Skip to main content
HMC New Sports Sedan G70 Unveil scene at open square in Ulsan, South Korea. Hyundai Motor will launch its first midsize sports sedan under the Genesis brand

The Genesis G70’s Biggest Hurdle Is Its Lack of Popularity

If you take a peek into the luxury small car class, you’ll see some pretty average vehicles. But there’s one sitting among its class members that few people even know exists. The Genesis G70 has the makings of becoming a rising star in its class, but it’s not quite there yet.  What do we really …

If you take a peek into the luxury small car class, you’ll see some pretty average vehicles. But there’s one sitting among its class members that few people even know exists. The Genesis G70 has the makings of becoming a rising star in its class, but it’s not quite there yet. 

What do we really know about the G70? Is it a good car or is it another dud? Car and Driver set out to find the answers to that question, and so far, they’ve figured out a lot. Let’s see what they have to say about this luxury car.

Is the Genesis G70 a really great car or just another dud?

Car and Driver reviewers put the 2019 Genesis G70 to the test so far, putting over 30,000 miles on it. They took the G70 through several states all throughout the Pacific Northwest. 

During long stretches of driving, the Genesis sedan held up, never becoming uncomfortable, unsupportive, or untrustworthy. When it comes to issues reviewers had with it, there were few. One area that split the reviewers was with the infotainment system

They felt it was user-friendly, but some didn’t care for the graphics, labeling them as being too “Hyundai-ish.” The only other problem they reported was that they didn’t go for the V6 engine instead. 

Why doesn’t it get more sales?

As great as the Genesis G70 sounds, why isn’t it selling more vehicles? One Car and Driver reviewer gave a pretty good answer to that question. It all boils down to its popularity, or lack thereof. 

Family members of the reviewers didn’t seem to know that it even existed. Even one law enforcement officer was confused by it. Some even thought the Genesis name was the model name, not the brand of the vehicle. If the G70 expects to see higher sales numbers, it will need to make itself known to a wider consumer base. 

The reviewer went so far as to say that they had 10,000 miles left to get the word out there about the G70. Hopefully, they’re true to their word and can show just what this Genesis sedan can do that a lot of its rivals can’t. 

How well will the Genesis G70 hold up over time? 

From the 20,000- to 30,000-mile review, they’ve spent approximately $468 in service fees, which included regular oil changes, tire rotations, and air filter replacements for both the engine and cabin. They went in for service at 6,000-mile intervals, only receiving normal maintenance work. 

At the 20,000-mile mark, they reported that two of the tires were replaced during that time, and they also did a four-wheel alignment because of the car pulling away from the centerline. Otherwise, they had no other issues, but in all fairness, a lot of that time was during the lockdown of the pandemic. 

For the 10,000-mile review, Car and Driver reported an accident one of the editors had with a deer. The incident damaged a radar sensor, which affected the dynamic cruise control and collision warning system. 

It was an unforeseen event, but it set them back because one of the parts they needed wasn’t as readily available in the U.S. It had to be ordered from Korea, which took time to get. 

In the end, they haven’t spent much money on the repairs for the vehicle. The biggest costs came from unforeseen incidents that weren’t the fault of the car. The G70 has held up well over long drives and promises to be a top-notch vehicle. If only more people knew about it. 

Related

The 2021 Genesis G70 Will Be the Last to Have an Iconic Feature