Genesis GV60 Magma

JD Power’s Perry Stern is highly enthusiastic about the Genesis GV60 Magma, calling it the most exciting Genesis he has driven. He praises its smile-inducing acceleration, confident handling, smooth grand-touring manners, excellent cabin, intuitive infotainment, and capable highway-assistance system. The crossover impresses because it can feel relaxed and luxurious in Comfort mode, then become genuinely sharp and thrilling on mountain roads in Sprint mode. Stern also appreciates its practicality, generous standard equipment, and convincing blend of performance and utility. His main reservations are the disappointing estimated range of roughly 230 miles, the brief 15-second Boost window, and the artificial feel of the simulated gear-shift and engine sounds, which he preferred to disable. Even so, the review’s overall message is strongly positive: the GV60 Magma appears to be a credible, exciting alternative to German performance-luxury rivals, provided buyers can accept its limited range.

Car and Driver’s K.C. Colwell is highly impressed by the GV60 Magma’s polished performance. Though it shares much with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N—including its 641-hp dual-motor powertrain, quick charging, and serious chassis hardware—the Genesis feels more refined, quieter, and more luxurious. Colwell especially enjoys how confidently the roughly 4,900-pound crossover handles corners, calling it an Ioniq 5 N that “went to finishing school.” The simulated V-6 soundtrack and virtual gearshifts are unusually convincing, recreating both engine drama and imperfections, though the short, camera-limited drive leaves some performance conclusions provisional. The U.S. suspension tune remains undecided, and pricing near $80,000 could make the Magma a costly proposition. Even so, the review’s mood is enthusiastic: Genesis appears to have transformed familiar electric performance hardware into a genuinely distinctive, upscale hot hatch.

MotorTrend is highly impressed by the Genesis GV60 Magma, seeing it as an exciting and convincing start for Genesis’s performance ambitions. The review praises its lively dual-motor power, entertaining simulated shifts and engine sounds, strong brakes, grippy Pirelli tires, and well-judged GT mode, which balances everyday comfort with sharper handling. Sprint mode adds genuine intensity, while the quiet, luxurious cabin remains practical enough for passengers and daily commuting. Exclusive performance graphics, supportive suede seats, premium materials, and thoughtful details such as a suede headliner make the Magma feel more substantial than a dressed-up trim. The main caveat is that the South Korean drive route and low speed limits prevented a full assessment of its performance, and final pricing was still unknown, with an expected starting point near $80,000. Even so, MotorTrend views the GV60 Magma as a strong, enthusiast-friendly debut.

Edmunds is strongly positive about the Genesis GV60, calling it a well-rounded luxury EV with standout comfort, technology, and value. The tested Performance model feels genuinely quick, reaching 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, while its balanced handling, smooth adaptive suspension, quiet cabin, and excellent driver aids make it enjoyable every day. Real-world range was also a pleasant surprise: 274 miles versus its 235-mile EPA estimate, with efficient consumption and impressively fast charging. Still, the GV60 is cramped for cargo, has limited front storage, and some interior details feel less upscale than rivals such as the BMW iX. Its all-season tires and relatively soft suspension also blunt the Performance model’s sporting ambitions. Edmunds considers the regular lower-output trims the smarter buys for their longer range, while the forthcoming 609-hp Magma sounds exciting but remains largely untested and unavailable for full evaluation.

Auto Express’s Thomas Geiger is hugely enthusiastic about the Genesis GV60 Magma. He praises its explosive 601bhp performance, playful handling modes, convincing simulated engine and gearbox sounds, and unusually emotional character for an EV. Compared with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Ioniq 6 N, the Magma offers a more refined, quieter and slightly more comfortable experience, with higher-quality materials and a plushier cabin. Geiger’s distinctive insight is that Genesis has wrapped serious track-developed hardware in a “velvet glove,” making the car better suited to spirited autobahn driving than outright circuit work. The main criticism is value: it costs more than £10,000 above its Hyundai siblings without adding extra excitement, so its appeal rests largely on premium design, comfort and brand cachet. Overall, it is portrayed as a thrilling, characterful and convincing upscale alternative rather than the sharper performance bargain.

Driving.ca’s Matthew Guy is highly impressed by the Genesis GV60 Magma, especially its blend of speed, comfort, and distinctive Korean character. With 601 horsepower normally and 641 with a 15-second boost, plus drift mode, simulated shifting, sharp handling, and a surprisingly compliant ride, the Magma comes across as an entertaining electric GT rather than a punishing track special. Guy also appreciates its lavish, tactile cabin, physical controls, supportive seats, and outrageous Magma Orange styling. The main reservations are its likely six-figure Canadian price, potentially reduced range, and uncertainty over whether North American suspension tuning will preserve the prototype’s excellent ride quality. The virtual gears may also confuse traditionalists, but the reviewer treats that as a minor quirk. Overall, the review is warmly enthusiastic: Genesis appears to have created a fast, polished, genuinely characterful performance EV with few meaningful weaknesses beyond cost and unanswered range questions.

AutoTrader.ca’s Kunal D’souza is strongly impressed by the Genesis GV60 Magma, calling it a promising and genuinely distinctive performance debut. The extensively reworked electric SUV feels far sharper than the standard GV60, with precise steering, strong grip, minimal body roll, and a rear-biased 641-hp powertrain. D’souza especially appreciates how the virtual gears, simulated engine noise, and paddle shifters transform it into a convincing hot hatch, while the supportive microsuede seats and compliant ride preserve its luxury character. The review’s reservations are practical rather than devastating: official range and pricing remain unknown, and the related Ioniq 5 N’s 356-km range is described as paltry. Still, with an expected price near $100,000 and limited direct competition, the Magma comes across as an exciting, polished, if costly first step for Genesis’s performance ambitions.

CAR Magazine’s Curtis Moldrich is impressed by the GV60 Magma, though he remains unconvinced by its broader purpose. From the passenger seat at Paul Ricard, the 641bhp electric SUV felt exceptionally fast, composed, and remarkably free of body roll, with sharp steering and strong braking wrapped in an unusually calm, luxurious experience. Genesis has clearly worked hard to preserve refinement, reducing drivetrain whine and adding sound insulation while introducing Drift, Sprint, and GT modes. Yet that polish comes with a caveat: the car feels more planted than playful, even slightly artificial, and Moldrich prefers the rowdier Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. The synthesized V6 soundtrack adds drama but can overwhelm tyre feedback. Ultimately, this is an impressively engineered first effort that appears to achieve its effortless performance brief, but its expensive, comfort-focused interpretation of “Magma” will need a proper driver’s-seat test before its appeal is clear.

CarExpert’s Matt Campbell is highly impressed by the GV60 Magma, but struggles to justify its $130,000 price. He portrays it as a genuinely charismatic performance EV, combining immense all-wheel-drive speed, convincing Virtual Gearshift theatrics, addictive 20-second Boost bursts, and surprisingly polished luxury-SUV manners. In calmer modes, it rides comfortably and feels easy to live with, making its sports-car-to-daily-driver transformation unusually convincing. The review also appreciates its strong brakes, rapid charging potential, generous equipment, excellent safety provision, and complimentary servicing. Still, the compromises are substantial: real-world consumption was a thirsty 25.6kWh/100km, rear space is tight, the cabin can feel dark, the touchscreen menus are cumbersome, and the tartan interior and absent sunroof may not feel sufficiently special for a luxury indulgence. Campbell ultimately considers it hard to fault dynamically, but believes it would make far more sense closer to $100,000 than $130,000.