Genesis G70 2.0t Manual Review: Non-German Sport Sedan Dynamism
Genesis has delivered a quick, agile, and entertaining luxury sport sedan that can hang with the German competition. What’s not to love?
Every few years, an automaker tries to do the impossible and take on the BMW 3 Series at the luxury sport sedan game. The last to try was Cadillac, and now the still young brand Genesis is nipping at BMW’s heels with the G70. Not long ago, I drove the V6 powered Genesis G70 model for a week. It was a comfortable, sleek, muscular looking sedan with a taut chassis, and the V6 distributes 365-horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque through a responsive 8-speed transmission. After spending a week with it, I was sold on the G70 as something the Germans should finally be genuinely concerned about. It’s a fearsome sport sedan that anyone thinking of buying a 3 Series should test drive.
However, the inevitable cry of the car enthusiast is: “What about a manual transmission?” Fortunately, three pedals and a stick is an option on the G70 for now. Unfortunately, it’s only available with the 4-cylinder 2.0-liter turbo engine option. So, now the question is: “Does having the fun of a 6-speed manual to row through offset the drop in power?” We borrowed a G70 2.0t MT from Genesis to find out.
About That Drivetrain…
Despite not having the extra two cylinders, the 2.0-liter turbo engine still packs a punch. It lays down a spritely 255-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, and that torque is needed to propel the G70’s 3,673 lbs of weight off the line. There’s a noticeable lag from the turbo in the G70’s Normal drive mode at lower rpm, but it’s perked up by dropping the car into Sport mode. Even in Sport mode, though, the lag that its German rivals 4-cylinder offerings have managed to eliminate is still there. Things start to get more exciting around 4,500 rpm, and the redline comes at 6,800 rpm. It’s a narrow powerband and shows in the 0-60 mph time of just over 6 seconds compared to the larger engine’s sub-five second sprint to sixty.
Unfortunately, the G70’s 6-speed manual transmission isn’t quite the satisfyingly slick box of gears we expected. It feels a little sloppy, the shifter’s throw is long, and the clutch pedal is on the stiff side of comfortable. It’s not terrible by a long shot, but when a car sets itself up to be an alternative to a BMW sport sedan, the manual option needs to be a high-quality experience. It’s far from terrible, but the G70’s manual transmission doesn’t feel like it’s been designed and executed with love.
The 2.0-liter turbo engine is perfectly acceptable until you fill-up with gas. Fuel economy isn’t great, with the EPA estimates coming in at 21 mpg in the city, 28 mpg on the freeway, and 23 mpg combined. That matched our experience, but BMW’s 3 Series base model achieves 26/36/30 city/highway/combined.
But How Does it Drive?
As expectation was high, the first thing I did was point the G70 2.0t down a mountain road. Again, I wasn’t disappointed as the chassis is an absolute delight, and the steering feel and weight are on the money. This is where Genesis has out-done the current-generation BMW 3 Series. The ride and ability for the suspension to soak up bumps are exceptional, but that doesn’t feel like the achievement comes with any compromise with performance. While the 4-cylinder engine with the manual isn’t as quick to fire out of corners, the manual adds a different dimension to the entertainment. It’s hard to unsettle the chassis, and the supplied Goodyear Pilot Sport 2 tires that came on our Sport Package equipped tester help to generate heroic amounts of grip. The Sport Package also includes a limited-slip differential and performance brakes, both of which compliment the chassis perfectly for backroad bombing.
Moving into the city and back into Normal mode, the G70 dials back and settles down as a sophisticated premium-level sedan. Steering is as easy and direct at low speeds as it is high, and the cabin is nicely insulated against noise intrusion from the outside world. Freeway driving is just as pleasant with little road noise despite having grippy tires to contend with. The 4-cylinder engine has plenty in reserve to deal with freeway ramps and overtaking, and the exhaust doesn’t drone annoyingly at freeway speeds. Genesis pipes engine noise into the cabin through the speakers and you have a choice whether to turn the sound level up or off.
How’s the Interior?
Genesis is very good at punching above its price range with interiors, and the G70 is no different. Premium feeling materials are everywhere, and the seats are comfortable while also bolstering well during enthusiastic driving. Space in the back is a little cramped for three people, and but two have plenty of elbow room. They don’t have much legroom though, with just 34.8 inches available. There is plenty of legroom in the front, but not a lot of storage space in the way of cubby holes and pockets.
The G70’s infotainment system comes from Hyundai rather than utilizing the excellent hardware and software from the luxury-level G90 sedan. The 7-inch display is useable day-to-day, but the design and its cartoonish graphics are not as elegant as the rest of the car. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come as standard alongside Bluetooth capability. In fact, the standard features list is impressive and includes 12-way power-adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated power side mirrors, and more. A wealth of standard safety tech included, with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keep assistance as the highlights. On the outside, 18-inch alloy wheels are standard, along with LED headlights and taillights.
An Attractive Option to a BMW 3 Series
There’s no escaping the BMW 3 Series comparison, so let’s lean into it. The Genesis G70 excels with its driving dynamics and chassis performance, at least until the new generation of BMW’s compact sedan hits the roads. However, the Genesis does lose out when it comes to the interior not being quite as stylish and the infotainment system being way behind BMW’s iDrive. However, that’s where you can point to cost as being a factor. The Genesis G70 starts at $35,450 for a 2.0-liter four-cylinder base model and peaks at $46,650 for a loaded 3.3-liter V6 model with all-wheel-drive. BMW’s entry point for the 3 Series is $40,750 and peaks at $56,000 for an M340i xDrive model.
BMW doesn’t offer a manual option for the regular 3 Series, so the G70 wins out by default in that category. No doubt, that’s what Genesis is looking for, along with enthusiast credibility, by offering the 6-speed transmission. Unfortunately, it does feel like lip service by not making the slick and well-balanced shifter the G70 deserves, let alone only offering it on the smaller-engined model. Ultimately, the manual transmission G70 was fun to drive, but the snappy 8-speed automatic transmission is the better option when push comes to shove.
If your heart is set on a manual transmission luxury sport sedan with a manual, the G70 is the best choice. However, it won’t be for too long as reports are coming in the manual will be discontinued for the 2022 model year.
Photos: Ian Wright
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