The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 is the third battery-electric model in the premium brand’s lineup, joining the GV60 and Electrified G80 sedan. Like its siblings, the Electrified GV70 features dual electric motors that deliver excellent performance and a quiet, comfortable ride. The addition of the Electrified GV70 is integral to Genesis’ plans to offer only battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) by 2030 with the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2035.
An all-new model for the 2023 model year, the Genesis Electrified GV70 builds on the gas-powered GV70 introduced a year earlier. While the electric and non-electric versions look very similar, the EV does stand out with a unique solid grille and a clean rear design sans exhaust outlets. Surprisingly, this electric version of the GV70 does not say “EV” or “Electrified” anywhere on the vehicle. Built in America, 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 production takes place at the brand’s new vehicle manufacturing facility in Montgomery, Alabama.
The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 is available in a single trim level starting at around $67,000, including the $1,125 destination charge. Most features are standard; however, the Electrified GV70 is available with a Prestige package that includes Nappa leather trim, the 12.3-inch 3D digital driver’s display, and heated second-row seats.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Genesis Electrified GV70 competes in the Compact Premium SUVmarket segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2022 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 62 percent of new Compact Premium SUV buyers are male (vs. 62 percent for the industry), and the median age of a new Compact Premium Segment buyer is 55 years (vs. 54).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated vehicles in the Compact Premium SUV market segment in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you’ll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a Genesis Electrified GV70 equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $74,350, including the $1,125 destination charge.
Photo: Perry Stern
One look inside the cabin of the Electrified GV70 and the first word that comes to mind is elegance. The two-tone treatment of white and black with contrasting stitching elevates the cabin to a high level of luxury, all brought together with brushed aluminum trim and multi-color ambient lighting.
My test vehicle featured the optional Nappa leather trim on the front seats with a stylish pleated design and subtle contrasting copper piping. Not only do they look good, but the seats are also soft and comfortable, with excellent support. Seat heating and cooling are also standard.
Genesis offers a unique feature for the front seats called the Smart Posture Care System that analyzes the driver’s posture. Once seated, the driver enters their height and weight on the posture screen. The system then adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel, mirrors, and head-up display to the optimal position.
The Genesis EV features a wide 14.5-inch infotainment display perched high on the dashboard, making it easy for the driver to see at a glance. While many high-end car companies are bringing the driver display and infotainment into a single screen, Genesis keeps these separate, which works nicely with the brand’s design.
My test vehicle featured the upgraded 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. With a camera tracking the driver’s eye movements, the screen displays the gauges and information in an easy-to-read stereoscopic 3D display and adds to the vehicle’s coolness factor.
I like that Genesis is not attempting to make the Electrified GV70 devoid of physical controls. Climate functions beautifully integrate into the dashboard design with intuitive soft-touch controls and proper dials for temperature adjustment. Below the climate system are convenient buttons that provide shortcuts to navigation, audio, communications, and vehicle settings.
The center console is just as stylish as the rest of the cabin, with a large, covered storage bin, cupholders, and a convenient space for wireless device charging that keeps the phone in place without sliding off the charging pad.
Additional controls for the infotainment are on the center console, as is an attractive control dial. The gear selector is a similar size and shape, placed just behind the infotainment controller. While they have a different look and feel, they are similar enough that I turned the wrong dial on more than one occasion.
The rear seats get the same stylish treatment as the front, with pleated leather seatbacks and subtle copper piping. Rear-seat passengers enjoy plenty of legroom and headroom, and the flat floor adds to the expansive space. The middle seat is stiff and less comfortable than the outboard seats. Still, with good legroom, the seat can accommodate an adult if necessary. Dual USB ports and rear climate controls further enhance the rear-seat experience.
Photo: Perry Stern
The Genesis infotainment system is one of the better options on the market, featuring a wide display, large icons, and a quick response time. Interaction is via the touchscreen, center controller, or voice control.
The infotainment system includes AM/FM/HD Radio/Sirius XM satellite radio, eight speakers, Bluetooth streaming and hands-free calling, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and satellite navigation. Buyers can upgrade to the optional Lexicon premium audio system with 15 speakers and 1,050 watts of output.
I am surprised that Genesis does not offer the convenience of wireless integration for Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. That said, plugging in my Samsung Galaxy S21 provided a quick setup for Android Auto. However, after having experienced the ease of having a wireless connection in other vehicles I’ve tested, it became tiresome to plug in my phone every time I got into the Electrified GV70.
Once connected, Android Auto utilizes two-thirds of the wide display, with the right-most panel dedicated to the native system, showing weather or navigation. With the quick-access buttons on the dash and center console, switching back and forth between Android Auto and the Genesis system is a breeze.
For many functions, it can be easier to use the voice control than the touchscreen or center controller. Activated by pressing a button on the steering wheel, the voice system understands natural-language queries and has a long list of tasks it can perform. I asked the system to adjust the climate and change the radio station, and it completed these functions without any issues.
The only oddity I encountered was when requesting navigation to a specific address on NE 18th Way. It found the correct address, but when the system read back the destination, it said we were going to “Nebraska 18th Way,” having translated NE to Nebraska.
My test vehicle also had the optional high-end Lexicon audio system, and the sound quality was excellent at low and high volumes, adding to the overall pleasant experience of driving the Electrified GV70.
Photo: Perry Stern
Two electric motors power the Electrified GV70—one powering the front wheels and another at the rear. Each motor delivers about 215 horsepower for a total output of 429 hp and 516 pound-feet of torque. For a bit more oomph, Boost mode will bump power to 483 hp for a 10-second exhilarating sprint.
With the dual-motor drivetrain delivering impressive grip and gobs of torque instantly, the Electrified GV70 is very quick off the line. According to Genesis, this crossover EV will sprint to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Based on my experience, this figure might be conservative.
There are plenty of great features in the Electrified GV70, but one of my favorites is Boost mode. Activated with a button at the bottom of the steering wheel, Boost mode reminds me of the turbo boost button in the old arcade racing games, but this is way more fun.
Pressing the Boost mode button starts a 10-second countdown in the driver display, followed by an incredible acceleration burst. Ten seconds is probably too long; in that time, the GV70 can easily surpass the legal speed limit.
Whether driving the Electrified GV70 like a race car or a daily driver (or both), the power always comes on smoothly with a throttle that is easy to modulate. This EV is perfectly content running errands in town or quietly cruising down the freeway. In either situation, the ride remains comfortable with confident handling.
The driver can select the level of brake regeneration in the Electrified GV70. Setting it to maximum enables one-pedal driving, called i-pedal. With one-pedal driving, lifting off the accelerator employs maximum brake regeneration and slows the vehicle, eventually to a complete stop. With some practice, I was able to drive the Electrified GV70 without pressing the brake pedal for much of my time behind the wheel. One-pedal driving is also quite enjoyable when piloting the GV70 in a more spirited fashion.
I took the Electrified GV70 out on some of my favorite backroads in the Pacific Northwest to see if this SUV could do more than go quickly in a straight line. With a low center of gravity thanks to the battery placement below the floor, the GV70 feels planted, even making quick course changes.
Steering is good with nice feedback, but when pushed too hard into a corner, the vehicle’s 5,000 pounds of mass becomes noticeable with more body lean and some tire squeals. But when not overdoing it, the GV70 is quite enjoyable to drive on a winding road.
With one-pedal driving and a seemingly never-ending supply of power, the Electrified GV70 can slow for an approaching corner just by lifting off the throttle. When the road straightened, my foot was still on the accelerator, and the power came on strong and smooth, perfect for exiting a corner.
Photo: Perry Stern
The 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 gets the latest advanced driver assist systems (ADAS). Highlights include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, highway driving assist (HDA), forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot view monitor, blind-spot warning and collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic warning with collision avoidance, lane-keeping assistance, lane-departure warning, Safe Exit Assist, advanced rear-occupant alert, Remote Smart Parking Assist, and a driver monitoring system (optional).
Perhaps the most used ADAS feature, and one of my favorites, is the blind-spot view monitor. Activated by the turn signal, the blind-spot view shows the left or right blind spot in the driver information display. The display placement is ideal, and I quickly became used to seeing down the side of the vehicle before changing lanes.
I tested out the GV70’s HDA, which is not quite autonomous driving, but it comes close. Designed for use on a multi-lane highway, the HDA works with adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assistance. After the driver sets the desired speed, the GV70 maintains a distance from the vehicle ahead. It stays centered in the lane, even when the road curves.
The HDA operates smoothly with no sudden corrections. While the system seems as if it could function without any need for driver input, it is not a hands-free system. If no hands are on the steering wheel, the system will alert the driver to re-engage by putting at least one hand on the wheel.
I was pleased to discover that the forward-collision warning system works quite well. On one occasion, the vehicle ahead of me slowed suddenly to make a left turn. The forward-collision warning system immediately flashed red in the driver display, providing a loud audible alert. It certainly got my attention. I applied the brakes before the automatic emergency braking system engaged, but after a few more seconds of inaction on my part and I expect the vehicle would have applied the brakes automatically.
Photo: Perry Stern
With 28.7 cubic feet of cargo space, the Electrified GV70 offers plenty of room for luggage, gear, groceries, or whatever needs hauling. Multiple tie-down hooks can keep items from sliding around, as does the available cargo net. Cargo space more than doubles with the rear seat folded flat.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Electrified GV70 has a rating of 98 MPGe in the city, 83 MPGe on the highway, and a combined rating of 91 MPGe. The estimated range on a full charge is 236 miles.
During my drive in the Electrified GV70, the trip computer indicated 2.5 miles/kWh, which equates to 84 MPGe—pretty close to the EPA ratings. While I never had the opportunity to charge the Genesis fully, the range showed 208 miles with a 90-percent charge, so it seems the estimated range is also relatively accurate.
No safety ratings are available from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the Electrified GV70. However, the gas-powered 2023 GV70 earned a Top Safety Pick + rating—the Institute’s highest—for the 2022 calendar year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet released any safety ratings for the Electrified GV70 nor tested the gas-powered version.
Genesis offers the Electrified GV70 as a single trim level with a base manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $65,850. A Prestige package is available for an additional $6,800. These prices do not include the destination charge of $1,125. Currently, Genesis sells the Electrified GV70 in just 22 states.
In the JD Power 2022 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the BMW X3 ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The gas-powered Genesis GV70 and the BMW X4 are the next highest-ranked models.
In the 2022 APEAL Study, the Genesis GV70 ranks highest in the Compact Premium SUV segment. The BMW X4 and the Porsche Macan are the next highest-ranked models.
Other competitors to the 2023 Electrified GV70 include the Audi Q4 E-tron, BMW iX, and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV.
Photo: Perry Stern
Since it came on the scene as a new luxury brand less than 10 years ago, Genesis has changed the luxury vehicle landscape with elegant automobiles priced well below the competition. As the Korean brand moves toward full electrification, products like this Electrified GV70 continue to impress.
The Genesis Electrified GV70 delivers a perfect blend of performance, efficiency, and luxury, all wrapped in a stylish package. With a potent electric powertrain and a spacious, comfortable cabin, this luxurious electric crossover is enjoyable to drive daily. Add in the spacious, comfortable interior, the latest ADAS features, and an intuitive infotainment system, and the Electrified GV70 is an excellent choice for those looking for a luxury crossover, a new EV, or, ideally, both.
Perry Stern has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years and has always been a car enthusiast. Driving almost every new car on the market, Perry has written for multiple publications in addition to his work for JDPower.com. Living in the Pacific Northwest, Perry is still crazy about cars, especially his 2006 Mazda MX-5 Miata.
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