The 2026 Genesis GV60: All Shine, No Swagger
When I review cars, I keep a little file in my Notes app called “Nice Touch.” This helps me remember the small things that distinguish vehicles from one another. Drivers can and should get caught up in the big-ticket items-performance, handling and exterior design, but it’s the details that stick in our memories. The 2026 Genesis GV60, a nifty electric crossover that sadly left my driveway a couple of days ago as I write this, had plenty of those Nice Touches, but three stood out:
First, the green suede above the door handles. That may not sound like much, but there was something about the little parallelogram cutouts, beautifully cross-stitched and elegantly placed, that made the whole interior of the vehicle deeply relaxing. There’s always talk in car design about “soft touch” materials, but this was some of the softest I’ve ever touched. It was literally nice to touch.
Next, the mini pop-up circular camera windows that show up when you turn on your blinkers. When you blink, there’s a circle to the corresponding side of the tachometer. It’s astonishing how much progress manufacturers have made in car camera technology in recent years, and this was one of the coolest features I’ve seen in a while. Not only is it a great safety technology, but it’s also perfectly placed on the dash, super clear and unobtrusive.
And finally, the mysterious crystal orb. What in the world is that about? When you press the on button, the glass orb rotates out, and the gear shifter appears. When you turn off the car, the orb comes back. It has no functional utility. I can only imagine what a nightmare it would be to repair, particularly when the warranty runs out. It’s kind of silly. But judged purely as a conversation piece, I’ve never seen anything better in a car.
That said, I enjoyed sitting in this car more than I enjoyed driving it. Not that driving it was a drag, but it doesn’t compare to other electric cars in its segment, like the electric Porsche Macan, which costs $10,000 more, or even the Cadillac Optiq. There is a 2027 GV60 performance model called the Magma floating around, but I haven’t had wheel time with it yet.
What you have instead is an 84 kWh battery pack that generates 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque, which a decade ago would have been akin to a moon launch, but now you can barely consider that a “performance” car. It goes zero to 60 in 3.6 seconds, which is more than enough for me, or for any average driver, but might not be sufficient for an enthusiast. You get the same basic performance from the Hyundai Ioniq. The GV60 is simply the luxury badging from the same corporation.
But it is quite a luxurious badge, with Nappa leather, contoured lumbar support, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, sunshades, a tremendous Bang & Olufsen sound system and an outstanding suite of safety features and driver-assist technologies. This is fully electric, so the fuel economy is essentially perfect, though its maximum range is 252 miles. That doesn’t seem like enough. Unfortunately, the glorious electric future they once promised us seems to be slipping away.
The GV60 felt very fresh when Genesis debuted it as its first electric vehicle in 2021. In its current refreshed form, it isn’t really a car for what the British call a “motoring enthusiast.” But if you like Nice Touches, it’s top of the market. The version I tested topped out at just above $74,000, and that includes the rotating crystal orb.
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