Tesla needs to be careful with the new luxury challenger that pays homage to its gas roots – but range anxiety is hard to swallow

TESLA’s electric competition is growing in size and capability – I test-drove one of its biggest luxury electric vehicle competitors for a week.

Following the successful launch of the gasoline-powered GV70 in 2021, Genesis now offers an all-electric variant with high style.

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Genesis is a luxury brand from Korean car manufacturer Hyundai.

The Electrified GV70 boasts opulence from head to toe, which gives the crossover a design language that boldly deviates from some of its main EV competitors, like Tesla.

Genesis moves away from the trend of minimalist design that is all the rage in the industry.

• This story is part of a series of tests carried out by Ben Shimkus, engine reporter for The US Sun.

Instead, the car has a gigantic chrome grille, a modern C-pillar and an attractive interior.

All of its design cues are almost exact replicas of its popular gas-powered sister product.

Speaking of chrome, it’s everywhere.

The car’s side profile has four chrome lines, some of which extend the entire length of the car.

Inside, the chrome door handles match the side of the center console and the decorations around the climate controls.

But beyond the somewhat overused metal, the cabin exudes opulence with stitched seats, glass gear selector and suede headliner.

Other competitors have interior accessories that remind drivers of the EV’s innate environmental tone—like Rivian’s carved wood dashboard or Tesla’s simplistic linear patterns.

The Electrified GV70 offers a refined driving experience.

Our test model, equipped with an electronically controlled suspension, navigated New York City’s potholes with ease. Acceleration is impressive, providing an agile and smooth drive.

The car is also a magician on the road.

Standard safety technology — including lane-keeping assist and adaptive cruise control — will drive itself on long highway journeys.

Genesis Electrified GV70 Review

Ben Shimkus, automotive journalist for The US Sun, tested the Genesis Electrified GV70. Here are your thoughts

Kudos to Genesis for keeping their luxury weapons. This is a truly beautiful car.

The luxury company took its popular gas-powered crossover SUV and boosted the powertrain with an all-electric shock.

I drove the EV for seven days. Here are my impressions:

Pros:

• Hey, handsome: This is a fun car with some serious style points.
• Comfort, more: the interior is as functional and comfortable as it is opulent.
• Price tag: Some drivers might scoff at our tester’s $75,000 price tag — but its luxury competitors are pushing six-figure prices on similarly equipped models.
• Hands up!: The safety technology is impressive, especially on the highway.
• Vroom vroom: The battery is quick and responsive, giving the crossover more than enough power.

Cons:

• Range Limit: The car’s range is just 236 miles, which is underwhelming compared to its luxury competitors.
• Beep, beep: High-tech monitors are very sensitive in heavy traffic, often issuing unnecessary collision warnings.

The Genesis can also change lanes when driving semi-autonomously.

When steering assistance and cruise control are activated, drivers can request the car to move to a nearby lane by clicking the D-pad.

However, the GV70 is not without its drawbacks.

Electric range on our tester reached 236 miles.

The GV70 will charge quickly on a Level 3 charger. It’s a similar battery to the ones we use in the Kia EV9 and Hyundai IONIQ 5.

Range is a common problem for cars that are initially designed for gas and then retrofitted with batteries.

Volvo’s C40 Recharge and Mini Cooper SE – both originally designed as gasoline-powered cars with higher drag coefficients – have less than 300 miles of range.

Simply put, range is not enough to allay electric vehicle drivers’ range anxiety fears on long journeys.

Plus, while the high-tech displays are fantastic on open highways, they were overly cautious when our tester hit heavy traffic.

Alarms sounded as the car warned of possible collisions that were not near the vehicle.

Our all-wheel-drive Prestige model was priced at $75,020, with base models starting in the $60,000 range.

The 2025 Genesis Electrified GV70 offers a comfortable, stylish and enjoyable driving experience.

However, with a price tag of $75,000 and a range of less than 250 miles, drivers might opt ​​for a car with a longer single-carrying capacity if they aren’t attracted to the GV70’s devilishly good looks.

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