That’s right, I’m here to beg you to consider, if only for a fleeting moment, a sedan. You remember what a sedan is right? It’s a car, but it’s not super high off the ground, it generally has 4 doors, 2 on each side, there are still 4 wheels and tires, there’s a trunk, although I guess a case could be made in the future for a frunk also… sigh… you already stopped reading didn’t you?
Genesis is finally gaining some sales traction here in the U.S., but yes, that’s also mostly due to the arrival of its first two SUVs, the GV80 and now the GV70 (which we also awarded as the Best Overall Vehicle at the 2021 WAPA Rally). But in the midst of SUV-palooza, Genesis also brought a not-so-insignificant refresh to its Compact Sport Sedan, the G70, to market for the 2022 model year. This is sedan that has been fairly well-received, at least critically. It won the 2019 North American Car of the Year award upon its debut as it brought Genesis squarely into what was once the quintessential luxury car segment and one of the most contentious with legendary competitors like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and everyone and their mother including the Audi A4, Lexus IS, Volvo S60, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Cadillac CT4, Acura TLX and others.
But enough of the sob story, lets get into it.
The G70 brings all the right pieces to the table for a proper sport sedan. A light and tight chassis with powerful, responsive engines, wonderfully quick transmissions and available in Rear Wheel Drive (as God intended) and All-Wheel Drive (because marketing has worked wonders on the American driver psyche). Now, the G70 was one of the last luxury sedans to offer a manual transmission, but with the 2022 model we see that option go away, fading like the picture of Marty McFly in Back to the Future, but no amount of ruckus guitar playing is going to bring it back. Yes, the manual was only available with the smaller 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder, and no it wasn’t a razor sharp unit, but the 2.0T with manual made for a damn fine daily driver, but again I digress, that’s a quick spin for another day.
Our tester was no less than a top shelf 2022 G70 3.3T Sport Prestige Rear Wheel Drive, price as tested: $51,945. Feast your eyes on this Adriatic Blue beauty.
The 2022 was the recipient of a pretty significant face (and butt) lift to help bring the design quickly in step with the new “two lines” theme that is quickly spreading throughout the lineup. I was a big fan of the original G70 that debuted in 2019, so I wasn’t sure how the new design language would work when grafted onto some of the original lines. My gut reaction was that Genesis could have waited until the new generation to bring the dual line design to its compact sedan, but that’s not really the Korean/Genesis way. After seeing the metal in person and with real light, I admit that it grew on me. The signature lighting is distinctive for the brand in a way that the original design, while clean and taut, could never have achieved.
Jumping inside, the changes aren’t as dramatic as the exterior, but that’s fine because the interior was already a great space. Where so many new cars, especially of the electric variety, are opting for a less is more vibe to the point of austerity, the G70 stays true to a traditional luxury ethos while providing nearly everything you need and nothing you don’t. A new 10.25″ widescreen infotainment system replaces the prior 8″ unit, but it still lacks wireless phone connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, one of the only major feature misses of this updated luxury sedan. Luckily the rest of the controls are all logically laid out and still accessed through direct buttons and knobs. It’s rare to see this simplistic elegance in a car anymore, even within the newer Genesis lineup. Our Prestige fitted sedan included a microfiber suede headliner, heads up display and silky smooth upgraded leather seating.
The G70 does come up a bit short in terms of rear seat space and trunk room against rivals, but I’d argue that it’s a sport sedan, not a boat. We were still able to fit our daughter’s massive Diono car seat in the back and have her behind my wife. The power seat controls facing the driver on the passenger seat also allow me to make quick adjustments to give our daughter more room if desired. And while the trunk is a bit shallow in height, it retains a fold down rear seat for expanded length flexibility. For single people, couples, and even small families the G70 can hold its own more than people give it credit for. I wouldn’t want the G70 to grow or gain weight/space just to appease some paper metrics.
Much of the magic of the G70 comes with the way it rewards the one in the driver’s seat. This sedan is an amazing and willing dance partner. Perfectly balanced with an effortless swell of power ready at the disposal of your right foot courtesy of the 3.3-liter turbo V6 which pumps out a healthy 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Well-matched with this engine is a fluid 8-speed automatic transmission that clips off upshifts and rev-matches downshifts almost like fancy automated manual unit. The 19″ wheels, while large, aren’t “too” large as to be crashy and overly stiff on the ride quality. Aiding that end is the electronically controlled suspension that can be aligned with drive modes or customized in an individual setup. Brembo brakes confidently scrub off whatever speed you need, especially when you spot that cop up ahead.
The G70 gave me pause for why I was hanging onto an 18 year old Bavarian sports car when there are superb products available today that also include modern amenities and conveniences (not to mention reliability!). There’s a lightness and direct feeling that electric sport sedans can’t quite capture, namely due to the weight of those pesky batteries, and I’ll still be sad to see such wonderful examples of the gasoline powered car go away. I think one reason why the G70 is such a delight is the way it focuses in on a hard to achieve blend of athletic elegance. Some might harp on things like the rear seat space or cargo volume, but I don’t want the G70 to try to be a jack of all trades to only become a master of none. I absolutely believe that cars need to become more specialized and serve their intended purpose and function before they all become autonomous pods. Save the sedans, at least the good ones.
