Only once in a great while does a rookie year prove to be a blockbuster. In sports, “Night Train” Lane in 1952 and Larry Bird in 1979 were two such rookies. In automotive, Tesla and Genesis are recent rookies that hit big. Now Genesis has produced its first electric vehicle, the 2023 GV60.

At a glance

• “Normal” luxury SUV that happens to be electric
• Good range and lots of charging options
• Not quite an SUV and not quite a hatchback
• Long list of impressive standard features

Like every Genesis vehicle, the GV60 is beautiful to look at. Rather than go with new EV-only designs and branding like some manufacturers, Genesis decided to use its core design for all sport utilities as the basis for this new EV as well. Since the Hyundai-owned luxury brand is already known for its sleek and upscale design language, this was a good fit.

The only mark announcing the GV60 as a battery-electric vehicle is its somewhat muted grille. The GV60 otherwise follows the classic proportions, simple body lines, dual headlamp slits, and short corners of the other Genesis models.

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

This design gives the impression that the 2023 GV60 happens to be electric instead of having a plug for EV’s sake. Although created from the ground up as a battery-electric, the GV60 doesn’t give the impression that it was purpose-built that way. Instead, it feels like it could be any Genesis SUV. It’s a strategy that will appeal to the buyers who aren’t early adopters. A segment that, frankly, is probably already saturated thanks to EV rivals like Tesla and Toyota, whose plug-in vehicles are generally overly space-age for the general populace.

From the inside, the GV60 holds this appeal. It’s just a vehicle. Not a spaceship, not an iPhone on wheels, and not a refitted gasoline model. That kind of “nothing new here, just drive me” design has a lot of appeal … especially for a public that often feels force-fed electric vehicles in today’s political climate.

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

The 2023 Genesis GV60 shares many things with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, but is mostly unique to itself. Even in design, as it’s not quite a sport utility and not quite a hatchback, but somewhere in between where that “crossover” term gets used so often.

The GV60 has a 77.4-kWh battery pack and dual electric motors, with all-wheel drive being standard. The base (Advanced) model has 314 horsepower (234 kW) while the Performance model has 429 hp (320 kW). That latter number can be boosted to 483 hp (360 kW) for a few seconds via the Boost button on the GV60 Performance’s steering wheel.

The EPA-estimated range for the 2023 GV60 is 248 miles (399 km) per charge, but in the real world it’s likely that many drivers will see more – particularly if most driving is done in town at less than highway speeds. Charge times vary by how you’re plugging in, of course, but the GV60 recharged in only about 6.5 hours from our 240V/50A charger.

The Genesis GV60 is one of the few options on the market right now that is capable of utilizing 350 kW DC fast charging, which will take the vehicle from 10 to 80% in about 20 minutes. Those chargers are few and far between right now, of course, but the GV60 is capable of using a variety of fast charge options up to that speed.

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

Despite all of that complex modern technology under its hood (so to speak), the 2023 Genesis GV60 is otherwise, as we’ve stated, a pretty “normal car.” Its interior is luxurious and classy with comfort being a top priority. It is quiet on the road, the controls are obvious, and its infotainment and driver information screens are only as complex as one wants them to be.

It’s possible to stay light on the surface and just surf music, navigation, efficiency, and charge state screens, or to deep dive into vehicle settings and driving charts. Whatever floats the user’s boat.

Cargo space in the GV60 is smaller than similarly-sized SUVs, but larger than similarly-sized hatchbacks. It’s somewhere in between those choices, and is enough that most people will likely find it useful and accommodating most of the time … unless carrying furniture or large objects is a common thing. Then maybe a larger SUV or a non-EV option is a better choice.

Aaron Turpen / New Atlas

Out on the road, the 2023 GV60 is smooth and predictable, and engaging to drive. Like most electric vehicles, punching the accelerator results in some seat-hugging good times as well. Our standard model accelerated to 60 mph (97 km/h) in about five seconds while the Performance model is reported to beat four seconds. That’s a similar result to our test of the Ford Mach-e GT.

Pricing for the 2023 Genesis GV60 starts at about US$61,000 and the Performance model is about $10,000 more. Both are well-equipped with driver’s aids, safety technology, luxury comforts, and fingerprint and facial recognition for keyless entry. More top-end luxury items like parking assistance, lane keeping, blind-spot intervention, etc. are standard equipment as well. Most of the improvements with the Performance trim are for performance and handling rather than luxury.

We think of the Genesis GV60 as the rookie of the year for electric options in 2023. It’s not just a great first start, it’s a potential most valuable player when all is said and done. One of the best EVs we’ve seen so far.

Product page: 2023 Genesis GV60