Electrification is becoming a bold statement of “hey look at me, I’m driving an electric car.” What started with the Tesla’s fish face design, Mercedes-Benz followed with a fishbowl concept, Hyundai created something that looks like an 80’s throw back and Cadillac produced something that looks like Darth Vader would drive. But what if you do not want your EV crossover to be a statement? What if you just want an EV that flies under the radar? Genesis understands that not everyone may want to make a statement and took their already near perfect luxury GV70 and electrified it.    

Now when we say the Genesis GV70 flies under the radar, we really mean it. From the outside, there is no sign of any electrification, but we will give you a clue, it is in the front grille. And the fact that there are no tailpipes out the back. At least not like the ones you would find on the gasoline version. Now, we like the Genesis design, and not just because we are an Architect with an OCD for straight lines. With the silhouette of a Porche and a nose job that even Bently could be proud of, the GV70 is sleek and clean in its architecture.    

When you already have an existing platform, electrifying that platform is not an easy thing to do. It usually means passenger and cargo space gets sacrificed for the greater good. And while the floor has been raised slightly to accommodate the batteries, the change is not even noticeable. This does, however, means that you will not find the gimmicky front trunk since they had to put the electric motor somewhere.    

Now being powered by electricity there is a dramatic difference in how the GV70 performs… in a clever way. It carries two-electric motors that pump out a combined 429-horsepower and 516 lbs-ft of torque. This means it is not just quick, it is neck breaking quick. But if that’s not quick enough, Genesis added a ‘Boost’ button at the bottom of the steering wheel that adds 54 horsepower for 10-seconds that will be sure to give you a kick in the jugulars and send your passengers into a terrible fright.    

On an even more positive note, none of the enjoyable driving dynamics have been lost from the gas-powered GV70. In fact, it feels more athletic with a lower center of gravity and better distribution of weight. To cope with the extra weight of the batteries and electric motor, it does seem as if the suspension received some tunning as well that makes for one of the absolute best rides in the segment. It is even more comfortable as it soaks up all road imperfections with subtle bumps. Following this with a nicely tuned steering with well-balanced feedback and crisp responsiveness on EV ecofriendly tires, we have one impressive crossover.    

If there was one thing we had to complain about mechanically, it would be the brake pedal. When it comes to electrification and hybrid technology, it would seem manufacturers struggle to find the right balance in the brake pedal feel since the regenerative braking plays a big part in that role. The pedal itself feels artificial and requires deep application to start noticing something slowing down. Altogether, this can be bypassed by going through the single, i-pedal approach that makes the gas pedal both the accelerator & brake pedal using the steering wheel paddle shifters.  But that is something that takes time to get used to.  

Disappointingly, there is one drawback to the GV70, and that comes down to its 230-mile range. Anything below 250-miles these days seems taboo. Especially given that that the Tesla Model Y can see upwards of 320-miles and the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV is closer to 300-miles. Furthermore, we noticed the GV70 liked to eat through its electricity like a V8 muscle car drinking its premium fuel. While we still manage to average 2.6 kWh per mile (the equivalent of 87.6-mpge) we found ourselves charging much more frequently.

Even worse, and at no fault to Genesis, we received it during one of the hottest weeks of the year. This meant running the three-zone climate control system and ventilated seats non-stop. This also made charging a complicated challenge as the charging stations at our office are fully outdoors, exposed to the sun and when they get overheated, they shut down. When we are left with 20% battery life and an 8-hour charging period, we had come back 8-hours later only to find we got about 1-hours’ worth of charging. Imagine our level of frustration when we live 40-miles from our office, no Level 3 Charging Station within a comfortable distance that can charge to 80% in less than 20 minutes and any Level 2 Charging Station is going to require at least 4-hours to get us to a comfortable percentage; that is if they’re even working and available.    

Inside, the GV70 shows no signs of difference with its EV heart apart from the different 3D instrument gauge cluster. It continues to be a luxurious oasis with leather on every surface and one of the best-looking dash designs under $80,000. It remains undeniably comfortable with active seat functions that squeeze in the bolsters when speeds reach over 70-mph and after two hours of driving the massaging seat automatically engages to help keep the driver alert and stimulates blood flow.   

One of the things we have always complimented on the Hyundai/Genesis brand was its dynamic Highway Driving Assist. Over the last few years, we would have targeted it as one of the more superior systems on the market as its ability to maintain speed, slow down, manage lane control and handle traffic jam assist was smooth in its operations. However, as we start to move into 2024, the updated Highway Drive Assist II system feels like it still has some kinks to work out. Things like the lane-change assist is hard to get used to as we’re never really sure if it’s going to activate and if we interrupt it, it makes for an awkward lane change scenario… especially when you’re traveling upwards of 75-mph. Luckily, Genesis makes it easy to turn these settings off until they issue an update.  

Despite its awkward driving assist feature and inability to still feature wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, at a starting price of $67,000 and topping out at $74,350, the Genesis GV70 Electrified makes for one heck of a compelling argument.