2024 Best Electric Midsize Luxury SUV: BMW iX3 v Genesis GV70 Electrified

Here we are then: two of the top contenders in the highly competitive, and potentially highly profitable, luxury mid-size electric SUV class – and neither of them is a dedicated, built from the ground up, EV.

That might be a surprise, but it’s also an indicator of where this segment is at right now. Six years after Jaguar gave us the groundsheet I-Pace — and almost a decade since BMW gave us the even braver i3 and i8 — it’s clear this section of the market required a more cautious approach. Ease of transition has become the focus, and normalcy and familiarity are the key attractions.

So you’ll find no wacky interiors here, nor any futuristic exterior styling. And that’s exactly the appeal. In fact, park both of these SUVs on a regular high street and they blend in so seamlessly that you’d be hard pressed to tell they’re EVs at all.

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One thing you will encounter, however, is a hefty price discrepancy.

Both of our contenders are relatively fresh: Genesis launched the electrified GV70 back in April 2023 and while the regular iX3 arrived around the same time, this particular version is so new the ink is still wet on its passport stamp.

It’s called the iX3 M Sport and it’s a fresh entry-level variant priced at $89,100 before on-road costs. That’s a full $15,800 less than the ‘standard’ iX3 and importantly it sneaks the M Sport under the Luxury Car Tax and Fringe Benefit Tax thresholds.

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It’s no stripped-out price leader, either.

Like every version in the three-strong iX3 range, the M Sport uses a single e-motor on the rear axle producing 210kW and 400Nm. Power comes from an 80kWh battery (74kWh usable) and range is rated at 460km on the stricter WLTP test cycle.

You still score plenty of equipment goodies too, including 19-inch alloys, M Sport exterior styling, a panoramic sunroof, heated front seats, leather upholstery and adaptive suspension.

BMW’s active safety suite is also included, which bundles together adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and rear-cross traffic alert amongst others.

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The Genesis, meanwhile, is a richer proposition.

Like the BMW, the GV70 Electrified model range is refreshingly simple. Only one variant is offered and pricing starts at $126,475, meaning the Hyundai carries a $37,000 price premium in this company. That extra outlay brings a healthy dose of additional equipment and performance, however.

Where the BMW makes do with a single e-motor, the Genesis is bristling with one per axle and has far gutsier performance outputs of 360kW/700Nm.

Range from a 77.4kWh battery is slightly down at a WLTP-rated 445km, but the GV70 will get you to your destination much faster. With ‘boost mode’ engaged, the Genesis can hit 0-100km/h in a sporting 4.2 seconds. The BMW is more relaxed and takes 6.8sec to hit three figures.

The GV70’s cabin also delivers more wow factor. Slip inside and you’ll encounter an interior that feels and smells expensive thanks to the expansive use of incredibly soft Nappa leather on the seats, dash and door cards. The cabin plastics are high quality, too, and even the carpets and floor mats feel superior thanks to a deep, Bentley-like weave.

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There are loads of creature comforts, too. A two-stage heated steering wheel, seats that are heated and cooled, a head-up display and a live video feed of your blind spot when changing lanes are all standard.

Weaknesses? Front storage is decent but not amazing, and certainly not to the level we’ve come to enjoy from more mainstream EV rivals like a Kia EV6 or Tesla Model Y. Blame the compromise of using a converted ICE platform for that one.

Happily, the GV70’s forward visibility is excellent and the usability of the 14.5-inch centre touchscreen is fast and intuitive. The standard 14-speaker Lexicon sound system is also superb.

In comparison the BMW’s cabin feels a touch dated, mostly because its bones are close to retirement. While this M Sport version is box fresh, the iX3 range is based on the third-gen X3 that debuted in 2017 – and BMW is now actively previewing the next one.

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There have been updates since then, including a facelift that brought revised exterior styling and a technology update for the cabin, but it still doesn’t feel as fresh as the the more opulent GV70.

Scratchier, more utilitarian plastics fall easier to hand, the front seats aren’t as cosseting or as heavily bolstered and the grained leather upholstery isn’t a supple as the baby bum-smooth trim in the Genesis. The infotainment software is also iDrive7, which is a generation behind what BMW is offering in its latest models.

Its functionality is sound, though. And in terms of layout and ergonomics the iX3 is almost identical to a combustion X3, meaning dual 12.3-inch displays with crisp graphics and a good balance between physical buttons and needing to dive into the iDrive system.

The switchgear is tactile — mercifully there are no haptic sliders to contend with — and the seating position is also excellent thanks to a wide range of adjustment from the electric seats and manual steering wheel.

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So what’s missing?

There’s no head-up display and no heated steering wheel or cooled seats, which are luxuries you get as standard in the Genesis. The iX3’s general fit and finish, while good, also doesn’t feel as rock solid as the GV70.

If you’re starting to sense a gulf between these two for quality and refinement, that gap only increases once you start to drive.

Both cars have adaptive dampers but about town the Genesis has a softer, more forgiving ride despite rolling on larger 20-inch wheels.

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It’s quieter than the comparatively noisy BMW, too, thanks to superior suppression of NVH pathways and a remarkably well insulated cabin.

Acoustic glass and noise-cancelling technology are standard on the GV70. On roads where the iX3 has noticeable tyre and road roar, the Korean car wafts along serenely.

Its extra grunt and hefty 700Nm deliver effortless progress, too, and on the open road the GV70 is a muscular and quiet cruiser. Altering the rate of braking regen — which ranges from light to one-pedal driving — is also a doddle via the shift paddles on the steering wheel.

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Where things start to unravel is when the road gets twisty. On demanding roads, the GV70 can feel heavy and lacks body control.

And while deploying the full 360kW/700Nm is intoxicating, actually transferring that grunt to the road can get scrappy if you have too much steering lock applied or the grip levels are changeable. At one point we had smoke billowing from the unladen inside front wheel as it scrabbled for grip on a twisty section of road. It’s fun, in a twisted kind of way, but it’s clear the GV70 is at its best up to around seven-tenths.

The X3 is far more resolved dynamically, at least when you’re driving hard. While this is easily the heaviest version of the X3 on sale (both cars weigh circa-2300kg), the BMW feels lighter on its feet than the Genesis and it has ferocious road-holding.

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It feels like a classically rear-driven BMW, too, although any tail out malarky is quickly quelled by the traction control and lack of outright grunt.

It’s actually at its best in ESC Sport, or with ESC off altogether, but even then you’ll need to work hard to hold a decent slide. That’s not a high priority for a family SUV, mind you, but it’s good to know the iX3 is on brand.

Like most modern SUVs, the BMW’s steering lacks any real feel but it’s unwaveringly accurate and has a more natural weight than the numb tiller in the Genesis.

So, for drivers, the iX3 is the pick. It’s stable, grippy, more engaging and boasts an impressively tight turning circle. But it’s also noisier and has a firmer ride around town. As a luxury SUV to drive everyday, the Genesis holds the advantage.

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On the charging and efficiency fronts, it’s a battle of give and take. The GV70 can accept a higher DC charge rate of 350kW (but around 230kW in practice), whereas the BMW can only accept up to 150kW.

The Genesis also offers vehicle-to-load capability, meaning you can use your car to power a blender or coffee machine on cold mornings at kiddy soccer. But the Genesis eats more electrons and over our 250km loop it returned 24.3kW/100km compared to 20.3kW in the BMW.

There’s little to split them for interior space, too. The BMW has slightly more cabin storage (neither is as good as a groundsheet EV mind you) and offers a little more knee- and headroom for rear passengers. But the Genesis’s second row is more comfortable, has more under-thigh support and is also heated and has rear window blinds.

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Even boot space is close to identical, courtesy of 510L seats-up luggage capacity in the BMW and 503L in the GV70.

The BMW’s boot opening is lower and wider, however, but the Genesis has a 22L frunk under the bonnet that you don’t get in the iX3. Both cars offer rear air vents with temp and fan control and have dual outboard Isofix mounting points and three top tethers.

The elephant in the room is the GV70’s price premium over a combustion powered equivalent. Where the BMW carries a $9000 premium over a rear-drive petrol X3, the GV70 is a whopping $53,575 costlier than a petrol version. In a segment where ease of transition is key, that’s one pill that’s difficult to swallow.

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In this company though, and in terms of delivering on the promise of being a luxury mid-size SUV, the Genesis wins.

It’s quieter, quicker, more refined, is able to charge faster, has a more comfortable ride and its cabin feels richer and more premium.

Is it the best use of circa $130K for buyers in the market for an electric mid-size SUV?

In a world now bursting with dedicated EVs like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, Tesla Model Y, Mustang Mach-E, Lexus RZ and soon-to-arrive Audi Q4 e-tron and VW ID.4, that’s a trickier one to answer. But in this battle of luxury marques, the GV70 wins.

Genesis GV70 Electric: 8/10

BMW iX3: 7.5/10