Genesis G70 3.3T Sport 2021 Review

It has been an uphill battle for the Genesis G70 in Australia.

Already mired in a hugely competitive mid-size luxury sedansegment, plus intense competition from mainstream brands pushing their wares upmarket, the G70 has had to contend with a certain crippling pandemic during its formative months Down Under.

However, smoother waters are ahead, Genesis’ revamped executive team assures us. The Korean luxury marque is expected to make good on its promise for a showroom presence in Melbourne and Brisbane in the next 12 months and, soon, the pipeline of new products will expand to help the portfolio grow beyond the G70 and larger G80 sedans, and the volume-selling GV80 large SUV.

Indeed, the first G70 Shooting Brake and the all-new GV70 mid-size SUV are on their way to Australia by the end of this year.

Before then, the time has come for the first major facelift of the G70 mid-size sports sedan – the cheapest model in the growing Genesis range.

Changes for the 2021 Genesis G70 are headlined by what the car-maker calls a new ‘Athletic Elegance’ front-end design.

Unapologetically bold yet striking in person, the new look incorporates quad headlights and a new crest grille and bumper design, together with body-coloured door handles, newly-functioning air guides behind the front wheels plus a resigned tailgate emblazoned with the GENESIS motif.

Similar design elements will grace the forthcoming G70 Shooting Brake and GV70 SUV.

The 2021 Genesis G70 range has crept up incrementally in pricing, yet so too has standard equipment. And instead of the previous Genesis G70 line-up – 2.0T Sport and Ultimate, and 3.3T Sport, Ultimate and Ultimate Sport – the range has been simplified to just 2.0T and 3.3T Sport variants, plus options.

Admission to the G70 range now costs $63,000 plus on-road costs for the base 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol – known simply as the Genesis G70 2.0T.

The $3700 increase positions the base G70 above the entry-level version of the new Lexus IS ($61,500 plus ORCs) and further upstream of the Audi A4 (from $55,900) and Volvo S60 ($55,990).

But the Genesis G70 still undercuts the Alfa Romeo Giulia (from $63,950), Jaguar XE ($64,704), Mercedes-Benz C-Class ($66,900) and BMW 3 Series ($70,900).

Meanwhile, the V6-powered G70 3.3T driven here has risen by $3550 to $76,000 plus on-road costs. It remains a logical rival to the $100K BMW 340i xDrive.

Extra standard features for the 2021 Genesis G70 2.0T include a 10.25-inch infotainment touch-screen, 8.0-inch LCD supervision cluster, panoramic sunroof with powered blind and heated/ventilated front seats.

Other new extras include G-Matrix upholstery quilting, electrochromic side mirrors, capacitive-touch front door-handles, a larger and higher-output 15W wireless Qi phone charger and, for the 2.0T, 19-inch alloy wheels with 225/40 front and 255/35 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (up from 18s, as per 3.3T).

Standard convenience equipment continues to comprise leather-appointed seat, door and console trim, aluminium garnishes, 12-way front seat power adjustment, keyless entry (front doors only)/start, auto wipers, 60/40-split folding rear seat, dual-zone climate control, navigation with SUNA Live Traffic updates, nine-speaker sound, digital radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

There’s also a host of new safety systems like front centre and rear side airbags (now a total of 10), Multi-Collision Brake, Rear Occupant Alert, Junction Turning, Blind-Spot Collision-Avoidance Assist – Rear, Safe Exit Warning and Blind-Spot View Monitor.

These features are in addition to carryover safety equipment including Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (AEB) with car, pedestrian and cyclist detection, Lane Keeping Assist, Driver Attention Warning, Leading Vehicle Departure Alert, High Beam Assist and Smart Cruise Control with Stop & Go function.
No luxury car is complete without options, and the G70 is no different.

Bundled optional packs include a $4000 Sport Line Package for the base 2.0T, which includes standard features from the 3.3T such as a mechanical limited-slip differential, Brembo brake package, 19-inch Sport dark alloy wheels and a Sport Line body kit comprising dark chrome crest grille surround/inserts and window surrounds, plus Sport leather trim, suede headliner, alloy pedals and aluminium interior trim.

A $10,000 Luxury Package for both variants comprises a new 12.3-inch 3D digital instrument cluster, Forward Attention Warning, Intelligent Front-Lighting System, powered tailgate and swirl-pattern aluminium trim inserts, plus carryover items like a head-up display, Nappa leather-appointed trim, 16-way driver’s seat power adjustment with memory, heated steering wheel with electric adjustment, heated rear seats, suede headlining/pillars, acoustic laminated windscreen and a 15-speaker premium sound system.

Matte paint is now a $2000 option in conjunction with the Sport Line or Luxury packs, the latter adding Sevilla Red, Sandstorm Grey and Sport Black to the list of seven interior colour choices.

Genesis Australia continues to offer a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, roadside assist and valet, concierge and courtesy vehicle service, plus a five-year/50,000km free scheduled service program.
The G70 is fitted with a full-size spare wheel.

The 2021 Genesis G70 range continues with familiar turbocharged 179kW/353Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.3-litre V6 petrol engines matched as standard with an eight-speed automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

Here, we’re testing the twin-turbo V6, which has had power lifted marginally from 272kW to 274kW, while the 510Nm figure is unchanged. That correlates with a carryover 4.7sec 0-100km/h acceleration claim and a combined fuel consumption average of 10.2L/100km using 95 RON premium unleaded.

The uptick in power is courtesy of a new active variable exhaust system that has been introduced to amplify the in-car theatre and sound of Genesis’ sports sedan.

In a similar vein, there’s a new Sport+ mode within the drive mode suite which tunes the variable damping system, throttle mapping, gearbox for track driving. Notably, it also turns traction control off.

The Sport+ setting has been developed here in Australia, matching up with the local ride and handling program for the original G70 launched in 2019.

Like that car, the updated G70 employs MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension, adaptive suspension, 350mm Brembo front brakes, a mechanical limited-slip differential, G-force meter and lap timer, plus launch control.

The Genesis G70 shares its origins with the Kia Stinger, including its platform and drivetrains. Overall, the G70 is 145mm shorter and more compact in every other key dimension including wheelbase.

Officially, the G70 tips the scales between 1604kg and 1762kg depending on variant and engine choice.

The 2021 Genesis G70 revels in its redesigned skin.

Subjectively, the bolder styling and tweaked interior go some way in freshening the appeal of the mid-size luxury sedan, teaming well with enjoyable rear-drive dynamics that are now the preserve of premium car-makers.

The interior presentation feels more convincing than before, especially in the case of our test vehicle, fitted with a $10,000 Luxury Pack that extends equipment thanks to a digital instrument display, head-up display and more seat adjustment.

The technology and comfort features are spot on for this layout – plenty of convenience and inherent refinement from the point of entering, to residing in and exiting the G70. An electric bootlid is a welcome addition, but we wish Genesis offered keyless entry for the rear doors as well.

From a driver’s perspective, the one element at odds with the rest of the vehicle is the positioning of the driver’s seat. It feels high-set, culminating with the impression that you’re sitting on top of the cockpit rather than truly inside it.

You soon come to grips with the seat height, but being a bit lower in the cabin would help cultivate more feeling at the wheel. It would also open the bigger field of forward vision – and allow you to drive with the sun visor down without blocking the view of the road ahead.

Elsewhere, the G70 still suffers from compromised packaging in the form of a tight rear seat area, small boot and 60-litre fuel tank.

However, the driving experience is as sharp as it has always been. In fact, against the increasing army of front-drive and all-wheel drive cars, the G70’s rear-drive layout is becoming a point of difference.

In its softest comfort setting, the G70 offers light steering and an air of grace and pace on rural backroads. Small niggles are transferred via 19-inch wheels accordingly, and the G70’s chassis manages to shake off larger hits swiftly and effectively.

Ultimately, the damping, weighting of the controls and road noise insulation isn’t quite at the level of the 2019 carsales Car of the Year-winning BMW 3 Series, but it’s not eons away either.

The twin-turbo V6 remains a strong match for the G70’s sporting pretensions. Finding peak power from 6000rpm, the V6 reaches its straps in the middling to upper reaches of the rev range.

The limited-slip differential is effective in harnessing the generous power output on offer, especially out of corners.

Forward momentum is strong off the bottom, but even more compelling during in-gear bursts, at which point the rear Michelins can fully ply their grip and reel you into the horizon.

Sport+, while limited in its road-going application by virtue of removing traction control, liberates the G70 even more – allowing it to perform lurid sideways sequences (on a racetrack, of course).

A more convincing exhaust note definitely lends the G70 more theatre and character at the same time, addressing one of the key criticisms of the original.

Equally, the V6 works effectively with the eight-speed auto to find its natural cadence in the rev range. It means you rarely need to use the paddle shifters, which is just as well – the gearbox won’t relinquish full control to the driver unless stability control is turned off.

A word to the uninitiated: burying your right foot will occasionally elicit some rev hang-up, as engine inertia from the turbo-six takes effect.

It’s a timely reminder you’re in a rear-drive V6 sports sedan – which is always a good thing.

Although the improvements to the 2021 Genesis G70 are minor in nature, the truth is they conspire to deliver a more rounded and enjoyable sports sedan.

However, the G70’s appeal is ultimately limited by the same persistent factor – Genesis’ lack of badge cut-through.

If Genesis Motors Australia’s plans properly materialise, they will go some way in bridging the gulf with the German triumvirate.

But for now, the Genesis G70 faces the same uphill battle it has become accustomed to.

How much does the 2021 Genesis G70 3.3T Sport cost?
Price: $76,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol
Output: 274kW/510Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 238g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five stars (ANCAP 2018)

Related: Updated Genesis G70 range arrives
Related: First Genesis G70 Shooting Brake revealed