With automobiles, the higher end of the market always seems to fascinate and create interest.
Of late, fascination surrounds a new member in that market. It is Genesis.
The usual names in this four-door, rear- or all-wheel-drive luxury sedan market are Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Audi, Infiniti, Acura, Cadillac. Genesis, a relative newcomer (2017) to this market, is giving the usual names a run for respectable market share.
For the opening price of $35,000, A Genesis G70 is thousands of dollars less expensive than, say, a BMW 3-Series or a Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The other two Genesis models, G80 and G90, also are thousands of dollars less expensive than competitors.
For the price, Genesis sedans are comparably equipped to competitors. A recently tested G70 is a case in point. The sport sedan has several engines but the strongest is a 3.3-liter, 365-horsepower twin-turbo V6. That engine raises the asking price from $35,000 to $44,640 or close to $10,000 less than a BMW M340i V6.
Add a $1,300 sport package to the mix and it remains a bargain. The sport package adds 19-inch wheels, headlight bezel accents, dark tinted taillight covers and equally dark chrome grille and window trim. To top if off leather is more supple with sport quilting.
The tested Genesis was an AWD model with the 365-horsepower V6 engine mated to a shiftable (paddles behind steering wheel) eight-speed automatic transmission.
In automotive media testing, the G70 with the twin-turbo 3.3-liter engine raced from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.4 seconds. The BMW 340i with a 382-horsepower V6 did it in 3.8 second.
Braking tests show the 3.3 V6 G70 can brake from 60 mph to a stop in 109 feet. This is remarkable. BMW's brakes are similarly remarkable.
A Genesis powerplant should be reliable as the company has a 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty on it. The basic limited warranty is five years or 60,000 miles with 24-hour roadside assistance. True to the luxury experience, Genesis has free scheduled maintenance as well as free service valet for three years or 36,000 miles. Map care (updates), traffic, travel-traffic links and satellite radio are free for three years.
The 15-speaker sound system includes AM-FM-satellite radio and also onboard are an eight-inch screen for the navigation system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, three USB ports (two front, one rear), information and emergency capabilities and a hands-free automatic system to open and close the trunk.
Standard and expected luxury features include power heated and folding exterior mirrors with LED turn signal insets , puddle lamps (Genesis logo silhouette reflected to the pavement or ground via a projector light when using the remote entry key fob to unlock a door), power tilt and telescoping steering wheel, power and heated front seats with memory for two, four power and express windows and a power sunroof.
A display behind the steering wheel shows the tire pressure in each of the 225 front and 255 rear tires.
Other features are remote and pushbutton start, rain-sensing wipers with automatic defogger windshield, nine airbags including one for the driver's knee, front and rear pretensioners accompanying seatbelts, LED taillights-daytime running lamps-headlights, dual muffler exhaust, smart cruise control with stop and go and aluminum trim and alloy pedals to accompany the leather decor.
An electronic suspension system detects road imperfections so gas shock absorbers can make necessary adjustments in a nanosecond. During test week, the car made 90-degree turns without a murmur while traveling at straight-away speed limits.
During the test week with two persons aboard, the V6 Genesis averaged 21.9 miles per gallon of fuel usage. Most of the driving was in Chicago suburbs. There were stretches of interstate travel. The car smoothly and quietly steered through busy traffic. It is a nice, nice ride. No effort to steering or to the power. Front seat leg room measures at least 45 inches. Six-footers who are behind the steering wheel or in the passenger seat will be able to stretch out a lot.
A redesign makes Genesis look more svelte.
Before it became a standalone brand name, Genesis was the successor model to the top-of-the-line Hyundai Equus. In late 2015 Genesis became the luxury division of Hyundai, much the same as Lexus is the luxury division of Lexus, Cadillac of General Motors, Lincoln of Ford, Acura of Honda and Infiniti of Nissan. That same year Genesis launched the G90. In 2016 the G80 joined the G90 in the United States market. The G70 made it to the U.S. in 2018.
FAST FACTS
Vehicle:
2020 Genesis G70Type: all-wheel-drive compact luxury four-door, five-passenger sedan
Price: $44,650
Engine: 3.3-liter, 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission: eight-speed shiftable automatic with paddle shifters
Weight: 3,879 pounds
Wheelbase, length, width, height in inches: 111.6, 184.4, 72,8, 55.1
Trunk: 11 cubic feet
Tires (225 front, 255 rear), wheels: 20-inch
Suspension: struts front, multilinks rear
Warranty: five years or 60,000 miles (transferable), 10 years or 100,000 miles powertrain
Assembly: Ulsan, South Korea
Information: www.genesis.com