THE UNDERDOG TAKES ON THE ESTABLISHMENT
All-new Genesis G70 might be dark horse, but it’s certainly a capable, compelling alternative to the Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Welcome to Dude Said, Punk Said, a special series devoted to skewering the automotive ramblings of young punk Nick Tragianis with the infinite wisdom of old dude Brian Harper.
This week, the duo determines if the Genesis G70 — the seriously capable underdog of the sport sedan segment — can effectively challenge the establishment, in particular the Mercedes-Benz C-Class.
Brian Harper: You know, kid, this is my favourite category of cars to test, what we used to call “entry level luxury” back in the day.
Cars competing here were a step up from the mainstream family sedan, a little sportier, better looking, better handling, engines with more zip, more standard features and touches of luxury.
If you bought one of these cars — and almost all the automakers had at least one player — it was a sign you were doing pretty well.
We’re going to put the upstart Genesis G70 up against the top dog in the segment, Mercedes’ C-Class, specifically the C300 4Matic sedan.
So let me ask you: is this a fair fight?
Nick Tragianis: You bet it is, old dude. The G70 is a shot at the establishment and it shows Hyundai — sorry, Genesis — is out for blood.
The G70 isn’t some tarted-up Sonata with more power and fancier trimmings, it’s a legitimately excellent car with the fit and finish, refinement and dance moves to send the establishment packing.
At the core of the G70 is a 2.0-litre turbo four, putting out 252 horsepower and 260 poundfeet of torque. That’s sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.
It might not seem too special, but it’s nonetheless a delightfully smooth and refined pairing.
Get on it and the G70 shows its true mettle: the car is quick on its feet, delivering impressive feedback and grip under more, shall we say, spirited driving.
Seriously, the G70 is a sport sedan in every sense of the word. BH: Gee, kid, the G70’s powertrain sounds quite similar to the C300. The Merc’s 2.0-L turbo four pushes out 241 hp and 273 lb.-ft. of torque, sent to all four wheels via a ninespeed automatic. This is what Mercedes has called “sensible sportiness” in the past.
Depending on which of the driving modes is selected — Eco, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual — the car will putter along with all the urge of a 10-year-old econobox or step it up to a point where it will catch the attention of the local constabulary. In Sport+, the lighter-weight C300’s sportiness, I dare say, will exceed the G70 in Sport mode. Still, and pragmatically speaking, both cars can be as polite or as thuggish as the driver chooses. In my books, that’s a wash.
And while I agree the Genesis is smooth and refined, so is the Benz.
So what else you got?
NT: Well, old dude, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Until now, the C300 arguably leads the segment as far as interiors are concerned.
Even in the entry level model to the C-Class lineup, Mercedes didn’t cut many corners with the interior.
Materials and overall quality are top-notch, the tech you’d expect in this segment is all there and ergonomics are on point. Well, mostly. The steering column-mounted shifter is reminiscent of a minivan and Mercedes’ COMAND infotainment is starting to feel clunky, especially compared with the new MBUX interface.
Oh, and be careful when you’re choosing interior trim options. Piano black, dust and fingerprints don’t get along. Stick with the classy open-pore wood trim.
The G70’s cabin is an excellent place to spend time. It’s a wash in terms of materials, refinement, overall fit and finish and trim options and the black-on-burgundy motif is classy, but ergonomically, the G70 takes it. The layout is far more traditional and logical, using knobs and buttons for radio and climate controls placed where they need to be, versus the C300’s toggle switch-style controls for climate. Oh, and the G70’s shifter is on the centre console. Praise be, it doesn’t feel like a minivan!
The infotainment doesn’t suit the G70, though.
Granted, it’s a simple and intuitive system laden with features such as GPS navigation, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, but the graphics are identical to Hyundai’s mainstream cars. Oh, and the 360-degree camera system isn’t as sharp and clear as the C300’s. Come on, Genesis, this G70 is $52,000 as tested. Make it truly worth every penny.
BH: It’s a compelling argument, one with which I readily agree. The G70, several thousand bucks less than the C300, is the better car. But is it the smarter buy? Here’s the thing: the C300 is as solid as it is established. As an upscale brand, Genesis has little to no cachet. I know that sounds mean-spirited and even trite, but there are people — the ones with the bucks to afford these types of cars — who are “brand aware” (if I wasn’t trying to get on Santa’s “nice” list, I’d say snobs). A friend of mine, a Lexus owner, was adamant that Genesis as an equal to Mercedes was never going to happen. And he’s probably right.
Still, Hyundai has been fighting this fight for a decade and has proven, notably with the larger Genesis G80, that it can build a proper luxury car. Those who are willing to take a bit of a gamble on an upstart are likely to be pleasantly surprised by the G70.
And if I were shopping that segment, I would be one of them. NT: Did your pal forget that back in 1989 Lexus was pretty much in the same boat as Genesis is today? There’s no denying the challenge Genesis faces in proving itself a viable alternative to the establishment. But as long as the hits keep coming, that day will be here sooner than you’d think.
None of this is to say that the C300 is a lacklustre car; it’s smooth, classy and solid, but at the core, the G70 is everything a car in this segment should be. It’s stylish inside and out, comfortable and refined and legitimately fun behind the wheel. It’s not “just as good” as the C-Class or an Audi A4 or a BMW 3 Series, for that matter. It’s better.
And it’s easier on the wallet.