Slick and roomy Genesis GV60 feels like a mature premium EV

With an enlarged 84kWh battery, a claimed 348-mile range and a 229PS motor driving the rear wheels, this is a car aimed squarely at families who want comfort and refinement without sacrificing usable performance. It adds up to a smooth, quietly quick electric SUV with a genuinely luxurious cabin and one of the slickest twin-screen set-ups currently on sale. For those seeking something different, it's a vehicle that's a bit more left-field than the premium German contenders.

A rainbow stretches out above the GV60 Pure in this image (left), taken on Thursday morning near the border between Kirklees and Calderdale On the road, the Pure's rear-drive set-up and instant EV torque mean keen drivers will have something to put a smile on their face. It won't shove you into the seat like the flagship Performance version, but it's sharp enough off the mark and in those 30-60mph bursts for joining the motorway or nipping past slower traffic, it feels brisk and responsive.

Because there's just the one motor on the back axle, the steering is lighter than the big-power AWD cars and there's a pleasingly natural rear-driven balance if you press on along a B-road. It's not a hot hatch, but it does feel keyed-in and confident rather than numb and detached. GV60 Pure

The bigger impression, though, is just how smooth and relaxed the GV60 is day to day. With a heat pump, clever Battery Conditioning to help it hit those ultra-rapid charging speeds and smart regenerative braking with one-pedal "i-Pedal" mode, the powertrain fades into the background. Around town it glides in near-silence, while at a 70mph motorway cruise the combination of acoustic glazing and careful sound deadening makes it one of the calmer EVs at this price point.

Genesis' active driver-assist systems - including Highway Driving Assist and lane-keeping tech - are well judged, taking the strain out of longer hauls without feeling overbearing. GV60 Pure Genesis has clearly spent a lot of money on the GV60's cabin and it shows.

Step inside and the Pure's interior feels properly luxurious, with soft-touch materials and neat design flourishes elevating it beyond the likes of a Hyundai Ioniq 5 or Kia EV6 with which it shares its platform. The "Crystal Sphere" gear selector that flips over when you power up is pure theatre, but it's backed up by solid ergonomics: the main controls fall easily to hand, and there's a sensible mix of physical buttons for the climate and shortcuts, rather than burying everything in sub-menus. The standout is the twin-screen arrangement.

Genesis has effectively created a panoramic display across the dashboard, with the infotainment screen flowing into the digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. It looks smart and high-tech, but it's also genuinely nice to use. The graphics are crisp, the menus are extensive without being confusing, and the way information is mirrored between the two screens makes the whole system feel cohesive rather than gimmicky.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto mean you can largely live in your smartphone world if you prefer, yet the native navigation and EV-specific features are good enough that you don't have to. GV60 Pure Space is another area where the GV60 Pure scores highly.

Up front, there is an impressive amount of adjustment built into the seats and steering wheel, especially if you tick the Comfort Pack. Even without going wild on the options list, tall drivers are particularly well catered for: the seat slides so far back that you almost feel like you're perched over the rear axle, creating a laid-back, almost lounge-like driving position. It makes the GV60 a very easy car to get comfortable in, whether you're slogging through Bradford's rush-hour traffic or covering long distances on the motorway.

In the back, adults will find generous leg and headroom, and the flat floor makes life easier for the middle-seat occupant. Practicality is broadly on a par with other mid-size electric crossovers. The boot isn't the biggest in the class, and the front "frunk" is more token than transformative, but the rear seats split and fold easily and the wide tailgate opening makes loading straightforward.

Genesis GV60 Pure PRICE: from GBP54,115 OTR. POWERTRAIN: single electric motor, rear-wheel drive.

POWER: 229PS. TORQUE: 350Nm. BATTERY: 84.0kWh lithium-ion.

RANGE: 348 miles WLTP combined.

0-62MPH: 7.8 seconds (115mph max)

Charging: 10 to 80 per cent in 18 minutes on powerful DC charger