- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.3TT, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
274kW, 510Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 10.2L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
5 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
5/5 star (2018)
2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport review
The 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged G70 really packs a punch, in more ways than one. Sam Purcell gives his verdict on the updated 274kW Korean sedan.
- Stonking twin-turbo V6 headlines sharp value proposition
- Ride, handling and interior prove the premium pretensions
- Five-year warranty with servicing included
- As a brand, Genesis isn't in the business of bargaining
- If you just want the engine, you'll also want to consider the bigger and cheaper Kia Stinger
- Second row is nice but ultimately lacking space
Introduction
Driving the facelifted 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport quickly confirmed two things for me.
One: this new Korean luxury brand is building some seriously compelling cars, and this Genesis G70 would have to be one of the best.
Two: the often-overlooked sedan – especially a sporty one – is far from dead. With an eager, force-fed V6 under the bonnet that powers only the rear wheels, the G70 3.3T Sport is a fresh take on that timeless sport sedan recipe.
While Genesis is currently busy pushing out a new medium-sized GV70 SUV to compete in a larger slice of the sales pie, we continue to be impressed by its smallest and cheapest current offering, the G70.
It will inevitably sell in much lower volumes overall, but that doesn't make it any less of a car.
Genesis is a newcomer brand to the premium end of the Australian car market, where it’s looking to disrupt mainstays like Lexus, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. No small feat.
Like what Lexus is for Toyota, Genesis is made by the same company that makes Hyundais and Kias. While initial cars with the Genesis branding weren't entirely convincing, the current crop of cars have proven to be quite good.
And in order to be any chance of successful, the end product needs to be bang-on.
Key details | 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport |
Price (MSRP) | $76,000 plus on-road costs |
Colour of test car | Verbier White |
Options | Luxury Pack ($10,000), matte paint ($2000) |
Price as tested | $88,000 plus on-road costs |
Rivals | BMW 3 Series | Mercedes-Benz C-Class | Alfa Romeo Giulia |
Inside
One thing that previously held back the G70 was the direct connection inside to less premium and less expensive Hyundai and Kia models. Genesis seems to have taken that feedback on board and looked to make a clear separation between the brands.
The seats, a red leather in our case, look quite fetching and proved to be very comfortable during our tenure. Along with all of the perforations and quilting you can dream of, they also offer stacks of electric adjustment (including an electric steering column). Smaller elements, like bolstering that adjusts to the different driving modes, shows that Genesis has paid strong attention to detail.
Overall build quality feels very good as well, solidly resisting my aggressive prods and wiggles.
The second row of the G70 is tight, and not something you’d want to be using to transport long-legged adults around. Legroom aside, it’s comfortable and well appointed, with air vents and a single USB power outlet. We've also got heated outboard seats with the Luxury Pack ticked.
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The boot, however, is big enough for the application at 330L, but is the smallest in its segment. The second row can also be flipped down for extra load space when you need it.
Value for Money
While the less powerful 2.0-litre G70 starts from $63,000, opting for the higher specification and bigger motor 3.3T Sport tips in at $76,000 – both before on-road costs. On top of that, we’ve got the Luxury Pack ($10,000) ticked, along with matte paint ($2000).
That means as tested you’re looking at $88,000 before on-road costs. It’s not the best-value representation of the G70, especially considering the Korean brand doesn’t want any haggling on its showroom floors.
But look at this luxury upstart from another angle. Options aside, the G70 3.3T Sport lines up against the $77,605 BMW 330i M Sport. Don’t let the badge fool you, though, the Bavarian has a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 190kW and 400Nm.
If you want a more powerful six-cylinder rival to the G70 3.3T, then you’ll need to spend up fairly significantly on a 285kW and 500Nm M340i xDrive Pure, which is priced from $101,471.
Similarly, Mercedes-Benz offers a $75,300 C300 with 190kW and 370Nm. Or, you can get a $113,576 C43 AMG with 287kW and 520Nm.
Don't forget about other choices like the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Jaguar XE, Volvo S60 and Audi A4.
Like I said, this segment is far from dead.
Let's focus back in on this G70. Without a large range of specifications to dig through, the G70 3.3T Sport comes fairly well loaded as a standard offering. Before you factor in options, standard kit includes 19-inch alloys shod in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, a limited-slip rear differential, 350mm front and 340mm rear Brembo brakes, adaptive dampers and a new variable exhaust system.
Inside, the interior is leather-appointed in standard trim. Seats are heated and ventilated, and have 12 directions of electric adjustment. There's a nine-speaker sound system, new 10.25-inch infotainment display and dual-zone climate control.
Tick that 10-grand Luxury Pack box and you score higher-grade nappa leather and suede interior trimming, an electrically adjusted steering column and heated steering wheel, 15-speaker Lexicon sound system, laminated glass, 16-way memory driver's seat, power-operated boot, head-up display and 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Is it worth it? It could be argued either way. It certainly represents the G70 in its best form, and I was impressed with the quality of the interior trimming. However, there is also something to be said for the G70 at its strongest value position. I'll sit on the fence for this one.
At a glance | 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport |
Warranty | Five years / unlimited km |
Service intervals | 12 months / 10,000km |
Servicing costs | Included |
Fuel cons. (claimed) | 10.2L/100km |
Fuel cons. (on test) | 10.7L/100km |
Fuel type | 95RON |
Fuel tank size | 60L |
Infotainment & Connectivity
This is headlined by a new 10.25-inch infotainment display, up from 8.0 underdone inches pre-facelift.
Yes, other Kias and Hyundais also use a 10.25-inch system. However, this Genesis uses a unique operating system, which really helps to set it apart. The switchgear is also mostly different, and I like that the customisable buttons have carried over from the broader family. I found them genuinely useful.
Power outlets include a wireless charging pad, 12-volt plug and USB, along with an additional USB outlet in the flocked centre console.
The digital instrument cluster is big at 12.3 inches, and allows you to run through a variety of different things. Although the whole three-dimensional thing might seem gimmicky, it works well enough for day-to-day usage, and can help your eye catch important information at a quick glance. The display can’t do cool party tricks like a full-sized map, but there are plenty of customisation options.
2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport | |
Seats | Five |
Boot volume | 330L |
Length | 4685mm |
Width | 1850mm |
Height | 1400mm |
Wheelbase | 2835mm |
Safety & Technology
Although the G70 attained a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2018, this facelift has brought more safety equipment and technology into the mix.
There are now 10 airbags throughout the G70's interior, which includes a front centre and rear side airbags. Autonomous emergency braking includes a junction assist function, as well as pedestrian and cyclist detection.
Lane-keep assistance is now joined by lane-following technology and a 360-degree camera, but I found myself turning off the driving aids more often than not. When you're driving on roads with a varying quality of road markings, or you're looking to use the entirety of your lane, the sometimes random beeping and tugging of the steering wheel quickly gets tiresome. If you want to turn them off as well, you need to hold down the button for a few seconds.
There is also driver-attention warning, high-beam assist, adaptive cruise control with a stop & go function, and a rear cross-traffic collision avoidance.
The 360-degree camera system also includes a blind-spot camera that operates similarly to other Genesis models and high-spec Hyundais and Kias. It pops a camera feed of your blind spot into the digital instrument cluster. Along with a head-up-display, you're certainly not left lacking for technology in the G70.
While you do get a handy reminder of the speed limit on the instrument cluster and map, this information is fed from a GPS database and isn't as accurate as more advanced traffic sign recognition technology.
At a glance | 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport |
ANCAP rating & year tested | Five stars (tested 2018) |
Safety report | Link |
Driving
With the line-up being reworked for 2021, high-specification G70s get the big engine exclusively. By all accounts so far, the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine is a solid option with plenty of grunt and refinement for the application.
But it doesn’t matter, because this 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 is the engine to have. Why? It’s a beast.
I’ve got a big soft spot for the G70, especially when it’s got this big donk. I spent a fair amount of time with our previous long-termer, and grew to love the wolf-in-sheep's-clothing performance.
Our 2020 long-termer didn’t make much noise, even when rushing up to redline. While I found it handsome, it was in an understated way that didn’t garner a lot of attention. Perhaps that has something to do with the lesser-known badge on the bonnet.
But the best thing about that G70: it ripped. Straight-line performance, handling and refinement were good enough to embarrass plenty of so-called ‘sports’ or ‘luxury’ cars.
The updated 2021 Genesis G70 keeps all of those great attributes, but crafts it into something even better. Plus, this new model is a bit more wolf than sheep.
Firstly, there is more noise. The new bi-modal exhaust system – which has liberated 2kW – burbles in a pleasant baritone at idle. There is a welcome roar when accelerating, along with a stronger induction noise as the two turbochargers suck in big volumes of air.
The two turbochargers are set up in parallel, each one responsible for feeding three pistons compressed air.
With a little more theatre going on, the new G70 is an enticing drive on your quieter, sweeping roads and rolling hills. It’s got plenty of punch and enough panache to handle fast-paced driving.
Ride comfort errs on the sporty side in this G70. Adaptive dampers widen the scope of dynamics noticeably, ratcheting things down noticeably for dynamic driving, but in Comfort mode, it cannot hide the sporting prowess this chassis has.
The steering is fast to respond and allows the G70 to turn in eagerly. Its rear wheels follow faithfully as well, as long as you’re judicious with the right foot. High power, great throttle response and rear-wheel drive only? You get the picture.
But the beauty is that it’s comfortable and enjoyable enough on daily driver duties. Don’t expect a pillowy ride, though. While it’s firm, it’s not unforgiving.
The eight-speed auto has fast reaction times, especially in the more dynamic driving modes. Its job of getting smooth performance out of the driveline – and often giving the rear tyres some hard work – is admirable.
The G70 feels squirmy, alive and aggressive when driven dynamically. Classic rear-wheel-drive sports car things, and it helps the G70 keep the chin up in a field of well-established competitors.
Getting similar amounts of performance will cost you much more at the end of the day. And that’s an inherent advantage.
As good as a modern 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine is these days, in terms of mid-range torque, high-end power and all-round drivability, having more engine at the ready makes the G70 inherently nicer to drive.
Key details | 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport |
Engine | 3.3-litre V6 twin-turbo petrol |
Power | 274kW @ 6000rpm |
Torque | 510Nm @ 1300-4500rpm |
Drive type | Rear-wheel drive |
Transmission | Eight-speed torque converter automatic |
Power to weight ratio | 158.6kW/t |
Weight | 1765kg |
Turning circle | 11.0m |
Conclusion
The way the G70 rides and steers – which is undoubtedly premium – warrants the consideration of premium buyers. The G70 is the real deal as a premium offering. And with that 3.3-litre twin-turbocharged V6 under the bonnet, it’s seriously compelling.
If you’re chasing ultimate bang-for-buck, then the engine-sharing Kia Stinger must also be considered. However, it doesn’t offer the same overall premium experience of the G70.
Buyers will need to look beyond the appeal of an established brand in order to consider the G70. For those that do, the rewards are there in spades. Not just in terms of the value-for-money proposition, the G70 also impresses in terms of its overall quality.
However, it is a shame that a fixed-price policy at Genesis dealerships – of which are still sparse – reduces the likelihood of buyers getting a better deal.