After languishing for a few years in value-priced mediocrity, the Genesis brand is in a really good groove nowadays. Each time a key wearing the wing-and-shield logo crosses our desks, we know we’re bound to have a good time behind the wheel.
That’s true of just about every product Genesis makes nowadays, be it the G80 and G90 luxury sedans, the GV70 or GV80 crossovers, or even the long-in-the-tooth G70 sport sedan. The brand really is firing on all cylinders, though with the arrival of the GV60 fastback crossover, we’re going to have to figure out a way to amend that phrase. Not because it isn’t excellent, but because there aren’t any cylinders to fire – this sucker’s fully electric and all the better for it.
Gallery: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance Review
Brandon Turkus, Managing Editor
- Favorite Thing: BOOOOOOSSSSTTTTT
- Least Favorite Thing: Value Argument
Folks, I’m a 38-year-old guy with the attitude of a 14-year-old delinquent, so when I get in a car and see a big, bright-yellow button labeled “BOOST,” I’m going to use it every chance I get.
The thing is, though, the Genesis GV60 is already a quick car. Until corporate sibling Kia introduced the EV6 GT, it was the most powerful EV in the Hyundai/Kia/Genesis stable, so it didn’t really need a button to temporarily increase output from 429 horsepower and 446 pound-feet to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft. And that fact just had me tapping the gorgeous button more.
This is precisely the feature we need in performance EVs which by virtue of instant-on torque, regardless of actual output, struggle to distinguish themselves from mainstream models. It’s a bit of flair, a bit of theater. It’s exactly what makes performance cars – ICE, EV, or other – so entertaining.
But is that drama worth the higher price tag? I’m still not sure. The GV60 Performance retails for $70,000, about $8,000 more than the EV6 GT, which is even more powerful than the Genesis at 576 hp and 545 lb-ft. At the same time, you get much of this car’s thrill (sans Boost) in the dual-motor EV6 and Ioniq 5. Yes, the Genny has a nicer interior to go with the extra pace, but both of those cars are available for around $20,000 less. The juvenile part of me loves the GV60’s most comical feature, but the semi-rational 38-year-old can’t say no to saving that amount of coin.
Jeff Perez, Senior Editor
- Favorite Thing: All The Boost
- Least Favorite Thing: Finicky Styling
I echo Brandon's sentiment – give me all of the boost. The GV60's most exciting feature is that neon yellow button at the base of the steering wheel that says “BOOST” in big bold letters. Once you push it, there's no going back; even the most trivial trips to the grocery store require at least one use of the boost function just because it's fun. The extra 54 horses and 70 pound-feet give the GV60 even more speed, for a car that's already pretty damn quick as it is.
Checking In On GV60:
But my issue with the GV60 (trivial as it may be), is how silly it looks. Genesis makes some of the best-looking cars on sale in the GV70, GV80, and G80, but the GV60 just doesn't work. There’s one too many funky design elements, there are a number of weird creases – like the one behind the rear window – and the profile looks extremely frumpy. Plus the 21-inch wheels of the Performance model look like they were ripped off a Hot Wheels car.
Brett T. Evans, Senior Editor
- Favorite Thing: Well-Crafted Cabin
- Least Favorite Thing: Leapfrog Styling
In a world where even the best luxury sedans in the world feature chintzy black plastic, the Genesis GV60 somehow coddles its passengers in supreme comfort with nary a cheap material to be seen. The door panels are padded all the way to the floor, the lower dash and drawer-style glovebox get nicely grained soft-touch plastics, and the Nappa leather upholstery feels old-school rich.
There are also lots of surprising, chic details, like the crystal-ball shift selector and the lime green stitching if you opt for the navy blue cabin color. Even the parts of the interior that are hard plastic – the door pulls, shift binnacle surround, and dashboard appliques – are dressed up with nice textures and a low-sheen finish to help them look and feel more expensive.
As gorgeous as the interior is, I’m not as convinced when it comes to exterior styling. The fastback roofline and high bodysides work together to give the GV60 a reptilian appearance, like a bullfrog getting ready to leap to the next lilypad. The bottom-feeder grille compounds the issue. But I do like the lightning-bolt sweep of chrome that runs around the top of the greenhouse, and the massive wheels look cartoonish, but in a fun and athletic way. Against its stylish-but-traditional G80 and GV80, the polarizing GV60 at least looks fresh and unique.
2023 Genesis GV60 Performance