Auto Review: 2019 Genesis G70 2.0T compact sports sedan has enough sex appeal to buck the current sedan downtrend

The 2019 Genesis G70 offers a sporty profile and real performance chops.
The 2019 Genesis G70 offers a sporty profile and real performance chops.
photo The interior of the 2019 Genesis G70 features Nappa leather seat covers.

The 2019 Genesis G70 compact sports sedan has enough sex appeal to buck the current sedan downtrend. It also has enough performance chops to attract an avid following like its zippy corporate cousin, the Kia Stinger, with which it shares a platform.

After a week driving Chattanooga streets in a rear-wheel-drive G70 2.0T, we are smitten. We'd say the G70 2.0T is a success on nearly all levels - including being a great conversation starter. Blowing past bloated SUVs on Highway 27 on rainy afternoons, the G70 made for a spirited companion.

In naming the G70 its 2019 Car of the Year, Motor Trend magazine called it "a stunning, value-packed sports sedan" and a worthy competitor to the iconic BMW 3-series, which has been the gold standard in the compact sports sedan segment for decades.

The G70 represents the confluence of liquid body lines and state-of-the-art automotive engineering. Our tester has the more modest of two engine choices, a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder making 252 horsepower.

FAST FACTS

Model: 2019 Genesis G70 RWD 2.0TExterior color: Victoria BlackInterior color: Black/RedEngine: 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbochargedHorsepower: 252Transmission: 8-speed automaticFuel economy: 30 mpg highway, 22 mpg cityLocal Dealer: Long Genesis at 6035 International DrivePrice as tested: $45,895

There's also a twin-turbo V-6 engine option available packing 356 horsepower - which is a wonder or a potential speeding-ticket-maker depending on your point of view. We tested the 3.3-liter model with all-wheel-drive earlier this year and found it an equally rewarding car.

Locally, Genesis automobiles are available at Long Genesis on International Drive, where four 2019 G70s were listed in digital inventory late this week.

WHAT IS IT?

The Genesis G70 is a five-passenger, four-door compact sport sedan that competes with the BMW 3-series and the Audi A4.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

Our tester has an MSRP of $45,895 including about $10,000 in options. An all-wheel-drive G70 with the bigger engine and popular option packages rings up at about $52,300.

WHAT WE LIKED

Our logbook includes "likes" for the over-all shape of the G70, the high level of interior refinement and the powerful engine. Even four-cylinder, turbocharged models, like our tester, have ample acceleration and balanced driving dynamics. Some of our favorite features of the car are its Nappa leather interior, smooth 8-speed automatic transmission and Lexicon 15-speaker stereo system. An optional six-speed manual transmission is available for drivers who want more connection with the road.


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ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT

More standard equipment would be nice as option package prices add up in a hurry.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS

The four-cylinder turbo engine takes a beat or two to spool up, but once it does it's a joy to drive. Rear-wheel drive makes for light, effortless steering. Fit and finish is impeccable.

BOTTOM LINE

Before you automatically sign a lease on a German compact sedan, give the Korea-made Genesis G70 a spin.

Online: In the market for a new vehicle? To access hundreds of Mark Kennedy's Chattanooga Test Drive columns visit www.timesfreepress.com/testdrive.

Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6645. Follow him on Twitter @TFPCOLUMNIST. Subscribe to his Facebook updates at www.facebook.com/mkennedycolumnist.

photo Nineteen-inch alloy wheels set off the Genesis G70.

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