Genesis GV60

FIRST DRIVE Revised South Korean coupé-SUV is more than a match for its premium European competitors

- Richard Ingram [e-mail]

IF you ever travel to Korea, as I did earlier this month, you'll notice that along with all the Hyundai and Kia models, there are lots of Genesis cars lining the city streets. The locals are a patriotic bunch, but the premium brand's appeal in the western world has so far struggled to gain traction.

On face value, it's not hard to see why. The Brits, in particular, are fierce badge snobs; swapping an Audi, BMW or Mercedes for a little-known upmarket brand, no matter how polished, is a tough sell.

But now that the company has been around for a few years, it’s time for a host of product refreshes. Genesis began with a lightly tweaked GV70, followed quickly by the much-improved and elongated G80 Electrified. But now’s the time for the brand's only ground-up EV: the swoopy GV60 SUV.

Leading the changes for this Audi Q4 e-tron alternative is a cleaner, more modern look, with extra body-coloured trim, reprofiled bumpers and sills, plus new Micro Lens Array headlights. There are some new wheel designs, too.

Inside, the big news is the 27-inch panoramic OLED screen that stretches from behind the new ‘D-shaped’ steering wheel right across the dash in a single, unbroken display. It not only looks great, but also offers excellent functionality and easy-to-decipher menus, each hidden behind clearly labelled tiles. The instrument cluster is customisable and is complemented by a helpful head-up display.