Inside refreshed Genesis GV60 with bigger battery, sophisticated new styling & ‘genius’ feature every new car needs

LET’S start with the orb-like controller which should be adopted by every car maker IMMEDIATELY.

When the ignition is OFF, the big crystal sphere is embedded in the centre console like a piece of jewellery.

When the ignition is ON, it rotates to a grey gear selector with finger indents to twist to select drive or reverse.

Utter genius from Genesis.

Many times have I hopped out of a modern-day car thinking I’d switched it off.

But many times I clearly hadn’t. Because the bleedin’ doors wouldn’t lock.

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So I’d have to climb back in and press the brake pedal and jab the stop/start button even harder.

Sometimes, it’s the other way around. You try to set off in a hurry but the computer say no. Because you haven’t pressed the starter button hard enough or long enough and the car is still asleep.

This orb-like controller solves all that frustration.

Mind you, so does an actual car key.

Right, let’s talk Genesis, the posh arm of Hyundai. The Korean equivalent of Lexus/Toyota.

Genesis arrived here four years ago with just a handful of retail spaces and a personal concierge service. It will expand by tapping into Hyundai’s wider dealer network in the years ahead.

So, this electric GV60 isn’t new new. It’s had a thorough mid-life refresh inside and out, as well as being fitted with a bigger battery, so it goes further, and more tech.

For the same price as before, I might add.

We like the new jewel-like headlights and colour-coded wheel arches (binning the old matte grey). Looks more sophisticated.

We like the new 27in OLED display with built-in Netflix and YouTube.

We like the new Virtual Gearshift tech and drift mode (nicked off Hyundai’s N cars) in the top-dog Performance model.

Which brings me neatly to the line-up.

The standard GV60 Pure is 229hp and rear-wheel drive from £54k. Also the longest runner at 348 miles.

Next one up is the 318hp AWD Sport from £58k.

Then there’s the car we took for a blast around Thruxton, the £67k AWD Performance packing 440hp.

Make that 490hp when you press the ten-second Boost button on the steering wheel. And you will. Multiple times.

It’s actually a nicely balanced car when you hurry it (batteries aren’t light) and it sticks like glue.

The Virtual Gearshift tech doesn’t make you go any faster. It just simulates the sound and feel of driving a car with a combustion engine. Switch it on or off as you like.

Final observations.

Every model comes with rapid 800v charging tech which can suck up 80 per cent juice in just 18 minutes.

Every model comes with heated seats, heated steering wheel, wireless phone charger and all the luxuries you’d expect in an expensive car.

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Every model comes with that orb-like controller so you know when the car is awake or not.

Nice one, Genesis.