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Test driveGenesis G70 goes beyond Mercedes C-class, BMW 3 Series

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The Genesis G70 / Courtesy of Genesis
The Genesis G70 / Courtesy of Genesis

By Nam Hyun-woo

Throughout last year, the Genesis G70 has been widely applauded by not only domestic media but also a slew of foreign automotive magazines and news outlets.

A highlight was the compliment by MotorTrend, one of the most influential car magazines in the U.S., which picked the sports sedan as its "2019 Car of the Year" and described it as a "star" and a "BMW 3 series fighter."

So, this reporter also took a test ride on the G70 ― though it has been out in the domestic market since September 2017 ― to see whether it really deserves such applaud.

Genesis describes the G70 as the most athletic one in its fleet, comprised of the midsize sedan G80, the flagship G90 and the G70. By segment, it lies in the group of entry-level compact luxury sport sedans, crowded by formidable players including Mercedes-Benz C Class and BMW 3 Series.

The G70 takes a low posture to highlight its sportiness but does not save fancy fabrics and materials to show it is part of the Genesis fleet, which is a luxury brand of Hyundai Motor. Its well-aligned center console does not distract the driver, and the digital cluster also provides quite good visibility.

The G70 comes in three powertrains of 2.0-liter, 3.3-liter gasoline turbo and 2.2-liter diesel. This reporter was given a 3.3 turbo model, which yields impressive 370 horsepower and 52 kilogram per meter torque.

As seen in the numbers, the engine offers enough acceleration to thrust the car over 100 kilometers per hour in 4.3 seconds. Rather than providing pounding knockback that can be felt by other sports sedans with higher displacements, the G70's offers gentle but sharp acceleration, supported by its clever eight-speed transmission which minimizes lag between shifting.

The car's steering was also keen, allowing the driver to cut into curves sharply and quickly without excessive response. In sport mode, the steering wheel picks up more weight to help this reporter maintain balance while circuiting a mountainous winding road surrounding Mount Jungmi in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, for the test on Dec. 29.

While the G70 is showcasing a driving performance that could have never been expected among domestic carmakers, the car's chassis does not provide a big difference between different driving modes, of which it has a whopping five ― smart, comfort, eco, custom and sport.

In the sport mode, the driver's seat bloated to hold the driver stable, but the chassis and suspension, which were supposed to make the car's bottom firmer and stronger, still felt almost the same as in the comfort mode.

Another shortcoming is the brake. The test car's brake was relatively soft compared to its piercing acceleration, even though it was equipped with renowned brakes by Brembo. On an online community of G70 owners here, many recommend new purchasers to upgrade the car's original brake pad made by Hyundai to other ones to enhance its braking power.

The inside of the Genesis G70 / Courtesy of Genesis
The inside of the Genesis G70 / Courtesy of Genesis

What makes the G70 an attractive choice among its rivals is the price. It starts at 37 million won for 2.0-liter turbo model and climbs up to 52.28 million won for 3.3-liter turbo.

By engine power, the test car ― the highest trim available ― can be compared with the BMW M2 or the Mercedes-AMG C43. The M2 is priced at 75.1 million won and the C43 goes as high as 86.3 million won.

Though those cars are widely proved driving machines showing a different level of driving performance, the G70, arguably, at least offers a glimpse into the level which they are in.

Even if compared to relatively low-powered models of the BMW 330i with 58.8 million won or the Mercedes-Benz C220d with 55.2 million won, the G70's price is attractive for those who are looking for cost-efficient cars in the segment.


Nam Hyun-woo namhw@koreatimes.co.kr


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