The Luxury Korean EV That’s Worth Every Penny

South Korean automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) is having a great time in the automotive industry. For the past 14 consecutive years, in fact, HMG’s brand valuation has been on the constant rise, driven by the drive to innovate and in many cases, push the boundaries of automotive design.

HMG has also carefully balanced its broad range of vehicles. Despite offering a plethora of both internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and full electric vehicles (EVs), the company was able to manage its finances relatively well despite opting for the costlier endeavor of developing a bespoke platform for its EVs. Mercedes-Benz, for instance, found this to be a costly endeavor for them as it revises its current and future EV plans.

Nevertheless, for HMG, things are in much better shape. And, if you’re in the market for any of HMG’s top-tier luxury EVs, which of the Genesis-branded models are absolutely worth every penny, both with leasing or paying full in cash?

In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites and other authoritative sources, including Hyundai Motor Group, Genesis, and The Korea Times.

That Would Be The Genesis GV60

Now, the Korean luxury EV that’s worth every penny is something that’s going to be heavily subjective, but to us, that would be the Genesis GV60. The GV60 is a compact electric crossover with coupe-like styling that’s also riding on the group’s highly-acclaimed Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP). Unfortunately, it’s been mostly living under the shadows of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, mostly due to these two being more affordable and thus, reaching a wider audience. Nevertheless, here’s why the GV60 is the Korean luxury EV that’s worth every penny.

Ingenious Luxury

The Genesis GV60 shares similar proportions and dimensions to the EV6 and Ioniq 5 because, well, they are closely related vehicles. What it also inherits is the ingenuity of these vehicles. For instance, the GV60 inherits the 800-volt architecture of these two cars, which allows for up to 350 kW of DC fast charging. With its 77.4 kWh battery, a 10- to 80 percent charge is good enough for just 18 minutes. Furthermore, that 800-volt architecture has bi-directional charging called vehicle-to-load (V2L), which is something that most EV owners fail to realize is a helpful feature. This makes your GV60 an external power source not just for camping, but to even provide power to your house during a power outage, for instance.

All that utility and ingenuity is wrapped in an interior that’s well-packaged thanks to the bespoke EV platform whilst being sumptuously luxurious. There are two 12.3-inch screens, but since the GV60 has yet to receive a facelift, it’s still using the older operating system rather than the current connected car Navigation Cockpit (ccNC). That’s only a small chink to its otherwise gorgeous armor–one that’s finished in luscious leather, real wood, and even metal trims. There’s even a crystal ball-like gear selector that’s trippy to look at and a range of tastefully curated interior color themes to match any discerning taste.

Great Performance, But With Just Enough Range

There are four variants of the GV60, and practically no optional extras to think of: Standard RWD, Standard AWD, Advanced AWD, and Performance AWD. Unsurprisingly, the least powerful Standard RWD and its 19-inch wheels offer the most range at 294 miles, while the range-topping Performance AWD has 429 horsepower (or 483 horses during Boost Mode) and 516 pound-feet of torque, but it also has the least range at just 235 miles. Here’s how all four variants fare if you’re pondering on what GV60 variant to choose.

What The GV60 Is Like To Drive

With the Genesis GV60 sharing the same E-GMP platform as the EV6 and Ioniq 5, the three cars will have a degree of similarity. However, what Genesis is great is infusing its vehicles with a level of personality that truly matches its brand philosophy. This is evident with its handling capabilities yet supreme levels of comfort, as you’ll see based on our review of the GV60 Performance AWD.

Mighty Refined And Comfy

A luxury car is meant to be comfortable and refined, and with the GV60, that’s indeed what you’ll get. There’s a solid amount of sound insulation to keep the outside world, and it’s even quieter than the EV6 and Ioniq 5. The GV60 Performance AWD also gets the Road Preview electronically-controlled suspension, which uses a forward-facing camera from the advanced driver-assistance systems to read the road ahead and prepare the appropriate damping control for the suspension.

Yet With Reasonable Sportiness

But even more impressive is the GV60’s handling capabilities. The steering is surprisingly pin-point sharp and accurate, and that suspension isn’t just to anticipate road imperfections, but also aids in reducing body motions to help this GV60 corner flat. There are only two minor gripes that somewhat prevent the GV60 from being an all-out performance-oriented EV. For one, its tires aren’t the best in terms of outright grip, and two, the GV60’s weight makes its presence felt. However, these two things will only be felt when you truly push this car through its grip limits, but for the most part, the GV60 is a supremely comfortable yet reasonably sporty electric crossover SUV.

There Are Looming Challenges

The Genesis GV60 is a very compelling EV in 2024, but the EV segment is extremely competitive. A looming

Tesla Model Y “Juniper” update
is coming out soon, and there’s also the possible threat of becoming more expensive. Also, EV leasing costs these days are extremely desirable, and if you were to consider this ownership solution, there’s a pair of Korean luxury EV that’s worth leasing over the GV60.

Politics Could Make The GV60 More Expensive

The GV60, like all the vehicles from Genesis except for the GV70, is imported from South Korea. Therefore, they won’t be eligible for the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit. The GV60 is already at a slight price disadvantage, but signs are pointing towards the GV60 and all other imported vehicles to face even more tariffs and other importation duties.

That’s because, while nothing has been set in stone yet, President-elect Donald Trump is promising to impose a 10 percent tariff on all imported goods. Trump has yet to enter office, but with this mindset behind the upcoming POTUS, Genesis is bracing for what is a possible setback for the brand’s existence in the United States. This stands in contrast to Hyundai and Kia, which have a diverse lineup of vehicles assembled in the United States.

Also, The Electrified G80 And GV70 Are Worth The Lease

While the GV60 is worth buying in full cash or financing, there are two Korean luxury EVs you might want to consider when going the leasing route. That would be both the Electrified GV70 and Electrified G80, two vehicles that are a bit larger and more luxurious than the GV60, whilst offering more luxury, performance, and technology. These two EVs, in our opinion, aren’t worth paying in full in cash or financing, since the range of these two EVs isn’t as good as the competition, especially those in bespoke EV platforms like the Tesla Model S and Model X. However, with leasing in mind, the GV60, Electrified GV70, and Electrified G80, have extremely competitive rates at the moment.

Leasing a Genesis EV, or any other EV for that matter, is very tempting due to its extremely competitive prices. For the Electrified GV70, pay $499 per month for 24 months or $579 per month for 33 months, while for the Electrified G80, there’s also a $579 per month for 33 months and an even lower $399 per month for 13 months. The GV60 has the most tempting lease offer, as you’ll pay just $339 per month for 33 months after applying for a $13,500 EV Lease Bonus, and that’s on top of another $1,000 Bonus Offer. All of these leasing offers have a one-time payment of $5,999.