LIKES
- Excellent performance
- Soothing interior
- Shapely body
- True sport-sedan performance
- Still offers a manual gearbox
DISLIKES
- Cramped back seat
- Pricey V-6 versions
- Rides stiffly
- A tiny trunk
BUYING TIP
- Pick the 2.0T and lavish it with the Prestige options; the 3.3T gets too stiff and too expensive.
The 2021 Genesis G70 has the footwork of a contender; it’s a jab or two from landing a knockout punch on its German rivals.
What kind of car is the 2021 Genesis G70? What does it compare to?
With the 2021 G70, Genesis has a legitimate luxury sedan rival for compact cars such as the BMW 3-Series and Mercedes C-Class.
Is the 2021 Genesis G70 a good car?
It’s very good, bordering on great. We give it a TCC Rating of 6.8 out of 10—and that’s before the NHTSA has even finished scoring its crash protection.
What’s new for the 2021 Genesis G70?
A few of the variants have been pruned from the lineup. The G70 2.0T no longer comes in Sport trim; the 3.3T base and Elite models have been dropped, too.
Not much of those foibles and downfalls matter when the G70’s start button begins to glow. Even the base 252-horsepower turbo-4 has the power to light up a grin—and the rear tires, when power’s not split among all four. Manual-transmission fans have this one last model year to order the G70 with a 6-speed stick—or relent and take the excellent 8-speed automatic. The G70 gets riot-inciting power in its turbo-6 form, but that 365 hp comes with a very stiff ride in the top Sport model. In almost all other forms the G70 does a great impression of a midrange German sport sedan—better than some of those actual German sedans do today.
Crash-test scores are good but incomplete, and the G70 has standard automatic emergency braking, along with a raft of other active safety technology.
How much does the 2021 Genesis G70 cost?
The $37,025 2.0T Standard gets just about any driver where they need to go, with its 18-inch wheels and 8.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. We’d choose a $45,025 G70 2.0T Prestige for its leather upholstery, navigation, cooled and heated front seats, and premium audio. Keep going and the G70 3.3T costs more than $50,000 and comes with a surround-view camera system, wireless smartphone charging, and an adaptive suspension.
Where is the 2021 Genesis G70 made?
In South Korea.
Styling
The G70’s unruffled and soap-bar smooth, inside and out.
Is the Genesis G70 a good-looking car?
Yes, without a doubt. Genesis draws its cars with contemporary silhouettes and cutting-edge details, and the G70’s no different. It overachieves in its debut shape, a rare thing—and we think it’s worth a few points above average, for an 8.
The G70’s smooth. It wears the look of a luxury sport sedan, without any artificial sheen. The nose dives eagerly toward the road, while muscular front fenders force some assumptions about the G70’s performance that prove correct (look below). It looks long and low, with the rear-drive proportions that match up stance for stance with Germany’s hard-hitting entries. Statement lighting and big strakes and air intakes walk a styling plank without going overboard—and that’s before a 2022 update brings with it some eye-popping improvement.
Performance
The G70’s swift—and stiff.
Genesis tunes G70 with a bent toward crisp handling and steering precision. It’s edgy—maybe too much so. We give it a 7 here, one for its willing powertrain and one for its handling.
Is the Genesis G70 4WD?
All-wheel drive is an option on all but the base turbo-4 car with the manual transmission.
It’s quicker than average, even in base spec. Base G70 sedans come with a 252-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 (with 3 hp more in manual-transmission versions). With this engine and rear-wheel drive, the G70 pounces on the road as it hits 60 mph in about seven seconds. We’ve sampled it with the manual transmission—it has good shift action and a light clutch uptake—but most G70s will have an excellent 8-speed automatic to handle power output to the rear or all four wheels.
If that’s not strong enough, Genesis offers a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 with 365 hp. It can shove the G70 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, with a whiff of turbo lag and a full-bore, throaty exhaust at wide-open throttle. It can keep pace with the midrange 3-Series and C-Class, no problem. Rear-drive V-6 cars come with a rear limited-slip differential; it’s an option on turbo-4 rear-drive G70s.
The G70 adopts an independent suspension front and rear. It’s set up for sharp, no-nonsense responses, even in the softest setup—the 2.0T with rear-wheel drive. The 3.3T edition ratchets up the ride stiffness too much, so Rust Belt buyers should be forewarned to try before they buy. In either case there’s a real, trackworthy sport sedan lurking beneath the panache—and it shows up in crisp turn-in, right-now throttle response, and a very—very—taut ride.
Comfort & Quality
Snug for four, the G70 fits two adults like tailored sportswear.
A cousin of the Kia Stinger sporty hatchback, the G70 is shorter and feels it.
We give it a point for its shapely front seats, but the rear seats and trunk don’t earn extra notice. It’s a 6 for comfort and quality.
The G70 strikes a more urbane pose with its interior. The instruments and center controls lean in toward the driver, and reinforce the cozy feel that’s heightened by snug-fitting 12-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped in synthetic leather. It’s a luxury brand, so of course Genesis swaps that in for quilted leather, a lovely touch in a car at this price point, and heating and cooling.
The G70 has a 10.5-cubic-foot trunk, about as much as some hardtop convertibles. That’s small even in a niche where small trunks aren’t usually a veto chip. Where the Genesis makes up ground is in high-quality fit and finish: It’s beautiful beyond its budget, with a hint of the dazzle applied to the bigger G80 and G90.
Safety
The NHTSA hasn’t scored it, but the G70 already soars in our rankings.
How safe is the Genesis G70?
According to the IIHS, it’s a very safe car. The agency dubs it a Top Safety Pick+ in all models save for those with the base headlights; they’re rated “Poor” versus the upgraded “Good” units.
The G70 comes with automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitors, active lane control, and adaptive cruise control. Good outward vision is also standard; a surround-view camera system and parking sensors are options. All told, we give the G70 a score of 8 here.
Features
The G70 has an impressive features roster and excellent warranty coverage.
Genesis slathers on lots of standard features in the G70, and options get bundled into three packages. It’s also granted a good touchscreen interface and a great warranty—so for that we give it an 8 here.
The 2.0T now comes in Standard, Elite, and Prestige trim, while the V-6 only is offered in Prestige and Sport versions.
All-wheel drive is an option on all but the 2.0T Standard with the 6-speed manual.
Which Genesis G70 should I buy?
We pick the 2.0T Prestige for $45,025 for the best blend of value and luxury. It comes with premium audio, leather upholstery, parking sensors, navigation, and heated and cooled front seats.
How much is a fully loaded Genesis G70?
The G70 comes with 5 years/60,000 miles of bumper-to-bumper coverage, three years of free maintenance, and valet service that picks up and delivers the vehicle for its appointments.
Fuel Economy
The G70 posts average EPA ratings.
Is the Genesis G70 good on gas?
It’s average in its class. With no electric or hybrid versions in the offing, the most efficient G70 is the rear-drive turbo-4 sedan with an 8-speed automatic. It’s pegged at an EPA-rated 22 mpg city, 30 highway, 25 combined—so we peg it at a 4 here.
From there, it’s a mile per gallon or more down with each configuration. The AWD G70 turbo-4 merits a 20/27/23-mpg rating, or 18/28/22 mpg with the 6-speed manual.
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