Genesis Motor G70 Estate (2021 - ) review

Going by a straightforward ‘on the road’ price comparison the G70 Shooting Brake looks almost as attractive to buy as it is to look at. The fact the cost also includes one-to-one service with a designated ‘personal assistant’ a phone call or email away is another attraction. You can visit a ‘Genesis Studio’ if you like but, similarly, the whole process from test drive to aftersales can be done from home if you prefer. Taking a more hard-headed approach to living costs the lack of any sort of electrified option will make the G70 Shooting Brake more expensive for company drivers than plug-in hybrids that may also be on the shortlist, like the VW Arteon Shooting Brake or Peugeot 508 SW. The electric models Genesis promises are on the way can’t come soon enough but for anyone other than private buyers the G70 Shooting Brake could be more expensive than its tempting starting price suggests, rather limiting its appeal to early adopters attracted by its admittedly striking looks.

Although Genesis is an all-new brand to the UK its Hyundai roots should give some measure of confidence. Key to the proposition is that if anything goes wrong with your Genesis (or it just needs a service) you simply ring your dedicated personal assistant and they’ll arrange for it to be picked up and sorted out, with a courtesy car to keep you on the road while any work is being done. This package, the warranty, roadside assistance and more are all included in the price and last for five years, meaning for the term of a regular finance agreement you should have little to worry about.

Genesis packs a lot of tech into the price and all the usual driver assistance functions you’d expect of a modern luxury car come as standard. It’s not cheap but we’d also recommend upgrading to the Innovation Pack to unlock the best of the features, including a head-up display that handily displays things like blind spot alerts directly in your line of sight, with an additional rearward camera view appearing in the instrument cluster for added reassurance. It’s a neat feature we’ve also seen on Kia and Hyundai models and especially useful given the significant rearward blindspots created by the sleek roofline. The pack also includes surround view cameras, front parking sensors and upgraded dual LED headlights.

The test cars we drove were fully loaded with all the extras like quilted Nappa leather upholstery and optional Comfort Pack, all of which flatters the G70 Shooting Brake’s luxury pretensions. In the name of fairness we’d like to try one in a more basic specification but it’s clear the Genesis is well made and comfortable, albeit slightly old-school with its lashings of silver buttons and trimmings. Leather is standard on all but the base trim and driver and front seat passenger are well catered for in supportive and very comfortable seats, neat features like the padding ‘relaxing’ into a softer setting for the driver when going from Sport to Comfort mode showing neat attention to detail, though again this is a cost option. In the back the outer two seats are similarly comfortable, though the sloping roof does limit headroom somewhat and, if you’re more used to the space of an SUV, it might feel a little tight, especially for anyone using the centre seat. Boot access is also a little constrained by the relatively small tailgate and, while it’s more useful than the G70 saloon, those with young families may be better off with the SUV practicality of the GV70. On the road the G70 Shooting Brake is very refined, thanks in part to noise-cancelling tech. Positive steering response makes it as satisfying through the corners as it is relaxed on the motorway and the suspension feels plush over larger lumps, though has a little harshness over potholes and speedbumps. Extensive work calibrating the Shooting Brake for European roads and tastes shows, and the fact Genesis can hold its own here against the likes of BMW and Mercedes is high praise indeed.

We like the simple three-step range structure and fact Genesis bundles extras into easily understandable packages, all of which simplifies the buying process. Given it’s meant to be a luxury car we’d say it’s worth going a step up from the entry-level Premium Line and to Luxury Line or Sport Line for features like the leather seats and adaptive suspension. There’s plenty of functionality via the standard 10.25-inch central touch-screen, though in terms of graphics and menu structure it lags some way behind the likes of BMW, Mercedes or even VW’s latest systems. It’s also quite a stretch to operate the screen and there’s no manual interface like you get in some rivals. It all works but there’s no escaping that the Genesis feels a generation behind its closest rivals in the presentation (if not the content) of its tech, though some may prefer this more traditional vibe and physical knobs and switches. Our options picks would include the Innovation Pack (see also ‘Safety’) for the funky 3D dials, while music lovers will appreciate the excellent Lexicon stereo upgrade, which includes subwoofers built into the bases of the front seats.

The petrol version of the G70 Shooting Brake comes in two power levels, depending on which trim level you go for. We tried the more powerful 245 horsepower option, which is refined enough at a gentle pace but gets a little rowdy if you try and explore the sporting promise of the looks. Diesel may not be the most fashionable fuel choice these days but the extra torque and response of this engine arguably makes sense, unlocking just a flavour of the appealing rear-wheel drive balance that sets the Shooting Brake apart from the likes of the front-wheel drive Arteon Shooting Brake and 508 SW. The standard eight-speed automatic gearbox also seemed a better fit with the diesel, shifting more positively and predictably rather than hunting around for gears as it does in the petrol.