2022 Genesis G70 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

Critically acclaimed by automotive experts and Genesis owners alike, the G70 is considered a legit rival to enthusiast-oriented sport sedan competitors such as the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Cadillac CT4, Lexus IS, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

For 2022, the Genesis G70 comes in 2.0T and 3.3T model series, each featuring a standard level of equipment that you can enhance with trim upgrades. Genesis G70 2.0T grades start in Canada with Select and then move up to Advanced and Prestige, while the G70 3.3T offers Advanced, Sport, and Launch Edition grades. Pricing starts at $45,500, which includes destination charges as well as home vehicle pick-up and delivery for sales and service, five years or 100,000 kilometres of complimentary scheduled maintenance, map updates, comprehensive warranty coverage, and connected services. In Canada, Genesis pricing is a flat rate, not a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP), which means there's no haggling required.

Our test car was fully loaded in 3.3T Launch Edition specification with matte-finish Verbier White matte paint, Sevilla Red Nappa premium leather, and exclusive 19-inch lightweight aluminum wheels. This trim is no longer available. The closest match is the Genesis G70 3.3T Sport, which is priced at $59,500.

New styling aligns the G70 with the rest of the Genesis lineup, and the car looks great in person. Not only that, it attracts attention on the road. At one point during our time with the car, a Porsche Cayenne packed with bros craning their necks to get a better look at the G70 shadowed us as we drove down a highway.

Inside, the rich premium leather, beautiful stitching, diamond quilting, and matching seatbelts gives the G70 a distinctive and bespoke appearance. Everything exudes quality, too, except for maybe the plastic used to construct the air vent vanes. If you’re familiar with Hyundai models, you’ll spot some shared bits and pieces, but this is not a criticism.

Controls are logically laid out, and the infotainment system is easy to use. Again, if you’ve been in a new Hyundai recently, you’ll spot the graphic similarities on the system’s screens. The electronic shifter takes some acclimation, and you must be deliberate about choosing Reverse gear. It appears Hyundai is trying to compensate for how easy it might otherwise be for the driver to unintentionally bump the gear selector.

Overall, the new G70 looks, smells, and feels like a proper luxury sedan. And, for the most part, it drives like a true sport sedan.

Choose the G70 2.0T and your new car will have the base engine, a turbocharged 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine good for 252 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. These are competitive measurements in the G70’s class, but for maximum performance, you’ll want the G70 3.3T. It features a twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V6 engine generating power specs of 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque, which is more than enough for this small sedan.

In Canada, all-wheel drive (AWD) is standard on all G70 models, and rear-wheel drive (RWD) is not offered. For 2022, an eight-speed automatic transmission is the only way to go. Genesis dropped the previously available six-speed manual transmission because so few customers wanted it.

Our test car had a limited-slip differential and upgraded "performance" brakes. The former feature did not prevent the car from drifting a bit when powering out of hairpin turn, while the latter called into question Genesis's interpretation of the word "performance." But more on the dissatisfying brakes in a bit.

Acceleration is intoxicating, making the G70 3.3T a real rush to drive. The engine never feels winded, and it revs like there is no limit to the available power and velocity. As you’re pushed firmly back into the driver’s seat, a terrific engine note accompanies every deep press of the accelerator pedal.

As long as you don’t become addicted to the 3.3T’s zoom factor, you should get 11.5 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, according to official Natural Resources Canada fuel consumption ratings. We got 11.7 L/100 km on the testing loop, an impressive result given how often we dipped into the car’s deep well of power.

The eight-speed automatic transmission pairs well with the twin-turbo V6. And it works best in the car’s Comfort or Sport driving modes. In the new Sport+ drive mode, the G70 holds revs for too long and is too loud and obnoxious about it. Paddle shifters provide manual control over the transmission, but in Sport mode, they don’t match revs as eagerly as we’d prefer.

Genesis also provides a Custom driving mode, allowing the G70’s owner to mix and match settings. My favourite setup was Comfort steering, Comfort powertrain, and Sport suspension. The Sport suspension setting eliminates the car’s odd bouncing in Comfort mode and supplies an excellent blend of road feel, communication, and compliance. Quick, precise steering adds to your driving enjoyment.

All of these aforementioned traits make the G70 3.3T a blast to drive. Unlike its calm, cool, and collected German competitors, the Genesis is raw and emotional, making it a greater dynamic thrill ride. But you cannot hustle this car like you can a BMW or a Benz because, based on our experience, the Brembo brakes are not up to the task of serving a serious sport sedan. And yes, this is surprising given Brembo's reputation.

The first hint of trouble occurred at the bottom of a downhill section of highway. By the time the G70 reached the bottom of the grade the brakes had heated to the point where they were rumbling and pulsating. We’d been running the car’s Highway Driving Assist technology for some time, so this behaviour cropped up without any driver input.

Because of this heating problem, we knew to descend the next grade with extra care. Sure enough, when driving the G70 3.3T in the way we presume Genesis intends, the brakes began to rumble, to pulse, and to smell awful. Oddly, though, they didn’t exhibit much in the way of fade, retaining their bite all the way down.

While driving and experiencing this braking behaviour, we figured the test car had seen some previous abuse. But with less than 3,500 kilometres on it and tires that appeared to be in great shape, that seems unlikely.

In any case, this observed braking component behaviour did not instill trust in the car, in turn having a negative effect on driving enjoyment. If you can’t count on the brakes, you can’t have confidence in the car.

Cramped rear-seat room has always been a commonly cited—and valid—criticism of the Genesis G70. If ever a four-door sedan existed that could rightfully be called a coupe, it must be the G70.

Gracefully entering and exiting the G70 takes some dexterity. It’s easy enough in front, but getting yourself into and out of the back seat requires serious Jenga skills. The hard plastic front seat backs don’t help, either. With soft padding, adults might be more willing to ride in the back.

Comfort is easy to come by in the front seats, though the G70 remains a snug fit. Lined in premium stitched-and-quilted Sevilla Red leather, and equipped with a black simulated suede headliner, our G70 3.3T test car sure looked luxurious inside.

It felt that way, too, the comfortable heated and ventilated front seats standing ready to combat temperature extremes. Switch into Sport or Sport+ mode, and the front seat bolsters automatically swell in preparation for holding you and your passenger in place. You can turn this feature off if you prefer.

Storage space is decent for each seating position, but the G70’s trunk is relatively small, measuring just 297 litres. It’s a shame the G70 doesn’t have a rear liftgate to provide more utility, similar to what you find on an Audi A5 or a BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. But then, that purpose is served by the G70’s corporate cousin, the Kia Stinger.

For 2022, the Genesis G70 gets a new infotainment system with a larger 10.25-inch touchscreen display. It’s running the same technology you’ll find in many Hyundai and Kia models, which is mostly a good thing.

Highlights include quick response to inputs, natural voice recognition, and over-the-air software update capability. Navigation is standard, along with satellite radio and both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring capability. However, these two features require a wired rather than a wireless connection.

During the evaluation, the Genesis G70’s infotainment system’s voice recognition technology proved fast and accurate. However, you cannot operate the climate control system by voice. The test car’s 15-speaker Lexicon premium sound system excelled when listening to classic 1980s hits like “In the Air Tonight” and “Faithfully.” But when listening to a modern alternative from The Marias, the bass seemed a little muddy.

Most G70s have wireless smartphone charging, with the pad tucked behind the shifter, and helping to explain why selecting Reverse gear is a deliberate process. Digital key technology is available to Android users, turning your smartphone into a key to operate the G70’s door locks and engine start button. A comprehensive head-up display is also available, but it is hard to see when you’re wearing polarized sunglasses.

Genesis equips every G70 with a long list of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. In addition to collision-avoidance tech, the G70 features a rear-seat reminder system and a Safe Exit Assist system that warns occupants not to get out of the car if it is unsafe to do so.

The star of the show is the standard Highway Driving Assist system, which combines adaptive cruise control with lane-centring assist. It works better than many similar technologies, making it an effective tool for long-distance travel. However, in traffic, the G70 can’t come to a stop for more than a few seconds before the driver must manually resume Highway Driving Assist. A high-definition 360-degree camera system helps when parking.

As far as crash protection goes, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives the 2022 G70 high marks, but rates the headlights as “Marginal” in terms of performance. This prevents the car from earning a “Top Safety Pick” rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet performed crash tests on the G70.

Despite a handful of flaws, the 2022 Genesis G70 offers such stunning value that you can easily forgive them. In addition to a price tag that significantly undercuts the competition, Genesis offers five years of warranty protection combined with appealing owner services such as Genesis At Home service. You also get five years of complimentary connected services and scheduled maintenance.

The good news is that Genesis doesn’t offer these value-rich perks to make up for an inferior product. Aside from its cramped back seat, small trunk, and sketchy brakes, it’s a terrific luxury sport sedan. Plus, it’s a relative rarity on the road, which means you won’t see yourself coming and going everywhere you drive.

Perhaps with the money you save, you can upgrade to a good set of aftermarket brakes.

Note: Images show a US model.