2022 Genesis G70

When it comes to the Genesis lineup, the G70 is their entry-level offering and, as such, you could argue it’s their most important one, as the gateway to the Genesis experience. So, it needs to stay attainable, yet also wow buyers with what Genesis is capable of. So, let's find out how well an updated G70 completes that mission.

As a burgeoning luxury brand with only two SUVs in their lineup, Genesis is still putting a priority on sedans; evidenced by the fact that they’re updating their compact G70 for 2022, even though this luxury-sports 4-door has been on the market for just 3-years. And, don’t think it’s a hasty redo of any flaws of the original, as this was the North American Car of the Year as well as our Drivers’ Choice Luxury Sedan pick for 2019!   

Interior upgrades are subtle in appearance, but noteworthy in their execution. The driver-oriented control and dash layout is mostly the same, but materials are improved greatly and it feels every bit as stately as its larger siblings.

Today’s luxury cars are as much about tech as they are leather and wood, so dash-top is a new 10-inch HD touchscreen with navigation and over-the-air updates standard. And no matter how many times we see it, the G70’s gauge display is quite impressive. Like many in this class, the rear seats take a back seat if you will; less space, and somewhat less comfort than up front. 

Shortly after the G70 arrived, Genesis started a new styling theme, so for ’22 it catches up with a new front end featuring their crest grille and now-signature slim parallel headlights. That “quad” theme is echoed in the rear, and the overall result is that the G70 looks gorgeous from any angle. 

Only minor changes to the drivetrains: a 252-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-4 is standard, a 365-horsepower 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 with 376 lb-ft. of torque optional; both available with rear or all-wheel-drive. The sad news is that the 2.0-liter’s 6-speed manual transmission is no more; all G70s are now 8-speed automatics.  

Our 6-cylinder test car hustled to 60 in a quick 4.6-seconds at the drag strip. Ultra-smooth shifts ensured that power stayed consistent throughout the ¼-mile; completed in just 12.7-seconds at 104 miles-per-hour.  

The G70 shares its platform with Kia’s Stinger, a more than capable sports sedan, and we’ve had good fun in every G70 that we’ve had at the track. No changes to report here; it feels extremely agile for its size, with light, predictable steering and very little body roll.  

As gorgeous as it is, the most eye-catching aspect of all remains the G70’s price tag, starting at just $38,570, with all-wheel-drive a $2,100 option.  The V6 starts at $43,145.

So, if you’re still into the actual experience of driving a luxury car, especially a sporty and extremely capable one, the 2022 Genesis G70 is seriously worth checking out, now more than ever.