Range is nothing, everything can be charged quickly

Genesis has the same problem as Lexus, Infiniti and Acura. Let’s start back: Acura perhaps the least known luxury brand in the quartet, it comes from Japan and the mother is called Honda. However, Acura is not well known in Japan, the cars are sold mainly in the United States. A few cars were lost in Germany. Probably the remains of some travelers returning from the American forces.

Infiniti has been Nissan’s luxury brand name since the fall of the Berlin Wall (yes, that was in 1989). This was officially in Germany. Nissan (in the group with Renault and Mitsubishi) is (still) partnering with Mercedes, with the first Mercedes GLA and its technical twin. Infiniti Q30. The first Infiniti came to Germany in autumn 2009, and the brand said goodbye eleven years later.

Toyota’s iconic brand remains stubbornly on board Lexus. These Japanese also started in the USA in 1989 and in Japan only 17 years later. Lexus has been available in Germany since 1990, but somehow no one wants a better Toyota – even though they are at the higher end of the scale in terms of quality. Things are moving forward, but in small steps. 3,259 cars, spread over six models, were sold in Germany in 2023.

Commencement Enrollment 2023

The Genesis brand is more unique. 1,349 Genesis, spread over six models, were registered in Germany in 2023. To find a Genesis you have to stretch a bit. Right now there are about a dozen Sales and service locations in Germany. That’s almost surprising, because the Genesis has only been available since the summer of 2021. The brand’s driving force is certainly its commitment to service. A five-year warranty and five years of all inspections (wear parts must be paid for) are included, as are car collection and service delivery and replacement car delivery – no ifs or buts.

Genesis GV60 with special features

The fact that Koreans belong to the kingdom of Hyundai, like Kia, can be seen in many details – especially in the interior. However, that is not a bad thing. And so we jump right in: The Genesis GV60’s steering turns out to be well thought out in most cases. There are still physical buttons for various functions, some can be found very logically in the menu. This needs to be mentioned and praised. Because the wealth of possibilities is almost endless.

It’s good that this company does some things differently and better than others when it comes to cars. For example, you can set if a short press of the turn signals will cause the lights to flash once or three times, five times or eight times. Equally unique is the blind spot assistant, which makes this hard-to-see area behind the car visible on the speedometer when it is closing. Cameras in the exterior mirrors ensure this – of course only if you want to. And the company has long introduced 800-volt technology, while others still think it is unnecessary.

In terms of design, Genesis tried to make some things more refined with the GV60 than others. Recognition is given, although from a distance the logo resembles (perhaps not coincidentally) that of Bentley. Not the worst comparison with “Crystal Sphere” can also be found in the British. The Crystal Sphere is the gear selector knob, which looks like an illuminated glass ball when the engine is off and is supposed to look mystical, or something like that. Financial constraints in the area of ​​climate control are less mysterious, but more tangible. However, in semi-darkness, when the switches and buttons are not yet illuminated, the function cannot always be clearly identified.

Genesis GV60 fits in the short class

The bright interior installed on the test car also has a certain nobility, although only the steering wheel is made of leather, otherwise it is “plastic”. The seats are still comfortable (a premium package with multiple seat adjustments for a total of 3,000 euros) and space is good for a passageway that is only 4.50 meters long. However, you can no longer put your feet under the front seats back if they are moved (always electrically) to the lowest position. Nappa leather is available for an additional charge of 3,340 euros, including surface quilting. A light beige steering wheel is not recommended.

Speaking of lending a hand: by placing your finger on a sensor near the climate control unit, your personal driving profile including seating position, radio station and other stored preferences is (re)created. You no longer need a car key. Face recognition (Face Connect) in the A-pillar (included in the premium package) enables this and unlocks the GV60. The key is only required for “external parking operation” – i.e. parking or unlocking the Genesis when you are not in the car. Funny trick, but if you need it, you should think about surrendering your driver’s license.

For everyone who still enjoys driving, comes the Genesis GV60. We had a version with two 318 hp engines and a sports package at the beginning. A large battery is always included, which can store a total of 80 kWh in the battery packs. According to WLTP, 470 kilometers should be possible. In real cold conditions, as can be seen in the picture, a charging station is necessary after 300 km. 11 kW make it into the battery in the wall box, 240 kW is peaked in the HPC (high performance charger with a charging power of kW 300 or more), the 800 volt electrical system makes it possible and electric car drivers are happy. This should make it possible to jump from 10-80 percent state of charge (SoC = state of charge) in 18 minutes.

It was a few more minutes for us, very fast but still. And that is also a real step with the GV60 and one of the most important if you often use electric vehicles on long trips. Pre-heating the battery can help increase charging time, especially in winter. Technically, Plug&Charge is possible, that is, plugging the charging cable into public charging stations, as long as they can do it and the charging profile is saved and recognized.

Use of Genesis GV60 oil

According to the equipment, Genesis claims about 19 kWh of power consumption for a 2.2-ton truck. In our case it required about 23 kWh, not taking into account charge losses, which are usually around ten percent. At first the GV60 is not very economical. This is due, on the one hand, to our driving profile, which included a lot of highway driving, and, on the other hand, to low temperatures and finally also to normal aerodynamics. A drag coefficient of 0.29 combined with a large frontal area provides plenty of wind resistance. This is also visible in the interior, where the wind noise is visible from a speed of 130 km / h for a premium electric car. Pros: rarely travels fast.

There is really no need to talk about performance. There is a lot (many) there. A speed of 200 km / h is possible and the ability to accelerate is above average. However, the performance cannot be given precisely. It starts late and then very hard and lasts for another tenth of a second when you lift your foot straight off the accelerator pedal. Interestingly, this is how the brake light is activated. Even if you don’t slow down at all and no recovery rate is activated.

Only when you touch the accelerator pedal does the brake light go off. Not only can the person behind you get upset, you also feel a little silly trying to “slow down” if you’re actually going to speed up by rolling down the downhill section of the highway. Another aspect where the AI ​​fails is the ACC cruise control. For no apparent reason, the GV60 slowed several times on the highway and slowed down from 150 km/h to 135 km/h and then maintained a constant slow speed.

Expensive insurance rating

Driving comfort can be considered successful despite the 20-inch winter wheels and 255 rollers. The traction is amazing due to the all-wheel drive, although the basic version with the rear engine rarely suffers. A turning circle of a good twelve meters is all the rage in the city, where you often see a width of around 1.90 meters. The screeching sound when using reverse gear is also annoying, but the guides that are projected down the back of the GV60 when driving are good.

However, the insurance class must be mentioned as a real limitation. HK 20, VK 28 and TK 23 are not only bad readings, they are bad compared to VW.5 ID. It was classified HK 16, VK 21 and TK 22 and the Volvo C40 is also “set” very cheaply with HK 18, VK 21 and TK 22.

The Korean Nobel Racer impresses most with its charging performance, superior quality feel and service promise. The price of the Genesis GV60 with a rear engine of 229 hp starts at a total of 54,680 euros – and that’s how fast you can drive it and charge it. Our test car with all-wheel drive and bells and whistles comes to 70,380 euros (gross). This is a high price in the electricity sector as well.