It’s hard to find fault with the Genesis 70
The Genesis brand, the luxury division of Hyundai, offers a range of crossovers (GV60, GV70 and GV80) and sedans (G70, G80 and G90).
I recently test-drove a Genesis G70 sedan, the smallest of the three sedans, sitting on a 2,832 mm (111.6 in) wheelbase and with an overall length of 4,685 mm (184.4 in).
With the luxury and power offered in this size, competitors include the BMW 3-series and the Mercedes Benz C-class.
My $55,500 test vehicle, a 3.3T AWD, came with the optional 3.3 litre twin-turbo V-6, producing 365 horsepower. The base G70, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with 252 hp, starts at $46,000.
The G70 is fast, even in eco mode, and even faster in other settings, including comfort, sport, sport plus and custom. The 3.3 litre V-6 is rated at 13.5 litres per 100 km in the city and 9.5 litres per 100 km on the highway.
The ride is extremely smooth and the driving position is very comfortable.
The dashboard is very easy to read. There are two large gauges directly in front, the speedometer and tachometer. There’s also a heads-up display on the windshield in front of the driver, which includes details like your current speed and the speed limit. Exceed the posted limit, and the white lettering changes to orange as a caution that you are speeding.
In the middle of the dashboard, above the console, there’s the nav screen, which also provides information on other topics, including climate and media. Selection is made from a row of six large, rectangular, well-marked buttons. The large icons and buttons make selections easy.
 The Genesis G70 is luxurious and sporty |
 The Blind-Spot View Monitor shows a rearward view on the instrument cluster when turning |
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The console-mounted shifter takes a bit of getting used to. At first glance, it looks like a regular transmission shifter. But there are only three spots: reverse, neutral and drive. To put it into park, you don’t just slide the lever forward into park; instead, you need to push the park button.
There are cameras front and back, and if you’re squeezing into a tight spot, the cameras come on automatically, which is very helpful.
The best safety feature is the Blind-Spot View Monitor. When you put the signal on to turn or change lanes, an image is displayed on the instrument panel from cameras on the bottom of the outside rear-view mirrors. This is especially helpful, for example, if a cyclist is approaching on your right side as you are about to turn right and is in your blind spot. With this monitor, you can see the cyclist approaching by looking at the dashboard. This device won the Best Safety Innovation Award by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada in 2020 when it was introduced on Hyundai models. While cameras at the back of a vehicle are extremely helpful when in reverse – it makes sense that you can see what’s behind you when you are going forward – this device gets around the problem of a blind spot when turning or changing lanes.
Outside, the stylings are classy and elegant, with a large grill dominating the front end, like other Genesis models.
It’s hard to find fault with the Genesis 70. To nit-pick, there’s not a lot of legroom in the rear, although there’s plenty of legroom up front. A larger G80 or G90 might be a better choice if you regularly carry adult passengers in the back.
The high performance, especially from the 3.3 litre V-6, along with the luxury touches, safety features, and distinguished styling all make the Genesis G70 an attractive vehicle – especially for those interested in trying a new competitor rather than shopping for an established brand in the luxury sedan segment.
Dale Johnson is an award-winning author, broadcaster and journalist who has worked in TV, radio, print and online. While the manufacturer provided Dale with a vehicle to test drive, the content of this review was not reviewed or accepted by the manufacturer.
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