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It’s time to say goodbye to the Genesis GV70 Electrified Performance after three months.
My time with the car was cut short this month due to a trip overseas, but either way this is the longest I’ve lived with an electric car. I now have a comprehensive grasp on not just how the GV70 performs but how easy the transition to electric cars is.
The bottom line is electric cars aren’t for everyone, but the same can be said about any vehicle.
Where having an electric car for an extended period fell flat for me was the lack of home charging in a rental apartment, with no hope of getting said charging infrastructure installed.
This meant I had to rely on patchy public chargers, which were either busy, broken, inconveniently located or generally a drain on my personal time.
So, first of all, for the GV70 Electrified, or any electric car for that matter, to be your ride of choice a home charger should be at the top of your list.
If you have somewhere to install it, you’re in luck as Genesis includes the installation of a 7.2kWh home wallbox charger with the purchase of the GV70 Electrified. This charger will replenish the battery to 100 per cent overnight.
Second is price. If you are on the hunt for a medium luxury SUV there are fewer options than you might imagine.
Mercedes-Benz quietly axed its EQC from its global line-up last year with a successor still some time away, and Audi doesn't have an EV equivalent to the popular Q5 SUV.
BMW’s iX3 is considerably cheaper at roughly $105,000 (before on-road costs) than the $125,858 GV70, but it can't match its luxe vibe or potent performance.
The GV70’s closest rival is probably the similarly-priced Lexus RZ electric SUV, but it lacks the oomph to match it with the GV70 Electrified.
The Porsche Macan is another option, as the German maker has ditched potent petrol power in favour of electric propulsion for its volume-selling SUV.
It too is extremely expensive. The range kicks off at $128,400 before on-road costs, which is a jump of more than $30,000 compared to the most affordable version of the outgoing petrol model.
Where the GV70 Electrified stands out is it’s the only one currently blending a heavy standard equipment list and proper luxury appeal with stonking performance.
The Macan is likely to zip past it when it arrives later this year, but again, you’ll need to pay more for the same combination.
So, in the luxury electric SUV game, the GV70 Electrified is firming as a class favourite on paper.
The sparkle dwindles a bit on the road, where the GV70 Electrified isn’t the sharpest steering vehicle in its class. As mentioned in previous tests the suspension is too soft and the car is too heavy, which results in lots of body roll through corners and a bumpy ride as the springs struggle to keep it in check.
It does excel as a sort of grand tourer where you cruise along the motorway in quiet comfort or tackle a twisting road with modest intent that dulls the suspension's faults.
Energy use and the consequent driving range is a bit ho-hum, too.
We experienced 23.6kWh per 100km, over the more than 1500km travelled, compared to the company’s claimed 19.9kWh figure.
For the electric car uninitiated, carmakers quote battery capacity in kilowatt hours (kWh). The GV70 has a 77.4kWh battery, so divide that by 23.6kWh then multiply by 100 and you can work out the real-world range on our test.
It was 327km… Oof. The GV70's on-board range readout showed more like 360km when full.
That’s substantially less than the 445km claimed by Genesis either way.
Now don’t take my efficiency as gospel, a range of factors contribute to that number and maybe I have a heavy right foot, carried a lot of passengers most of the time or did long highway stints?
Most electric cars won’t get close to their claimed range, just as petrol cars won’t realistically be able to achieve their official fuel use figures.
Again, if you have a home charger, you can top up every night and this isn’t really a big issue.
Acquired: April, 2024
Distance travelled this month: 295km
Odometer: 4802km
Average energy consumption overall: 23.6kWh/100km
$125,858
Based on new car retail price
Overall, the GV70 Electrified has slightly more ticks in the pros column than in the cons. There isn't much like it in terms of rivals and its faults are nearly universal in the EV game.
This all adds up to a solid, plush, family option for city dwellers, which means it should be on your shopping list if you are in the market for a properly premium EV SUV.
$125,858
Based on new car retail price
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