Genesis, the opening chapter of the Old Testament, and the titular luxury arm of Hyundai, share a couple of questions: where do they come from and who are they meant for? Answers were given to me by a local Genesis high-up when the South Korean automobile maker set up shop Down Under.
He told of an owner of a top-shelf Mercedes-Benz, who did not want his pride and joy to face the day-to-day risks of city and suburban driving, so he settled for a top-notch Genesis for half the price, saving the Benz for ‘special occasions’.
If the new Genesis G70 is anything to go by it was a shrewd investment. While the Sports Luxury Sedan is not the flagship of the fleet – that is left to the bigger and more expensive G80 – the mid-size sibling is replete with high tech and sophisticated ‘home comforts.
The MY24 upgrade consists of two variants, a Sports Luxury Sedan and a Shooting brake (station wagon) debuting Intelligent Speed Limit Assist, Genesis Connecte4d 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.
The Shooting Brake comes to market from $81,000, plus on-road costs, the Sports Luxury Sedan from $88,000. Matte paint adds $2000. On test was the latter, no less.
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 head-turning looks to match its performance, with traditional sports sedan styling getting together with the latest technology. Upgrades include new badges, new wheel design and additional exterior colours.
First and foremost, 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. Strewth!
Newly designed 19-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, shod with Michelin pilot Sport 4 tyres, are the perfect foil for 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
Refinements 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.
Rear seat legroom can be at a premium depending on the size of the person(s) in front. Head and shoulder space are very much at the mercy of the occupants’ build. Boot volume is 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 climate air-con, 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 247 kW at 6000 rpm and 510 Nm from 1300 to 4500 rpm.
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. 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’ I left 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 flashing of the speed sign recognition gear is almost as annoying. 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, even in its limited upgrade state. The next model will need something highly impressive to match the present set-up.
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 $81,000
Genesis G70 Sports Luxury Sedan $88,000
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 274 kW @ 6000 rpm
Maximum torque: 510 Nm@ 1300-4500 rpm
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: 4685 mm
Width: 1850 mm
Height:1400 mm
Wheelbase:2835 mm:
Turning circle: 11.0 m
Kerb weight: 1765 kg
Fuel tank: 60 litres
BRAKES
Front: Ventilated disc
Rear: Ventilated Disc
STANDARD WARRANTY
Five years / unlimited kilometres
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