Montreal 2018: Genesis G70 Takes Aim at the 3 Series

Launching a luxury car brand is no small matter, especially for a company like Hyundai, historically associated with producing economical cars. As 2018 gets underway, the automaker’s high-end Genesis banner, which was first established in Canada in November 2016, is starting to make its presence felt.

The 525 units the brand sold in this country in 2017 is an encouraging number in the view of Patrick Danielson, Manager, Product Strategy & Public Relations at Genesis Motors Canada, given that those sales were racked up solely on the strength of the G90 and G80. The sportier and more-compact new 2019 G70 sedan, which made its debut Canadian appearance this week at the 2018 Montreal Auto Show, promises to send those sales figures skyrocketing when it goes to market this coming spring.

The G70 was designed with a focus on challenging the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. To be sure, luring consumers away from the well-established German heavyweights promises to be a herculean task, but the company is counting on gaining the attention of many first-time luxury car buyers.

According to Patrick Donaldson, the G70 will be the sportiest model in its segment, and fully incarnates what the Genesis seeks to represent. Its styling, in fact, constitutes the design template upcoming models will base themselves on (the company plans to add two SUVs and a coupe by 2021). Inside, the cabin is centered around sporty, cockpit-type driver’s seat and positioning. Luxury touches include perforated Nappa leather and brushed-aluminum elements, while among the advanced technologies owners will benefit from are colour head up display, multi-angle camera system and customizable drive modes.

As with the new Kia Stinger, the 2019 Genesis G70 offers a choice of either a 3.3L twin-turbo V6 (365 hp) wedded to an 8-speed automatic transmission with launch control and all-wheel drive, or a 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder (252 hp), which in Sport version can be combined with a 6-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. Performance is enhanced by the presence of a multi-link independent suspension, Brembo brakes and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. The car was tested on the celebrated Nürburgring track in Germany.

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