Here’s a game to keep your bored toddlers occupied. Find the charging point on your GV70!
Never mind the kids, it foxed me and I have been doing this job for 40 odd years. There was no flap to be seen, well we wouldn’t want to spoil the smooth lines of this beauty. No, it had to be in the front grille which is rather smart with its new diamond, matrix design. I prodded everywhere without any luck and it took my eagle eyed wife to crack the code. There is a tiny arrow on one of the little diamond shapes, press it and the flap flips open. Very neat.
It summed up the attention to detail poured into this updated GV70, as if there was much wrong with the last one. There have been a few tweaks to the body, that new grille that makes people think it’s a Bentley, upgrades to the stunning wafer thin light strips, while the cabin has the trappings of a luxurious lounge.
Taking a seat on the top table is challenging with established names (the Germans) guarding their territory. Others have joined, Lexus, Volvo, Jaguar, but it has been hard going, yet Genesis has managed to hit the ground running. How? By beating the big boys at their own game. They have not just matched them with premium materials, they have knocked them out of the park with stunning design.
The 27in wide touchscreen will raise eyebrows but there is a lot more to take in. The cabin is a work of art with simple touches like the inlays on the armrests. In the day they have a soft fluffy cloud effect, but at night the Milky Way is brought into the car with pinpricks of light that look for all the world like stars.
GV70 is fascinating before you even drive. The infotainment system is more of a library made up of 23 ‘books’ and so well laid out it is as if they gave the task to a librarian. You could sit back in the comfy leather seat and while away an hour or more just reading.
Probably time I moved on and told you about the mechanics and how it drives. If you don’t want electric there are petrol and diesel options but this new electric GV70 has a larger battery, up from 77.4 to 84kw increasing the range by 23 miles to 287. Find a 350kW fast charger and the car can be topped up to 80 per cent in 19 minutes.
Coming down to earth, a home wall charger will do the job in around eight hours, and for a lot less money.
Performance from any electric car surprises people the first time but this car will astound. The twin electric motors produce a mind boggling 700Nm or torque giving frantic acceleration, and that is without pressing the boost button which gives 10 seconds of additional power. Slam your foot on the accelerator and you will be forced back into the seat, it is that quick.
Not the best way to conserve energy but driving in sensible mode GV70 is reasonably economical, helped by powerful regenerative braking that can bring the car to a stop without touching the brake pedal using a paddle behind the steering wheel. This will add miles to the range as well as extending the life of the brake pads and discs.
GV70 is ladened with batteries and weighs well over two tonnes yet it handles reasonably well without a sporty feel, but there is not a great deal of body roll and the ride quality is superb.
It is a big car, although not the roomiest in its class, but six footers will not feel cramped sitting in the back seats which recline.
With a starting price around 70k it is competitive against its main opposition. Genesis has played a clever tactical game packing the car with so much kit and safety features to force a crisis board meeting among its rivals. Listing everything would take a couple of hundred words but rest assured there arre the usual favourites like heated front and rear seats, ventilated front seats, head up display, 360 degree surround camera, quality leather, and a belting 15 speaker sound system.
The only fault I could find was a poorly positioned rotary controller for the infotainment unit. It needs to swap position with the gear selection switch because your hand instinctively goes to the wrong selector.
Nevertheless this is a car that marries elegance and sophistication with frantic performance and is sure to be in my top three cars come the end of the year.
Fast facts
Electrified GV70 Luxury
£74,100 (tested £81,185)
Twin motors: 483bhp.
0-62mph 4.2secs with boost; 146mph
Range: 287 miles
Battery: 84kW
Boot: 542-1610 litres
Zero emissions. First tax: £10
Towing capacity: 1800kg
Warranty: 5 years
