The gift that keeps on giving: due to an ‘unscheduled incident’ on a recent test car I was left with a gap on my normally crowded ‘dance card’. No sweat, said the Australian importer, why take a reprise with the Genesis G70?
Even though I had spent time with the Sports Luxury Sedan earlier in the year, when the upgraded G70 had left a generally positive impression, a second bite of the luxury ‘fruit’ was eagerly accepted.
The G70, which started as a mid-sized luxury sedan with a young and sophisticated design in 2017, was reborn in 2023 as a luxury sports sedan with a differentiated design identity and superior driving manners.
The MY24 upgrade consists of two variants, a Sports Luxury Sedan and a Shooting brake (station wagon) debuting Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Genesis Connected Services and over-the-air software updates. Ride and handling also make use of new-generation Electronic Control Suspension.
The Shooting Brake is powered by a 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine; the Sports Luxury Sedan by a 3.3-litre V6 turbo. Both are mated with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission feeding the rear wheels.
Available from $80,065 to $86,914 for the 2025 range of models in wagon and sedan body types, all G70s come with a five-year unlimited kilometre warranty, with private usage, complimentary servicing for the first five years or 50,000km, roadside assist (10 years if serviced by Genesis) and concierge and courtesy vehicle service for five years.
STYLING
The Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan has performance-linked head-turning looks with traditional sports sedan styling mated with the latest technology. Upgrades include new badges, new wheel design and additional exterior colours.
Up front the new emblem features what is described as a guilloche pattern, roughly translated, a type of repetitive decoration symbolising eternity in ancient Assyrian architecture, would you believe.
Newly designed 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, shod with Michelin pilot Sport 4 tyres, are the perfect complement to a red Brembo brake package. The updated look is topped off by a selection of 13 colours, including three matte finishes, and new gloss finishes Vatna Gray and Kawah Blue.
INTERIOR
Refined upgrades stamp the cabin with a true sports luxury character. For example, Nappa leather seats in Fog Grey – heated and ventilated up front, heated in the rear – and leather 16-way adjustable driver’s seat and door trim and console are joined by a heated electronic tilt and telescopic adjustable steering wheel. And not forgetting sports-style alloy pedals.
Hey, but hang on there. The rear seat is no place for long legs. In fact, depending on the positioning of the driver and front passenger seats the space speaks 2+2. Toe room fares no better, with front seats too close to the floor for tootsies.
Head and shoulder space are very much mid-size sedan scale. A restricted loading aperture leaves the boot a dark cave-like 330 litres with seat backs up. A temporary spare wheel fits under the floor.
INFOTAINMENT
There are three separate screens to keep an eye on – one central infotainment screen mounted on top of the dashboard, which runs the car’s smartphone mirroring, voice recognition, satellite navigation, digital radio and driver settings,
A touchscreen in the stack below, plus separate buttons and switches for controls to air-conditioning, while a digital driver display is situated behind the steering wheel. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are wired, not wireless as in many of the G70’s European rivals.
There are two USB points for rear passengers, while all can take advantage of digital radio DAB+ through a 15-speaker Lexicon premium audio system.
ENGINES / TRANSMISSIONS
G70 the Sports Luxury Sedan is powered by a 3.3-litre V6 turbocharged petrol engine mated with an eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission driving the rear wheels. Premium unleaded (95 RON) has it stumping up 247kW at 6000rpm and 510Nm from 1300 to 4500 revs.
SAFETY
The Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan scored a five-star ANCAP rating from 2018 testing. With 10 airbags scattered around the cabin, there is a long list of active safety features.
These include autonomous emergency braking with cyclist / pedestrian awareness and junction turning function, adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, lane assistance, road sign recognition, driver attention warning, rear cross-traffic alert, 360-degree
DRIVING
The low stance of the car and major seat bolstering present a skinny slot for getting in and out of the front seats. However, the driver can soon settle in thanks to a 16-way adjustable seat with memory function.
Start-up is accompanied by the characteristic V6 engine note, which is reassuring in these days of electric vehicle stealth. Combined fuel consumption claimed by maker, 10.4 litres per 100 kilometres, translated on test to 13.8 litres per 100 kilometres in built-up area crawling and 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres on a motorway cruise.
The sedan’s ride and handling have been refined with the introduction of a new generation Electronic Control Suspension which reduce damping lag, increased damping force, improved control logic and a wider damping force window, both softer and harder.
The Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan glided through the city and suburbs in the default comfort mode. Cruising the highway is where the G70 was happiest.
Switching to Sport unleashed a completely different drive. The suspension stiffened, the ride took on a roguish character and the power pedal reacted sharply to the tiniest touch. It was as if the car was urging the driver to ‘give it a go’. Sport+ mode to another time and place.
Back in the built-up environment, the Intelligent Speed Limit Assist tells the driver of the current speed limit based on navigation data and road sign recognition. In addition, the system is able to help the driver to change speed during Smart Cruise Control or Manual Speed Limit Assist.
The blind-spot camera that appears in the driver display every time the indicators are activated are a distraction I could take or leave, while the over-intrusive beeping and the tyre pressure monitor comes up with more numbers than a Keno card. However, the head-up display with a digital speedometer, live traffic sign recognition, and turn-by-turn navigation assistance gets my vote every time.
On the unlikely case of the addition of a tow ball, the G70 Sports Luxury Sedan can tow up to 1200kg braked, or 750kg unbraked.
SUMMARY
The Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan really does stand out from the pack, especially in its upgrade state.
RATINGS
Looks – 9
Performance – 8
Safety – 6
Thirst – 7
Practicality – 7
Comfort – 5
Tech – 7
Value – 8
AT A GLANCE
MODEL LINE-UP
Genesis G70 Shooting Brake $80,065
Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan $86,914
Options: matte paint $2000
SPECIFICATIONS (Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol, 8sp auto, RWD)
ENGINE
Configuration: Six cylinders in ‘V’
Maximum power 274kW @ 6000rpm
Maximum torque: 510mm @ 1300-4500rpm
Fuel type: Petrol 95 RON
Combined fuel cycle: (ADR 81/02) 10.4 L/100km
DRIVELINE: Eight-speed automatic, limited-slip diff, rear-wheel drive
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT, AND CAPACITIES
Length: 4685mm
Width: 1850mm
Height:1400mm
Wheelbase:2835mm:
Turning circle: 11.0m
Kerb weight: 1765kg
Fuel tank: 60litres
BRAKES
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated disc
STANDARD WARRANTY
Five years / unlimited kilometres
