Tesla needs to beware of new luxury challenger paying homage to its gas roots – but range anxiety is hard to swallow

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

Following the successful release of the gas -powered GV70 in 2021, Genesis now offers an all- electric variant that’s high on style.

The U.S. Sun

The U.S. Sun

The U.S. Sun

Genesis is a luxury brand under the Korean car producer Hyundai .

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

Genesis departs from the minimalist design trend that’s all the rage in the sector.

• This story is part of a series of test drives by Ben Shimkus , a Motors Reporter for The U.S. Sun.

Instead, the car has a gigantic chrome grill, a funky C-pillar, and an eye-catching interior.

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

Speaking of chrome – it’s everywhere.

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

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

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

Other competitors have interior fixings that remind drivers of the EV’s innate environmental pitch – like Rivian’s carved wood dash or Tesla’s simplistic linear patterns.

The Electrified GV70 offers a refined driving experience.

Our test model, equipped with Electronically Controlled Suspension, handled New York City’s potholes with ease. The acceleration is impressive, delivering a responsive and smooth ride.

The car is also a magician on the highway.

Standard safety tech – including lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control – will self-drive on long highway drives.

Genesis Electrified GV70 Review

Ben Shimkus, an automotive journalist for The U.S. Sun, test-drove the Genesis Electrified GV70. Here are his thoughts

Props to Genesis for sticking to its luxury guns. This is a truly beautiful car.

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

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

Pros:

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

Cons:

• Range limit: The car’s range is only 236 miles, which is underwhelming compared to its luxury competitors.
• Beep, beep: The high-tech monitors are too sensitive in heavy traffic, frequently issuing unnecessary collision warnings.

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

When the steering assist and cruise control are both activated, drivers can prompt the car to move into a nearby lane by clicking the directional.

However, the GV70 isn’t without its drawbacks.

The electric range on our tester topped out at 236 miles.

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

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

Volvo’s C40 Recharge and the Mini Cooper SE – both originally engineered as gas-powered cars with larger drag coefficients – have less than 300 miles of range.

Simply put, the range isn’t enough to quell electric vehicle drivers’ fears of range anxiety on long trips.

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

Alarms blared as the car warned about potential collisions that weren’t near the vehicle.

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

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

However, with a price tag of $75k and a range under 250 miles, drivers might opt for a car with a longer single-charge capacity if they aren’t drawn in by the GV70’s devilishly good looks.

The U.S. Sun