Quite frankly, it would have been a surprise if the GV60, Genesis's first pure EV, hadn't been very good. After all, it shares the same E-GMP platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, both of which themselves have picked up many rave reviews. And indeed, in our previous encounters with the GV60 we've found much to impress. For our latest encounter, however, we're looking at the more modest end of the range - although as we'll see, this is only very relative.

The car tested here is in the Premium equipment grade, which might sound like a misleading name for is actually the entry-level spec in the GV60 line-up, sitting below Sport and Sport Plus. It features a rear-wheel drive powertrain with a single electric motor, rather than the all-wheel drive, dual-motor setups included with the other variants. However, since all share the same 77.4kWh battery, the Premium actually has the longest range between charges, at 321 miles on the official WLTP cycle, compared with 292 miles and 289 miles for the Sport and Sport Plus respectively. Also shared throughout the range is ultra-rapid charging capability - a 10-80% battery charge is possible in just 18 minutes, should you be able to find a 350kW charger to do the job.

On the road in the Premium, admittedly the rear-wheel drive powertrain doesn't quite deliver the pin-your-head-to-the-headrest acceleration of some EVs, but there's all the power you could ever really need, both for regular driving and to enjoy the dynamic attributes of the chassis, and plenty of quick-deploying torque on hand for overtaking. The rear-drive set-up works well with a chassis that feels beautifully balanced when cornering, making the GV60 a joy to drive along a favourite B-road. And this isn't at the expense of ride quality either, the suspension cushioning bumps in the road nicely without any loss of control or flobbering about as a result.

Having noted that the Premium isn't named like an entry-level spec, we can also report there's no evidence of cheapness when it comes to the model's interior. There's a real luxury feel created by the combination of leatherette trim with metallic detailing, with an attractive optional cream colour scheme deployed in test car also adding to a great sense of roominess. It's very well laid out too, with an easy to use and aesthetically pleasing mix of physical and touch controls, and design flourishes like the rotating orb which reveals the gear selector when the ignition is switched on. In fact, the only obvious flaw visible from the driver's seat is via the rear-view mirror, with the car's rear spoiler cutting across the middle of the window affecting visibility - although there are, of course, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera, and also the clever blind-spot view cameras that pop up in the driver display whenever the indicators are turned on, which never fail to impress no matter how many times we come across them in Hyundai group vehicles.

Since we drove the GV60, Genesis has announced a 2023 model year update with some fairly substantial price hikes, including one of close to £6,000 to the Premium grade, albeit with some extra standard equipment now included. While this helps delineate the Genesis as a premium car, it does make it harder for cost-conscious fleets to choose it over the Hyundai and Kia, both of which are excellent models in their own right, and now over £6,000 and £7,500 cheaper respectively with equivalent specs and the same powertrain. Therefore, while the GV60 remains a very good car, it's perhaps a less compelling fleet option now than it was a few months ago - although the Premium grade at least still seems a more sensible choice than the pricier alternatives higher up the range.

Genesis GV60 Premium