MT GARAGE

ARRIVAL: Genesis G70 3.3T

EPA CITY/HWY/COMB Fuel Econ:

17/26/21 mpg

“Nimble, darty, quick. Great seats. Kickin’ stereo. The G70 could be the perfect tool for an L.A. commute.”
Mark Rechtin

Base price $44,745 As tested $46,495

Ineed to get one thing out of the way first: I didn’t vote for the Genesis G70 to be MotorTrend Car of the Year. I was part of the underground movement trying to award it to the Honda Insight hybrid. But our effort was Sparta defending Thermopylae: valiant but doomed. And in the end, I can honestly say I’m fine with the Genesis having won. It deserved the honor of being the first South Korean vehicle to win an OTY award, and it won fair and square.

But this also means that my yearlong loan will not be a wet kiss to Hyundai’s luxury brand. Sure, a fanboy would wax lyrical about the latest entry into the hotly contested “Is the G70 better than a BMW 3 Series?” battle. (Answer: Yes, as seen in our comparison in the August issue.)

From my perspective, however, this means I might be a bit more judicious in describing my experience. But that circumspect tone will only serve to help you, in terms of defining the Genesis brand’s place in the automotive world, and answering the questions that many of you have about this upstart entry:

Is this just a Hyundai with better seats and a nicer stereo?

Is it worth the price?

Is it as good as the Germans or the Japanese?

Is the service experience more like Lexus or Hyundai?

And so on.

Over the course of the year, these questions will be answered. Just because a car wins Car of the Year doesn’t mean it cannot have faults. We will find them and call them out. You only hurt the ones you love, after all. But we’ll also celebrate the G70’s victories, smart plays, and savvy decisions. And there are many, or else it wouldn’t have reached the top of our podium.

It was tempting to see