With a surprisingly low starting price of approximately $36,475, the Genesis G70 is holding its own against its higher-priced luxury sports sedan competitors. However, while the affordable G70 offers both value and luxury, MotorTrend reports one thing that would make it truly perfect: a scaled-down version of the engine from the Genesis G90. Here’s what else you need to know about this sporty sedan.

What MotorTrend likes about the Genesis G70

Right off the bat, MotorTrend’s reviewer notes the fun driving experience offered by the Genesis G70, calling it “genuinely entertaining.” The G70’s stable chassis is perhaps one of its best features. The excellent design enables this vehicle to drive like an actual sports sedan, rather than the luxurious (but occasionally less capable) facsimiles offered by some competitors. MotorTrend states that the G70 is speedy and well-balanced, and overall remains true to the sporty feel you’d want from this type of vehicle.

The G70 also offers excellent performance on the track. It slides “with real grace,” and while it may not hit the speeds of some of its competitors, the G70 still boasts a ride that is ultimately pretty delightful.

When it comes to interior tech, the G70 is almost old-fashioned. Rather than depending on the latest and greatest driver aids, this sedan relies instead on quality handling and steering accuracy. This may appeal to drivers who prefer more of a manual, hands-on driving experience. However, the G70 isn’t exactly outdated. The tech that it does have – such as Apple CarPlay – is quick, intuitive, and easy to access.

What MotorTrend doesn’t like about the Genesis G70

Despite all this, though, the Genesis G70 has a few flaws. MotorTrend reports that its body control is a little weak. Although it doesn’t have much understeer, the G70 does have a tendency to slowly slide at its rear — not a significant problem, but it’s noticeable enough that it could bother some drivers. Additionally, while the chassis is generally one of the sedan’s highlights, it struggles to handle bumpy roads when it’s loaded.

The G70 also has slightly clunky automatic shifting. This is frustrating in standard traffic, but it’s even worse in Sport mode. According to MotorTrend, the gearbox “pretty much ignores your requests” when you try to shift. 

The G70 also has noisy brakes, which can quickly become irritating. And although it is a luxury vehicle that tries to emulate the likes of BMW, the interior of the G70 is slightly lacking. With its subpar materials, it doesn’t quite provide the luxurious experience you might expect from this class of vehicle.

Why favor the G90’s engine?

Shortcomings aside, the Genesis G70 is still pretty close to perfect. In fact, the reviewer suggests that this vehicle would be vastly improved if it had the Genesis G90’s engine instead.

As it is now, the G70 sports a 2.0-liter engine that gets 252 hp. The G90, on the other hand, features a 5.0-liter V8 that gets 420 hp. According to MotorTrend, many of the G70’s problems could be solved if it received a modified version of this engine that was optimized for high power.

While this change may never come, the Genesis G70 is still a fun, well-designed luxury sports sedan that offers a great driving experience at a surprisingly affordable price point. Its hands-on lower-tech approach is ideal for drivers who still like to have a high level of control over their driving experience. The G90’s engine might make it perfect — but the truth is, the G70 is pretty darn good on its own.