2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury Review

We’re big fans of the Genesis G70 here at DiscoverAuto. It’s a great alternative to the usual luxury offerings thanks to its value equation, quality, driving dynamics and attractive styling. We’ve previously tested the V6 Sport Line sedan, and the Shooting Brake wagon. But here we’re testing the entry-level sedan, so what is the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury like? Let’s find out.

One of the first Genesis models, the G70 joins an increasing amount of products from Genesis, including the G80 large sedan, GV80 large SUV, GV70 mid-size SUV, GV60 electric SUV and even electric versions of the G80 and GV70 that are due in the coming months.

Price & Equipment: 8/10

The 2022 Genesis G70 range is offered in two core models in Australia: the 2.0T (priced from $63,000 plus on-road costs or around $70,000 drive away) and the 3.3T (from $76,000 plus on-road costs – around $84,000 drive away). Buyers can then choose a $4,000 Sport Line Package, a $10,000-optional Luxury Package or a $14,000 Luxury & Sport Line Package with both packages. Our test car was a 2.0T with the Luxury package, which is priced at around $81,000 drive away.

Standard equipment on the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury includes 19-inch alloy wheels, all-LED lighting, auto lights and wipers, dual-zone climate control, Nappa leather upholstery with heated and cooled front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, digital radio, a 660W 15-speaker Lexicon sound system, a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, wireless phone charging, 16-way driver/12-way passenger electrically adjustable front seats with driver’s memory functionality, heated rear seats, keyless entry and start with remote start, auto-folding and heated mirrors, an electric tailgate and a sunroof. 

Safety equipment includes 10 airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross traffic-alert, a blind-spot camera, lane keep assist with lane trace assist, a 360-degree parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, adaptive cruise control with stop and go functionality, a heads-up display, Matrix high beam functionality for the headlights, speed sign recognition, driver attention monitoring and rear occupant alert. 

There’s a big degree of personalisation for the G70 through the long list of available colours and interior trims. All metallic paint options are no-cost, and include ‘Vic Black’, ‘Capri Blue’, ‘Valencia Gold’, ‘Hallasan Green’, ‘Makalu Grey’, ‘Siberian Ice’, ‘Cavendish Red’, ‘Havana Red’, Savile Silver’, ’Uyuni White’ and our test car’s ‘Tasman Blue’. Matte paint options (which cost an extra $2,000) include ‘Verbier White’, ‘Makulu Grey’ and ‘Bond Silver’. 

Interior colour options include black, burgundy, tan, beige, grey and our test car’s red, all for no extra cost, which gives it an advantage over rivals for those who like interior colours.

Competitors to the G70 2.0T Luxury include the $71,900 plus on-road costs BMW 320i, the $73,500 Audi A4 45 TFSI and the $71,950 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce. In this company, the G70 looks like good value for money, especially against the BMW and Audi, which need $10,000+ of options ticked to match the G70 Luxury’s standard equipment list. The Alfa only needs around $4,000 of options ticked to do the same – though the G70 still creams it for standard kit. 

Performance & Economy: 7/10

In Australia, two engine choices are available on the G70: a 180kW/353Nm 2.0-litre turbo or a 275kW/530Nm twin-turbo V6. We tested the former. The 2.0-litre is a fine engine but it’s just a touch underwhelming, especially against the urgency that we know the V6 has.

The G70’s 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine has got good mid-range punch, it sounds reasonably good and with a claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of just 6.4 seconds, it can be quick. But even in sport mode, it never quite feels that quick.

The V6 is undoubtedly the engine to choose in the G70 range. It’s a full 1.7 seconds faster to 100km/h (4.7 seconds), yet its claimed fuel consumption is only 1.2L/100km higher at 10.2L/100km.

The sole transmission option in the G70 range is an eight-speed automatic and it’s a totally fine gearbox. It’s intuitive, quick thinking and does its job without fuss. Put the car in sport mode and it holds gears longer, while the paddle shifters are also there for manual control. 

Genesis claims that the G70 will use 9.0L/100km on a combined cycle, and in our combined testing, we achieved 11.2L/100km, which is not great – especially against rivals like the Giulia, which uses as low as 6.1L/100km and yet, also has 206kW of power to play with. The G70 must use minimum 95RON premium unleaded fuel and it has a 60-litre fuel tank.

Ride & Handling: 9/10

Like the G70 Shooting Brake, the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury sedan impresses with its excellent ride and handling balance. Using the same platform as the wonderful Kia Stinger, the G70’s rear-wheel drive dynamics and well-sorted ride quality offer fun for those who still value driving – but if they don’t, it’s more than comfortable no matter what the surface. 

Like a lot of other Hyundai/Genesis/Kia products in Australia, the G70 features an Australia-specific suspension tune and it’s all the better for it. While some competitors can feel overly sharp on our awful quality roads, the G70’s tuning allows it to be comfortable even in its firmer sport modes, and that’s despite its large 19-inch wheels. 

Even in lesser 2.0T spec, the G70 is capable of easily stepping the rear end out – especially in sport+ mode, which turns the stability control off completely – but thanks to its well-tuned ride and handling, it never feels intimidating. Thanks to its sticky Michelin Pilot Sprt 4 tyre package too, the G70 handles very well – the nose is pointy, the grip is excellent and it feels quite nimble despite its porky 1,658kg tare mass. 

It’s a fun car to drive – not on the same level as the razor sharp Giulia but in regular driving, it’s quiet and comfortable, if with a slightly firmer edge to the ride. If there’s a downside to the dynamic package, it’s the slightly numb steering, though it does weight up slightly in sport mode. Otherwise, the visibility is reasonable and road noise levels are low. The Matrix headlights are also excellent.

Interior & Practicality: 8/10

The interior of the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury is not the most practical, nor spacious cabin in the segment but its use of tech, colour and quality materials make it one of our favourites. The quality inside is generally quite good with lovely Nappa leather upholstery, and generally nice plastics – though, harder and coarser materials are perhaps more obvious than they should be at this price point.

In terms of practicality, the G70’s cabin is reasonably capacious with decently sized door pockets, a long but shallow under-armrest storage bin, big cupholders and a tray ahead of the gearbox with a wireless charging pad. The G70’s front seats are lovely though, with excellent bolstering and a huge range of adjustment so that anybody can get comfortable. 

Centre of the G70’s cabin is a 10.25-inch touchscreen that features wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation with live traffic info and digital radio. It’s used in other Hyundai and Kia products and it’s quick, easy to use, nicely coloured and the screen itself is of an excellent quality. The punchy 660W 15-speaker Lexicon sound system is wonderful as well, with good bass and ample clarity.

Like the G70 Shooting Brake, rear seat space is not the sedan’s forte thanks to tight leg room, and it’s certainly not the roomiest car in the class. The back seat is well featured however, which a centre armrest with cup holders, door pockets, air vents, a USB charging port and heated seats. 

The boot of the G70 Sedan is not its biggest attribute either at just 330-litres with the seats in place, though they do fold to increase the space on offer.

The boot’s opening is small, and it is a bit shallow with a high floor, but it has a nice finish, a power bootlid, 60:40-split folding rear seats and storage. Underneath the boot floor is a space saver spare wheel and some extra storage.

Service & Warranty: 9/10

Like all other Genesis products in Australia, the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury is equipped with a five-year/unlimited km warranty with five years of roadside assistance and five years of included servicing. Service intervals are a short once yearly/every 10,000km but if you like within 70km of a Genesis service centre, your car will be collected when it needs a service and left with a courtesy car. 

Genesis’ five-year/unlimited km warranty matches that of Audi, but it’s two years superior to BMW’s lacklustre three-year warranty. The G70 is also much less expensive to maintain than the 3 Series ($1,800 for a five-year/80,000km service pack), A4 ($2,920 for a five-year/75,000km service pack), and Giulia ($2,865 for five years/75,000km of servicing).

The 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury DiscoverAuto Rating: 8.2/10

As before, the 2022 Genesis G70 2.0T Luxury is a great luxury sedan that deserves to be on your test drive list. It features a long list of standard kit, a good quality interior, an excellent driving experience, a great warranty and service package, handsome styling and bags of character as well. It’s also different in a market where there’s a lot of the same old options.

Of course, it’s not perfect. The engine is unremarkable thanks to its average performance and fuel economy, the rear seat and boot space is nothing to write home about and it has short 10,000km service intervals. But choosing the higher-powered 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 eradicates any issues with the engine, and turns the G70 into a properly rapid sports sedan.

Photography by Justin McLean