It was once a kind of automotive axiom that if you liked to drive, you aspired to own a BMW. They were, after all, the ultimate driving machines — and that wasn't advertising hype. It was behind-the-wheel fact. BMW was among the first to make four doors and fun driving not mutually exclusive — by putting a third pedal in its sedans, among other things.
But BMW no longer does what it once did. If you want a luxury-sport sedan with a manual transmission, for instance, you'll have to try elsewhere.
Your local Genesis store, for one.
What It Is
The G70 is Hyundai's — whoops, Genesis' — compact-sized luxury sport-sedan. Like the BMW 3, Mercedes C, Lexus IS and Infiniti Q50 luxury-sport sedans, it's rear-wheel-drive, with all-wheel drive optional, and offers your pick of engines.
Unlike all of them, the G70 gives you the option to shift gears for yourself.
G70 prices start at $35,450 for the rear-wheel drive 2.0T trim — $5,300 less than the base price of the BMW 330i sedan ($40,750).
You can opt for all-wheel drive ($37,450) and still pay thousands less than BMW asks for the rear-wheel-drive version of the 3 Series sedan.
And no matter how big a check you write to BMW — or the others — you can't get that third pedal.
Genesis offers it — along with an 18-inch performance wheel/tire package, high-capacity Brembo brakes, a limited slip differential and a rowdier exhaust system — for $38,500, which is still thousands less than the BMW without any of those features.
You can also get a G70 with a 365-horsepower, turbocharged V-6 engine — and your pick of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Several of the others, including BMW, also offer turbo six power. But not for $44,650 to start — the base price of the G70 3.3T (versus $54,000 for the BMW M340i).
A top-of-the-line G70 3.3T with all-wheel drive stickers for $46,650, versus $56,000 for the all-wheel-drive-equipped BMW M340i.
What's New
There is one big change this year — just not to the car. The base price is lower this year. And the maxed-out price is much lower.
Last year, the G70 stickered for $34,900 to start — $450 more to start than the 2020 G70. And last year, a loaded V-6-equipped all-wheel-drive G70 stickered for $52,250 — $5,600 less than the cost of this year's maxed-out G70 with a V-6 engine and all-wheel drive.
What's Good
It's a truly sporty luxury sedan.
It has tremendous value.
It has exceptional warranty coverage
What's Not So Good
It has an exceptionally small trunk.
The available manual transmission costs extra.
The manual isn't available with the V-6 engine.
Under the Hood
The G70 comes standard with a turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine, making an advertised 252 horsepower (three more, if you go with the Sport and the manual transmission).
You can choose rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
You can choose the optional 365-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 engine, which you can pair with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive — but not with the manual, which is only available with the 2.0-liter engine.
On the Road
The G does a remarkable impression of a BMW 3 Series sedan, back when a 3 Series sedan was the benchmark luxury-sport sedan. It is now another luxury sedan with some sporty aspects here and there — memories of what it once was.
This includes the no-longer-standard in-line six engine, which is still available — but only in the much more expensive M340i. That six is still the benchmark in terms of inherent smoothness and uniquely delicious sound (nothing sounds like an in-line six). But it's so expensive that few will ever get to savor it.
The G's optional V-6 engine is not as delicious as the BMW's in-line six. But it's close — except in terms of the price. We are talking a $10k difference there — and that makes up for the G's V-6 engine not being as revvy and not quite as smooth.
At the Curb
The theme has been emulated, but the form has not been copied.
The G sits wide and low, with a slight inward cant to its beefy performance tires. But it isn't a copy of the BMW 3. Within the limits imposed by government mandates — specifically, bumper impact/crash test requirements — the G is distinctive-looking enough to not be mistaken for a BMW or an Infiniti.
Though you might mistake the Genesis badge for a Bentley or Aston Martin badge — which is probably deliberate.
The one thing that isn't standard — and you can't get as an option — is more trunk room. The G70's trunk is the smallest in the class — just 10.7 cubic feet (versus 17 cubic feet in the BMW 3).
The Rest
One thing that is standard — and not offered by competitors — is a five-year/60,000-mile warranty on the whole car and a 10-year/100,00-mile warranty on what makes the car go — its engine, transmission and related parts.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for more sport to go with your luxury, Genesis has both — and for less.
Eric's new book, "Don't Get Taken for a Ride!" is available now. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
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