Facelifted 2022 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport
The facelift to the midsized G70 sedan range completes the Genesis brand’s transition to its bold ‘Athletic Elegance’ design language.
PREMIUM CHALLENGER PUTS ON THE GLITZ
There’s more to the transformation than simply grafting the brand’s new crest grille and ‘quad lamp’ lighting. The front guards are new, the bootlid is reshaped and the dash fascia is revised to allow for hardware changes. It’s a slam dunk conversion nose-on, distinctly different in chase – where our flagship 3.3T Sport (with Luxury Package) flaunts new dual oval pipes and faux diffuser. One exception is the fetching new-look, staggered 19-inch black Sport-spec rolling stock.
The old six-variant range has been trimmed to just two, a choice of turbo-four 2.0T and twin-turbo V6 3.3T Sport, with a Sport trim option for the former and further Luxury Package available atop any configuration. Our tester is the $76,000 3.3T Sport with Luxury Package ($10,000), which adds red quilted Nappa leather and niceties such as intelligent headlight functionality, acoustic front door glass and a powered bootlid. A five-star ANCAP safety rating carries over from 2018, however, it now has 10 airbags as well as a host of active systems.
The party trick is the large 12.3-inch instrument cluster, which changes theme depending on the drive mode selected. The 10.25-inch multimedia system holds up well in context, even if it is a little too high-spec Hyundai. Some cabin details fall short. Almost all satin alloy features feel plastic to touch and some controls lack premium tactility. Surely that $10K Luxury splurge could’ve afforded some nicer, less-mainstream detailing. Regardless, Sport-with-added-Luxury spec bats a high average for sheer accommodation and comfort. It feels larger than its sub-4.7-metre length suggests, but boot capacity is only 330 litres and overall kerb weight is a portly 1765kg.
Mechanically not much has changed. This version of the 3.3-litre twinturbo bent-six adds an academic two kilowatts, to 274kW, wholly thanks to the new adaptive exhaust hardware prescribed to inject some rock ’n’roll into its formerly too-polite soundtrack. Also new is the harder-core Sport+ mode that brings sharpness to the powertrain calibration, steering response and a surlier damper setting for the adaptive suspension.
The form guide claims 4.7-seconds 0-100km/h but in either of G70’s more spirited modes it feels fi t to challenge that claim. There is still 510Nm to play with and the 3.3T plays the muscleladen grand tourer theme well – especially with the smooth eight-speed automatic. The breadth of ability the drive modes afford suits its sportluxury brief impressively well.
On-road it’s mostly refined and resolved in its approach to the luxury experience, without ever fully relaxing and filtering out its slightly taut sporting edge. This is evident in the slightly active primary ride and the generally direct and benevolent steering that can feel under-assisted at times. Its sporting purpose seems apologetically reserved until the point where you grab its scruff, dragging its surprisingly competent dynamic talent out of the sedan’s characteristic closet. The G70 3.3T backs up its sportiness pitch and counters with suitable luxury to fi t the desired mould. It feels a more fulsome package than high-power four-pot Germans flying at the same fiscal altitude. While the G70 just gets away with that New Genesis feeling, it ticks many of the boxes it needs to right now. Acceptance as a bona-fi de prestige figurehead, though, is a longer work in progress.
TECHNICAL DATA FILE
- Model Genesis G70 3.3T Sport
- Engine 3342cc V6 (90°), dohc, 24v, twin-turbo
- Max power 274kW @ 6000rpm
- Max torque 510Nm @ 1300-4500rpm
- Transmission 8-speed automatic
- Weight 1765kg
- 0-100km/h 4.7sec (claimed)
- Economy 10.2L/100km
- Price $76,000
- On sale Now
MINUS - Luxury pack a fair premium; some average cabin details
PLUS + Price; performance; standard equipment