Let’s not mess about. While half the internet still whinges that electric cars are about as exciting as warm lettuce, the Genesis GV60 Magma turns up like it’s been personally sent to shut them up. This isn’t some sensible family crossover with a sporty sticker slapped on the back. This is a full-fat luxury EV that remembers driving is supposed to be fun, not a chore. And yes, I’m one of those people who’s been banging on for years that electric is the only sensible future: no tailpipe, torque that punches you in the sternum the moment you breathe on the throttle, and fuel bills that don’t require a second mortgage. The GV60 Magma proves you can have all that and still leave the petrol station in the rear-view mirror with a massive grin.
Genesis, Hyundai’s posh cousin that’s been quietly out-classing the Germans, unveiled the production car at Circuit Paul Ricard, a track that’s seen more heroic slides than a rainy Sunday in the Eifel. This is the first proper Magma model to hit the road, the opening shot in a new range where luxury gets a generous dose of mischief. It sits 20 mm lower, wears flared arches to house 21-inch forged wheels wrapped in 275-section tyres, and comes painted in a colour actually called Magma Orange, like someone dunked the whole thing in liquid fire and just drove off. No silly fake vents or boy-racer wings, just clean black trim and a functional rear spoiler that actually earns its keep. The front bumper’s been reshaped to feed cool air to the brakes, and it all rides on the brilliant E-GMP platform we already know from the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N and Kia EV6 GT.
Underneath is where the party really starts. Twin motors, one on each axle, deliver 641 hp and 583 lb-ft in Boost mode, dropping to a mere 601 hp and 546 lb-ft when you’re pretending to be sensible. Zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds, 124 mph in under 11, and it’ll keep going until 164 mph if you’re brave enough. Launch control is standard, obviously. And because Genesis knows raw numbers don’t make a car entertaining, they’ve nicked all the best toys: a Virtual Gear Shift system that fakes upshifts and downshifts complete with artificial engine noises (revvy inline-six or snarling V8, your call), plus Drift Mode that sends nearly everything rearwards through an electronic limited-slip diff. Yes, an electric luxury crossover that will happily hang its tail out. It’s ridiculous, it’s magnificent, and it’s exactly why petrol is yesterday’s news.
But don’t think for a second this is some stripped-out track toy. Inside it’s pure Genesis: double-glazed, actively noise-cancelled, quilted leather seats that hug you like they mean it, and suspension that somehow manages to soak up motorway miles while still letting you attack corners without spilling your flat white. Brakes are 15.7-inch monsters up front because 2,300 kg plus enthusiasm needs stopping properly. Drive modes for every mood: Sprint when you’re late, GT when you’re not, and a fully customisable MY mode for the control freaks. The 84 kWh battery will take 240 kW on an 800-volt charger, 10-80 % in 18 minutes, and should deliver well over 250 real-world miles unless you spend the day in Boost, in which case you’ll still get home, just with a slightly bigger smile.
Price isn’t final yet, but expect something around £75-80k when it lands in 2026. That puts it squarely against the Porsche Macan Electric and BMW iX without making you pay extra just for the badge on the bonnet. And the best bit? This is only the start, every Genesis is apparently getting the Magma treatment sooner or later.
Bottom line: the GV60 Magma isn’t an electric car pretending to be fast. It’s a properly fast car that happens to be electric. Silent when you want peace, savage when you don’t, wrapped in enough luxury to make you feel slightly smug. If you’ve been putting off the switch because you thought electric meant boring, congratulations, your last excuse just caught fire.
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