MOTORING OCTOBER: Genesis G70 Shooting Brake

George Loveridge — Driving Around for Travel News Update

Beaming down from Korea, Genesis is Hyundai’s luxury marque. They’re a cut above the competition, in terms of exclusivity and quality. What’s on offer from this Shooting Brake?

Mechanically, this G70 sits on the same platform as the late Kia Stinger. Luckily, Genesis seems to be keeping luxury saloons alive, unlike their lower-class sibling Kias. However, here you get this fantastic shooting brake body that looks far superior to anything else on the road. Not quite a full estate, the lines are too harsh, but practical nonetheless.

Making our way forward from the power tailgate and LED brake lights, there are chrome accents that follow the lines of the car throughout, with a distinctive crease across the front doors. This blends the whole car together nicely. Up front, we find the Genesis winged badge, often mistaken for Bentley. There’s a tear-drop-shaped radiator grille that houses the front number plate as well as some cameras and adaptive cruise sensors. Illumination is provided by twin LED strips on each side of the car, making it look ready for business.

This ‘luxury’ model came equipped with 19-inch ‘design A’ alloy wheels which show off the 4-piston BREMBO brakes at the front. Useful for stopping this 1.8-tonne wagon.

It's on the inside where you really see and feel where the extra cash has gone. A lot of it!

As a matter of fact, this example has the Innovation Pack, £3,250 please, and boasts a £2,470 Nappa Leather Interior. The options don’t stop there! We also benefit from a sunroof at £960, a bargain under four figures! Furthermore, the Lexicon Audio System encompasses ‘Active Sound Design’ and stacks up to £790. All of which helps to provide a sense of occasion. The front heated and ventilated seats provide ample support and endless adjustment. With an electronic steering column and memory functions, you can always find a suitable driving position. With a digital driver’s cluster and a heads-up display, it’d be very hard to not know what’s going on with the car. Of course, there’s the usual Apple Car Play and Andriod Auto compatible infotainment system which does the job just fine. Sitting just above a USB port, 12V socket and a wireless charging bay.

Rear leg room is compromised thanks to the shooting brake design, but two of the three rear seats are heated with adequate storage in the door bins.

You get a 465-litre boot that has a handy load height that negates having to lift your shopping any higher to then bring it back down. There are plenty of handles and storage opportunities in the boot making it very practical. Moreover, the rear seats fold completely down thanks to tabs in the boot. Electronic adjustment of these could be welcome at the price point, however.

So, on the face of it, thus far, the G70 Shooting Brake is a practical and good-looking vehicle. Don’t be fooled though, there are other bits of kit that turn this ‘sedate’ machine into a bit of a beast on the road. What do we have?

Mechanically, this car delivers 440Nm of torque and 200bhp to the rear wheels via a lightning-fast 8-speed automatic gearbox. Thanks to Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, the car can handle such teeth-shattering torque. The flappy paddles are easy to use and fit nicely in your hands and do give you the confidence to rely on them for quick gear changes.

Genesis gives you Eco, Comfort, Sport and Sport+ driving modes to choose from. All of which change the theme and design of the dials in front of you. Sport+, however, turns off the traction control, turns on active rear dampers, and stiffens the support in the driver's seat which really makes for a sporty feel! Moreover, front strut-bracing over the front suspension makes for a solid-feeling car. Coupled with the power unit and a responsive gearbox, you can slingshot this car into and out of bends with precision and class.

Yes, a sporty ride is great for the most part. However, the client base for the G70 probably doesn’t want a harsh ride. Comfort mode provides the placebo that it is more comfortable, but overall, it’s still quite stiff. On the motorway, you’ll find that there is more road noise than you’d like, probably down to those sticky tyres.

The George Loveridge Verdict

To drive, I’d happily welcome this good-looking estate into my life. It ticks many boxes when it comes to style and driving pleasure. Although, day-to-day driving is tolerable but albeit annoying with a permanently stiff ride. Storage is limited, the door bins in the front are only big enough for small water bottles and phones. Adding to this, the central armrest does allow for extra storage, but not even an A5 notepad would fit in here. Thankfully, no CD player so you don’t have to worry about keeping those safe. Unlike its relative Kia, Genesis offers only a 5-year warranty (instead of 7-year), but that is still admirable compared to other manufacturers.

Should you want a classy, different vehicle for everyday use, you should consider one of these. A lack of engine choices is annoying, this diesel would be great for long cruises. Although, the petrol version would be my choice, it doesn’t return good fuel economy. Overall, a quality product that you’d be happy to own.

Price as tested: £51,120

Lead in price: £40,300

Average fuel consumption: 39.8mpg

Range (fuel): 500 Miles

Engine size: 2.2 Litres

0-60: 7.7 Seconds


Performance 8

Handling 10

Transmission 10

Noise 6

Economy 8

Ride and Comfort 8

Accommodation 9

Styling 10

Brakes 10

Finish 9

TOTAL = 88%

www.genesis.com/uk/en/models/g70-shooting-brake.html

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