Genesis G70 Shooting Brake 2.2D is gunning for its premium German rivals

Genesis G70 Shooting Brake 2.2D road test review: New to the UK, DAVID HOOPER says this Genesis G70 is going to give the established players some serious competition!

SOME cars you simply gel with better than others, and this Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is one of those cars.
Not only does it look gorgeous with its raked profile and Havana Red paintwork which really pops and sparkles when it’s clean, its distinctive sport back styling offers something different which stands out from the crowd – and it’s great to drive!
Add to that some attractive lighting design and excellent dynamics and I think once word gets round, Genesis, a relatively new brand in the UK, will be on to a winner here.
With a 2.2-litre diesel engine from the Kia/Hyundai stable providing just shy of 200 brake horsepower through a rear wheel drivetrain, matched with an eight-speed transmission, it is a very nice thing to drive, especially when you factor in the 440Nm of torque, which makes mid-range overtakes, well let’s just say, “satisfying”. The 0-62mph time is impressive too, at just 7.7 seconds, which means it will live with some pretty rapid competition.
On the road, the G70, feels very well balanced and competent, and when the sport mode is selected, you can feel the dampers stiffen slightly, which gives the car considerable poise and the driver the confidence to push through the bends making good progress on a cross-country sprint.
Progress is luxuriously quiet and smooth, even when pushed, although the gearbox was caught out once or twice by not downshifting at the appropriate moment when I was pressing on, coming out of a roundabout, for example, but most of the time, it is very fluid and smooth, and you do have the option of flappy paddles on the steering wheel to make manual adjustments if you feel the need, which for most of the time I didn’t.
The brakes are progressive and secure, and I never detected any hint of fade during a spirited drive, although the rear wheels were quite keen to break traction on the slippery winter roads, but the traction control system was up to the job, arresting any waywardness from the rear end promptly, with just enough of a stutter to let the driver know what was going on.
You can select four main driving modes, Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ which turns off the traction control systems should you find yourself on a spacious airfield or the like! And I love how, when you select the sport settings, the side bolsters on the seat inflate to hold you more firmly in place, replicating a race style seat.
The only downside is the fuel consumption, which for a diesel car is a little on the low side. During my test I covered nearly 400 miles and the G70 didn’t quite achieve 33mpg average over that distance. You could argue that with a sporty bias that is acceptable, but personally I would like to see it do a bit better than that, especially with fuel prices as they are.
The G70’s interior is very plush with a nicely designed instrument panel with clear, legible displays which include a head up display on the dash in front of the driver which is quite a nice feature and avoids you having to look down and take your eyes off the road to register the key information.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included and work well, although the car is equipped with its own navigation system as well should you prefer it.
There are some nice brushed aluminium trim touches on the doors around the handles and also on the centre console around the gear selector and camera controls.
The seats are comfortable and supportive and feature red stitching detail to give the car a sporty feel and comes with matching red seatbelts all round for your passengers. They will also heat your bum, or blow cold air on it in the summer and it also has a heated steering wheel which is lovely as the temperatures start to plummet.
The red stitching theme continues over the top of the dashboard and around the centre console and steering wheel giving the car and immediately sporty feel.
There is plenty of headroom for six footers , but legroom in the back with the front seats positioned in a comfortable driving position is a little bit limited for taller adults.
At the back the tailgate will lift at the press of a button on the dashboard, on your key fob, or the cleverly located button on the rear wiper, to reveal a fairly spacious boot, however its luggage capacity is slightly compromised by its sleek rear styling if you wanted to put a wardrobe in the back, but then what price practicality over style, is the question!
The door mirrors feature auto dimming technology to stop you being dazzled by following drivers, and they’re also heated, so they clear quickly in the morning when the air is damp, and the G70 also has a parking system which can help you to park the car, but I didn’t trust it!
Adding to the ticket price of our test car are the Innovation Pack at £3,250, the Comfort Seat Pack at £1,850, plus the Havana Red paintwork at £750.
A lot of people are still unfamiliar with the relatively new to the UK Genesis brand, the luxury arm of Korean carmaker Hyundai, which arrived here in 2021. The company uses “studio stores” and online sales instead of the usual dealerships and their cars come with a fixed price and a five-year warranty.
With its good looks and agreeable driving dynamics, I think Genesis are onto a winner with this car and it should help them make further inroads into the UK market once the word gets around – and I have to say – I for one, am happy to spread that word – I think they have come up with a cracker in the G70. It’s my kind of car!

Rating:

If you like this, read our review on the Genesis GV80

THE VITAL STATISTICS
MODEL: Genesis G70 Shooting Brake 2.2D Sport Line
ENGINE: 2,199cc, 197bhp four-cylinder diesel engine, driving rear wheels through 8-speed gearbox.
PERFORMANCE: Top speed 140 mph. 0-62mph in 7.7 secs.
ECONOMY: Combined: 41.8mpg.
Wheel World test average: 32.7mpg
CO2 EMISSIONS: 182g/km.
FUEL TANK: 60 litres.
PRICE: £41,430 (£47,280 as tested)
WARRANTY: Five years
WEBSITE: www.genesis.com/uk
• All data correct at time of publication.