Genesis is one of, if not the youngest production automotive brand. Originally the Genesis was a specific model from Hyundai. It was a coupe that was pretty well received because it both looked good and was a blast to drive. These two parts of that little coupe were so strong a whole brand was started in the push for an affordable luxury sports car.
Genesis was started in 2015 and had relative success against tentpoles of the segment from BMW and Mercedes Benz. Just earlier this year they introduced a new car aimed at being a bestseller and I think it might just be the car that cements Genesis as a top brand.
The 2019 Genesis G70 is a mid-size sedan meant to compete with the likes of the BMW 3 series and the Mercedes C300. The interior of the G70 is just as nice as the German offerings. There is aluminum trim throughout the car and the combination of brushed and satin finishes give a really premium feel. The leather feels really soft and the front seats have the perfect bolstering for a sporty drive. These bolsters actually get tighter when you put it into sport mode to help hold you in place as you take corners.
The infotainment system is really quick and is simple to use. CarPlay and Android Auto allow you to connect your phone more intuitively and use your phone’s apps for navigation and music instead of the satellite radio or regular AM/FM radio.
The trunk offers 10.5 cubic feet of storage which is a little low for this segment, but if that is the only concession about this car then that’s pretty darned good.
The exterior styling is a bit more reserved than the Kia Stinger, which was co-developed with Genesis, of which it shares a platform. Driving the G70 feels better than the Kia, mainly because it is lighter and the suspension feels much more refined than Kia’s offerings. The exhaust sounds very nice and the steering felt spot on.
The two engine options for the G70 include a 2-liter turbocharged four cylinder making 252 horsepower and 260 pound feet of torque. This engine gets 18 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway.
The second engine option is a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 making 365 horsepower and 376 pound feet of torque. This sportier engine gets mostly the same fuel efficiency at 18 city mpg and 26 mpg on the highway.
The 2-liter can accelerate the G70 from 0 to 60 in 5.7 seconds and that’s nothing to scoff at. The larger engine can get you from 0 to 60 in a truly fast 4.5 seconds.
Hyundai has been able to design some really great-looking cars and interiors in the past few years and the Genesis brand is a great way to prove that they are a more reliable and better built alternative to the sea of BMWs and Mercedes you see here in Miami.
It also is a great value starting at $34,900 for the 2.0 turbo that I had, yet can quickly go up to $50,750 for the larger engine with all the options. I think that the Genesis G70 is going to be a bestseller. It is going to make the other brands have to work harder in order to stay on top.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or via email at Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
