Review: 2022 Genesis G70

An athlete through and through, the new 2022 Genesis G70 Sport comes dressed in a tailored suit, matching its performance chops with style.

Review and photos by Tom Sedens

Pricing: 2022 Genesis G70

Base price (3.3T Sport AWD trim): $59,500

Options: none

A/C tax: $100

Price as tested: $59,600

Exterior

Bold styling focuses on the expressive Crest Grille in the front, set low and flanked by wing-like Quad Lamps. I enjoyed the sculpted hood, with its power domes on each side. The side profile is chiseled, full of muscular leonine tension, looking ready to launch at a moment’s notice and blessed with fantastic proportions. And the rear end integrates LED Quad tail lamps, classy but noticeable badging and big integrated oval exhaust tips.

The grille, bumper and fender trim and door handles are finished in Dark Chrome, which looks really good. And the fenders are stuffed with stunning dark 19-inch rims shod with staggered tire sizes 225/40s in the front and massive 255/35s in the back.

My review vehicle in eyeball-grabbing Mallorca Blue got tons of appreciative looks from other drivers and pedestrians wherever I was.

Interior/Tech/Convenience

World-class materials, best-of-class fit and finish and modern styling all come together to present the driver and passengers with an interior for the ages. There is plenty of leather-like material all over the dash and doors with contrasting red stitching, diamond-quilted upholstery on the seats and door panels and a luxurious microfiber suede headliner.

The heated and ventilated Nappa leather seats are as comfortable as they are supportive and the heated, power-adjustable steering wheel is a delight in the hands of any driver. Behind it is a hybrid instrument bin – you’ll find an analog speedometer on the left, a digital tach on the right and a driver-controlled information screen in the middle.

The G70’s array of cutting-edge technologies provide access to everything a driver needs for convenience, safety and comfort. Front and centre is a wide 10.25″ touchscreen that allows you to split its content into different parts of the screen. It’s responsive, looks great with sharp graphics and has an excellent user interface. Below the screen are some hard buttons to access major functions, as well as knobs for volume and tuning – thank you Genesis! An astounding 15-speaker Lexicon audio system – with subwoofers under both front seats – will satisfy even the most discerning audiophile. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard.

There’s a standard-sized sunroof overhead. Behind the scenes, the full suite of state-of-the-art driver assistance technology, including surround view camera with front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic assist, lane following and keeping assist, forward collision avoidance with pedestrian detection, navigation-based smart and adaptive cruise control and a heads-up display, all works together to get the driver and passengers to their destination safely. Even when you’ve arrived, the Safe Exit Warning system protects you from opening the doors when it’s unsafe.

Rear Seats

The two outboard seats in the back are comfortable and heated, and offered enough head and leg room for me. It gets pretty cozy back there as the beltline is quite high, although it’s not quite enough to make it claustrophobic. The middle seating position is a virtual impossibility for humans to use – it’s narrow, raised and straddles a massive floor tunnel.

Rear passengers get adjustable air vents and a USB charging port. The middle seatback folds down to become an armrest with a couple of cupholders. All the beautiful trim from the front cabin comes to the back as well – no corners were cut, and it’s a beautiful place to sit.

Storage

Under the centre stack is an open space with a wireless charging mat, along with two charging ports – USB-A and 12V. There’s a small bin under the armrest lid along with another USB plug.

I loved the power-opening trunk lid – buttons to control this can be found on the dash, on the trunk lid itself and on the inside of the trunk lid to close it again and on the key fob for good measure.

The trunk itself is spacious and can be grown substantially for longer objects by folding down the 60/40 split rear seats.

Under the Hood

The G70 is motivated by a twin-turbocharged 3.3L V6, putting out 365 HP and a pavement-wrinkling 376 lb.ft of torque. It’s paired with a quick-shifting 8-speed automatic and Genesis’ outstanding H-TRAC all-wheel drive system.

Fuel economy isn’t great – this G70 is rated at 13.5/9.1 L/100 km (city/hwy).

The Drive

Putting the hammer down catapults the car off the line, and there is a ton of power in any driving situation, but the G70 isn’t just about raw straight-line power – it offers a delicious balance between supreme power and genuine athleticism and competency on the road. The precise steering is a delight and its adaptive suspension juggles comfort and sport, easily handling potholes and curves alike.

Traction on any surface is predictable and secure and powering out of high-speed corners is a dream courtesy of the mechanical limited-slip differential. If you want even more engagement, you can use the shift paddles to change gears manually.

The G70 lets you choose between a variety of driving modes – Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport +, Smart and Custom – and the car’s steering, throttle response and even the variable exhaust system all react to your driving inputs differently based on your choice. The Sport and Sport+ modes even snug up the seat bolsters to prepare for some more dynamic driving. Love it!

When it comes to bring things back down to earth, the Brembo brakes provide ultimate stopping power while looking fantastic with their red calipers peeking through the wheels.

The Verdict

WAF (Wife Approval Factor) was high. She’s not a huge sedan fanatic, but said this one is beautiful and drives really well. She thought the interior was stunning too.

What can I say about the G70? I feel like my review has already been full of superlatives – but the accolades are very well deserved.

There’s little it doesn’t do very, very well. When it comes to balancing power and dynamic drivability with luxury, presence, style and comfort, the Genesis G70 does it all and with ease. It is highly competitive in its class, and offers up a relative bargain in the process.