The 2022 Genesis G70 leads with luxury trimmings and service and its footwork has caught up to its German rivals. It wears a luxury badge and cops to it with luxury features and lots of technology. It’s a legitimate rival for the Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3-Series, more so than dated competition like the Lexus IS and Cadillac CT4. For 2022, the 6-speed manual edition is gone, but this year all G70 sedans have a 10.3-inch touchscreen standard and more safety features.
The 2022 G70 also wears a new look. Undoubtedly. It wears a contemporary silhouette with a fresh appliqué of LED lighting that overachieves in panache. Genesis buffs the G70’s timeless sport-sedan outline with a few blingy details. The front end’s fresh, slim statement lighting frames a shield-shaped grille with Alfa Romeo overtones. It leads into big air intakes that cue upside strakes that give the G70 perfect stance and swagger. Muscly front fenders imply a lot about the performance the G70 delivers, while the thick haunches hint at even more. The proportions match Germany’s hallmark sport sedans, without any artificial sheen.
Very quick, even with the base 252-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4. In stock rear-wheel-drive spec, the G70 2.0T rushes to 60 mph in around seven seconds and picks up one of its performance points along the way. All G70s get an excellent 8-speed automatic that ships power to the rear wheels or all four, with AWD. The former 6-speed manual transmission’s relegated to the scrap heap this year.
The G70 with its optional 365-hp twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 can hurtle the G70 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, despite a touch of turbo lag. It sounds better, with a throaty exhaust at full bore—and this year it gets an available sport exhaust for more crackle to go with its available rear limited-slip differential. Drive modes twist its electronic controls from the usual eco and comfort modes through sport and Sport+, also new this year.
It’s more than capable of keeping up with the mid-range C-Class and 3-Series in acceleration, and the G70’s not far off the pace with its ride and handling. Its four-wheel independent suspension has been tuned for no-nonsense responses, even in the rear-drive 2.0T, its softest setup. There’s a track worthy sport sedan tucked into its well-tailored suit: The G70’s crisp steering response and right-now throttle response make this a driver’s delight.
In its class, the G70 is average and offers no hybrid or electric editions. The best on the EPA scales—and worth a 4 here—is the RWD turbo-4. It’s rated at 21 mpg city, 31 highway, 24 combined. With all-wheel drive that version drops to 20/28/23 mpg. Rear-drive V-6 G70s check in at 18/27/21 mpg; AWD drops them to 17/25/20 mpg.
It’s a safe car according to the IIHS’ crash tests and has earned back the Top Safety Pick+ rating that it had lost. Improved headlights bring it back into the good graces. The NHTSA still hasn’t tested the G70. Every version has automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, and active lane control. Parking sensors and a surround-view camera system are options. Outward vision in the G70 is fine, thanks to relatively slim roof pillars.
The interior’s urbane pose wins us over, with a dashboard that leans in toward the driver and their snug-fitting 12-way power-adjustable heated seat. It’s covered in synthetic leather on the base car, but leather’s standard on most trims. The front passenger gets eight-way power adjustment, and both can have cooled seats and quilted leather, for a price. In Sport drive modes the G70’s side bolsters cinch in the driver to boost the sporty sensations and make it an even tighter fit for broad bodies. There’s less rear-seat space, of course. Two medium-sized passengers fit well, but head and knee room are limited. The trunk’s just 10.5 cubic feet, but those rear seats flip down to expand storage space. Some of the dazzle of bigger Genesis sedans and SUVs filters into the cabin and its tightly assembled, beautifully coordinated materials.
Inside, the sensible interior dresses up in quilted leather or dresses down in basic black. The spendy versions wear cocktail-lounge attire like knurled metallic trim around the cupholders and red-stitched quilting on their leather seats, without a hint of kitsch. The elegant interior’s snug by any measure, but its front seats hit a socially acceptable sweet spot for firmness and grip. The rear seats are adequate for two average sized passengers.
Genesis bundles options on the G70 into trim lines and starts with a well-equipped base version with a great warranty and a fine touchscreen interface. Turbo-4 cars come in Standard and Prestige versions, while the V-6 can be bought as a Standard, Sport Advanced, or Sport Prestige. All can be had with all-wheel drive. The $38,570 2.0T Standard has the features we expect in a sport sedan with a luxury badge: 12-way driver and 8-way passenger power and heated front seats, synthetic leather upholstery, 18-inch wheels, and a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility.
For $4,000 more, the $42,570 2.0T Prestige blends in 15-speaker Lexicon audio, 19-inch wheels, parking sensors, leather upholstery, navigation, and wireless smartphone charging. The $53,455 3.3T G70 Sport Prestige comes with softer leather seats, cooled front seats, heated rear seats, an adaptive suspension, a surround-view camera system, and a head-up display. A 5-year/60,000-mile warranty on the G70 also comes with three years of free maintenance, and valet service that fetches the vehicle and returns it during that three-year window.
Genesis is still the new kid on the block but with knockouts like the G70, has quickly become top dog in its class. With stunning looks, dynamic driving manners, and top notch technology with a great value proposition; it’s easy to see how the 2022 G70 is stellar but yet Genesis continues to improve it. For those looking to try something new and step out of the current luxury flock, the G70 is definitely worth a look.
