is pretty shallow. What’s more, can someone tell me who signed off that cheap-o roller blind cover? ‘The boat was sunk for a hapeth of tar’ may be a bit excessive, but really?
Standard equipment: Keyless entry, remote central locking, tri-zone climate control, heated seats, digital cockpit, 14in infotainment screen sat-navigation, three-spoke leather heated multi-function steering wheel with paddles for recuperation level selection, 2 front & 2 rear USB type C sockets, wireless Apple Carplay, wireless phone charger. Adaptive cruise control with stop-start function and speed limiter, dynamic smart LED headlights lights with cornering function, lane assist, forward collision warning with automatic braking, driver alert system, acoustic side windows, front and rear parking sensors, rear view camera. Finger print reader authentication.
Options: Mauna Red metallic paint £750, 20in alloy wheels £630, Innovation pack including head-up display, surround view monitor, blind-spot view monitor, remote smart parking assist, dual LED headlights with intelligent front-lighting system, 12.3in 3D Cluster Display, Comfort seat pack including ergomotion front seats with electric lumbar, cushion extensions, heated and ventilation feature £1,660, Nappa leather seat pack £2,300, Lexicon Audio System £1,010, Convenience Pack+ second row Comfort Seat Pack including heated steering wheel, rear laminated side glass, heated front and rear seats, rear air conditioning with auto temp control.
| Model | Genesis Electrified GV70 Sport |
| P11D price | £64,300 |
| As tested | £77,825 |
| WLTP Combined Range | 276 miles |
| Test consumption/Range | 3.1 miles per/kWh |
| Mileage | 3,180 |
