Genesis GV60 long-term test: report 2

The car Genesis GV60 168kW RWD single motor (Premium) Run by Stuart Milne, digital editor

Why it’s here Can a sprinkling of ‘premiumness’ elevate the upmarket Genesis GV60 clear of the family SUV pack – and into luxury SUV territory?

Needs to Be as comfortable and quiet as the best electric SUVs, yet offer the all-important tangible appeal buyers of premium models want.

Mileage 9683 List price £54,105 Target Price £54,105 Price as tested £59,605 Official range 321 miles Test range 300 miles

1 May 2024 – Toy (sob) story

“Shout. Shout. Let it all out. These are the things I can do without,” sang Tears for Fears in the 1980s; 40 years later I’m feeling the same about my Genesis GV60.

I mentioned some of the car's avantgarde toys in my first report, but now some of them are becoming tiresome – leading to shouts of frustration. The GV60 is great, but it’s undermined by tiny annoyances I'm surprised to see in a near-£60,000 car. 

First up: door handles which take a pregnant pause before popping out and are as awkward as offering an unreciprocated handshake. And if you walk up to the car to open the boot, the door handles refuse to present themselves as you approach and require a second prod of the key.

The rotating gear selector takes seconds every journey; it held drama for the first couple of weeks, but now just gets in the way. I frequently find myself accidentally selecting the gear that I’m already in when executing tight manoeuvres, and while it’ll bong if I do, I still have to think about which way I’m turning the dial – in a way I wouldn’t with a conventional forward-back automatic gearshift arrangement.

And then there’s the silver centre console, which seems to muster all of the sun straight into my eyes during the two days it’s not been raining so far this year.

What’s perhaps most exasperating, though, is that these frustrations come close to overshadowing the fact that the GV60 is fundamentally excellent. In keeping with its premium ethos, it’s been a superb long distance cruiser, with supple suspension, comfy, supportive seats and excellent refinement.

In these respects, it’s been a stunning companion on recent trips from Essex to both Warwickshire and Sussex; I’ve arrived refreshed and relaxed.

The real-world range is great, too – between 260 and 300 miles depending on temperature – and the charging tech is superb. So, while I’ve rarely needed to use the public charging network, when I have I’ve not found a charger that comes close to the car’s prodigious maximum rate of 233kW. 

It’s just a shame that when I switch it off, I’m left dealing with all those things that I could do without.

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