My Week With a Rental Genesis G70 3.3T: (Very) Close But No Cigar
Posted by stav_and_nick@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 63 comments
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Posted by stav_and_nick@reddit | cars | View on Reddit | 63 comments
[removed]
jrileyy229@reddit
Did you have the AWD or RWD version? And what tires?
The rwd on pilot sport 4s is going to feel very different than the AWD version probably on 500tw all season tires.
stav_and_nick@reddit (OP)
It was the AWD, not sure about the tires
jrileyy229@reddit
Well if it was AWD rental car in Canada with 20k miles on it... Very unlikely they were OEM tires still... But it is indeed very likely they were cheap all seasons.
So those are considerations in your reviews... You didn't have the "pure" experience.
Gorgenapper@reddit
My real beef with the G70 3.3T (and the Stinger GT, for that matter) is that the AWD transfer case is not serviceable. The Service manual says that when the car throws a DTC about the AWD system, that the transfer case must be removed and replaced - yes, the entire transfer case. There is a specific prohibition against changing the TC fluid.
If you're driving the car for 3 - 5 years and then sell it, it's not an issue. At least, not for you lol. But for me, who wants to buy a car and just drive the thing for a decade, it was no bueno.
CharacterMedium558@reddit
Goes for any new car with EPS. But in some cars like a 3 series it makes zero difference because even the G80/82 have no steering feel whatsoever even with the wide and grippy summer tires lol.
Also G70 3.3T AWD are super rare. Last time I checked the used ones nationwide, only 5-10% had AWD
Malbjey@reddit
Pretty sure G70 AWD allocations are heavily region dependent in the US. From the mid Atlantic to northern states you pretty much only see the AWD cars. You have to search really hard to find RWD.
In my region (SW PA) pretty much every BMW sedan, Cadillac sedan, Alfa Giulia, etc is the AWD version.
stav_and_nick@reddit (OP)
They only sell the 3.3T as AWD here in Canada; at least for the last model year
SupersonicFrigidaire@reddit
As far as I know, the G70 3.3T is only available with AWD in Canada. This goes for most car in this segment.
Ghost1k25@reddit
Not at all. It’s about 50/50 for the facelift (2022+) cars.
Ghost1k25@reddit
Yeah those Primacy tires are absolute garbage.
BrashHarbor@reddit
It's a car I really want to like, and have come fairly close to buying a couple of times, but I just can't bring myself to accept 17/23 mpg of premium out of a V6 car, especially when it only has a <16 gallon tank.
Basically identical fuel efficiency to what a 4WD V8 F150 does on regular, and ~30% worse than what I average in my 3.0l Sierra
stav_and_nick@reddit (OP)
Yeah, I didn't mention it because in the segment it's not a big deal, but I was averaging about \~15l/100km
That's about 16 MPG. Now I was in a lot of stop and go traffic, AND I drove the thing real hard. But like, fuck me, that thing is thirsty
And cars like BMW prove you can be super fuel efficient with a 6 cyl engine while also being performant
pistachiopias@reddit
To be fair, I don't think any manufacturer has an engine that can compete with the B58's power to efficiency ratio. It's kind of insane, actually. My 540i regularly gets 40+ MPG on the highway, and I'm currently averaging around 30 with mostly city driving. On top of that, Hyundai/Kia have generally been a bit behind the curve when it comes to powertrain engineering/tuning. I think that's their last hurdle before they can truly outshine the Germans. I already feel that their current designs, especially their interiors, are better than what's coming out of Germany these days.
Malbjey@reddit
Yeah, BMW B58 is the gold standard. Nobody else is approaching the power to efficiency. However isn't it also a mild hybrid? Is that contributing to the efficiency?
pistachiopias@reddit
The 2021 and up models are mild hybrid, yes. But even without the hybridization, the MPG numbers are pretty similar. 22/29 vs 23/31(both xdrive). The biggest thing I've noticed with BMW engines is that they tend to under-promise and over-deliver, both with power and MPG numbers.
Malbjey@reddit
Thanks for info. I mentioned it in another comment, but I'm genuinely jealous of the mileage the B58 gets lol.
pistachiopias@reddit
No problem. It still amazes me that this is by far the fastest car I've ever had yet somehow the most economical. Well, not counting service visits that is.
How do you like your Stinger? I briefly considered one when I was shopping for my car, but the MPG kinda steered me away lol. I do like a good hatch though- I'm probably one of 3 people who liked the 6 series Gran Turismo when it was still a thing.
ExcellentPea9029@reddit
As an owner weighing in, the fuel consumption isn’t all that bad if you drive normally. I don’t, so my average is 21mpg but on roadtrips I get 34mpg.
Malbjey@reddit
Whoah you're getting 34mpg in the G70??? What speeds are you driving? I can barely get above 26.5-ish mpg in my Stinger on roadtrips. That's even when using Eco (or Smart) mode at 75mpg cruise control.
Granted I'm in a region with a lot of hills and that will kill mileage. But I can never touch 30mpg. I'd be overjoyed if I could.
ExcellentPea9029@reddit
I think there are quite a few factors in my favor. The G70 is a couple hundred pounds lighter, I live in a relatively flat area with many highways having 55mph speed limits (I go 70), I have the not-so-sticky Primacys on, my disabled exhaust valves giving me 0.001 extra mpg, I’m running the thinnest oil recommended by Genesis, I have a habit of taking highway ramps so quickly that I barely have to accelerate to get on the highway, I rarely touch my brakes in traffic/getting off the highway, etc.
Malbjey@reddit
Yep I have the Primacy tires too. I just swapped off of them as I had new wheels and tires installed 2 days ago.
I'm gonna try cruising at 70 and see how that works out. I do wish the gas tank was a couple gallons bigger for the long road trips.
kh04@reddit
Good review! A lot of your issues were fixed in the facelift (sport+, tech, interior quality, NVH) but some weren’t (jerky shifting and exhaust). I bought my 2022 3.3t RWD mainly because of the price, I test drove all the competitors and this was 90-95% there while being $10-15k cheaper used with much cheaper maintenance.
IMO the biggest issue that Genesis faces right now is their dealership network, which can be hit or miss depending on your area. I exclusively use indy shops for everything except recalls and it’s been great.
SteveS117@reddit
I own a 2023 3.3T and agree 100%. I wanted an Audi S5 but couldn’t justify the $10k-$15k extra it’d be to get a similarly equipped one, so ended up with the G70. Love it, but dealers suck. They’re finally building a dedicated Genesis dealer near my house and it’ll be the first one in my state. Hopefully the service there is better instead of at a Hyundai dealer.
kh04@reddit
Same with me, we already have a B9.5 A4 so I wanted something different. BMW and Mercedes were at least $10k more and most of them don’t have the options I want (adaptive suspension and adaptive cruise).
DudebuD16@reddit
The dealer network up here in Canada is much better. My dad has a g70 and they were a pleasure to deal with during purchasing and throughout the cars service history.
They also do at home test drives which both my wife and friend have taken advantage of.
Dunno how it is in the US, but up here they're good and probably have better service and manners than the bmw/Audi/Mercedes dealers in my area that are full of idiots.
eZreazy@reddit
In Canada it’s literally the best dealer experience I’ve had and it’s because you don’t need to go to the dealer at all for anything. It’s incredible and it makes me jealous of my buddy that has a G70. I never had much issues with dealer experience in benz, bmw, or kia they’re all kinda just the same but the experience for Genesis is the first time dealer experience would be a reason for me to buy.
kh04@reddit
It’s very area dependent here, my local Audi dealership is lovely but the BMW/Lexus/Genesis ones are not good. I’m also very jealous that you guys have the digital gauges in your G70 lol
DanceDark@reddit
I got a Genesis dealer in my local area and it's really nice, very zen (or Seon I guess is the Korean equivalent?). But now my oil changes are 50% more expensive lol.
My biggest problem with Genesis is that they don't have any dedicated performance vehicles, let alone an M3 competitor, so I can't upgrade if I want to keep the same size factor. The 3.3TT is fast and spools up quickly, but it doesn't have much emotion to it with a low redline, mid exhaust note, and lackluster transmission, so Genesis doesn't have an engine that can compete at that level. They're working on the Magma trim for performance, but choosing an EV crossover as the debut vehicle is... certainly a choice. Maybe it's why whenever I see another Genesis on the road, it's driven by an old person.
kh04@reddit
Yea my next upgrade will be a G80 or GV70 Magma if they do it right. The current G80 Sport already drives pretty well, just lacking in power.
As for the 3.3tt, I love the huge amount of low end torque and the transmission is good enough for a non-ZF imo. The exhaust has just enough low end rumble for me and it sounds decent when accelerating, but it’s impossible to make it sound as good as the Germans which is a bummer.
dayvieee@reddit
I agree on the dealership network, that’s what I was afraid of when my wife bought the Mache. The closest dealership wanted $110 for your typical 10k service for an EV. Luckily there is another dealer 10 more minutes away that only charged $40 which is what I expect for an air filter change and tire rotation.
aka_mank@reddit
How’s the dealership experience been? Or do you just use Indy shops bc preowned
SteveS117@reddit
Dealer experience is the biggest thing that gets me debating on selling the car. Hyundai dealers are awful to deal with.
kh04@reddit
It’s been lackluster at best: 1. You have to call in to get a loaner even though it’s a recall, I placed an online appointment and did not get one. 2. They took 2 weeks for a recall that should’ve taken 2 days. 3. Typical dealership ripping people off on basic maintenance. They wanted $2000 for spark plugs lol 4. They spilled coolant in my engine bay when doing the recall.
SpecialGuestDJ@reddit
Penske & Hyundai are fixing the dealership issue. They’re making a huge push to differentiate Genesis from Hyundai a la Lexus in the 90s. That has been everyone’s complaint for 15 years and is what has held the brand back.
TzarKazm@reddit
It really is a must if they want to be successful. Hyundai dealers are pretty bad on average.
kh04@reddit
Good to know! My local dealer in WA has been pretty messy so I try to avoid them, but I’ve heard good things from people in other states.
Malbjey@reddit
Thanks for the write up. That's an insane price gap (new) for Canada. In the US it's still a pretty big gap when the cars are comparably equipped.
What's funny to me is people will say, if you can afford a 55K G70 then paying an extra 5K+ for an (entry) M340i isn't much. Uh, what? 5K+ is still alot of money, especially with today's interest rates.
Frankly, I think the G70 is the second best luxury sports sedan behind the M340i. I have its sister car, which is heavier but with a hatchback. The only thing that makes me jealous about the M340i is the gas mileage. I really don't care about the extra speed. I especially don't care about BMW maintenance costs out of warranty. I'd take the G70 over the M340i for that alone, if I planned on keeping the cars long term outside of warranty, i.e. til wheels fall off.
BackFromTheDeadSoon@reddit
Plus that M440i will be base and missing a ton of features compared to the Genesis.
CharacterMedium558@reddit
Nah the G70 is certainly the better sports car versus the M340i. The only thing BMW has is the powertrain which is better and faster. But the steering is devoid of feel, front end feedback is almost non-existent, and suspension is certainly one of the worst in the segment.
Cadillac and Alfa Romeo are definitely the leaders if you want a good driving car with the best steering feel, brake feel, front end feedback, etc.
FYI this is coming from a M340i owner who bought into the hype in 2020 and sold it 3 years later. I ended up spending time in a CT5-V 3.0TT, G70 3.3T, Model 3 Performance, and Alfa Romeo Quadrifolgio and realized the m340i is overrated. In fact I'd argue every modern BMW solid is not a driving enthusiasts car. They're just fast and have good powertrains
pistachiopias@reddit
Brother, I gotta give it to ya- you're very consistent with your hot takes. I am curious about the CT5, as I've read that Cadillac nailed the handling with that one. I do agree with you that the modern BMW definitely caters more towards an all-rounder mindset vs enthusiast first. But to say that it's a worse sports car than a G70? I would argue that the powertrain is the heart of a car, and Genesis has yet to deliver in that aspect. Was your M340i experience that bad?
ludgarthewarwolf@reddit
Hows the Stinger holding up?
Malbjey@reddit
So far been good overall. Had a couple of weird/minor issues:
1) Wireless charging pad stopped working about 1.5 years into ownership. I only recently got it fixed. I wasn't in a huge rush, because the car doesn't have wireless Android Auto, so I'd always be plugging my phone in to use it and the phone would end up charging. I got an aftermarket wireless Android Auto adapter from Amazon, so I got the charging pad fixed and I'm using it now.
2) My horn stopped working. Apparently this happened to some other Stinger (and Kia) owners as well. Not a huge amount of others with the problem, but it's out there. It was fixed under warranty.
The only other issue, not just with my car, is the warranty work for the turbo oil feed line. The recall went fine for my car.
Otherwise I love the car. I agree with the OP that the G70 (and Stinger) are too quiet stock. Both cars came with a valved exhaust from the factory for 2022+ model years but even that was too quiet for me. I ended up getting the Borla valved exhaust and it's much more enjoyable for me.
For the Stinger in particular you just have to keep in mind its a sporty-ish GT car. It's not in the same sports sedan tier as a M340i. It's more comparable to an Audi S5.
But it's a dope jack-of-all trades car. I'd really struggle finding a good replacement if something ever happened to it.
ludgarthewarwolf@reddit
Thanks for sharing
Eyehopeuchoke@reddit
Your dog analogy… you could’ve said you either want to drive the car or you want the car to basically drive itself, you want the car to drive itself. I have a 2015 dodge challenger hellcat and it basically drives itself. It’s modded to right above 900 crank hp. I also have a 2013 bmw m3 that’s full bolt on, but it doesn’t drive itself. You actually have to put some umph into steering the vehicle. I think the bmw is way more fun to drive than the challenger.
To each their own though.
Quick-Ad7581@reddit
Maybe it’s California roads, but I found the ride quality to be lacking in the G70 relative to the equivalent German car. Up and down body movements were fine but the car was easily upset with uneven pavement. That and abysmal fuel economy for a V6 were what I took away from renting one as well.
gnunn1@reddit
Good write up, thanks for posting. I briefly considered a used G70 3.3T but ended up going with a used m240i when a great deal became available.
There's a lot to like about the G70 but I'm really not a fan of the exterior refresh in 2022. The dual headlights look fine on the GV70 (the SUV) but they don't look as good on the sedan IMHO.
Also really not a fan of the revised rear end, the 2021 model looks much better with the logo rather then the spelled out GENESIS, if I had bought one I was definitely go to replace that with the old style logo.
Cheap-Play-80@reddit
Your name....
Hell yeah dude.
Critical-Positive858@reddit
Wow great write-up. I agree 1000% with your observations of the sport mode and paddle shifters. You end up fighting with it
Scarlet-Highlander-@reddit
…o-oh 😐
Manafont-@reddit
I had a G70 rental on a recent trip, and I was extremely impressed. It was only the 4 cylinder, but it was eager to go and had great body control. My only two gripes were the infotainment which looked straight out of a 2011 Optima and the steering that felt imprecise and let it was set in maple syrup (similar to non-M modern BMW's, ironically). For the price, I still think its a win and wouldn't fault anyone for picking one up over the usual suspects. I have to imagine the 3.3 is a much more compelling than the A4/330i/C300 that you are getting for the same price.
CharacterMedium558@reddit
I don't even see a problem with the older infotainment. It's legitimately perfect. Uses wired Android Auto and apple carplay and rarely has hiccups. Can't say the same about newer German cars or other brands. Just be happy it isn't a Lexus IS lol
Manafont-@reddit
It just felt a little cheap to me, definitely works fine but takes you out of the "this is a modern luxury car" experience.
CharacterMedium558@reddit
I get what you mean. Especially since the GV70 is a production car. The G70 should have got that interior treatment as well
idksomuch@reddit
I used to work in car rentals and we had a 2020 g70 3.3t dropped off at our branch from another without authorization. It was a fun car, especially for a rental but I booked it for a weekend and I understood why some reviewers were saying the Kia stinger, despite all that power, rwd, and aggressive looks didn't feel much like a sports car and felt more like a GT car. The transmission, as you said, felt clunky and hated high revs. It shifted as soon as possible unless in sport mode. Compared to the more civilian A3s, A4s, and 3 series which shifted lightning quick and we're smooth as a baby's bum, the g70 felt completely lacking in the transmission department. None the less, it was fun for a rental. I wouldn't buy one for myself though.
CharacterMedium558@reddit
Why would you not want the car to hold higher gears in eco/normal mode? Sport+ is the opposite in those cars. It holds revs like crazy and only wants to be in the higher revs lol.
yetiflask@reddit
I did the same and felt very underwhelmed. One thing that I thought was, how about the last person not using 91 gas and 87 instead? You'd think people would do it to save money.
Jonathan358@reddit
Bro just write normally next time, this is borderline unreadable.
Conspicuous_Ruse@reddit
Awesome write up I'm glad to hear Genesis is doing well.
I bought a Genesis sedan while it was still under the Hyundai name and I've had it for 12 years now.
It's given me a trouble free 180,000 miles so far!
ZenMunk999@reddit
This may be common knowledge at this point, but Albert Biermann, the former head of the BMW M division and later head of the Hyundai N division, lead the G70 development.
hi_im_bored13@reddit
What any good audio shop should tell you is the same, less is more, and that you are much better off with 5 good speakers rather than 15 mediocre ones. A lot of these manufacturers are kinda caught in an arms race of marketing more=better, surround sound, etc. and end up with these 20+ speaker systems that are terribly tuned, out of phase, sound like complete garbage. Completely up to the manufacturer what balance they want to strike.
KingKontinuum@reddit
Yeah this basically sums up the Top Gear I remember reading about it.
tablewithoutlegs@reddit
Love the description of the Viper’s steering being actively malevolent. Much more eloquent than my metaphor of the Viper being that Goofy “I’ll fuckin do it again” meme as a car.
Good write up in general! I’ve looked at used G70 since a Genesis dealership opened nearby but haven’t gone as far down the path as you.
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