The 2020 Genesis G70 is a luxury compact sedan that has put the brand on many buyer’s radar with its combination of good looks, fun handling and spirited turbocharged engines. The G70 is aimed squarely at the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class and we can applaud Genesis for creating a stellar premium sports sedan.

This year marks the second model year for the G70, so there aren’t any big changes compared to the 2019 G70, other than some trim changes. The Sport trim level now comes with meatier brakes and 19-inch wheels with all-season tires are optional. The 3.3T Prestige now gets a power-operated trunk and brown leather is now an option.

Styling wise, the G70 is a handsome luxury sedan that does look like it takes some styling cues from its rivals, like the Infiniti Q70 and even the Acura TLX. The sculpted body looks sporty and it’s hard to miss that huge grille.

Under the hood there are two engine options. The base G70 2.0T is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 252 horsepower if you go with the eight-speed automatic or 255-hp with the six-speed manual transmission. Yup the G70 is available with a manual, try finding that in a 3 Series. All-wheel drive is also optional on the automatic version.

Now if you want to have more fun and who doesn’t, then you’ll want to pay extra to get the G70 3.3T with its twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 that generates a nice 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. The V6 is only available with an automatic transmission. We couldn’t stop smiling during our time behind the wheel of the G70 3.3T. Its engine packs a nice punch and the G70’s handling is near perfect. The suspension is perfectly balanced, but also not too harsh that you feel the road’s imperfections. Even its steering provides great feedback so you feel even more connected to the car.

The most fuel efficient G70 is the rear-wheel drive G70 2.0T, which is rated at 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway and 25 mpg combined. If you add all-wheel drive the mpg ratings drop to 20/27/23 mpg. The manual version is rated at 18/28/22. The rear-wheel drive G70 3.3T is rated at 17/26/20 and the all-wheel drive version is rated at 17/25/20 mpg.

To compare, the four-cylinder powered BMW 330i is more fuel efficient with its 26/36/30 mpg rating and if you opt for all-wheel drive that rating drops slightly to 25/34/28 mpg. The M340i is also more fuel efficient than the G70 3.3T at 22/30/25 mpg. So as you can see, the G70 is a bit more thirstier than we’d like it to be.

Inside the 2020 G70 looks and feels luxurious with a driver focused layout. Everything is placed where you need it and there aren’t too many buttons or gadgets like in some of the G70’s rivals. There are a few gripes though, like the rear seat is a bit short on legroom and some of the buttons/ knobs look and feel like they were borrowed from a Hyundai. This is especially true with the touchscreen infotainment system.

The G70’s infotainment system sits right on top of the dash, but at only 8-inches wide, it looks small and its graphics look similar to screens that we’ve seen in some of the Hyundai branded models. Luckily the infotainment system does have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but overall we wish it was more luxurious like in the new G80 or the flagship G90.

On the safety front, the 2020 G70 comes standard with forward collision avoidance, lane keeping assist, a blind spot monitor, adaptive cruise control, high beam assist and a driver attention warning system. It’s also received the highest safety rating from the IIHS, Top Safety Pick+.

The G70 is offered in four trim levels: Standard, Elite, Prestige and Sport. The G70 2.0T starts at $35,450 with the automatic transmission, while the manual version starts at $38,500. The pricing for the G70 3.3T starts at $44,650. All-wheel drive adds $2,000 to the price.

With its great turbocharged powertrains, fun-to-drive chassis and luxurious interior, the 2020 Genesis G70 easily earns a spot on our favorites list.

REVIEW OVERVIEW
Design
Performance
Infotainment System and Tech Features
Fuel Economy
Value
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Marc Carter is the Editor-in-Chief and founder of The Torque Report.
2020-genesis-g70-review-aimed-squarely-at-the-3-seriesThe 2020 Genesis G70 is one of our favorite compact luxury sedans. It's fun to drive, its interior is luxurious and its packed with features, at a reasonable price.