Genesis launching its cheapest EV yet in Australia

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    The Genesis GV60’s base price has been slashed, bringing the small premium electric under a key threshold and into an increasingly competitive section of the electric SUV market in Australia.

    The updated GV60, first revealed in January 2025, is launching here in June 2026. Stock had dried up of the pre-update model, and it had been removed from Genesis’ local website.

    Previously priced between $103,384 and $110,384 before on-road costs, the base GV60 is now priced at $88,300 before on-roads.

    That brings it under the $91,387 Luxury Car Tax (LCT) threshold for “fuel-efficient vehicles”, and therefore makes it eligible for Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemptions.

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    There’s a catch here, as the updated GV60 is now offered exclusively with rear-wheel drive; previously, it was all-wheel drive-only.

    It features a single rear-mounted 168kW/350Nm electric motor, down from between 234kW/605Nm and 360kW/700Nm in the pre-update range.

    However, there’s now a larger 84kWh battery, up from 77.4kWh, and range has jumped to 561km on the WLTP cycle.

    A 10 to 80 per cent charge takes a claimed 18 minutes on a 350kW DC fast-charger, and there’s an upgraded battery conditioning system claimed to “further optimise” fast-charging performance.

    A dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain will return with the hot GV60 Magma, also due in June, with total outputs of 448kW and 700Nm and the same 84kWh battery. Pricing has yet to be announced.

    The GV60 Advanced RWD drops from 20-inch alloy wheels to 19s, switches its suede headliner trim for cloth, its Nappa leather seat trim for regular leather, and its 18-way power driver’s seat for a 12-way item.

    Heated rear seats have also been dropped, as has power adjustment for the steering column.

    However, the facelift has brought Genesis’ new 27-inch OLED display which integrates the infotainment touchscreen and digital instrument cluster.

    Apple CarPlay and Android Auto remain but are now wireless, while the satellite navigation now features an augmented-reality mode with footage from outside the vehicle overlaid with navigation instructions.

    Over-the-air software update capability is now available for 45 items, up from 18.

    Digital Key 2.0 functionality allows you to use near-field communication (NFC) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to lock and unlock the vehicle from approximately a metre away using your smartphone or smartwatch. If these devices include UWB capability, you won’t even need to take your phone out of your pocket.

    The digital key can be stored on one device and shared with up to 15 additional devices.

    Standard equipment continues to include a 12-way power passenger seat; heated and ventilated front seats; leather trim on the dashboard, doors and centre console; a hands-free power tailgate; and a wireless phone charger.

    A comprehensive suite of active safety and driver assist technology includes lane-centring, navigation-based adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera with 3D view, blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic assist, safe exit assist, and Genesis’ Blind-Spot View Monitor.

    Also standard is Remote Smart Park Assist, allowing you to move the vehicle using the key fob.

    There’s now hands-on detection for the new three-spoke steering wheel design, and Genesis claims steering response has been improved thanks to an “optimised” steering gear ratio.

    Genesis engineers have also upgraded the soundproofing in the rear of the cabin and improved the windscreen sealing to reduce noise, while vibration is claimed to be reduced through the addition of hydro bushings on the rear suspension instead of just at the front.

    The GV60 also has upgraded regenerative braking which monitors navigation and traffic flow data, along with the driver’s deceleration patterns, to automatically adjust braking force.

    Exterior changes include a new grille and front bumper and revised Micro-Lens Array LED headlights, plus new 19-inch alloy wheels and body-coloured (instead of grey) wheel-arch cladding.

    The rear skid plate is also body-colour, and there’s a choice of nine exterior paint finishes including the new Tromso Green Metallic.

    The GV60’s aerodynamic drag coefficient is now 0.28Cd thanks to a new ‘3D full aerodynamic’ underbody cover.

    “The GV60 represents a significant step forward for Genesis in Australia, combining our most advanced electric technology with a newly accessible price point that fundamentally broadens its appeal,” said Genesis Motors Australia boss Justin Douglass in a statement.

    “This is not just an update, but a clear repositioning of GV60 at the right moment for the market, delivering premium design, innovation and real-world usability in a way that makes electric luxury more attainable than ever.”

    The GV60 isn’t the only electric luxury SUV to see its prices cut in recent months to slide under the LCT threshold.

    The larger Lexus RZ also received a significant update plus range-wide price cuts of up to $42,059, and now opens at $84,500 before on-road costs.

    The even larger Cadillac Lyriq is also now being offered for $90,252 before on-roads until May 31, 2026, with close to $25,000 in discounts being applied to bring it under the LCT threshold.

    The GV60 is based on the dedicated E-GMP electric vehicle architecture and is technically classified by Genesis as a small SUV – unlike its ‘medium’ Hyundai Ioniq 5 and ‘large’ Kia EV6 electric SUV platform-mates.

    Within Genesis’ lineup, it slots in under the mid-size Electrified GV70. In 2025, Genesis Australia delivered 31 Electrified GV70s and just 15 GV60s.

    MORE: Explore the Genesis GV60 showroom

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