If you just read into the online hype, the Genesis G70 is the greatest thing since the creation of sports sedans, and the Korean luxury brand just released a significantly revised model. But is the 2022 Genesis G70 3.3T now quicker than an Audi S4 and a BMW M340i?
The Genesis G70 went into production in 2017, designed to directly compete with the iconic compact German sports sedans, like the 3 Series and C-Class. It's related to the Kia Stinger in terms of tech while sharing goodies with the GV70 crossover as well.
The 2022 updates bring a whole new exterior look, which is very polarizing. The headlights are now split into two small openings, while the main grille is bolder. Rumors talked about a new 3.5-liter turbo with more power, but the top-end engine carried over.
It's the familiar 3.3-liter Lambda with twin-turbocharging and direct injection. The official rating is 365 hp and 376 Nm of torque (370 PS and 510 Nm). In this drag race, the G70 is also fitted with its optional AWD, which makes the comparison to the Audi and BMW fairer.
Of the two Germans, the Audi S4 isn't the one to beat. We've seen enough drag races to know that the BMW M340i is quicker with xDrive due to a combination of having more power, better delivery, and a superior layout.
But the Genesis still struggles with the quattro model, which is puzzling. At 354 hp, the S4 has got less power, and it's also heavier. You can find many forum posts and even in-depth reviews which point out that the G70 doesn't launch well. So testers have said the 3.3T is barely faster than the four-cylinder. And it appears the problem wasn't fixed during the facelift.
It's puzzling that Genesis makes a sedan that's intentionally sporty and yet doesn't allow it to launch. We suspect that some part of the drivetrain can't cope with that. Don't get us wrong, it's still doing pretty well against the Audi S4, and we think the interior is up to those "German" levels.
The M340i is the one that really terrorizes it, from normal mode to sport mode and in rolling races too. To decide if the 2022 Genesis G70 is worth picking up regardless of its slight performance shortcomings, we suggest watching the full review below.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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