2026 Genesis GV60 review: Quick drive

When Genesis arrived a few years back as a luxury adjunct of Hyundai, it attempted to break into the mainstream premium elite with its mix of high-tech, plush cabins and distinctive exterior styling, all accompanied by potent drivetrains.

After seesawing on its electrification strategy – previously committing to being EV and hydrogen-only by 2030 and not introducing any new combustion-engined models beyond 2025 – the Korean luxury auto brand is now focusing on broadening its portfolio and catering to various niches.

Before walking back on its ambitious zero-emissions target, Genesis went hard on rolling out battery-electric models, both dedicated EVs and electric versions of its core portfolio.

Now, though, changing market conditions and the rise of Chinese competition means this revised Genesis GV60, facelifted and given a spruce-up for the 2026 model year, has much more competition to deal with. Its sister models – the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 – have also had to quickly adapt to stay competitive.

In order to ascertain if it’s capable of performing such a feat, we sampled the latest GV60 in the south of England, on both road and track. Here are our findings.

How much does the Genesis GV60 cost?

The updated GV60 range isn’t showing on the company’s Australian website as yet, although the outgoing model was priced at $104,000-$111,000 before on-roads.

In other markets, Genesis hasn’t increased the price of the newest GV60 model-for-model, despite the extra technical content it possesses and the larger battery pack fitted. Indeed, the firm reckons it’s one of the best ‘value-for-money’ propositions when you factor in everything including performance, standard equipment, and the quality of its fittings.

That said, the Genesis has always been a pricey thing, compared to both its obvious small luxury electric SUV rivals and also the two other Korean models which sit on the same ‘E-GMP’ platform – the Kia EV6 (from $72,590) and the Hyundai Ioniq 5 (from $69,800).

Presumably, this is why the old GV60 had such a dismal sales year in 2024, down 63.4 per cent on the previous 12 months as Genesis shifted just 70 units nationwide. It was outsold at a ratio of more than three-to-one by both the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Renault Megane E-Tech and was obliterated by the EV6 and Ioniq 5; they attracted 1785 and 933 ne buyers respectively last year.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What is the Genesis GV60 like on the inside?

The technical and material improvements made for the 2026 model year only enhance the GV60’s splendid interior ambience.

That you can access the passenger compartment by using a face-recognition camera on the B-pillar of the vehicle, rather than the keys, is impressive enough.

But then there’s also a fingerprint scanner on the central console which will start the car as well, while the drive selector is hidden beneath the orb-like ‘Crystal Sphere’ – which smoothly rotates into position as you power the Genesis up.

Suitably high-tech stuff.

None of these are features new to the GV60, however. No, the main talking point in here is the massive 27-inch panoramic infotainment screen.

Previously, two 12.3-inch screens were physically separated by a black bar, but now the graphics from both seamlessly segue into one another, making for a truly dramatic visual centre point. That they both look properly sharp, graphically speaking, and work intuitively well is another major bonus for the latest GV60.

Beyond the main upgrade to the digital real estate, Genesis has also fitted a new design of D-shaped steering wheel to the GV60; made the wireless smartphone charging pad flatter and more convenient for access to your handheld device; and introduced additional swish colours and patterns for the upmarket upholstery.

Therefore, our only complaints about the GV60’s interior are carry-overs from the pre-facelift model.

Namely, space in the second row of seats is okay but not exceptional, while a 432-litre boot is also not particularly impressive for this class of electric vehicle. Otherwise, though, it’s a glowing report for the Genesis’ excellent cabin.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What’s under the bonnet?

As before, Genesis offers three configurations for the GV60.

First up, there’s the single-motor, rear-wheel drive version with 168kW; then there’s a dual-motor, all-wheel drive variant with a stronger propulsion unit on the front axle (160kW) than on the rear (74kW), for a combined output that’s a sum of its parts at 234kW.

Then finally comes the flagship that we’ve always known as the Performance, banging 180kW motors on each axle for a monster 360kW output – and an associated 0-100km/h time of 4.0 seconds dead, complete with an elevated 235km/h maximum speed.

In Australia, though, we won’t get the single-motor GV60, which is a shame as it is the one which benefits the most from the only real drivetrain upgrade – a switch from the former 77.4kWh battery pack to a new 84kWh unit.

It’s the same update that both the Ioniq 5 and EV6 have received recently, and it leads to a usable capacity of around 80kWh, instead of 74kWh previously.

This, in turn, allows Genesis to claim that every MY26 GV60 can breach the 500km barrier on a single charge, when only the RWD variant could do so before. The Performance only just clears that bar with a 501km figure – it’s the new RWD that has gone up by 43km from before, to a theoretical 560km peak.

An upgrade to ‘fourth-generation’ cells in the enlarged 84kWh battery, plus an improvement in the battery-conditioning tech (it can pre-cool and pre-heat its power pack before charging, as required by ambient and operating temperatures), results in the same super-quick charging speeds as before, despite the increased capacity.

So if you can find a DC fast-charger that supplies the GV60’s maximum 240kW rate, a 10-80 per cent top-up will take just 18 minutes – and that’s only possible thanks to the Genesis’ advanced 800-volt electrical architecture.

When it comes to AC charging speeds, they’re slightly less impressive as the GV60 only tops out at 11kW rather than 22kW, but that should still see a 10-100 per cent charge done and dusted in 7.5 hours. A 7.4kW AC wallbox would require more like between 10 and 11 hours to do the same job.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How does the Genesis GV60 drive?

The updated Genesis GV60 drives very nicely, but ultimately all it can really do now is go slightly further on a single charge than it could before. In terms of the way it accelerates, corners and rides, nothing has really changed.

This is not a bad thing, because the GV60 was already supremely refined.

Its low-speed ride comfort and exceptional suppression of external sound contributors – like wind noise, suspension movement and tyre chatter – makes it a delight to travel in around town. Then, as the pace rises, it loses none of its civility or composure.

As EVs go, the Genesis is one of the most pleasant in which to simply cover distance in an effortless fashion.

It’s maybe not quite as impressive in the corners, although it remains something that’s better than you might expect for a machine that’s 1.6 metres tall and hits the scales at 2220kg.

The steering in the GV60 Performance is progressive and nicely weighted, yet it doesn’t have masses of feel, and that couples with body control of a suitable calibre to allow the Genesis to perform some hot laps of the UK’s high-speed Thruxton circuit without it becoming a horrible, wallowing mess as the grip levels run out.

In fact, it’s a sweetly adjustable car and managed to easily exceed 200km/h at points, on a circuit that doesn’t have any straights. That’s testament to how easy it is to fire the all-wheel drive GV60 out of corners using its massive reserves of torque, without such grunt overwhelming the tyres’ hold on the tarmac – and there’s a hotter one coming.

But seriously, it’s of far more relevance that the GV60 is as pliant and accommodating on public roads as it ever has been, and it’s that facet of its dynamic character that will give it the most chance of chalking up some proper showroom success once it arrives here.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

What do you get?

Although Australian specs aren’t yet confirmed for the 2026MY GV60, Genesis is normally generous with standard equipment and the same should be true of the updated model.

2026 Genesis GV60 equipment highlights:

• 27-inch OLED infotainment and cluster display
• Crystal Sphere rotating gear selector
• Fingerprint recognition
• Rear-view monitor
• Smart key
• Wireless smartphone charger
• 64-colour ambient lighting
• Dual-zone climate control
• Acoustic front glass
• Heated front seats and steering wheel
• Electric adjustment, driver’s seat
• Powered tailgate
• Heat pump
• Multi-lens array LED headlights
• Dynamic welcome lighting
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Electrically operated charging door
• Blind-spot collision avoidance assist – rear
• Lane following assist
• Smart cruise control
• Intelligent speed-limited assist
• Forward collision avoidance assist

Typically, a greater kit-count is associated with walking up the drivetrain specs, so going by the variants we tested we’d expect the regular 234kW AWD to come with a lengthy standard list of gear, while the 360kW Performance will add certain desirable tech bundles and larger wheels from the off.

We’d expect the basic specification to either match, or at least get close to, the collection above.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

Is the Genesis GV60 safe?

The Genesis GV60 was put through ANCAP safety testing in 2022 and picked up the maximum five stars overall, recording scores of almost 90 per cent in three out of the four disciplines.

It didn’t do very well for vulnerable road users, only achieving 63 per cent in that regard. Nevertheless, there’s a good array of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across all models, so the GV60 can be considered a safe car overall.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

How much does the Genesis GV60 cost to run?

Genesis loves to talk about ownership that is experiential, mainly because of the remarkable aftersales care it provides – including complimentary servicing of all its vehicles for the first five years, provided you meet the manufacturer’s scheduled maintenance intervals.

There’s also an unlimited-distance warranty and, as the GV60 is an electric vehicle, it’s subject to a 10-year roadside assistance package that’s double the length any combustion-powered Genesis would come with.

To see how the Genesis GV60 lines up against the competition, check out our comparison tool

CarExpert’s Take on the Genesis GV60

Subtle changes to the Genesis GV60, including a different front-end look, new body colours, fresh alloy wheel designs, improved interior technology plus the bigger battery pack are not exactly transformative to the overall driving experience the car delivers.

But because the driving experience has always been largely enjoyable, then the revised and highly talented GV60 ought to find plenty of fans as a result.

Whether it will or not, however, largely depends on finalised local pricing and specs, and whether previously indifferent customers now view the Genesis as something alternatively worthwhile to the mainstream norm.

We’ll wait and see how things develop once the car lands on home soil.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new Genesis GV60. Click here to get a great deal

Click the images for the full gallery

MORE: Explore the Genesis GV60 showroom