2024 Genesis G70 Review - CarGurus (2024)

While the Germans have long dominated the sport-luxury sedan segment, they face mounting pressure from the Koreans. Case in point, Genesis has been on a tear lately, gaining market share and impressing critics and consumers alike with fresh aesthetics and excellent chassis design. The compact G70 is such an animal, coming onto the scene in 2024 with a few styling tweaks and a brand-new engine option

Pros: Multiple powertrain options, great handling, impressive standard safety features
Cons: Small trunk, limited interior storage, no wireless smartphone mirroring

2024 Genesis G70 Review

• Design
• Performance
• Interior and practicality
• Technology and infotainment
• Safety
• Price and running costs
• CarGurus verdict

Design

CarGurus rating: 9/10

There is no doubt that Genesis is producing some of the most attractive cars you can buy these days. The G70 strikes a perfect balance between elegance and sportiness with its signature quad LED headlights and taillamps, standard dual exhaust, and large front air intakes. Only 19-inch alloy wheels are available, but they look great and the proportion works.

There are 10 exterior color options, but there are two shades of white, two of gray, and two of silver. The best-looking of the bunch is the Kawah Blue. It’s an extra $650 but the rich hue is worth it.

Inside the G70 gets a few updated design elements like the air vents and push-to-start button. A new digital HVAC panel is a nice touch as are the new aluminum trim options. You’ll get your choice of three interior colors: gray, red, or black. Unfortunately, the red isn’t available with the blue exterior paint that we like– but then again, that’s probably a bit too much color for most folks. Regardless of color, the build quality is excellent and the materials are all top-notch.

Performance

CarGurus rating: 9/10

For 2024, the base engine is improved from a 2.0-liter turbocharged powerplant to a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder turbo with 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque. That’s an increase of 48 ponies and 51 pound-feet of torque and it’s more power than what’s available from comparable offerings from Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Acura, and Lexus. Buyers can also upgrade to a 3.3-liter turbocharged V6 engine with 365 hp and 376 lb-ft of torque if so desired. Both are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and are available in both rear-wheel drive (RWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD).

The smaller powerplant is a peach with a dynamic chassis providing excellent handling. Brembo brakes are now standard across the board, allowing for later braking when really pushing the car. On an autocross course in RWD, the car is a blast to drive with quick turn-in and little understeer. The drive modes here include Comfort, Smart, Eco, Sport, Sport+ and Custom. Choose Sport+ to up the ante in throttle and shifting response, although when really getting on the gas we still noticed a slight lag between flooring the accelerator and the G70 responding.

An experienced driver behind the wheel of a RWD 3.3-liter G70 can really scoot around the track. The extra bump in power is nice, but the real magic here is in the mechanical limited-slip differential, electronically controlled suspension, Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires, and variable-steering ratio. The car even has a drift mode should you care to really smoke those summer tires. While most folks won’t push their cars as much as we did, they certainly can take the abuse.

Instead, you’ll likely toddle around town, running errands and commuting to work. Those not in fair weather climes will appreciate the available AWD with its Michelin Primacy Tour all-season tires. Here the 8-speed automatic transmission does the work in the background and either powerplant provides plenty of power for highway merging. Our only small quibble is that there is a bit more wind noise than we’d prefer in a luxury sports sedan.

Interior and practicality

CarGurus rating: 7/10

The G70 is available in Advanced or Sport Prestige trims with the 2.5-liter engine while the larger 3.3-liter engine can be had in Sport Advanced or Sport Prestige trims. Both variants in RWD come standard with heated mirrors and front seats, dual-zone HVAC, and a hands-free trunk. However, things like a heated steering wheel, ventilated front seats, and logo puddle lamps are all available.

If you decide to go all-in with the 3.3-liter Sport Prestige you’ll get Nappa leather seating surfaces, microfiber suede headliner and pillars, and a 16-way power-adjustable driver seat. Not on the menu, however, are heated rear seats.

We like the mix of analog and digital components in the dash. You’ll find an old-school speedometer and fuel gauge but it’s combined with digital readings for your tachometer, odometer, and coolant temperature. It’s a neat mix of flavors.

Interior storage is a bit of a mixed bag. There is a large tray in the center console that is very useful, but door pockets are on the smaller side. Also on the smaller side is the rear seat leg room. Taller people will want to call shotgun for longer trips. The rear seats can fold down in a 60/40 split and that is a very good thing since the trunk is very small for the class. There are only 10.5 cubic feet of space back there, while the BMW 3 Series offers up to 17 cubic feet of space, the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class sit at around 12 cubic feet.

Technology and infotainment

CarGurus rating: 8/10

Every G70 gets a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, although they don’t function wirelessly. By and large, the menu structure here is easy to use and intuitive, the graphics crisp, and the response time fast. Voice recognition is pretty good as well and over-the-air updates mean you’ll always have the latest and greatest.

If you’re into using your phone for every little thing, Genesis’ digital key now works with both Android and iOS operating systems. Also standard across the board is Genesis Connected Services with crash assistance, stolen vehicle recovery, remote access, and connected profiles for multiple drivers.

One thing we really like is the standard navigation-based adaptive cruise control that takes into account the upcoming route. Even if the cruise control is set for 70 miles per hour, the G70 will slow down for sweeping turns on the highway and only accelerate back to the set point when the road straightens out. Combined with the available head-up display, you shouldn’t ever be lost.

Audiophiles might want to opt for the Lexicon premium audio system with 15 speakers including myriad tweeters, woofers, and subwoofers scattered about the cabin. The standard six-speaker system is fine, but the upgraded Lexicon surround sound stereo is quite good.

To keep things charged there is a mix of four USB-A and -C ports in the cabin as well as available wireless charging.

Safety

CarGurus rating: 9/10

The G70 makes most advanced driver’s aids standard including forward collision warning, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot monitoring. Highway Driving Assist is also standard, which combines adaptive cruise control and lane-following assist for a hands-on system that takes some of the stress out of a commute or long road trip.

We like the available blind-view monitor that sends a video feed of the right- and left-side blind spots to the digital gauge cluster. It’s a pretty neat trick. Also available are a 360-degree camera, rain-sensing wipers, and a park-distance warning.

The G70 has a unique front-center airbag, placed within the right side of the driver’s seat. This segment-first airbag is designed to cushion any impacts between the driver and passenger in case of an accident.

The 2024 Genesis G70 has not received an overall, frontal, side-impact, or rollover crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the G70 the top score of “Good” in crashworthiness, crash avoidance, and mitigation. With regards to child restraints, the G70 received a score of “Marginal” due to the lower LATCH anchors being too deep in the rear seats and difficult to maneuver around.

Price and running costs

CarGurus rating: 10/10

The 2024 Genesis G70 is one of the least-expensive cars in its class, starting at $41,500 for a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine in RWD in the Advanced trim. Ticking the box for AWD adds $2,100 to the bottom line. At the top end, the 3.3-liter engine in Sport Prestige trim with RWD starts at $54,350. Again, it’s an extra $2,100 for AWD.

If you’re on the fence about which engine to get, we recommend the 2.5-liter. Sure, there are a few more niceties when you spring for the top dog, but in the end, the extra 65 ponies will cost you over $8,000–not quite worth the dough unless you’re an enthusiast who plans to head to the twisties every weekend.

You’ll save a bit on fuel costs as well. The 2.5-liter engine in RWD gets an EPA fuel rating of 24 miles per gallon combined. G70s equipped with AWD take a bit of a hit with 23 mpg combined. The larger 3.3-liter engine returns an EPA estimated of 21 mpg combined in RWD, and 20 mpg combined in AWD.

Genesis vehicles have one of the best warranties in the business. The G70 comes with a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty as well as a five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty. Buyers also get free scheduled maintenance for three years of 36,000 miles.

At the end of the day, the Genesis G70 makes for a compelling choice. It provides more power and torque than the competition, often at a lower price. The warranty is excellent, the safety features abundant, and the car is gorgeous to boot. Its small trunk and the lack of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are small prices to pay for an otherwise excellent vehicle.

CarGurus verdict

Overall rating: 8.7/10

A new, more powerful base engine arrives for this model year and, paired with the car’s excellent handling, great build quality, and impressive safety tech, makes even the least-expensive 2024 Genesis G70 a compelling choice. The G70 is a bit more snug than a BMW 3 Series–particularly in the trunk–but if you can live with a little less cargo space, it’s more than worth a look.

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