Head-turning sporty sedan looks as fast as it is
By JIM MAHONEY
This was love at first sight. Then I drove the Genesis G70 3.3T, and the deal was sealed.
A recent article in Motor trend Magazine stated it pretty simply: sometimes you just look at a car and say, “Yes, they got it right.”
This four door sports se- dan looks great from every angle, its curves, swirls and bends perfectly proportioned. LED headlights frame a blacked-out, honey combed grill. Low profile tires on dark spoked wheels with Brembo brakes and live fender vents make this a driver’s machine.
And man, does it like to be driven. Pop the G70 into Sport mode, and the 3.3 liter, 365HP, twin-turbo V-6 provides instant, smooth power. The 8-speed automatic transmission defies turbo lag, calmly finding the correct gear for the all- wheel drive. An appreciative dual exhaust growls without breaking windows.
Instant steering response and crisp handling flowing from its sport-tuned suspension make driving the G70 a dream.
The interior is fitted together with the same tight seams and fine lines that distinguish the exterior. Quilted leather seats support the driver with comfort. Perfect positioning of the steering wheel allows easy reading of the two gauges and info screen. The short throw shifter has European roots like a BMW. And the smartly designed infotainment stack requires no reach.
Brushed aluminum trim pieces offset soft-touch, hard plastic surfaces. The metal peddles are a tip of the hat to sports car enthusiasts.
Our Sport package test drive priced out at $52,937, a $5,292 upgrade over the $47,645 base model. It included a wide variety of fun extras. Most important of these were the electronically controlled suspension and 19-inch wheels. Chrome accents, rain-sensing wipers, forward and reverse parking sensors, wireless device charging, and tinted head- and tail-light trim pieces rounded out the experience.
This beauty slots perfectly with the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, and Alfa Romeo Guilia, competing at an intriguing price point. Have fun test-driving this class.