 | Positives: Stunning interior and exterior, roomy and posh cabin, potent powertrain. |
 | Negatives: Range is just ok, no wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, still costs more than a fully-loaded GV70 3.5T. |
 | Bottom Line: The GV70 in EV form is a wonderful way to go electric. While it might not exhibit great range, it's outfitted with so much comfort, tech, and style, you might forget about the 236-mile driving range. |
Driving Experience
There's a lot of power to be had from the two electric motors, and the Electrified GV70 moves like a rocket. It's still a pretty heavy vehicle, but it manages its weight well. It's just too bad the brakes don't have the progression and feel to match.
Ride Quality: The Electrified GV70 is on the firm side, but it provides good dampening for those uneven pavement surfaces.
Acceleration: Performance is predictably intoxicating, and the Electrified GV70 hit 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds on our test track.
Braking: Braking distances are good, but the pedal feel leaves much to be desired. It lacks progression and feel, making corner entry less than confidence-inspiring.
Steering: There's some mild heft to the setup, which is nice, but there isn't much feedback to speak of.
Handling: The Electrified GV70 corners well, and there is some body roll. You do, however, feel its heft in the turns.
Technology
Tech is seriouly impressive in the Electrified GV70, but it's the physical controls that support it well. The look and feel of the whole system is premium and befitting of this level of luxury. We'd say it's almost as good in its operation and look as BMW and certainly better than the system operation in the current Mercedes lineup.
Infotainment System: The big 14.5" screen is beautiful, although the far end of the screen is hard to reach for the driver. Good thing there's a control wheel in the center console. Menus are fluid and easy to use, and the whole thing looks very upscale.
Controls: The GV70 EV might just have some of the best overall knobs in the business. The knurling found on the stalks, steering wheel controls, gearshift knob, drive mode selector, HVAC vents, mirror adjustment, etc. are metallic and wonderful. The infotainment control wheel is a bit too close to the gearshift wheel, and it can be confusing when you grab the wrong one.
Styling
Aside from the solid faux grille, it's virtually impossible to tell the Electrified version of the GV70 from the gas version, and that's a good thing because the GV70 is easily one of the most fetching luxury crossovers around. It's elegant, muscular, and uniquely styled. The cabin is also one of the best in the business with top-notch materials and beautiful switchgear.
Front: The parallel lighting signature and the wide faux grille are perfectly mated. The mirrored gunmetal surface mesh of the grille looks better than the gas version's (which is already very handsome).
Rear: The back end looks phenomenal with the thin parallel LED taillights extending onto the liftgate. The simple but refined GENESIS lettering also looks great. It's just too bad the rear fascia doesn't benefit from the big round exhaust pipes from the GV70 3.5T.
Profile: The cut lines and haunches look good here, and the slope of the greenhouse are well-executed. The wheel style is a little strange and not as slick as the ones on our 3.5T tester.
Cabin: We adore the cabin with its two-tone colorway, brushed metal surfaces, and stunning switchgear. It seems not detail was spared at this trim level, and every surface is wonderful to look at, as well as touch.
Comfort
The materials quality is superb, and there's a good amount of room for passengers. It might not be as spacious as the Tesla Model Y, but the level of materials is on another level altogether. We'd dare to say that it's nicer inside than the pricier Mercedes EQE SUV.
Front Seats: The front seat adjustability allows you get in the right position without issue. The seats are well-cushioned and bolstered, and the quilted Nappa leather is as good, if not better than the Germans'.
Rear Seats: 37.2 inches of rear legroom isn't as big as the Cadillac Lyriq's (39.6), but a tall rear passenger can sit behind a tall driver without a problem.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): Road and wind noise are minimal and build quality is on par with BMW and Lexus. Fit and finishes are top notch. Ergonomics are also very good, with the exception of the proximity of the rotary shifter and the circular infotainment control. It's not hard to confuse to the two, at least initially.
Visibility: The only sightline that's really compromised is the rear side because of the angle and thickness of the pillar and the tiny window.
Climate: Heat and A/C work very well, as do the heated/ventilated seats. The optional heated rear seats are also very quick to fire up.
Safety
While the electric version of the GV70 hasn't been specifically tested, the gas version nails the scores across the board. The Electrified GV70 weighs 500+ pounds more than the V6 model, so that could affect crash performance. The level of safety tech is at the top of the heap in the segment, so it's nice to know Genesis outfits the Electrified GV70 with every feature it has in its stable.
IIHS Rating: It earned the Top Safety Pick+ thanks to a rating of "good" in every crash test.
NHTSA Rating: The GV70 earned five stars out of five in crash testing.
Standard Tech: The Electrified GV70 comes with a huge set of standard safety features, which includes Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, Lane Following Assist, Blind Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist, Blind Spot View Monitor, Rear Cross-Traffic Collision-Avoidance Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Smart Cruise Control w/ Stop & Go, Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Driver Attention Warning, High Beam Assist, Surround View Monitor, Parking Distance Warning, Parking Collision-Avoidance Assist, and Remote Smart Parking Assist.
Optional Tech: Our tester came with a crisp Head-Up Display as part of the robust $6,800 Prestige Package.
Storage/Cargo
It's good to know that, even though the battery for the electric GV70 is in cargo area, not much space is lost. That said, it's still smaller in the back than the competition. The cabin, while beautiful, lacks larger, accessible storage options. It errs on the side of style versus practicality.
Storage Space: The center console has a cubby and two good cupholders. Door pockets and the armrest compartment are medium-sized. There are no spaces under the center console or in the dash to stow items.
Cargo Room: The Electrified GV70 has 28.7 cubic feet behind row two and 56.5 with the seats folded flat. It loses a half a cube for the first dimension and two cubes for the latter. It's still smaller than the Lyriq by a few and significantly so compared to the Model Y.
Fuel Economy
The range isn't as good as competitors like the BMW iX (up to 324 miles) or the upcoming Volvo EX90 (300 miles), but it does have fast-charging capability that should help matters. It will juice up the battery from 10 percent to 80 percent in a mere 18 minutes in ideal conditions. That's pretty quick.
Observed: 212 miles.
Distance Driven: 212 miles.
Audio
Our tester came with the premium 15-speaker Lexicon Premium Audio system that's part of the $6,800 Prestige Package. Bass and mid-range are strong, and the system sounds great with zero distortion at high volumes. It also benefits from a near-silent atmosphere.
