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Genesis is at it again, refining its existing lineup bit by bit. New styling cues there. New infotainment doodads here. Simple tweaks that work together to keep Genesis relevant and create cars worth more than the sum of their parts and, arguably, their price. Just recently, Genesis worked such magic for the “enhanced” 2024 G70 sports sedan, which sought to rejoin the fight against the Germans with a potent new base engine and more advanced tech. Now, they apply the same formula to their hot-selling family shuttle, the Genesis GV80.

Price and specs

Genesis keeps things easy as they do with all their cars, with jam-packed trim levels and few options aside from colors and dealer add-ons. Base stripper GV80s with small wheels, fatter tires, leatherette, and the 2.5T engine start at just under $58,000, while a loaded-up 3.5T Prestige with suede headliners, 22-inch rollers, power doors, and power sunshades rings in at nearly $80,000.

Sure to lure in buyers from marques known for any sort of athleticism, the GV80 comes standard with multilink suspension front and rear, as well as drive modes, monoblock four-piston front brake calipers, and all-wheel drive. Higher trims add electronically controlled suspension and an electronic rear differential for an extra splash of dynamism when the kid’s soccer game or the Erewhon is nestled atop a mountain road. The family-oriented types will also appreciate the usual roundup of safety aids like adaptive cruise, lane keep, parking cameras, and various blind-spot monitors.

Base prices:	$57,700 (2.5T Standard AWD), $58,700 (2.5T AWD), $61,600 (2.5T Select AWD), $65,600 (2.5T Advanced AWD), $70,450 (2.5T Prestige AWD), $73,800 (3.5T Advanced AWD), $79,300 (3.5T Prestige AWD)
Engine choices:	2.5-liter turbocharged I4, 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission choices:	8-speed automatic
Drivetrain choices:	all-wheel drive
Power:	300 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm (2.5T), 375 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm (3.5T)
Torque:	311 pound-feet @ 1,650 rpm (2.5T), 391 pound-feet @ 1,300 rpm (3.5T)
Weight:	4,850 pounds (2.5T), 5,115 pounds (3.5T)
Towing capacity:	6,000 pounds
Zero-to-60 mph:	approx. 5.8 seconds (2.5T), approx 5.3 seconds (3.5T)
¼-mile:	approx. 14.5 seconds @ 95 mph (2.5T), approx. 13.9 seconds @ 101 mph (3.5T)
MPG:	19 city, 24 highway, 21 combined (2.5T) 16 city, 22 highway, 19 combined (3.5T)
Fuel capacity:	21.1 gallons

What’s new?

Just a nip and tuck

You’d be hard-pressed to pick apart the new GV80 from the preceding model years. It’s about as mild of a facelift as facelifts come. There’s a slightly revised rear bumper with hidden exhaust outlets, a new headlamp design with individual projectors instead of solid bars, enlarged air inlets that direct air through the fender, and a new grille design with two bars instead of one. Perhaps more striking than the new grille are the new 20 and 22-inch wheel designs that further evoke a sense of sportiness beyond just bigger air inlets or the new Storr Green metallic and Storr Green matte paint colors.

Other than that, the overall shape remains the same, as does the platform itself. But the most significant alterations that Genesis’ plastic surgeons have made are the ones you don’t immediately see from across the parking lot.

It’s what’s on the inside that counts

The cabin and under the hood see the most significant upgrades in the form of an updated interior that’s more in keeping with the Hyundai Motor Group design language and a new 2.5-liter turbo-four base engine outputting 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet at a diesel-like 1,650 rpm, which Genesis touts as the most powerful base engine in the segment. Torque for days, no matter the engine!

Greeting occupants is an expansive 27-inch display that manages both gauge cluster and infotainment duties as one continuous screen with no hard break between. The nav screen fades seamlessly into the gauges. Neat stuff. Like the current crop of G70 and G90, the climate control panel switches to a mix of hard buttons and quick, responsive haptic touch controls. Another proud addition is the B&O Premier audio system on higher-trim GV80s, with an impressively broad range of adjustments for those who favor bright and energetic sounds, soft and warm sounds, and everything else in between.

What is it like to drive?

The bones of an athlete

The Genesis GV80 is no athlete like a Cayenne or Macan, but it puts up a decent impression wafting along the country two lanes outside Dallas. Whether you’re in Comfort or Sport, the ride remains complaint yet composed. The steering is well-weighted, firms up appropriately in Sport mode, and turns in with a mild sense of urgency as if to say, “Alright, so we’re doing this. Can do!”

We didn’t get to sample the 300-horsepower four-banger, which was a shame since I loved it to death in the G70 and felt it lightened the nose significantly. Oh well. It’s not like the Michelin Primacy Tour tires or fast sweepers would encourage much rallyist antics, anyway. This is merely an excellent highway cruiser that just so happens to be okay with putting a little extra pep in its step should you ever ask it to.

Its twin-turbo V6 and well-tuned eight-speed auto make that easy. With a broad torque band, minimal lag, and plenty of passing power, the powertrain nudges you into your seat without being gruff, even high in the revs. Like its suspension, the mighty V6 is as well-mannered as the rest of the car. It doesn’t surprise drivers with a shocking degree of performance, but everything feels well-sorted and appropriately tuned for this kind of crossover and its range of buyers.

If I had any complaints, it’s that there’s no GV80 Magma and that Genesis should’ve never shown me the Magma brand. Give it to me! Give it to me now!

Posh and proper

Manners are good, especially in this segment where every other luxury crossover tries to out-sporty one another with needlessly raucous power-drunk engines, dreary black interiors, and bone-shattering suspension.

Like, you know these are grocery store shuttles first and foremost, right? No one’s taking your M Sport or AMG Line crossover to the canyons, let alone the track. Genesis knows this, and they knew damn well what their true priorities were and how to hit them right on target. When departing the winding scenic routes in favor of wide Texan highways, the GV80 settles into a mellowness seldom matched by many cars today, easily absorbing fat potholes and expansion joints despite my tester’s 22-inch wheels. Eco mode further relaxes the engine, helping to achieve a commendable EPA-average-besting 22 mpg while still being able to call upon its arsenal of torque for passing.

Around the old-timey brick roads of Fort Worth, the GV80 hardly flinched. NVH was impressively low, allowing you to better appreciate the spacious, airy cabin, easy-to-use infotainment with your choice of touchscreen or scroll knob controls, or the crystal clear B&O sound system.

Zero surprises in the best ways possible

The GV80 just makes things easy. That’s how a luxury crossover should be. Its attempts at athleticism are welcome but not overdone. It doesn’t play into any lie of sportiness only for it to deceive itself and pretend to be something it isn’t. Like the G70 and G90 I’ve driven before it, the GV80 is no imitator. It knows exactly what it is as a car and what it should do as its missions, and it executes its role with competency, at least on our brief test around Dallas and Fort Worth.

From our day behind the wheel, I can see that it packs no surprises or tricks under its sleeve. It’s just a good car that’s built well, feels good, and drives with confidence and coherence. I don’t think that’s much to ask for in a car. Thankfully, Genesis doesn’t think so either.

Korean automakers are on a roll, and atop its hierarchy sits Genesis building damn fine cars. They were nothing too groundbreaking in the beginning, but they were effective, well-built, and reasonably affordable in the face of rivals from the West or the Land of the Rising Sun. But one day, Mr. John Hyundai himself decided to do something remarkable. He wanted Korean cars to not only be good. He wanted them to be great. Greater than great. Exceptional, if you would. Hyundai Motor Group would break Genesis off into a standalone luxury marque, creating a new battalion with which the peninsula’s auto industry could charge into war, and the Genesis G90 would be the flagship to wave its winged crest high for the world to see.

The Genesis G90 is now a model year into its second generation, rocking Art Deco styling, a newfound taste for interior decor, and an optional mild hybrid twincharged V6 like our tester. But is it all enough to lure in the eclectic crowd of executives, influencers, and Malibu divorcees?

Skip to section:

• Price and specs
• Design
• Price
• Interior and tech
• Korean cruiseliner
• Begging for follow-ups
• Conclusion

Price and specs

Key takeaways from the G90 are as follows: Its price starts above the Lexus LS but is on par with the less-equipped BMW 7-Series and far below any Mercedes S-Class. More on that in our pricing breakdown. What sets the Genesis apart is its unique twincharged powertrain, which pairs a 48-volt mild hybrid system to a twin-turbocharged and electrically supercharged 3.5-liter V6 that’s good for 409 horsepower and 405 pound-feet at a diesel-like 1,300 rpm. Some motorcycles and tuner cars idle higher than that.

Base price:	$99,500
As-tested price:	$102,250
Engine:	3.5-liter supercharged twin-turbocharged V6 + 48V mild hybrid
Transmission:	8-speed automatic
Drivetrain:	All-wheel drive
Power:	409 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm
Torque:	405 pound-feet @ 1,300 rpm
Redline:	N/A
Weight:	5,150 pounds
Zero-to-60 mph:	5.1 seconds
¼-mile:	13.7 seconds @ 104 mph
MPG:	17 city, 24 highway, 20 combined
Observed MPG:	22.7 MPG
Fuel Capacity:	19.3 gallons

G90 exterior design

“Land yacht” is as cliche as can be when describing these barges, but a yacht is certainly what the G90 is in both styling and presence. From its massive diamond grille to its split headlights that wrap around the bumper and extend past the wheel arch to become turn signals, everything about the G90 exudes luxury as if to (politely) scream to the world that Korean automakers are back with a vengeance. It’s not dressed as sleek or elegant as an S-Class, nor is it built as angry and athletic as a Lexus LS, but its fit occupies a lovely middle ground between the two sides of the fence.

The Verbier White matte paint is certainly a looker, even if it’s not to my taste. But I can see the influencers and executives who dare to be different lapping this paint option up like the long-awaited cure to their matte black affliction. There’s just a hint of sparkle in the matte that helps it pop, even in low-light environments, and it compliments the e-SC-exclusive 21-inch snowflake-esque wheels beautifully.

What’s hot?

– Silky twincharged V6 makes power across the whole rev band – Cruiseliner ride quality… most of the time – Won’t completely embarrass itself during sporty driving – Banger lineup of smooth, effective driver assists – Outstanding build quality and styling make you forget it was ever a Hyundai – Undeniable value versus Germans

G90 pricing breakdown

I should get this out of the way and say that while the G90 is a remarkable value as far as flagship executive sedans go, the Lexus LS has it beat by several thousand dollars. The G90, which used to hover in the low $70,000 range in its prior generation, now kisses $90,000. My e-SC tester with the more potent engine and a splash more standard pazazz starts at $99,500.

Thankfully, speccing a G90, like many other Hyundai Motor Group products, is a straightforward task. What colors do you want? What engine do you want? The e-SC adds multi-chamber air suspension managing the motions for 21-inch wheels wrapped in Michelin Primacy Tour all-season tires, power reclining climate-controlled rear seats with massage function, and a killer Bang & Olufsen Premier surround sound system. Beyond that, our Genesis ticked the $1,500 box for matte Verbier White, and a $1,250 destination fee brought the total out to $102,250.

Yes, a loaded Lexus LS 500 hovers comfortably in the $90,000 range, but one can argue the design of the Genesis is deserving of its upscale premium. Also, remember that the awkwardly-styled 7-Series starts for around the same money as a base G90 e-SC with less power and standard equipment, while a bottom-rung, optionless S-Class starts at over $117,000.

G90 interior and tech

It’s a Genesis, which means expect an interior that, in terms of layout and design, stands tall with the best in the biz. There’s little in the way of imitation, too. The G90 is proudly just itself, with multi-color ambient lighting and forged carbon trim accented with strips of metal brightwork to contrast the Bordeaux Brown interior upholstery.

The digital gauge cluster is vaguely Hyundai but with a simplified tach-speedo combo to make room for things like safety system readouts, navigation, and a large widget for things like weather forecasts and all-wheel drive power distribution. Akin to the Ioniq 6 I drove less than a week prior sported the same suite of adaptive cruise, lane keep assist, eighty-quintillion cameras and parking sensors, and multiple levels of blind spot monitoring. Unlike the Ioniq 6, you could say the G90 now has four instead of three since the visual indicator in the gauge cluster can be displayed in the bright, legible HUD.

The top-shelf e-SC model also adds the aforementioned power massage seats in the rear, multi-chamber air suspension that can raise itself at the touch of a button, and an infinitely adjustable Bang & Olufsen Premier sound system. Rear seat occupants are also treated to their own control panel for climate, infotainment, seat massage, and operation of the power sunshades because sweating on the ride to the airport is for feral savages who could only swing a G70.

Korea’s flagship is a sublime coastline cruiser

To those looking for a value-packed deal in land yachting your way up to Santa Barbara and back down to Manhattan Beach, the G90 makes one hell of a case for itself. In the twisties snaking through the Angeles Forest, the G90 didn’t totally embarrassing itself. In Sport mode, the transmission swaps its silken lethargy for some eagerness without making shifts too snappy. It’s appropriate for this kind of machine and that drive mode. Transmission tuning is smart enough, but paddle response is slow. Eh. Who cares in an executive sedan, right?

The air suspension stiffens to reduce roll without compromising ride quality. You can daily drive this in Sport without a second guess and still hold your own in the canyons despite the all-season tires. It’s no AMG, and it never will be. But if you’re a cheating snake seeing your “other partner” in Paldmale and have to skedaddle home to Glendale before the spouse notices you’re gone, you could bypass traffic via the canyons with this, no problem. There’s at least some facade of sportiness, which is plenty for most buyers.

Once the canyons yielded to wide-open freeways, the G90 came into its element. Leave it in Eco or Comfort, or even throw it in Chauffeur to optimize the experience for rear passengers, and let the air suspension soak up nearly every pothole, undulation, and rock. Let the B&O audio system immerse you in your favorite playlist (or Hyundai’s Sounds of Nature ASMR thing) with plenty of audiophile goodness that I’m not calibrated to fully appreciate. Let the massage seats rub your stress away while the three-level climate-controlled seats chill your bum to a frosty degree or sear it to a crisp.

If this is what commuting can be, then I don’t want to go back. I didn’t want to go back. I just wanted to waft up and down the 405 and up the PCH all day long, with the adaptive cruise and lane keep assists working smoothly and effortlessly to help me captain this near-5,200-pound vessel for hours on end. I love my hhigh-strung sport cars, but who knew bottomless torque and a plush ride could be so intoxicating?

Upon arrival to Santa Barbara, the G90 proved to be a decent enough city car. There’s no defying its sheer length. It sticks out in some parking spots, and no, I wasn’t parked in a Compact space. But the suite of cameras, sensors, and the great expanse of glass that envelops you means obstacles don’t hide from you that easily. As an added plus, the turning radius is delightfully tight.

Earlier that weekend when covering an event at Willow Springs, the rear seat proved to be plenty capable of coddling the rich and mighty should they discard any brand sobbery in favor of buying a Genesis in the first place. I could fully recline the seat, move the front passenger out of the way since riding shotgun is for the poors, and take naps in heated, cooled, and massaging bliss. Hang my camera backs on the metal pillar-mounted coat hanger rods, put up those power sunshades, and let the caccoon of insulation drown out the incenssent barks of those lowly Civics outside (just kidding, I love you, Civic Type R, my beloved).

An all-star act begging for some follow-ups

Basking in all Genesis gets right makes it hard to ignore the few tidbits it gets wrong. For instance, why do Honda-freaking-Civics get wireless CarPlay, but the flagship product of a luxury brand doesn’t? Wack. While the 48-volt mild hybrid system results in rapid engine starts, the start-stop system is still a bit perceptible, which may be fine in a standard family sedan, but it feels a tad out of place in something so posh. A true hybrid powertrain can possibly smooth that out and bolster the ho-hum city fuel economy tremendously while delivering a handy performance boost. Not that it needs the boost.

The G90 absolutely is not slow, but it can be even more effortless during passing, which probably isn’t helped by its reluctance to downshift outside Sport mode or its immense weight. The G90 is a quick, punchy thing that makes torque everywhere, but it could be even better. Two turbos and a supercharger and only 409 horsepower? Hm. I sense some punch-pulling for future models. There’s always room for improvement, like its ride quality, which can be even more pillow-like with smaller wheels and fatter sidewalls like the base G90s, as the 21-inchers simply can’t iron out every sharp edge and high-frequency imperfection in the road.

Have I been spoiled already after only a few days? I hope not. But that’s okay. These were built to represent strong value, and it most definitely does. But it also leaves plenty of room for potential performance or true hybrid variants down the line as the Genesis brand continues to soar into stardom. In fact, Genesis models will eventually get true hybrids but starting in the lower-level models first.

This is a fantastic car at a fantastic price. It leaves a few extra goodies on the table that are more like wants rather than needs… Except for wireless CarPlay. This thing should have wireless CarPlay at six figures.

And a Magma version, pretty please. Just for me.

What’s not?

– Not as sporty as its peers – Could be more powerful or offer more serious hybrid powertrains – Lexus LS is an even stronger value – Okay-ish fuel economy around town – Explaining to badge snobs why Genesis is cool – FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST GIVE ME FAT-SIDEWALL TIRES

Genesis has come a long way

The Genesis G90 isn’t the most dynamic, efficient, or high-tech thing in the field. But at such an undeniably strong price point and with all the standard equipment it throws in as freebies, it doesn’t need to be. It just needs to be an outstanding car that stands tall on its own merits, and it does. For roughly a hundred grand, or far less if you skip the electric supercharger, you get something that’s respectably quick, handles well enough, is built like a bank vault, rides like a cloud on most roads, and looks like an art museum exhibit inside and out.

Best of all, Genesis achieves this purely through its own ingenuity and little mimicry. This car doesn’t remind me of anything else. Not a Lexus. Not a Mercedes. Not a BMW. It reminds me of Genesis. And I think that’s enough to lure in its own niche of cultist buyers and build a legacy that’ll stand for decades. If it all starts here in this era, I’d say Genesis was off to a hell of a start, and the ball is certainly rolling fast. Go, Genny, go!

Auto shows are in full swing. Manufacturers drop press release after press release. Suddenly, it seems like the car industry has almost finished healing from its ransacking at the hands of COVID and supply chain shortages, and new cars are more abundant and more alluring than ever. Affordable cars, dream cars, daily drivers, and high-performance piss missiles, oh my! It’s a fun, if polarizing, time to be a car nerd or even just a new car buyer, so let’s take a peek at some of the hottest new cars worth looking out for in the foreseeable future.

Genesis Magma lineup

Car gods, be praised! We whined, and they listened. Genesis has finally unveiled concepts for the Magma family, its future high-performance lineup in the same vein as BMW M, Mercedes AMG, Lexus F, and Audi Sport GmbH. Details of the cars are unknown, but there will be a mixed crop of EV and gasser Magma cars. First to hit the scene will be a full-production GV60 Magma EV and the limited-run G80 Magma Special.

2025 Toyota 4Runner

After a quintillion years in car years, the current-gen Toyota 4Runner will soon be the outgoing one, as Toyota teased an all-new iteration on their social media. Details are scarce other than a close-up image of the tailgate badge and the knowledge that it’ll most likely be based on the same architecture underpinning the Tacoma and Land Cruiser. Expect a 2024 reveal and a 2025 product release, as well as carryover 2.4-liter turbocharged hybrid and non-hybrid powertrains from the Taco and Land Cruiser.

Ready for a new ride? Start your search at CarGurus

2025 Porsche 911 hybrid

Unlike most of the cars here, the 911 hybrid has not been officially revealed or teased in any capacity. But it’s coming. Test mules have been spotted meandering around Europe. Their appearances have only gotten more frequent with the turn of the new year, and some claim that we should expect an official debut come summer of 2024 when the 992.2 facelift arrives for the 2025 model year. We expect a 911 Hybrid to rock a turbocharged flat-six and a small lithium-ion battery driving all four wheels and enabling some trick torque vectoring.

Kia K5 hatchback (wagon)

Just look at it. Isn’t she a beauty? An affordable wagon. Leave it to the Koreans to at least style a car in a manner that at least exudes the vibe of upscale-ness, inside and out, even if we know it’ll be built to a low price point to sell at a low price point. Expect the standard K4 sedan’s naturally-aspirated 2.0-liter four pushing 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet through a CVT and its 1.6-liter turbocharged powertrain pushing 190 horsepower and 195 pound-feet through an eight-speed auto.

2025 Ford Mustang GTD

I know it’s probably beating a dead ‘Stang by now, but the GTD isn’t out yet! And it’s no less cool moseying around from rotating auto show pedestal to rotating auto show pedestal. For the seventeenth time, bask in its GT3 race car-inspired, soon-to-be-Nürburgring-lapping glory as Ford’s new six-figure halo car for Mustang and motorsports fans alike. Ford aims for 800 ponies out of the GT500-derived 5.2-liter supercharged V8 and a sub-seven-minute ‘Ring time.

‘Electrified’ Honda Prelude

Like the 911 Hybrid, the Prelude’s specs are all up in the air. But we know it’s coming. It has to atone for the death of the Accord and Civic coupes and the rise of the GR86/BRZ and Nissan Z. The concept shows off Michelin tires surrounding some stout Brembos, and maybe there’s even a hybridized Civic Si or Civic Type R motor under that hood.

2024 Dodge Charger

Considering Dodge’s recent moves toward electrifying its lineup, starting with the Dodge Hornet R/T, it’s no surprise that the new Charger Daytona swaps its iconic Hemi V8 for a 400-volt EV powertrain. For car enthusiasts, though, nothing quite matches the resounding charisma of an internal combustion engine. And they can still get that with the Hurricane-equipped Six Pack variant.

2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

In a piece for TechRadar, Leon Poultney called the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N “the first genuinely fun EV.” And he’s not alone. While I haven’t had the chance to drive one,  in my New York Auto Show demo ride, I was blown away by how well it simulated the experience of being in a gas car—minus the carbon emissions.

2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger

I’m no truck guy, but the powertrain Ram conceptualized for the Ramcharger is like a Chevy Volt on steroids. Although it can plug into a DC fast charger for 145 miles of all-electric road time, this isn’t a full BEV. And despite the 3.6-liter V6 under its hood, the gas engine has no mechanical connection to the wheels. Instead, two electric motors—one in the front and one in the back—propel the Ramcharger, with the help of a 70.8-kWh battery not much smaller than that of a Tesla Model Y. Only when the battery dies does the engine go to work, burning fuel to recharge the battery if the battery runs out of juice and you can’t reach a charging station.

2025 Lucid Gravity

We’re all tired of third-row SUVs. Believe me, this Mazda CX-90 review sucked the soul out of me for like two months. Still, the Lucid Gravity appears to be one of the more polished examples in its class. Fans of the genre will appreciate its soft-touch premium interior, expansive infotainment displays, and for the Tesla-averse, physical inputs where they’re needed. Best of all, the front trunk doubles as a seat for reverse tailgate parties.

2027 Rivian R3

Remember the Lancia Delta? No? Well, then you probably live in America, where the five-door Italian hatchback was never released. Nonetheless, the Rivian R3 borrows from the Delta’s design language—or at least its wider-stance Integrale variant. The R3, however, is a cute little electric crossover built on Rivian’s new compact crossover platform—one I could very much see myself in when the Tonale lease is up in a few years. Oh yeah. I said a few years since Rivian was so kind, giving us from its 2024 unveil to its speculated 2027 release to drool over it.

It’s been said before, and I’ll say it again. Korea is on a roll with turning its automotive image around in a full one-eighty defined by legitimate quality, performance, and design. And there’s arguably no better practitioner of this newfound efficacy than the Genesis brand, which has now revamped the G70 sports sedan for the second time in its current generation. So, even though it feels like the car had just launched yesterday, extend a warm welcome to the newly-refreshed 2024 Genesis G70, now loaded with more tech, more style, and, ahem, more power, baby!

Queue lightning sound effects and loud James Pumphrey noises, please. Thank you.

Price and specs

Yes, you can still get a cushy, reasonably well-equipped G70 for well under the average American new car sales price, with the base model rear-driver selling for $41,500 before the $1,195 destination fee. All-wheel drive is a $2,100 upgrade to all models, while the top-shelf Sport Prestige pack with diamond-stitched Nappa leather, a heads-up display, and extra tidbits of safety and performance tech fetches a $4,200 premium on base engines and $4,400 on the 3.3T.

Fun fact: If you mosey on over to their online configurator, you’ll notice the outgoing, pre-revision G70 started at $39,400. The gap between the old base car and the current base car is the same in cost as the upgrade to all-wheel drive. Neat.

Genesis G70: see prices at CarGurus

Base prices:	$41,500 (2.5T Standard RWD), $43,600 (2.5T Standard AWD), $49,950 (3.3T Sport Advanced RWD), $52,050 (3.3T Sport Advanced AWD)
Engine choices:	2.5-liter turbocharged I4, 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6
Transmission choices:	8-speed automatic
Drivetrain choices:	rear-wheel drive, all-wheel drive
Power:	300 horsepower (2.5T), 365 horsepower (3.3T)
Torque:	311 pound-feet (2.5T), 376 pound-feet (3.3T)
Weight:	approx. 3,700 pounds (2.5T), approx. 3,900 pounds (3.3T)
Zero-to-60 mph:	approx. 5.5 seconds (2.5T), approx 4.5 seconds (3.3T)
¼-mile:	approx. 13.5 seconds @ 105 mph (2.5T), approx. 13.0 seconds @ 110 mph (3.3T)
MPG:	21 city, 29 highway, 24 combined (2.5T RWD), 20 city, 28 highway, 23 combined (2.5T AWD), 18 city, 27 highway, 21 combined (3.3T RWD), 17 city, 26 highway, 20 combined (3.3T AWD)
Fuel capacity:	15.8 gallons

What’s new?

A goodie bag of smaller details

On the surface, it looks like much hasn’t changed from this generation’s first revision, and you’d be mostly correct. Genesis admits the biggest addition to this generation of G70 is a new base engine, which we’ll dabble in just a sec. But for now, it’s also worth diving into all the subtle performance and tech changes made to keep this compact luxury sports sedan relevant in an age of increasing competition from EVs and fellow sports sedans alike.

The former half is headlines by the standardization of 19″ wheels across all G70s, part of Genesis’ bid to further lean into the car’s inherent athleticism. Multiple new designs better in keeping with the Genesis design language are available, and all are 19-inchers wrapped in Michelin Primacy all-seasons or Pilot Sport 4 summers, depending on powertrain configurations. There are also four new color options: Bond Silver, Cavendish Red, Vatna Gray, and Kawah Blue. The interior also gets a new two-tone Fog Gray and Obsidian Black upholstery option.

The latter half is where the more substantial details rear their heads, such as improved iOS support for using your phone as a digital key, as well as cloud-connected support for over-the-air updates, customizable driver profiles, and routing.

More accessible go-fast goods

As an added bone to throw at prospective G70 buyers, go-fast goods once exclusive to the 3.3T are now standard across the board. Most notable are the enlarged Brembos, with its 4-piston front and 2-piston rear calipers chomping down on 13.8-inch front and 13.4-inch rear rotors. Standard 2.5T cars get white/silver-painted calipers, while Sport Prestige and Sport Advanced 2.5T and 3.3T cars come red-painted. 3.3T cars get variable-ratio steering as standard, while speccing the Sport Prestige pack adds electronically-controlled suspension tied to the adjustable drive modes and a mechanical limited-slip diff.

Oh. And if you can believe it, all-wheel-drive G70s will continue to feature a hidden “Drift” mode. Because that’s exactly what you need on the way to the grocery store.

An all-new base engine

Bazinga! The real big-ticket to the G70’s continued relevance. Enter the new base engine, a 2.5-liter turbo inline-four now pushing an even 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. Those are gains of half a liter in displacement, 48 ponies, and 51 pound-feet. Interestingly, despite the added size and grunt, fuel economy versus the outgoing base engine is roughly unchanged, meaning this new engine closes that gap between it and the top-dog V6 with little sacrifice in the process. And as we journos found out during a day behind the wheel, the new engine is certainly a bottom-rung option worth considering.

What is it like to drive?

On Phoenix’s open roads

What can I say? The enhanced G70 drives like a compelling product. A very compelling product. An instant fan favorite among journos and engineers when the car was first launched, the G70 continues to remind us of Korea’s exponential upscaling of quality and refinement. Although our press drive across Phoenix, Arizona was formulated to primarily showcase the new 2.5-liter engine and remind us of the G70’s performance credibility, we still received an ample glimpse of just how nice of a place the G70 is to commute in, from the plush leather seating that never leaves you fatigued after hours to the attractive and logically-laid out interior controls.

The 10.25-inch infotainment screen proved as crisp and quick to the touch as ever and appreciably remains at an arm’s reach. The all-new digital climate controls are equally as intuitive, with haptic feedback to boot. And old-fashioned types fret not, as the most important controls, such as temperature, Off, and Auto, still exist as hard physical switches flanking the display. And speaking of physical switches, all hard controls in the car carry a sense of heft and density not always found in other luxury vehicles. Plastic buttons feel properly tactile and without the usual plasticky hollowness or looseness, and even the climate vents move with a bit of weight as though they were dampened.

You’d figure this to just be the norm for this class of car, but I’ve been proven wrong on a few occasions. I’ve been in current Mercedes products that didn’t feel this tightly screwed together nor had this likable of an infotainment system.

Whether behind the wheel of a four-banger or a V6, the powertrains and sole 8-speed transmission all proved buttery smooth and more than capable of wafting you along in traffic. Even the itty-bitty 2.5T had no issues with on-ramps or stoplight drags, feeling every bit as strong as a base model pony car or some higher-tier hot hatches. Both powertrains were fairly inoffensive, although the four-banger does make the typical droney groan, made nonissue by the G70’s commendable sound insulation.

Just as refined was the G70’s ride over the admittedly terrible and potholed-to-hell Arizona roads. The Sport Prestige’s electronic suspension was as serene as can be for a shorter-wheelbase luxury sedan with sporting intentions. You can still feel the occasional rock or expansion joint, but it never jostles you nor sends any impacts up your tush. You’ll probably hear the bumps more than feel them, but you’ll know they’re there. Even so, the G70 remains composed and compliant over such harsh tarmac. Impressive, considering the Michelin’s thin sidewalls on the 19-inch rollers, and one can wonder how a set of 18s could be even better.

Color me impressed overall, especially with the ride quality. Your average Scottsdale retiree wouldn’t mind rocking one to ferry them to and from the country club.

Smashing apexes (and cones)

Saved the best section for last. Even though no sensible G70 owner is ever going to track theirs, they totally should because the G70 totally can. It’s not perfect, and even the engineers know there’s room on the table for a real BMW M or Lexus F fighter, alluring prey for a car graced by ex-M engineer, Albert Biermann, who spearheaded the development of Hyundai’s acclaimed N lineup. But as it sits as just the bread-and-butter sedan, I can confidently the G70 earns its place as a formidable foe to those long-standing titans from beyond its borders.

On track, the Pilot Sport 4 tires and electronically-controlled dampers on our rear-drive 3.3T track testers easily dispatched the tight corners of APEX Motor Club, with our lead driver quickly encouraging us to push harder and harder to keep pace. The variable-ratio steering was nowhere near as aloof or unpredictable as I thought it’d be and proved to be wonderfully precise for reigning in those little drifts you can get on corner exit. Body control was rock solid, with a noticeable but buttoned-down lean that never incited fear, whether on track or out in the twisties of Tortilla Flats. With a 225-wide front tire and 255 rear, understeer is the dominant trait, but it’s nothing a little extra throttle and steering input can’t quell.

While our track and canyon runs were in Sport Prestige variants of the 3.3T, we did get the chance to sample the 2.5T on a tight autocross course, where the estimated 200 to 300-pound weight difference became immediately apparent. Yes, the 3.3T is where it’s at for performance junkies. And again, no, no one’s really going to track or autocross any Genesis G70 except for us weirdo journalists. But if they should dare, there’s a lot to love with the lighter, more responsive nose of the four-banger. And even without the oomph of the V6, 311 pound-feet plus shorter gearing for the 8-speed gearbox and final drive prove to be plenty for lighting up the rear tires and hanging slides left and right. Ask us how we know.

Yeah. It’s, first and foremost, a cushy luxury car for 21st-century yuppies to haul themselves and perhaps a guest or two around downtown en route to the nearest North Italia. But it still puts the “sport” in sports sedan.

A proper sports sedan made better

We’re happy to report the G70 remains a fantastic, playful, fun-to-drive offering in a segment often criticized for distancing themselves from their old driver’s car mantras in favor of solely tech advancements. And if one of the Genesis team member’s warning that we “haven’t heard the last of G70” is anything to heed, we’re certain there’ll be even hotter versions in the near future.

Thankfully, the G70’s added performance chops across its entire lineup didn’t dent its luxury car cred. In fact, I’d argue this is the best balance of the two halves of its identity to date, and we can’t wait to score one for a few days of testing to see what’s really hot and what’s actually not. So, stay tuned! Or, if you’d rather not wait and prefer to see for yourself as you should, you can check out the updated G70 when it hits U.S. showrooms in a matter of weeks.

Genesis vehicles: see prices at CarGurus

Now, Genesis. Please allow the Hyundai N team to work their magic. Korean M3 fighter, anyone?