Used 2020 Genesis G70

#3 in Best Small Luxury Cars of 2020

The 2020 Genesis G70 is the best-kept secret among compact-luxury-sports sedans. It’s also among the newest, arriving last year after Hyundai’s Genesis nameplate became its own luxury division. The Genesis G70 has wasted no time disrupting a segment that includes stalwarts like the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus IS. It brings real-deal sports-sedan handling, a long list of standard features, the latest safety systems and technology, and the best warranty in the business, all at a price that undercuts almost every rival.

Winner of the North American Car of the Year (akin to the Oscars of automobiles), the Genesis G70 suits a variety of buyers. It offers rear- or all-wheel-drive, powerful turbocharged 4- or 6-cylinder engines, amenities that range from adaptive suspension to a Lexicon audio system, and even offers a manual transmission — something the latest BMW 3 Series doesn’t have.

About the only thing the Genesis lacks is the badge recognition of a Lexus, BMW or Audi. If you can get past that, you’ll have a luxury sedan that competes and often beats the competition, all at an extraordinary value.

We’ve already noted that the G70 brings a ton of value to the table, but it doesn’t end there. To compete with benchmarks like the BMW 3 Series, upstarts in this segment also need performance chops. Here, too, the G70 has showed up to play, and its game face is on. The Genesis G70 has the requisite rear-wheel-drive setup of a sports sedan, and it’s the least expensive in its class to have it. The G70’s optional all-wheel-drive system is also commendable, and works remarkably well to dole out power in both slick conditions or when pushed hard on dry asphalt. Either setup is available with either engine.

Most drivers will be satisfied with 2.0T variants that are powered by a 252-horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. For enthusiasts, this is also the engine that can be had with the 6-speed manual-transmission G70. Its clutch is light and linear, and while shifter movement could be more precise, we still found it fun and lively. Still, most buyers will opt for the 8-speed automatic transmission, which is fine in its own right.

If power is your thing, consider the 3.3T model with its twin-turbocharged, 365-horsepower V6. It can move. We challenge you not to cackle with delight as your body sinks into the plush seats while this Genesis sedan screams forward, hitting 0-60 mph in as little as 4.5 seconds. An all-around performer, the Genesis G70 is as adept at commuting as it is tempting you to do burnouts. Conversely, we found the standard active cruise-control system especially handy in grueling freeway traffic.

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The Genesis G70 sedan has a classy 5-passenger cabin that ranges from impressive to “wow” as you add options. At the starting point, there are faux-leather seats, but you’d be hard-pressed to distinguish much other cost-cutting. The driver’s seat is also a step above competitors’ entry models, with the G70 featuring standard 12-way-power operation including 4-way lumbar adjustment. A prominent 8-inch digital display sits above the dash, and surrounding buttons and controls are easy to see and use. Everything is unexpectedly sensible.

Adding option packages not only grants features like genuine leather and power-adjustable steering wheel, but Nappa hide with quilting and seat ventilation. The front seats are exceptionally supportive and comfortable, especially those in higher-trim models with side and front bolstering. Like other smaller luxury sedans, rear-seat space takes a hit, and the G70’s rear legroom is on the meager side. Trunk space is adequate, but the opening is narrow.

The Genesis G70 has an elegant and athletic shape. It blends the lines and crisp design of other luxury-sports sedans like the Infiniti Q50 and Alfa Romeo Giulia, but does make its own statement with a large (but not Lexus-large) honeycombed grille and boomerang-like flourishes behind the front-wheel fenders. It’s an honest and clean aesthetic that won’t offend, and may very well turn a few heads.

You can distinguish V6 models by the exhaust outlets that sit wide apart in the rear, while 2.0-liter 4-cylinder variants have a pair of pipes next to each other. Wheel sizes are either 18 inches on base models or optional 19 inches, with summer tires available for those seeking the highest performance. For 2020 all-season tires are available on the 19-inch wheels. At 184.5 inches long, the Genesis G70 has presence but is still small enough to be nimble and fit into a residential garage.

VALUE AND LUXURY
Those two words rarely go together, especially in this segment, where the features you actually want can make a $40,000 car balloon into a $55,000 one. Not so in the 2020 Genesis G70. Even a lower-end trim packs a terrific roster of equipment, technology and complimentary service.

LEXICON AUDIO SYSTEM
Genesis vehicles have had a long relationship with Lexicon, which makes some of the best-sounding audio equipment money can buy. The 15-speaker/660-watt unit that is standard on all but base models is superb. And while the CD player is dead, this system can play higher-res FLAC files of equal audio quality.

Even the least expensive 2020 G70 includes a surprisingly long list of standard features. Highlights include faux-leather upholstery, 12-way-power driver’s seat and 8-way passenger seat, dual-zone climate control, and an infotainment system that bundles an 8-inch touch screen that is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Notably, all G70 models include a suite of active safety and driver-assistance features including forward-collision avoidance with pedestrian detection and automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, and smart cruise control with stop-and-go.

New Genesis vehicles also include three years/36,000 miles of complimentary scheduled maintenance, valet care and Connected Services, plus three years of SiriusXM traffic and data services. Then there’s the warranty. As with new Hyundai vehicles, new Genesis models are covered by five years/60,000 miles, and a powertrain warranty of 10 years/100,000 miles.

A manual transmission is optional on 2.0T models with the turbocharged 4-cylinder, while stepping up to the 3.3T trim packs the powerful twin-turbo V6 that spits out 365 horsepower, Brembo performance brakes and a limited-slip differential. Most other major features come by adding packages.

The Elite Package for 2.0T models, for example, bundles navigation, the Lexicon audio system, parking sensors, LED lights and power-adjustable steering wheels. The Prestige Package adds more, including Nappa leather, ventilated front seats, head-up display, wireless phone charging and surround-view camera. On top of that, the Sport Package adds a limited-slip differential, performance brakes and 19-inch alloy wheels. The packages for the 3.3T models differ slightly, with inclusions such as an electronically controlled suspension for 3.3T Sport models.

Two engine choices, two transmissions and two drive configurations are available for the 2020 Genesis G70, though not every model is available in every form. The standard setup is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and rear-wheel drive (RWD), with power transmitted through an 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive (AWD) is optional.

If you’re a driving enthusiast who wants a new luxury sports sedan with a manual transmission, here’s your car. The 2020 Genesis G70 offers a 6-speed manual transmission, tied exclusively to the 2.0-liter engine with rear-wheel drive, and it comes very well equipped, too. Fun note: It’s the only G70 with a mechanical parking brake, which could encourage further antics, if you get our drift.

The upgraded engine is a twin-turbo V6 in the 3.3T models. It has RWD standard and AWD optional, and is connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission. As with other new cars, the Genesis G70 uses an idle start/stop system that cuts engine power at stoplights to save fuel. If you don’t want your engine shutting off during idle, the system can be disabled with the press of a button to the left of the drive-mode selector.

2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4
252 horsepower @ 6,200 rpm
260 lb-ft of torque @ 1,400-4,000 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/28 mpg (manual), 22/30 mpg (automatic, RWD), 20/27 mpg (automatic, AWD)

3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6
365 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
376 lb-ft of torque @ 1,300-4,500 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 17/26 mpg (RWD), 17/25 mpg (AWD)