First Drive: Genesis G70 RWD 3.3T Sport Prestige

by Michael Satterfield - 07/29/2022

As someone who gets to drive the latest and greatest in luxury cars every year, I didn't know what to expect from the G70, the Korean brand's Mercedes C-Class and BMW 3 Series fighter, would it just be a dressed-up Hyundai? Or would it have what it takes to compete with the Germans and Japanese? Since this would be my first time behind the wheel of a Genesis vehicle, I really had nothing to compare it to. I've never owned one obviously, never been invited out to a vehicle launch, and I have never even had one as a rental car, so this truly is about as blind a review as you can ask for. 

My first impression is the G70 is handsome, with the crosshatched grill, blacked-out wheels, and Siberian Ice paint the G70 looks the sports-sedan part. Inside the Obsidian Black Nappa leather seats have a sporty red contrast stitch, red seat belts also add a sporty pop of color, and the diamond-shaped pleating carries over into the door cards, the interior looks the part too.  

With the 365hp 3.3-liter turbo V6 the G70 should prove to be fun to drive, at least the exhaust note sounds pretty good. Climbing into the driver's seat, the fit and finish are what really stand out, honestly, if the logos were covered up, I think most people would have a hard time guessing who built it. Driving around town, the G70 is everything you would expect from a luxury sports sedan, smooth and comfortable, with a little bit of exhaust noise and suspension feedback, but overall a serine place to spend your commute. 

This G70 is the RWD Sport Prestige model, and it has the optional Sport Advance Package and the Sport Prestige Package, the combination adds $8,300 to the base price of $42,100. After destination and delivery, the total MSRP is $51,445, impressive for a car that has all the bells and whistles. But while the luxury, technology, and build quality were punching well above their price point, this is a sports sedan, so it needs to be fun to drive. 

To put the fun factor to the test I'm headed out to the countryside for one of my favorite routes near Hilltop Lakes, along the Navasota River, then across Lake Limestone before ending up at our offices in Groesbeck. It's the long way, but always worth it, so long as you are driving something fun. 

Switching over to Sport+ mode, which according to Genesis is for "at-the-limit driving on track" but most of the nannies still seem to be present. It does turn off the traction control, stiffens the suspension, quickens the steering, and makes the exhaust louder. The 8-speed automatic can be controlled via the paddle shifters, which work surprisingly well and while most enthusiasts decry the lack of a manual transmission, once you get used to the paddles it's just better to have two hands on the wheel if you really plan on doing some spirited driving. 

After a run or two up and down FM3, I am starting to understand why our team voted the Genesis G70 the 2022 Sedan of the year. It makes me wonder how much better the AWD version would be in the corners. The Genesis is composed, fun to drive, and packs a refined interior that you'll enjoy spending time in. Genesis doesn't offer a performance variant like its sister brand Hyundai N, but it really should as the G70 could easily be tuned to go head-to-head with M or AMG. 

Overall the G70 is fun, well made, and priced at thousands less than the competition. If you aren't looking for a weekend track toy, but something that is more fun to drive to work than a Lincoln, the Genesis G70 should be on your shortlist. If you need an SUV, the GV70 Sports Prestige is another option and packs the same 3.3 turbo V6 and impressive spec sheet.