2026 Genesis Electrified GV70: When Better Isn’t Quite Enough

Genesis’ best-selling model, the GV70, is getting a mid-cycle update for the 2026 model year. We’ve covered the changes in a previous story. Nothing major, but then again, this compact luxury SUV was already an impressive product and a solid buy. You can read our driving impressions of the gas-powered model, but what about the Electrified GV70?

In light of the full week we recently spent with it, let's say this: the improvements are nice and make the driving experience even more enjoyable, but if you're not turning to Genesis for value, reliability or customer service, the competition may be better suited to you. We'll come back to that later.

• Also: 2026 Genesis GV70: Ready For the Next Step?
• Also: Recalled Hyundai, Kia, Genesis EVs Need Fixing Again

It Looks Almost the Same

Only a keen eye will appreciate the work of Genesis designers here, including the new, dual-weave mesh grille, slightly revised bumpers (with a fresh skid plate design) and micro lens array headlights. Said grille now incorporates an NACS charging port (along with a heated and motorized door) allowing direct access to Tesla’s Superchargers and other NACS-compatible fast chargers.

We really liked the new-look wheels and Ceres Blue body colour on our tester, the latter apparently inspired by the dwarf planet between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Build quality is once again commendable, although the hood line may give the impression that it's not properly closed. We’re sad to report the 25-litre frunk underneath is now a thing of the past—not a big loss, but you can’t say we didn’t warn you.

Enjoy the Big Screen

Classy and distinctive in a typically Korean way, the interior of the 2026 Genesis Electrified GV70 is available in a two-tone combination, like the icy blue/white of our top-line Prestige tester. In addition, updated and customizable ambient lighting makes the cabin even more attractive at night.

Following the lead of the larger GV80, the biggest change is undoubtedly the new 27-inch OLED display. The dashboard gives the illusion that it's moving away from the driver, but that's not the case. Still, the display would have been more driver-friendly with a curved design allowing easier use of the infotainment touchscreen and its numerous menus.

Oftentimes, we preferred to use the rotary dial and the buttons on the centre console, or those below the screen, for quicker access to vehicle functions. Just be careful not to confuse the dial with the similarly sized and shaped rotary gear selector, otherwise you could end up dropping the vehicle into neutral while driving.

The digital instruments can be configured in any number of ways, and Genesis has improved voice recognition controls to allow drivers to easily control vehicle functions like HVAC settings, window position and more. Another nice touch: the new location of the wireless phone charging pad is more convenient. However, the small, touch-sensitive button on the right steering wheel spoke causes distraction and should be replaced by a conventional button or roller, in our opinion.

Comfortable and Quiet

The driving position is generally good, except for a lack of space for your right foot. If your budget allows, the Electrified GV70 Prestige with its Ergo-Motion seat provides amazing comfort and support. While not a real massaging seat, it can change your driving posture to prevent aches and pains on long trips, then tighten or widen the side bolsters to suit your size. Oh, and it also includes power adjustable thigh support.

Visibility is not an issue, and the cabin shines with excellent protection against road and wind noise at high speeds. However, if you want to escape complete silence, the vehicle offers two distinct sound environments: "Horizon" is something you’d hear from a spaceship, while "Heritage: Black" tries to recreate a combustion engine. The latter can be fun at times, but we kind of got tired of it after a while.

The rear seats accommodate two adults or three children, except that legroom is a bit tight. Cargo room (813-1,601 litres) is almost the same as in the gas-powered GV70, which is great. There's still space under the floor for the tire repair kit, a few small essentials (including the CCS adapter supplied by Genesis) and the cargo cover when not in use.

Power to Spare, Range Could Still Be Better

Unlike other electric SUVs that offer two or more powertrain configurations, the 2026 Genesis Electrified GV70 is limited to just one. Fortunately, it has plenty of muscle for any situation, distributing 429 horsepower and 416 lb-ft of torque to all four wheels. Press the "Boost" button on the steering wheel and you'll have access to 483 horsepower and 516 lb-ft for ten seconds—perfect for quick passing manoeuvres or blasting off on an empty road. Incidentally, we recorded a 0-100 km/h sprint of 4.3 seconds in a previous test.

Another fun option is to activate the Virtual Gear Shift function through the touchscreen. This way, the regen braking paddles become paddle shifters allowing you to simulate gear changes, as if it were a combustion vehicle. Again, this can be entertaining for a while, but not enough to use it regularly. For their part, the brakes do a good job but can be a little grabby, resulting in somewhat unpleasant weight transfers in combination with the soft suspension.

In addition to the three main drive modes (Eco, Comfort, Sport), Genesis includes a custom mode that allows you to adjust throttle response, steering and suspension individually. We found it useful to enjoy more responsive acceleration and quicker turn-in while keeping the dampers soft to preserve ride quality on Quebec's roads. For 2026, a new Terrain mode optimizes the vehicle depending on conditions—snow, mud or sand. We bet you'll be more likely to use the first one than the other two with the Electrified GV70.

When it comes to safety and driver assistance, the blind spot monitor that pops up on the instrument cluster when activating a turn signal is fantastic, but active lane keeping assist is generally too intrusive to be tolerated, so we turned it off. For 2026, the steering wheel now features Hands-On Detection sensors, while Remote Smart Parking Assist has been improved to allow forward-to-back, parallel and now diagonal parking.

What about the battery? The new 84kWh pack enables up to 402 km of range instead of 380 km with the old 77.4kWh unit. We achieved a combined 20 kWh/100 km in ideal conditions and with about 60% city driving, meaning we could have travelled a bit farther than that (the Electrified GV70’s energy consumption is officially rated at 23.2 kWh/100 km by Natural Resources Canada). Sadly, that’s still not enough to be competitive in the segment.

As for charging, having direct access to Tesla Superchargers is undoubtedly good news. However, we couldn’t locate any using the vehicle's own navigation system, so we relied on Android Auto or the Tesla app. By the way, we must warn you that not all Superchargers are compatible with non-Tesla EVs. Furthermore, even with a fully preconditioned battery, Superchargers (400 V) aren’t as fast as 350kW DC chargers, which can charge the Electrified GV70 (800 V) from 10-80% in as little as 19 minutes according to Genesis.

Our Verdict

The handsome GV70 is a lovable and dependable travel companion with very good road manners, plenty of content for your buck and exceptional customer service from Genesis. Powerful and pleasant, its electrified variant has experienced a few bugs and recalls so far, but the truth is that there are worse vehicles in this department.

While the extra range for 2026 partially addresses a key shortcoming, many rivals continue to post better numbers. Consider the Audi Q6 e-tron, Cadillac Lyriq and Porsche Macan Electric. And don’t forget that highly anticipated, next-generation EVs will be hitting market in the coming year or so, most notably the 2026 BMW iX3 and 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC EQ. Genesis still has some work to do. All-inclusive pricing for the 2026 Electrified GV70 starts at $78,500 in base Advanced trim and $88,500 in Prestige trim.