Genesis GV60 vs Geely Starray Em-I

What's the difference?

Genesis has been in Australia for seven years, which in car industry terms is ancient (given the rapid pace of new arrivals). But the Hyundai-owned luxury brand has yet to make a real dent on challenging the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz and is now facing growing threat from the likes of Zeekr and Omoda-Jaecoo.

So it has opted for the tried and tested method of appealing to Australian customers - more performance. Australians have always had a soft spot for the likes of BMW M and Mercedes-AMG, so Genesis is hoping its new performance sub-brand, dubbed Magma, will help give it a sales boost as well as an image enhancement.

The Genesis GV60 Magma has just arrived in Australia and is the first member of what is planned to be an entire family of Magma halo vehicles. 

An electric performance small SUV is an unusual choice for a hero model, but there are some good reasons why this has potential and why it makes sense to be the first Magma offering. And both those reasons are largely the same, because the GV60 Magma is based on the same underpinnings and features and much the same powertrain as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N. 

Just like Hyundai N has three core elements - Corner Rascal, Racetrack Capability and Everyday Sportcar - Genesis has created a trio of pillars for Magma. These are Design: Unspoken Dominance, Driving Sensation: Captivating Control and User Experience: Sharpened Immersion. 

Or to put it another way - slightly different, but fundamentally the same premise given the shared mechanical DNA. But Genesis has definitely put its own spin on it, so read on to find out if Magma is hot or not.

Hybrids are yesterday’s news.

If you’re looking for a combination powertrain in 2025 you want a ‘Super Hybrid’. This is the Chinese car industry’s term for what is more commonly known as a plug-in hybrid, but they are all the rage among car brands as they rush to simultaneously cut emissions and keep buyers.

The Geely Starray EM-i is the latest addition to a growing number of Super Hybrids available in Australia, joining the BYD Sealion 6, MG HS, Jaecoo J7, Omoda 9 and the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (which doesn’t have the fancy name but has the same tech).

This is Geely’s second entry into the Australian market, following the similar-sized but all-electric EX5 earlier this year. While it’s a new brand to Australia, Geely is an automotive giant, it’s so big in China it has been able to expand its global reach. Its parent company, also called Geely, has an ownership stake in Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Zeekr, Proton, Smart, Lynk & Co. and Aston Martin.

But none of that really matters when you’re buying a car. So, how does the Starray stack up on its own merits? Is it a compelling new addition or just another forgettable offering in an increasingly crowded mid-size SUV market?