The verdict: Loaded with usable tech, styled to turn heads and powered for neck-snapping acceleration, the all-new, all-electric Genesis GV60 is the closest thing yet to a Tesla Model Y killer.
Versus the competition: The GV60 is less expensive than a Model Y and has a far more opulent and luxurious interior, packed with artistic flourishes — and it looks fantastic to boot.
South Korean luxury brand Genesis follows a two-pronged school of thought when it comes to electric vehicles: On the one hand, there’s the completely normal-looking 2023 Electrified G80 sedan, which is visually nearly indistinguishable from the gas-powered version. It’s great if you want a traditional, normal-looking, everyday luxury car that also happens to be an EV.
Related: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 Review: The Best G80?
At the other end of the showroom, you have the car discussed here: the 2023 GV60. Based on a completely new EV platform that’s shared with models from brand siblings Hyundai and Kia, the GV60 has Jetsons-level styling, unexpected color combinations inside, truly eye-popping features and details, and some wild performance capabilities — all for a very market-competitive price. (Note: I did not say “cheap.”) Given segment-leader Tesla’s continual price creep into luxury-vehicle territory with the Model Y, the GV60 is an interesting alternative for Tesla-intenders.
2023 Genesis GV60 | Cars.com photo by Aaron Bragman
The Family Face, Writ Small
The GV60’s look is immediately controversial and difficult to classify. There are, however, a few obvious characteristics that help distinguish it, including the Genesis family face that adorns the front end. The split-level LED headlights are attractive, modern and stylish, without being odd as they are on some vehicles. Genesis’ “G-Matrix” grille is absent, but the diamond-pattern mesh shows up in a lower opening below the headlights.
The GV60’s sides have a classic “Coke-bottle” shape, with bulging fenders and muscular haunches. It all terminates at the rear with a truly bizarre zig-zag bit of chrome, as well as taillights that adopt the same split-level theme that’s seen up front. These details make the GV60 immediately identifiable as a Genesis, and the artistic flourishes foreshadow the cabin’s unique design cues.
All that said, just what kind of vehicle is this? Genesis calls the GV60 a “coupe crossover utility vehicle,” which is a class that includes models like the Tesla Model Y, BMW’s X4 and X6, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. The GV60’s swooping roofline gives it a curtailed rear end, and it also deletes a good chunk of space from the cargo area and reduces backseat headroom for the sake of style. And there’s no denying this car actually has style, especially when adored with the Performance trim’s massive 21-inch wheels, which look capable of finely grating some Parmesan cheese. Things get even more curious when you stand back and realize that the overall silhouette of the GV60 is almost identical to the Model Y’s, but the differences in design details, flourishes and execution are worlds apart. The Model Y is boring and frumpy, while the GV60 is anything but.
Stunning Performance
Given the GV60 is an all-new electric car with a new powertrain, how does it drive? Well, it’s a blast — quite literally, if you have a GV60 with a bright-yellow “Boost” button on the steering wheel (found in uplevel Performance versions).
The base GV60 Advanced trim comes with two motors for standard all-wheel drive, making a healthy 314 horsepower and 446 pounds-feet of torque. And while that’s plenty impressive, the Performance trim I tested ups output to an eye-popping 429 hp and 446 pounds-feet of torque. And then, when you push that Boost button, you get 10 seconds of 483 hp and 516 pounds-feet of torque that feels like when the USS Enterprise engages warp drive; acceleration is instantaneous.
We ran a GV60 Performance down a drag strip against our long-term Model Y Long Range, with its own Acceleration Boost unlocked, and it blew the Tesla away: With the GV60’s Boost Mode engaged, it got to 60 mph in 3.77 seconds, versus 4.32 seconds for the Model Y with Acceleration Boost; without Boost engaged, the GV60 still did 0-60 mph in 4.35 seconds.
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All these times are blisteringly quick for a compact luxury SUV, but the Tesla fell well behind the Genesis’ best time. Tesla does, however, also sell a Performance version of the Model Y, which has a manufacturer-claimed 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds.
Unfortunately, lightning acceleration is pretty much where the GV60’s performance aspirations end. For one, it’s not as eager to change directions as is the Model Y. That doesn’t mean the GV60 is wallowy or soft, it just doesn’t have quite the same level of athleticism as the Tesla. That said, the GV60 definitely has a more compliant and well-damped suspension than the Model Y, which we’ve found to be overly stiff and bouncy. Overall, the GV60 is more of a grand touring luxury vehicle than a sporty one, despite its prolific acceleration.
You can enable one-pedal driving using the regenerative braking system, which also offers different levels of regen braking. In everyday driving, the GV60’s efficiency is surprisingly good, averaging more than 3 miles per kilowatt-hour during a lot of routine use. Its range is just OK, at least according to its EPA estimates: 248 miles for the base Advanced trim level and 235 miles for the Performance. Those numbers fall well below the Model Y’s range estimates. The GV60 can charge at up to 235 kilowatts using a 350-kW DC fast charger, which means going from a 10%-80% charge in as little as 18 minutes, according to Genesis. That ability to quickly replenish range — assuming you’re using a DC fast charger that supports its maximum charging speed — makes its more modest range less of an issue.
