Latest news with #electricSUV
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Smart #5 review: Tesla-rivalling family SUV is both big and clever
Best known for making city cars small enough to lose down the back of the sofa, Smart has lately been resurrected as a purveyor of premium (and very normal-sized) electric SUVs. The new Smart #5 is the biggest and boldest yet, a tech-focused family SUV with off-road stylings that joins the smaller Smart #1 and #3 in the brand's embiggened line-up. Built by Chinese firm Geely and designed by Mercedes-Benz – both share custody of the Smart name and DNA – the 4.7m long Smart #5 is about as far from the brand's compact roots as you can get. But besides a faint sense of loss for the goofy pocket-cars of yesteryear, the Smart #5 gives you little reason to dislike the brand's change of direction. So yes, the Smart #5 is big – you could parallel park the original Smart Fortwo inside its 2.9m wheelbase – but its boxy proportions, wide-apart wheels and flat floor make it lavishly spacious inside. The rear seats are as well-appointed and roomy as those in the front. The 800V architecture of the top-spec models means it charges faster than most UK charging points will allow, and most versions of the car offer some impressive tech as standard. How we tested We drove the Smart #5 Brabus around Porto and its surrounding countryside, assessing its performance, handling, interior tech and practicality on a variety of challenging roads. Independent rating: 7/10 Smart #5 specs Price range: From £32,000 (estimated) Battery size: 76kWh / 100 kWh Maximum claimed range: 366 miles Miles per kWh: 3.8 Maximum charging rate: 150kW / 426kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive The Smart #5 comes with two battery sizes. There's the entry-level Pro with a 76kWh battery and 288 miles of range which will probably cost around £32,000. Move up to the Pro+ and beyond and you'll get the 100kWh battery, which offers 366 miles in RWD rear-drive configurations and 335 in the 4x4 AWD car. Those higher trims include the over-the-top Brabus version which could cost something in the region of £55,000. It does away with some comfort and efficiency to deliver a whopping 637bhp and nail a 0-62mph time of 3.8s – just in case that's something anyone would ever want to do in a Smart car. That's silly performance for an SUV of this heft and weight (and something few customers will choose) but thankfully the Smart #5 is fast in ways that matter, too. Charging speeds are where the Smart #5 excels. The biggest battery will charge at speeds of up to 400kW in optimal conditions, taking the Smart #5 from 10 to 80 per cent in under 18 minutes. That's quicker than the Porsche Taycan and the new Tesla Model Y, but you're unlikely to find those optimal conditions in the UK any time soon – where typical motorway fast chargers currently top out at 350kW. The entry-level Pro edition won't worry our current charging infrastructure, with 150kW charging speeds capable of getting from 10 to 80 per cent in under 30 minutes. We test drove the Smart #5 Brabus which, even on its 21in alloy wheels, feels composed and comfortable whether you're crawling along cobbled streets or cruising at motorway speeds. The top-spec Brabus is incongruously powerful for an otherwise sensible family SUV, but switch to a less sporty driving mode and you'll get something closer to the performance of lower trim models. Things gets more business-like then with nicely weighted steering and smoother, more predictable power delivery. Ironically, city driving isn't the Smart #5's strong point. The 2.4 tonne SUV is more than comfortable in start-stop traffic, and the boxy body shape gives you excellent road visibility, but the car's size and fairly unremarkable turning circle makes it naturally unsuited to squeezing around tight bends and out of tricky spots. Interior, practicality and boot space The Smart #5 is surprisingly cavernous. A flat floor and long wheelbase, coupled with the overall boxiness of the shape, creates a huge amount of headroom and legroom for even the tallest front and rear passengers. Boot space is generous at 630 litres, expanding to 1,530 litres with the seats down. There's also 74 litres of space in the frunk, should you need it. The Smart #5 comes with some decent kit as standard. Even the basic Pro gets a panoramic roof, plus heated driver seat, a 360-degree parking camera and climate controls for passengers in the back. Move up to higher trims and you get features like dual wireless charging pads for your phone, a touchscreen display for your passenger, a heat pump for better battery efficiency and an augmented reality head-up display. Technology, stereo and infotainment Smart has gone all-in on displays with the #5. The dashboard is dominated by a bright and responsive 13in OLED central touchscreen – it's an impressive, pill-shaped panel that stretches all the way over to the passenger side on Pro+ models and above. Somewhat alarmingly, your passenger can watch movies on their side of the car if they're sufficiently bored of your company – though Smart says the passenger display will disable if the driver tries to sneak a peek at whatever's on. The OLED display is vibrant, fast, isn't overly fussy and intuitive to navigate. While you don't get physical buttons on the display, you do get a few on the steering wheel and the most essential controls are always within reach on screen. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto work wirelessly and seamlessly, integrating neatly with Smart's underlying interface. You've got your usual list of driver assist systems, which as with many modern cars includes a few overly judicious safety warnings. Overtaking a truck on a motorway with ample space, for example, we received the rather stark message that the car was 'taking evasive action'. Yawn just once and you'll be told to take a break and grab a coffee. The car's lane keeping can get a little jaunty with adaptive cruise control too, sometimes meandering in the lane like it's looking for something. Premium models and above get an impressive 20-speaker Sennheiser system with Dolby Atmos support, all 1,190 watts of which sound great in the the arena-sized cockpit of the Smart #5. Prices and running costs The Smart #5 will be available in the UK later this year, with prices still to be announced. Estimates put the entry-level Pro at around £32,000 which, if Smart could manage that, would offer good value in a competitive mid-size SUV market considering the #5's size, the amount of standard kit, and that impressive charging tech. The top-spec Brabus model could well top the £55,000 mark when prices are announced. Efficiency is nothing special, but still decent at around 3.8 miles per kWh, meaning running costs will be typical for a large EV. That means cheap if charging at home on off-peak tariffs, but potentially pricey if you want to make regular use of the Smart #5's impressive charging speeds at public chargers. FAQs How long does it take to charge? Models with the 100kWh battery and 800V system can theoretically charge 10 to 80 per cent in under 18 minutes on a 400kW+ charger. The 76kWh Pro model takes under 30 minutes on a 150kW charger. How much does it cost - is it worth it? Estimated from £32k to over £50k. Mid-range models offer a strong blend of space, tech, and range for the money, making it a compelling premium EV choice if you can live with the screen-heavy interface. Does Smart replace batteries for free? Like most EV manufacturers, Smart will offer an 8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the high-voltage battery, covering significant degradation or failure. Why trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we rate, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: Smart #5 Big enough to swallow the old Smart Fortwo whole, the Smart #5 is about as far from the brand's dinky heritage as you can get. Impressively large, crammed with technology and with a few too many screens in the cockpit, the family SUV delivers a premium driving experience, copious interior space, plenty of kit and enough character to avoid feeling generic. The Brabus is bonkers fast, but the standard versions will be the smarter buy.
Fast Company
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- Fast Company
Tesla's best-selling Model Y could be dethroned by this newly launched Chinese EV model
A new electric SUV YU7 is displayed at a showroom at a Xiaomi store in Beijing, China May 29, 2025. [Photo: Tingshu Wang/REUTERS] BY Listen to this Article More info 0:00 / 2:52 Xiaomi rolled out its new sports utility vehicle in Beijing on Thursday, as the firm best known for smartphones and consumer electronics gears up to further challenge Tesla in the world's largest auto market. Xiaomi launched the YU7 at 13 of its Beijing showrooms and will start taking orders for the vehicle in July. It is keen to repeat the success of the sporty SU7 sedan, which launched last year and has outsold Tesla's Model 3 on a monthly basis since December. Analysts have said the YU7 could pose a major threat to Tesla's best-selling Model Y but its launch comes at a time when Xiaomi, a relative newcomer to China's highly-competitive EV market, has seen new EV orders fall after a series of controversies. Chinese authorities have been investigating a fatal highway crash at the end of March involving an SU7 in driving-assistance mode and Xiaomi has apologised for 'not clear enough' marketing after customer complaints of false advertising. Liu Jiaxing, a 34-year-old tech worker, was among the first visitors to Xiaomi's flagship showroom in Beijing Oriental Plaza on Thursday morning, eager to catch a glimpse of the emerald green YU7. Liu said he was fond of the styling and colour as well as the fact that Xiaomi vehicles connect with the firm's personal gadgets and smart home products, which he felt pointed to how local brands understood Chinese consumers better than their foreign counterparts. 'I used to be more prone to U.S., German, and French car marques, but the fast progress of China's EV sector prompts me to focus more on the products rather than brands,' he said. Another visitor was Tom van Dillen, managing partner at German management consultancy Greenkern in Beijing, who said he was not a fan of some of the YU7's intelligent features, which he described as 'unnecessary,' but said the YU7 was a formidable challenger to the Model Y. He cited a 'physical ecosystem advantage in the showroom where there is a dedicated area with accessories that only fit into Xiaomi cars' and their competitive price. Xiaomi has said that it will only announce the YU7's pricing in July. advertisement HSBC Qianhai estimated in a note last week that the new SUV will be priced between 230,000 yuan and 330,000 yuan ($31,989-$45,898) and that Xiaomi could ship 100,000 YU7 units this year and 249,000 units in 2026. The Model Y is priced from 263,500 yuan in China. ($1 = 7.1899 Chinese yuan renminbi) —Qiaoyi Li and Alessandro Diviggiano, Reuters The final deadline for Fast Company's Brands That Matter Awards is this Friday, May 30, at 11:59 p.m. PT. Apply today. Sign up for our weekly tech digest. SIGN UP This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Privacy Policy
Auto Blog
a day ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Kia's 2026 EV9 Delivers More Miles for Less Money
Tariffs have made pricing more or less a free-for-all in the past few months, but some automakers still aren't sticking it to consumers. You get a lot for your money with the 2026 Kia EV9 three-row SUV The Kia EV9 debuted just a couple of years ago. It's a three-row, all-electric SUV in a small but blooming segment that only touts a handful of good options like the Rivian R1S, Volvo EX90, and the EV9 itself. For 2026, despite being half a market segment on its own, it doesn't get any pricier. What's more, Kia's juiced the model up a bit to make it an even more compelling value than it already was. Previous Pause Next Unmute 0:00 / 0:10 2025 Nissan Z undercuts Toyota Supra by a surprising amount Watch More 2026 Kia EV9 GT 2026 Kia EV9 GT 2026 Kia EV9 GT Kia EV9 gains range across the range The most impressive news for prospective shoppers will most likely be the range increases that many 2026 Kia EV9 trim levels see. The most substantial changes come to the GT-Line, which is, for now, the range-topping model. Kia massaged another ten miles of range from the battery, bringing the total range to 280 miles from 270 miles. The two models under the GT-Line see little bumps, too. Both the Land and Wind trim levels see three-mile gains, bringing total range up to 283 miles. The Light LR (Long Range) model sees a one-mile increase in range, bringing it up to a nice round 305 miles. In fact, the only model that didn't see any sort of changes is the standard EV9 Light SR, which presumably stays at 230 miles. The EV9 GT, a high-performance model that's confirmed to exist but lacks any real details, hasn't been assigned official range numbers or any sort of production schedule. Kia did introduce a new option package to the 2026 Kia EV9: the Nightfall Edition. Available on the Land AWD trim level only, it adds 20-inch gloss black wheels that you can't find elsewhere in the lineup. It also bundles black badging, gloss black trim, and other special interior bits. No pricing confirmed there yet, either. 2025 Kia EV9 2026 Kia EV9 GT Customers won't spend any more, as many trims see base MSRPs decrease You may think that with more usability comes a higher price tag, but you would be wrong. The 2026 Kia EV9 actually becomes, on the whole, less expensive than the 2025 model. While the base model and EV9 Wind stay the same, every other trim level gets a sweet five-figure discount. The 2026 Kia EV9 Land is $1,000 less expensive than last year's model, now starting at $70,395, including delivery fees of $1,495. The 2026 Kia EV9 Light LR and top-dog GT-Line see double the savings: that's right, $2,000 off compared to last year's models. They start at $59,395 and $73,395, respectively. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Final thoughts The 2026 Kia EV9 remains a big fish in a small pond. While competition exists from the likes of Volvo, Mercedes, Tesla, and Rivian, it's about $20,000 less expensive than the nearest competitor. Assuming, of course, you need usable back seats, as the Mercedes EQB/Model Y technically offers a third row, but usability is a bit suspect. Handsome styling, average range, and great interior space already separate the EV9 from the other guys, but Kia's pricing changes for the 2026 EV9 widen the gap even further.
The Verge
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Verge
Hyundai's new EV factory is teeming with robots — and wariness about the future
Driving a 2026 Ioniq 9 SUV around the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant in Georgia can feel like a victory lap for the South Korean automaker. Hyundai's electric flagship carves out room for three America-centric rows of seats, from a booming brand whose EVs and hybrids already make up one in every four US sales. Even better, the Ioniq 9 and smaller Ioniq 5 are emerging from a futuristic new factory in America, giving Hyundai a defensible bulwark against the tariffs and onshoring fervor of Donald Trump's administration. As I watch these electric SUVs roll off a surgically clean assembly line, Hyundai's opportunistic timing looms as large as the hulking robots that help build its cars. A tour of the $7.6 billion factory also underlines how many automakers are plowing ahead with long-laid EV plans, regardless of Category 5 Washington winds that threaten to blow away Joe Biden-era support for EV manufacturing, consumer tax credits, and public charging. Hyundai's opportunistic timing looms as large as the hulking robots that help build its cars Seen from the air en route to Savannah, the Metaplant resembles a printed circuit board on a green background, blown up to epic scale. Eleven low-slung, pale-green buildings dot 3,000 acres of Georgia countryside, with a total 7.5 million square feet of space. One building houses a $4 billion battery plant, a joint operation with South Korea's LG Energy Solution, that plans to begin supplying cells for Ioniq models next year. The company is racing to open a second battery plant in Georgia, a roughly $5 billion joint operation with SK On. A forthcoming steel plant in Louisiana further underscores Hyundai's commitment to its largest global market. It's all part of a $21 billion investment in America between now and 2028, the vast majority pledged during the EV-friendly Biden administration. No humans required Pulling into the factory, I watch a conveyor carry freshly painted cars across a windowed bridge. It's designed to let drivers on Interstate 16 see the fruits of a plant that will ultimately produce 500,000 EVs and hybrids a year — more than Tesla's Texas Gigafactory, with its 375,000-car capacity. Georgians may also see their tax dollars at work. The publicly supported plant already employs 1,340 'Metapros,' enough to boost the automaker's annual local payroll to $497 million. Hyundai foresees an eventual 8,500 jobs on-site, and another 7,000 satellite jobs for local suppliers and businesses. That's a lot of jobs. Compared with the Detroit-area factory where I toiled in the 1980s, a depressing maelstrom of heat, dirt, toxic chemicals, and industrial accidents, this joint is like MOMA: a modern museum of manufacturing art. But the factory also highlights a catch-22 of modern manufacturing, one that Trump's economic advisors seem to overlook, intentionally or otherwise: To have any chance of competing with China's EV-and-battery juggernaut, factories must enlist growing armies of AI-enhanced robots that can potentially work 24/7 and never demand overtime or benefits. That means employing relatively fewer humans. At the factory loading docks, Autonomous Guided Vehicles, or AGVs, busily unload parts from semitrucks. Roughly 300 of these robotic sleds roam the factory with no tracks required, neatly avoiding workers or obstacles. AI informs the entire factory operation, from procurement to logistics to production. Roughly 300 of these robotic sleds roam the factory with no tracks required These AGVs are common in today's factories, but I've never seen them at this scale, or a certain tag-team maneuver: A pair of sleds slide below finished Hyundais as they roll off the line. They squeeze the cars' wheels in robotic arms, hoist them off the ground, and ferry cars where they need to go. I've visited car factories around the world, and this is the first I've seen where an employee doesn't have to start cars and drive them away. Automated vehicles also carry every component to the assembly line for efficient 'just-in-time' installation, no humans required. That avoids wasting money and labor stockpiling huge backlogs of parts. 'They're delivering the right parts to the right station at the right time, so you're no longer relying on people to make decisions' or losing time to mistakes, says Jerry Roach, senior manager of general assembly. Man's best friend does make an appearance. A pair of robotic dogs named 'Spot,' bred by the Hyundai-owned, Massachusetts-based Boston Dynamics, scan and sniff out potential defects on car welds. Those yellow-coated dogs may soon be joined by humanoid robots, the AI-driven 'Atlas' models that Hyundai plans to deploy throughout its factories in the future. The dexterous biped bots — whose ability to cartwheel, breakdance, and barrel roll already outdoes most auto workers — appear outwardly friendly, but will strike any sentient human as a potential Terminator of jobs. (Hyundai executives insist that is not the case). The welding shop alone houses 475 industrial robots, piecing together the building blocks of a car chassis. A steel stamping plant is so spookily quiet that no ear protection is required, even as robots stamp out roofs, fenders, and other body panels in a whirling, complicated dance. As with many leading-edge factories, there are strikingly few workers beyond the assembly line itself; I spot only a few dozen at work in the cavernous welding hall. Familiar industrial robots — but not yet humanoid Atlas robots — even install bulky car doors on the assembly line. Roach says that job is notoriously tough for workers to manage without potentially damaging painted surfaces. Such 'collaborative' robots must be safe and reliable enough to operate alongside humans without physical separation required. 'This is a real-life factory of the future,' Roach says. Clean energy targets Those kinds of jobs, involving massively heavy lifting, repetitive tasks, or computerized speed and accuracy, are 'prime things' to automate, Roach says. Other jobs require the tactile precision that only human hands and vision provide. 'I want my people doing craftsmanship,' Roach says. 'I want to pay people well for the things they do well, and take away all the stuff that's tedious and boring, the jobs people don't want to do.' Of course, some people might not mind tedious or heavy-lifting jobs that also pay a generous living wage. But there's no going back to the days when it took many thousands of workers to keep a factory humming; Ford's River Rouge complex, designed by Albert Kahn, employed more than 100,000 workers during World War II. Twenty-first-century carmaking also means the latest in green tech. The Metaplant targets obtaining 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources. Trucks that haul parts here daily from a localized supply chain are powered by hydrogen fuel cells and produce zero tailpipe emissions. The 21-truck fleet is built by the Hyundai-owned XCIENT, the world's first commercialized fuel-cell semis. Employees can park in nearly 1,900 spaces beneath solar roofs, shielded from baking Georgia sun, which provides up to five percent of the plant's electricity. The bulk of the factory's finished cars are shipped by rail rather than truck, trimming the plant's carbon footprint. Credit where credit's due Hyundai hopes those trains will work overtime shipping the 2026 Ioniq 9. Buyers will find a spacious, more affordable foil to a Rivian R1S or Tesla Model X, with 50 percent more cargo space behind its third row than Tesla. The sister car to the critically acclaimed Kia EV9 is the most expensive Hyundai yet, starting from $60,595 for a single-motor model with a modest 215 horsepower. The cocooning, thoroughly pleasant-driving SUV gets a 110 kilowatt-hour battery that supplies a generous 335 miles of driving range, or a still-solid 311 to 320 miles for AWD versions. It's stuffed with useful tech, including a curling pair of conjoined 12.3-inch screens, 100-watt USB-C connectors, and active noise cancellation. Ioniq 9 prospects may focus on a particularly compelling piece of tech: an onboard Tesla NACS connector opens the wide world of Tesla Supercharging to buyers. (The smaller Ioniq 5, which kicked off Georgia production in October, was the first non-Tesla with a native NACS plug). Like other EVs with advanced architectures of 800 or more volts, the Ioniq 9 doesn't charge at its peak rates on Superchargers. But Hyundai still cites a 10-to-80-percent refill in 40 minutes. That drops to 24 minutes on the most powerful 350-kilowatt CCS chargers from Electrify America. Ioniq 9s will come with free adapters to plug into CCS stations, opening access to a total 45,000 DC stalls in America. The Ioniq 9 is stuffed with useful tech Hyundai was also hoping to lure Ioniq buyers with a $7,500 consumer tax credit, including by switching Ioniq 5 production from South Korea to Georgia. For the Ioniq 9 I tested — a top-shelf, $75,000 Calligraphy AWD model with 422 horsepower from a pair of electric motors — that credit would represent 10 percent of the price. But now the Trump administration is turning on electrified cars, the majority built in Republican-led states, in unprecedented, nearly malicious fashion. It is kneecapping those credits, blocking public money for chargers, and saddling EVs and hybrids with annual fees for road maintenance. Hyundai had also taken its lumps under the Biden administration: The IRA made its imported EVs ineligible for tax credits, despite Hyundai's pledge of billions of dollars in US investment. José Muñoz, Hyundai's global president, made it clear the company felt blindsided and unfairly sidelined from credits. The Metaplant was one answer, allowing Hyundai to shift Ioniq 5 production from South Korea. That boosts the model's percentage of US- and Canadian-made parts from a piddling two percent to 63 percent, including US-sourced batteries. For the Ioniq 9, the North American share sits at 60 percent. Finally, Hyundai could tout both American-made Ioniq models as being fully eligible for $7,500 consumer tax credits, as executives did during my plant tour. But in a bitter irony, a Hyundai that crossed oceans and moved mountains to jump-start US production of Hyundai, Kia, and luxury Genesis EVs is about to be shut out of credits. Again. There are lessons in there, somewhere. For tariff proponents, the Metaplant might be a $7.6 billion lesson in reality: No American factory can screw together a single car without some share of imported parts, including from a China that holds a near-monopoly on several raw or processed battery materials. For automakers, including (surely envious) Hyundai rivals now under pressure to onshore their own factories, the lessons are different. They must deal with the Trump administration's ever-changing tariff moods, in a business that lives for long-term clarity, regulatory consistency, and economic stability. For every EV maker, including a Hyundai Motor that seemingly did everything by the book, a conclusion appears inescapable: They are on their own. Expect no help from Washington, but rather potential hurt. The only possible strategy is to roll up their sleeves, keep their heads down, and avoid further kicks to the teeth.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Genesis GV70 Electrified review: Almost perfect, premium electric SUV
We're already big fans of the Genesis GV70 Electrified. More interesting to drive than German rivals like the Mercedes EQE, it's an effortlessly appealing all-electric SUV with a loyal base of satisfied owners. For 2025, Genesis has addressed a few concerns with the GV70, notably by fitting a bigger 84kWh battery (up from 77kWh), giving the styling a nip and tuck, and upping the kit count with some really interesting tech on board. It's almost the perfect, premium electric SUV, but one thing still holds it back. Although the range is improved, 298 miles from the bigger battery just doesn't seem enough these days. The range will be fine for most UK drivers, but the fact that the GV70 hovers below the 300 mile mark while rivals are going farther may well put some buyers off – which would be a shame. For now there's only a four-wheel drive GV70 in the UK. The lack of a rear-drive-only option is a real missed opportunity, and would offer nearly everything the GV70 Electrified does but in a cheaper, more efficient package that would go further. Quite why Genesis thinks GV70 buyers want to do 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds with the boost function is beyond me – they'd be much happier with a range that's 20 miles greater and a 0-62mph time that's a second or so slower. If you can live with the range – and we'd urge you to try – the GV70 is an absolutely brilliant car. It beats rivals on comfort and offers impressive new widescreen tech on board, plus lots of other clever gadgets. Add in a few mild styling tweaks (such as a new grille, different lighting treatment and changes to the bumpers) and the GV70 is more appealing than ever, especially as it still delivers with peerless quality and family-friendly space. How we tested We've spent many hours behind the wheel of the previous Genesis GV70 Electrified, and many more testing the 2025 update. The space and practicality is the same – we checked – but the drive around Surrey towns and countryside, and playing with the tech, showed big improvements. Independent rating: 9/10 Genesis GV70 Electrified specs Price range £65,915 Battery size 84kWh Maximum claimed range 298 miles Miles per kWh 3.2 Maximum charging rate 240kW Battery, range, charging, performance and drive The battery boost from 77kWh to 84kWh has given a welcome increase to the car's range, up from a claimed maximum of 283 miles to 298, but that number is hardly special in 2025. That 298 mile range is only for the entry-level Pure model too. Dynamic and Luxury models see it drop slightly to 287 miles. That said, Genesis models do tend to be more efficient than many rivals, especially when it comes to real-world range. When we took a 148 mile journey on mixed, mostly fast roads in a GV70 Electric, we started with 259 miles of range and ended with 126 left on the readout – 15 miles better than expected. Our average energy usage of 3.7m/kWh on that journey outstripped the official figure too. Fast charging at 240kW is speedy enough, too. Genesis says you can get a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 19 minutes, which is pretty impressive assuming you can find a fast enough charger. The GV70 is no sports car, though a 0-62mph time of just 4.4 seconds when you've hit the boost button on the steering wheel feels mighty quick. The new car also features some clever dynamic torque vectoring tech that improves grip and stability in corners, while there's also AI terrain mode that apparently scans the road surface and selects the right driving mode if it detects mud, snow or sand. However, this is a car that excels when driven gently, with a super-smooth ride, decent visibility and a really quiet interior thanks to active noise cancellation tech that cleverly helps to keep things peaceful. Interior, practicality and boot space The quality of the interior of the GV70 really stands out. Genesis calls it 'son-nim' (the Korean approach to hospitality, luxury and convenience) and it does feel markedly different to German rivals – less technical and more comforting. The latest updates seem to have upped the quality and class even more, especially the new dashboard design which features a spectacular 27in OLED screen, ambient lighting and revised steering wheel. The seats are good, offering excellent visibility and first class materials. There's plenty of space on offer and the same son-nim approach has been applied to the back of the interior as the front – there doesn't seem to be a step back in quality for rear passengers. The boot – although not huge – is a decent size at 503 litres, rising to 1,678 litres with the rear seats folded. There's even 25 litres of extra storage space in the 'frunk' under the bonnet. The new GV70 Electrified range features three grade options starting with Pure and moving up through Dynamic to Luxury. There's more standard equipment on offer, plus a range of option packs that include extras like vehicle-to-load capability to power external devices, full-grain Nappa leather trim, a panoramic sunroof and even the opportunity to get white brake calipers – a bit bizarre given the upcoming sporty Genesis Magma models that focus on orange instead. GV70 buyers in 2025 can choose from a newly expanded range of 12 colours, including matte finishes, plus three interior trim options. Technology, stereo and infotainment The tech overhaul is the biggest difference between the old and new GV70, and might be enough to persuade some previous owners to trade up. The star of the show is the 27in OLED screen that sits in front of the driver and extends across the centre of the dash to cover driver information and infotainment duties. There's still a physical (and delightful to touch) scroll wheel on the centre console, but the touchscreen is more responsive than ever. At last, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both wireless, and there's wireless phone charging too. If you're worried about your mobile phone – or anything else – needing a clean, there's a lidded cubby between the front seats that floods with ultraviolet light to cleanse whatever is in there. That's part of an optional (and apparently germaphobe focused) serenity pack. There's now a digital centre mirror, updated smart access that allows you to use your phone or watch to access and start the car, and a new remote smart parking assistant to take care of parking duties with you in or out of the car. You can choose from a variety of different mode settings that will play appropriate sounds, activate an aroma diffuser, change the lighting and even give you a massage in cars with massaging seats. There's also been a welcome upgrade to the audio system with a 15 speaker Bang & Olufsen setup featuring Dolby Atmos. It works with the car's active noise cancellation and beefed up soundproofing to provide a better base to work its audio magic from. The standard driver assistance features have also been upgraded, as have the LED headlights with their new welcoming dance. Prices and running costs As you'd expect, prices have gone up slightly and there's now a wider range of GV70s to choose from. All models get the new 84kWh battery with standard heat pump. The Pure model starts at £65,915 and comes nicely equipped. Next up is the Dynamic at £70,715, oddly named as it doesn't add any extra dynamism other than bigger wheels and an increase in luxury kit. The lavishly specced Luxury model will set you back £74,915 and gets every last bit of tech, including the Dolby Atmos B&O Audio with active noise cancelling and a panoramic sunroof. Despite a relatively average battery size and range, efficiency for such a large SUV is good and trustworthy range indicators help you to plan your journey. Genesis promises that its dealers will look after you better than any others – there are a few fancy stores in shopping centres – but the car maker is set to expand its network to selected dealers around the country. Genesis GV70 rivals BMW iX3 Lexus RZ Jaguar I-Pace FAQs How long does it take to charge? Find a 350kW charger and the Genesis GV70 Electric will charge at 240kW to get from 10 to 80 per cent charge in 19 minutes. How much does it cost - is it worth it? It's an expensive car, especially with options, but still worthy of consideration when compared with rivals. Does Genesis replace batteries for free? The batteries are covered by an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty – if they misbehave they will be repaired or replaced. Why you can trust us Our team of motoring experts have decades of experience driving, reviewing and reporting on the latest EV cars, and our verdicts are reached with every kind of driver in mind. We thoroughly test drive every car we recommend, so you can be sure our verdicts are honest, unbiased and authentic. The verdict: Genesis GV70 In my previous review of the Genesis GV70 Electric, I said I'd be very happy to live with one. That's even more the case in 2025. It's a hugely likeable car, majoring on comfort and quietness and delivering on Genesis' claim of Korean-style hospitality. The quality is superb, the tech is now bang up to date and Genesis' service is impressive. But I'd rather Genesis knocked a second or so off the 0-62mph time and made it go a little further. 298 miles doesn't seem quite enough these days.
