New Genesis GV60 vs Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron vs Tesla Model Y: interiors
Upmarket South Korean brand Genesis has bold ambitions to take on the likes of Audi and Tesla with its new electric SUV. Time to see if they're realistic...
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
Whatever you think of the Genesis GV60's exterior design, we'll wager you'll be mightily impressed when you get inside. That's especially true if you opt for the £2310 Nappa Leather Pack fitted to our test car; this adds quilted leather seats, suede headlining and a range of interior colour schemes that, together, almost make you feel as though you're sitting in a Bentley Bentayga. That's probably no coincidence, because Bentley's former design director now works for Genesis.
But even if you want to keep the price down, you get faux grey leather on the seats and dashboard and a striking crystal ball on the centre console that turns over to reveal the drive selector when you push the start button. Everything feels well screwed together, too.
By contrast, Tesla's build quality has historically been patchy. Things have improved in recent times, so you're unlikely to be grumbling about ill-fitting interior panels or fixtures falling off, but equally the Tesla Model Y doesn't have the same feeling of robustness as the GV60. Its interior materials don't feel as upmarket, either – especially the plastic-wrapped steering wheel.
By European standards, the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron has the most conventional-looking interior, with lots of shades of grey and no major talking points. Equally, though, it has the loftiest and best all-round driving position, with no perplexing controls, and the materials aren't too far behind those in the GV60.
You sit quite far from the road in the Model Y too – but that's mainly because the seats are mounted on stilts. So, you're high up in the car relative to the dashboard – a driving position that feels slightly unnatural – and the driver's seat could do with more side support to hold you in place when going around corners.
Like all three cars, the GV60 has an electrically adjustable driver's seat to help you get comfortable, along with the most supportive seat of the trio (although our car did have the £2790 Comfort Seat Pack, which adds a massaging function and even more adjustment). The front seats can also be fully reclined so you can relax while you're topping up the battery – a feature that we saw debuted on the Kia EV6. The only issues are that the driving position isn't all that high – somewhere between a regular SUV and a hatchback – and that anyone really tall might wish the seat slid back a farther on its runners.
Infotainment systems
Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron
The Q4 has the smallest touchscreen here, but thankfully that doesn’t impact on usability. The operating system is intuitively laid out and makes good use of large, easy-to-hit icons, plus you get a three-year subscription to Audi’s online services. However, the Q4 doesn’t come with wireless phone charging – unlike its rivals here. If you love listening to music on the go, the £1295 Comfort and Sound Pack brings a more powerful Sonus sound system.
Genesis GV60
It would have been easy for Genesis to lift the touchscreen infotainment system straight from a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6. However, the brand has produced its own, unique system with an intuitive rotary controller (not unlike BMW’s) between the front seats. That makes this the least distracting system to operate while driving. You also have the option of controlling it by touch, if you prefer. A premium Bang & Olufsen sound system is available for £990.
Tesla Model Y
The Model Y has the same 15.0in touchscreen as the Tesla Model 3 saloon. You use it to control almost every feature of the car, be it unlocking the charging port or opening the glovebox. For the most part, it’s easy to get the hang of, though, and the system responds quickly to prods. While there’s no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay phone mirroring, you get plenty of other features to make up for that. You can even watch Netflix or play video games.
