Genesis GV60 Magma: why it's the ultimate blend of performance and pragmatism

Not that you need to be behind the wheel to get a sense of that performance. With a package of functional bodywork and chassis upgrades, it’s as visually impactful as it is brutally fast.

The GV60 Magma is marked out from other versions by extra cooling vents in the front bumper and aerodynamic add-ons including front cooling vents and a distinctive rear wing. Each corner is filled out with 21-inch forged wheels with high-performance Pirelli tyres and large 440mm brakes with Magma Orange brakes. It’s no shrinking violet.

And there’s more beneath the skin. Genesis engineers put the chassis through a rigorous test programme, including Californian deserts, Swedish snow and New Zealand’s rugged terrain. The body sits 20mm closer to the tarmac than other GV60s, with a 50mm wider track to improve stability, and there’s some clever technology keeping it pinned to the road.

That’s enhanced by smart suspension which automatically adapts damping rates based on roll angle and, using a forward-facing camera, upcoming changes in road surface. The result is a car that’s as agile on glass-smooth race tracks as it is supple on rough country roads.

What if you’re not driving on track?

Fear not – this isn’t a street legal racing car. It’s based on the updated GV60 luxury, which means it gets all of the new technology added with last year’s update – but with a unique Magma twist. The result is a carefully considered balance of performance-focused upgrades with the day-to-day creature comforts fleet drivers demand.

It’s a tactile space. The Magma-specific 10-way adjustable bucket seats are trimmed in suede, with either orange or white contrast stitching, and paired with a unique steering wheel putting drive modes (including ferocious Boost Mode) on thumb-controlled buttons. Press the start button, and the unique, illuminated ‘Crystal Sphere’ rotates out of the centre console and becomes a gear selector, while lashings of aluminium add to that sense of high quality throughout.

However, the cabin’s centrepiece is a new 27-inch high-resolution panoramic display across the top of the dashboard, comprising the driver information and central infotainment screen. This puts all key functions into intuitive menus, with widgets that can span both screens and a high-speed data connection for added functionality. It’s fast enough to stream content from Netflix, Disney+ and Bloomberg, enhanced by a 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with immersive Dolby Atmos sound. Not a bad way to spend those mid-journey breaks. 

Genesis Connected Services also offer great functionality for fleet drivers. It enables remote vehicle checks, including charging status, pre-setting climate control before setting off, all via a smartphone app, and the ability to download and analyse individual journeys, learning more efficient driving techniques. That’ll help keep your fleet manager happy.

Why is the GV60 Magma a great long-distance car?

It’s good news here, too. The GV60 is based on a dedicated electric vehicle platform, and it gets some of the best technology available today – which means generous range and incredibly fast charging times even for the most potent models in the line-up.

The platform uses a ‘skateboard’ layout, packaging the battery between the axles and under the cabin for an agility-boosting low centre of gravity. And with a capacity of 84kWh, it can store enough energy to take the GV60 Magma up to an impressive 264 miles (WLTP Combined) on a single charge.

If you can resist dipping into its sportier driving modes, it’ll get from Central London to Sunderland without stopping to charge, while a heat pump is standard on all versions to help control cabin and battery temperatures with minimal energy loss.

However, the GV60 scores just as highly for charging speeds. The platform utilises an 800-volt electrical architecture, which is twice what most rivals use and can pre-heat the battery cells to get the shortest possible charging times. It’ll get from 10% to 80% in just 18 minutes on a 350kW ultra-rapid charger, of which there are 13,000 in the UK, according to Zap-Map. 

That’s around 195 miles of extra range in the time it takes to stretch your legs and mentally process the Magma’s performance. 

What other features does it offer for fleet drivers?

Fleet vehicles need to perform as both weekday workhorse and weekend lifestyle vehicle. Magma’s performance enhancements haven’t compromised the GV60’s talents in either department, featuring clever design and technology that make it easy to live with.

Open the powered tailgate and there’s an impressive cargo space of up to 670 litres behind the rear seats (if you stack it to the roof). And despite the coupé-esque profile, it’s a genuine five-seater with room for adults in the back.

As a flagship model, the GV60 Magma includes the full suite of assistance and active safety systems, earning it a full five stars with safety organisation Euro NCAP. For drivers, the highlights include Highway Driving Assist, which maintains its position within a lane and relative to other vehicles, and Remote Smart Parking Assist 2 which enables it to manoeuvre in and out of tight spaces with nobody at the wheel.

It’s also quiet, even by EV standards. Genesis has included insulated glass to help isolate the cabin, while the tyres are filled with foam help dial out road roar. The rest is handled by Active Sound Design+, which uses the speakers to harmonise interior and exterior acoustics, which in turn helps curb fatigue if you’re spending hours on the road.

How do I sell this to my fleet manager?

Electric vehicles have become a mainstay of the company car and salary sacrifice market, helping employers to offer attractive perks that retain the best staff. And they make great business sense too.

With rated CO2 emissions of 0g/km, the GV60 Magma attracts the lowest 4% rate of company car tax. That’s good news for drivers, who can enjoy incredibly low Benefit-in-Kind bills each month without compromising on enjoyment, but it can also keep your financial director smiling. 

Employers get low Class 1A National Insurance Contributions, while electric vehicles qualify for 100% corporation tax relief against the purchase or lease cost. All good reasons to include them on a choice list.

Salary sacrifice sweetens the deal further. Because payments are taken from your gross salary before tax and National Insurance contributions are deducted, drivers can make significant savings versus a traditional personal lease – bringing a high-performance premium electric car like Magma GV60 within easier financial reach on a predictable monthly budget.

And that’s only part of the picture. Drivers with a home energy tariff offering cheaper overnight charging rates will only be using 2p of electricity per mile of driving – a fraction of the cost of anything fuelled. And for fleets, Genesis’ comprehensive 5-Year Care Plan packages take the stress out of maintenance, setting the standard for worry-free driving.

It isn’t so long ago that company car drivers would have had to make some tough choices when they were selecting their next set of wheels. But Genesis has just made those decisions a lot easier.

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