Lexus understood the importance of value to people who bought luxury cars such as those made by Mercedes and BMW — back when Mercedes and BMW pretty much owned the luxury car market. Lexus acquired a large chunk of what had been their market by offering luxury cars that were better values than those being sold at the time by Mercedes and BMW.
That was back in the late 1980s.
In the 2020s, it's Genesis, Hyundai's luxury car line, that is using the same strategy to snatch away market share from Lexus — and the others, too.
What It Is
The G70 is a compact-sized luxury sport sedan that competes with rivals like the Lexus IS, Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series, among others.
It is available with either a turbocharged four-cylinder engine or a turbocharged V6 engine — either engine available with (or without) all-wheel drive.
Prices start at $37,775 for the base 2.0T trim, which comes standard with a turbocharged 252 horsepower 2.0-liter engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available as a stand-alone option; so equipped, the price rises to $39,875.
A top-of-the-line 3.3T Launch Edition comes with a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 that makes 365 horsepower, also paired with an eight-speed automatic. The rear-drive version stickers for $52,750.
With the optional AWD system, the price rises to $54,750.
What's New
The 2022 G70 gets an exterior and interior styling refresh — but loses its formerly available manual transmission.
There is also a new/updated 10.25-inch display at the top of the center stack.
What's Good
More car (and engine) for less money than rivals in the class.
Among the most athletic cars in the class, irrespective of money.
Easy-to-use without having to look knobs and buttons for AC, stereo, seat heaters and other accessories.
What's Not So Good
No more option to shift gears yourself.
Short "range" due to small 15.8-gallon fuel tank and big thirst.
Not much trunk (about 11 cubic feet).
Under The Hood
As its name suggests, the 2.0T trim comes standard with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder engine that's similar — in terms of its size — to the 2.0-liter engines that are standard in most of the others in this class, including the BMW 3 Series, the Audi A4 and the Lexus IS300.
The difference is the power-for-your-dollar that comes standard in the G.
You get 252 horsepower versus 201 in the A4 and 241 in the IS300. The BMW 3 sedan's standard 2.0-liter four advertises 255 horsepower, putting it over the top by three horsepower versus the Genesis. But each one will cost you about $1,200 (for a total of $3,675, the difference in base price between the G70 2.0T and the BMW 330i).
If you'd like more power, the G70 3.3T comes standard with a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 that advertises 365 horsepower (and 376 foot-pounds of torque).
Equipped with its standard 2.0-liter, 252 horsepower engine, the rear-drive version of the G70 takes about six seconds to get to 60. The slightly heavier AWD-equipped version takes slightly longer. To get to 60 much more quickly, the 3.3T is your ticket to ride. This one does the same run in 4.9 seconds, ranking it as just about the quickest car in the class. A BMW M340i is quicker (zero to 60 in a searing 4.1 seconds) but it'll cost you $12,350 more to shave that eight-tenths of a second off the time.
On The Road
The G70 is not a "dad bod" car. This one's as cut and ready for a ten-mile run as a Navy SEAL — especially the Launch Edition, which looks even slinkier in its matte-finish paint job, hunkered down on 19-inch lightweight-alloy wheels, massive red-powder-coated brake calipers visible through the spokes.
If you put the drive selector in Sport+ mode, each firm upshift of the eight-speed automatic at redline is accompanied by a pleasant eruption of combustion from the Variable Valve exhaust system. Genesis assumes that if you buy a car like the G70, you'd like to hear it.
At The Curb
Physically, in terms of its size, the G70 is similar to its rivals. It's just 184.4 inches long, which makes it a compact-sized sedan, like its rivals. But it differs hugely from them in terms of its ergonomics.
The term refers to the way controls are laid out — their accessibility and ease of use. The G70's ergonomics are superior to most of its rivals in that unlike them, Genesis didn't convert every (or even most) of the G's controls and displays to smartphone-emulating tap/swipe displays.
There is an analog speedometer in the main gauge cluster rather than a digital display. There are large, easy-to-use rotary knobs for adjusting the air conditioning/heater and fan speed. And buttons you can touch by feel without having to look (or stabilize your finger before you tap) for the seat heaters and other important accessories.
The Rest
Yes, the back seat is tight (34.8 inches of legroom) and the trunk is small (10.5 cubic feet). But the same is true of the others in the class. Luxury-sport sedans aren't supposed to be practical. They are supposed to be enjoyable.
The G is very.
The Bottom Line
It's sad about the no-more-manual, but the G stands out in so many other ways, you almost don't miss it.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Genesis G70 this week.
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