Hyundai’s Genesis is for real
AFTER the third drive in the excellent allnew 2019 Genesis G70 compact sedan, a memory from the 2016 Chicago Auto Show another dude, “There’s Hyundai.” And the other dude scoffed and said, “Why bother,” as if it were 30 years earlier when the South Korean automaker broke into the American market with the lowquality, budget Excel. I wanted to tell Dude how much Hyundai had evolved, but Dude was
And he must not have made the conthat skepticism. Roughly three years in with a third model out, the Genesis G70 compact sedan announces without a doubt that the Genesis brand makes very good cars.
Unfortunately, for now, Hyundai doesn’t make a crossover, but another one of those is the last thing the market needs. Yet the market doesn’t really want cars, either, so the G90 full-sized sedan and almost everyone else was gawking at the automaker’s stunning concept: the Genesis Vision G luxury coupe.
There was a lot of skepticism then about Hyundai launching a distinct luxury brand, as Honda had done with
with Lexus.
It takes a long time to correct and G80 mid- sized sedan probably didn’t worry the established premium and luxury automakers.
But the G70 should.
As long as there is a 3 Series, there will be a market for sporty compact sedans that crossovers can’t touch. The G70 hits all the right marks, with handling that makes you smile, and acceleration that makes you forget any worries you may be escaping or approaching. And, in a direct shot at the Germans and all the other luxury players, the options are streamlined into simple, loaded packages. can press it without much effort. It gets people — and especially kids — in and out of the rear seat easier without scuffing that beautiful white quilted interior trim. But it also lets the driver move the seat back when picking up larger passengers. It’s such a small thing, but such a lovely convenience.
The G70 looks sharp without trying too hard to stand out. A broad honeycomb grille complements the long hood and short overhangs for a low, muscular advanced driver assistance systems including adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist.
The real charm is behind the wheel. The 365-horsepower 3.3-liter twin turbo V-6 with a smooth, 8-speed automatic (6-speed manual is optional on 4-cylinder rear-wheel drive) in all-wheel drive packs
drive modes from eco to sport adjust throttle response, so it doesn’t take much