Genesis G70 Deserves its Awards: A real competitor in luxury sedan market
Attention Mercedes-Benz C-class and BMW 3-series, there’s a new player in town, the Genesis G70, and the competition for luxury sedans game just got more interesting. Yes, the Genesis G70 is a serious contender in this class and deserves a hard look and test drive. The expectations were high that Genesis could deliver such an amazing car, and they were met — if not exceeded. Only in its second year of production, the Genesis G70 is already winning awards. It was named Motor Trend’s 2019 Car of the Year, and Good Housekeeping named it the 2020 Best New Family Car. It’s the real deal, style, high-end features, and performance that will match any in its class.
We drove an eye-opening twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-8 engine with 8-speed automatic transmission that delivers 365-horsepower, and we were impressed by its speed, agility and control. The ride was balanced, the suspension smooth and low and the steering precise and easy. The GT7 has the lowest overall height and weight stance in the segment, which provides an incredible dynamic performance and adds to the car’s class-leading overall safety. There is a rush of power but it is controlled and manageable.
This is not a “Fast and Furious” testerone fueled vehicle. It’s elegant, subtle, sophisticated, classy — but don’t be fooled. This is a car that can zoom with the best of them and look refined in the process. This beauty gets 20 miles per gallon combined and when you hit the gas you can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in about 4.7 seconds (not that we would try that!). This is the type of refined luxury vehicle that James Bond would drive if he wanted to fit in at the country club.
Part of why the ride is so balanced and smooth is the Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control and stability control that transfers power to the wheels when it is needed the most, thus enhancing stability and performance.
Inside, it’s all luxury with appropriate materials for the market and a driver-centric layout that makes sense and will appeal to regular drivers as well as those who notice such things. Many “luxury” cars use faux materials but not the Genesis. It’s real leather and wood with color accent piping and large cross stitching on the seats and side doors, and that’s a lot with a starting price of $36,000. There’s a lot of comfort as well. On the driver’s side there is available 16-way power driver seat that will do just about anything you want while driving.
The five-seat car features 43.8/35.2 inches of front/rear legroom, and let’s face it, the back seat is a little cramped. There is 15.4 cubic feet of cargo volume. The outside design is sleek, with a pair of low overhangs that bring about a wide, dramatic stance. The crosshatched grille and sporty dual exhaust tips add an aggressive look to this beauty.
An intriguing feature is Genesis Concierge, which went from being a fancy service, to a needed one in the era of COVID-10. If you are interested in test driving or shopping for a Genesis, you can go to the website (www.genesis.com) and fill out a form. A concierge will respond, gather what you’re looking for in a car and then gather information, compare vehicles, book a test drive or help you go straight to the check-out counter. The concierge will work with your local dealer to arrange for priority specialized service including home delivery of your paperwork and even the vehicle itself. Not bad!
Genesis used to be part of Hyundai until it succeeded and became its own brand. But it hasn’t lost part of its heritage. What makes Hyundais so intriguing and desirable is the value. You get, generally speaking, a lot more money for your buck with a Hyundai than other brands. The same is true with Genesis. This is a luxury car, packed with safety, technology and comfort options that elevate the driving experience.
— Mary Welch
