Newcomers in an established industry like the automotive space have ??? ?? ????to go above and beyond to make a lasting and strong first impression. When Korean luxury brand Genesis landed on the scene six years ago, it showcased quality on par with the benchmark-setting Germans, but at a price that had car shoppers drooling. However, good value isn't the only thing Genesis has going for it, as it is now shifting towards electric vehicles that are loaded with cool tech.
We got our hands on the new all-electric 2023 Genesis GV60, which features a lot of eyebrow-raising technology. Whether they're convenient or helpful driving aids or just plain gimmicks, the reality is Genesis filled its new EV with all kinds of stuff for techies to enjoy.
Digital and Biometric Keys
If you're ready to ditch your physical keys, the GV60 has a few options. The right smartphone or wearable device allows the use of a Digital Key.
Genesis is the luxury vehicle division of the South Korean giant Hyundai Motor Company
Currently, only Samsung and Apple devices with Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) features are compatible with the Digital Key feature, which allows you to leave your physical keys behind and use your device to unlock, lock and start the car.
You can even share the digital key with friends or family with the Digital Key phone app. So far, only BMW and very few Kia and Hyundai models support Digital Key, making this feature feel pretty innovative.
Speaking of smartphone tech, the GV60 borrows another set of features from the latest flagship handhelds: biometric identification. Like your smartphone, the vehicle features a facial recognition camera placed on the exterior of the B-pillar.
After setup, walk up to the car and it will unlock the door if it recognizes your face. There's also a fingerprint reader inside the vehicle, next to the infotainment controller. Using this you can start the car with your finger; no keys are needed!
The biometric features can also tie your finger or facial data to user profiles in the car to automatically change the radio presets and seat position for each registered user. Normally, this is done using seat memory buttons, but come on, that's not nearly as cool.
Connected Features
Even if you don't have a supported phone for the digital key, Genesis features a connected service and phone app that uses your phone's mobile network to lock and unlock your car remotely. This is probably not suitable for everyday use, but will help provide peace of mind when you leave the car parked somewhere.
The connected features also help you find the car in a parking lot, monitor the range of the GV60, get roadside assistance, and more. This also provides over-the-air (OTA) updates to the car's software, updating your infotainment system or navigation without having to visit a dealership.
Like many modern cars, the GV60 features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, although it currently doesn't offer a wireless connection to the infotainment screen, which is a disappointment. Users can connect their devices to the car with a USB-C cable to use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Safe and Secure
Safety is another branch of technology that's huge in the automotive industry. The Genesis GV60 is loaded with safety features like a forward collision avoidance system that can detect pedestrians and cyclists, a blind-spot collision avoidance feature, parking collision avoidance, a highway driving-oriented adaptive cruise control, and a fancy remote parking system.
That last item means that if you have a tight parking spot, you can get out before parking, and remotely park the GV60 from outside the vehicle.
The safety features extend to the passenger as well. When exiting the vehicle on a busy street, the car's blind spot monitor can detect oncoming traffic or bikers and lock the car door for a moment to prevent accidents.
There's also a very sensitive rear seat occupant alert. While other cars memorize the door opening and closure sequence or use airbag sensors to remind you if there's a passenger in a given seat, the GV60 has an in-car radar that can detect minute movements of pets or children to provide an alert about a forgotten passenger.
Users may also be concerned about the security of the aforementioned biometric and personal data. This is all encrypted and kept aboard the vehicle. Only the driver can access it to wipe the profiles.
Charged Up and Out
Since the Genesis GV60 is an electric vehicle, electrical performance is a key talking point. The GV60 supports charge speeds up to 350 kW, which, in theory, would allow it to charge from 10 to 80 percent in 18 minutes.
You need to find the appropriate DC fast charger and have ideal battery and charger conditions to sustain that power delivery, but if all goes to plan, the car should be able to charge up fairly quickly. When fully charged, the GV60 offers between 235 and 248 miles of range, depending on the trim level, but all models support that speedy fast charging system.
But what if you wanted to use an EV to charge something else? Inside the vehicle, next to the rear seats, is a 240-volt power outlet, which should let you recharge laptops or operate small appliances within the car.
This should help make things more productive during your next recharge stop. But the vehicle also features an external vehicle-to-load (V2L) function that provides 3.6 kW of power to outdoor devices, making it ideal for a campsite or tailgate party.
The Tech Behind The Drive
Finally, the fancy tech in the Genesis GV60 extends to the driving experience, too. The GV60 Advanced features 314 hp and 446 lb-ft of torque that powers all four wheels to deliver a 0-60 MPH sprint of about 6 seconds.
The Performance model bumps the power figures up to 429 hp, but features a round Boost button on the steering wheel that temporarily jacks up the output to 483 hp and 516 lb-ft. For 10 seconds, you get the full grunt of this powertrain, allowing the vehicle to hit 60 MPH in about 4 seconds.
It's an incredible rush of speed, though it's insane that this mode lasts ten seconds - on the street, using it past five seconds is more than enough to get you into serious trouble. But if you have some private property to play on or a skidpad, you can also take advantage of the drift mode, which will help you transform the tires into smoke!
The gimmicks and gadgets don't stop there. Since this is an EV, it's eerily quiet and features active noise cancellation to drill out any wind or tire noise from the cabin. If you don't like that, the vehicle has the option to play some fake engine sounds through the audio system with a few options for you to choose.
A car simply needs to get you from Point A to Point B, preferably in safety and decent time. But when you're spending $58,890 (for the Advanced model) or over $67,890 for the Performance model, there needs to be something more to justify the price.
All this technology isn't necessary, but some of it helps to add a sense of occasion to the vehicle, reduce the tedium of an everyday commute, or enhance the ownership experience. It helps spread Genesis' reputation when you show off all that stuff to your BMW, Mercedes, or Audi-owning friends, which should help the Korean luxury brand gain a few more followers in no time.