Hyundai let slip to C/D that its new turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four from the Sonata N-Line will eventually make its way into the Genesis G70 sports sedan. This engine will replace the current G70 2.0-liter turbo-four, which serves as the base engine and sits under the more powerful twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 in the lineup. The engine transplant is likely to be part of the G70's mid-cycle facelift, which should come either for the 2021 or 2022 model year

The new engine should provide a significant power boost for the four-cylinder G70, as 2.5T engine makes 290 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque in the Sonata, improvements of 38 hp and 50 lb-ft over the current 2.0T. But the bad news is that it might mean the end of the G70 2.0T's available six-speed manual transmission, as the 2.5T in the Sonata mates only with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Genesis says the manual has accounted for only around 4 percent of G70 2.0T sales in the U.S. so far, so we wouldn't be surprised to see it dropped from the lineup when this new engine arrives.

Expect to hear more official information about the G70's new powertrain sometime next year as we get closer to the launch of the updated model, which is also likely to benefit from tweaked styling and new technology features.

It may not be the most popular sports sedan yet, but the Genesis G70 has become quite successful on its first try. This is something Jaguar couldn't do with the XE and it allows the Korean automaker to think about updates.

We like the way the G70 is shaped. It's sporty, like an alternative 3 Series, so we dreaded the idea of having a refresh that messes everything up. If you're of the same opinion, maybe this article can quiet those emotions.

The Korean website KKS Studio has recently released a rendering showing the future design of the G70, which is most likely going to have a 2022 model year refresh. As you can plainly see, the sportiest of Genesis models will adopt a new family face.

This includes a much larger pentagonal or diamond-shaped grille with sharp new double headlights. Because of our tendency to attribute human or animal characteristics to cars, it looks weird at first. After all, nothing has four narrow eyes outside of a sci-fi movie. But once you get used to it, the new Genesis design has the boldness needed to compete.

KKS never does a rendering without a firm foundation, and after a few minutes of searching on local blogs, we found a spy video of the 2020 Genesis G70 in a car park somewhere in Korea. Thus, the design changes have been somewhat confirmed.

Another bing change awaits the engine department. It's been all but confirmed that a 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder will take the place of the 2.0-liter base engine. This means more power, perhaps class-leading levels of it, upwards of 290 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque.

The other engine available will continue to be the sporty 3.3-liter bi-turbo V6. Once Genesis has crossovers too, it plans to launch itself in Europe as well. So you can expect to see this sharp sedan taking on the 320d with a 2.2-liter diesel powertrain of its own, though we have heard reports about a 3-liter diesel too.

Proving it is an enthusiast's brand at heart, Genesis is preparing to bring a shooting-brake (wagon) version of the G70 to market. "Yes, we have a study for that," Genesis CEO William Lee confirmed in a recent Q&A.

The G70 shooting brake would be derived from the facelifted G70, which is expected to be unveiled next year. The G70 will be the last Genesis model to be treated to the brand's new styling language, characterized by quad headlights and taillights and a new signature grille that the brand calls "crest grille." It will follow the lead of the recently unveiled G90 luxury sedan and GV80 SUV, as well as the upcoming next-gen G80 executive sedan and mid-size GV70 crossover SUV.

The G70 shooting brake will especially target European markets, where models like the BMW 3-series Touring and the Audi A4 Avant are wildly popular and generating far more sales than the sedan models they are based on. It is unclear whether a G70 shooting brake would be offered in North America. But we think it would be a perfect extension of the G70 nameplate, which has been showered with accolades and whose credentials are underscored both by its performance-oriented rear-wheel-drive platform and by the fact it is the only vehicle in its competitive set that is still available with a manual transmission.


As German premium carmakers, and also Cadillac, are killing quirky extensions of their lineup such as manual-transmission versions and station wagons, it is encouraging to see that Genesis is taking up the baton. Let's hope the Koreans take it a step further: by fast-tracking the shooting brake for the U.S. market as well.

a new signature grille that the brand calls "crest grille."

Three years ago, a year before the Genesis G70 had come to the U.S., digital artist X-Tomi Designs had already dreamed up a G70 wagon (pictured). That fancy has come partly true: Genesis does have a wagon in mind, but for the European market. Car and Driver reports that recently promoted global brand CEO William Lee replied to the question of a G70 wagon with, "Yes, we have a study for that." If the study turns into a production model, the G70 shooting brake would be based on the upcoming, facelifted G70 due next year.

C/D says there's no evidence this will come to the U.S., a kind way of saying there's precisely zero logical rationale for it here. Genesis is still planning its European assault, a timeline that's been stretched from original planning when the automaker reportedly intended to have a boutique operation up and running early this year. An Automotive News report last summer suggested it could be a couple of years from now. Even so, despite of the increasing popularity of crossovers in Europe, wagons are still a viable — read: profitable — bodystyle for luxury makers over there, and will likely be so when a potential long-body G70 shows.

That's not the case in the U.S. Rehashing numbers from a CNBC report last October, the U.S. wagon market took up 1.4 percent of U.S. auto sales in 2018, the Subaru Outback accounting for 1.2 percent. Sure, Audi has the Allroad and has blessed us with the new RS6 Avant, but the Ingolstadt automaker sold 3,240 A4 Allroads last year out of 224,111 total sales. Across the luxury aisle, Jaguar's set a gutting example with the well-liked XF Sportbrake, dealers trying to shed inventory with discounts up to $30,000. As much as we'd like to make the obligatory references to a hot-driving, manual-transmission-equipped, brown wagon unicorn, which a G70 wagon could certainly be, it feels like goading an automaker to lose money.

None of this is to say Genesis, known for conceptual and production surprises, won't ship a wagon across the Atlantic. But with a six-model lineup already planned, we think it more likely for Genesis let the coming GV70 crossover establish itself in the market first.

Genesis is expected to unveil a mid-cycle refresh of the G70 next year, but first, the sport sedan must endure one more model year as is. Thanks to new information posted on the Environmental Protection Agency's website, fueleconomy.gov, we know the option for a manual transmission will continue to be offered for 2021.

According to the EPA, via Motor Trend, the 2021 G70 will be available in at least three variations of the base trim with a turbo-four. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder can be paired with rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The all-wheel-drive version is only available with an eight-speed automatic transmission, but the rear-wheel-drive version will offered with the eight-speed auto or a six-speed manual transmission. We repeat: A six-speed stick-shift is an option on the 2021 Genesis G70.



The fuel economy information also shows that the engine carries over from the current 2020 model. The turbocharged four-cylinder makes 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. The rear-drive automatic model is EPA-rated at 22 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, while the rear-drive manual is rated at 18 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. The all-wheel drive automatic model is rated at 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. The EPA has not yet posted any information about the higher-grade G70 trims that offer a 365-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6.

According to a recent report, the four-cylinder engine could be replaced in the future refreshed G70 by the new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder from the Hyundai Sonata N-Line. The 2.5-liter engine is significantly more powerful than the current 2.0-liter engine with ratings of 290 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque. It is unclear, however, whether or not that engine has been developed to work with a manual transmission.

More information about the 2021 and 2022 G70s should be released later this year.

The facelifted Genesis G70 has been given an early unveiling as a couple of undisguised pictures have surfaced online.

Noticed by Carscoops reader Mr.V, who commented on this morning G70’s spy photos, the images show the facelifted sedan will follow in the footsteps of newer models such as G80, G90 and GV80.

As a result, the G70 adopts a Superman-like crest grille which is flanked by quad lighting units. Below are more aggressive air intakes and a wider central opening.





The styling changes continue out back as there is a new trunk with an integrated spoiler. On either side are quad taillights which mimic the headlights up front.

Elsewhere, we can see a sportier rear bumper and a new dual exhaust system with larger oval-shaped tips. While these pictures don’t show it, the facelifted G70 will also have new front fender vents which replace the previous chevron accents.

The pictures don’t reveal the interior, so it remains unclear how extensive the changes will be. However, the model could adopt a digital instrument cluster and an updated infotainment system.

While Genesis hasn’t said much about the car, previous reports have indicated the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder will be replaced by a new turbocharged 2.5-liter engine that develops 290 hp (216 kW / 294 PS) and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque. This would be a sizable increase of 38 hp (28 kW / 39 PS) and 50 lb-ft (68 Nm) of torque. Almost as important, the model is expected to keep its six-speed manual transmission.

It remains unclear when the facelifted G70 will debut but, in the United States, it’s expected to arrive as a 2022 model.

Genesis is preparing to refresh its G70 sedan, and we expected the usual enhancements – revised styling, minor interior tweaks, and maybe a few changes to the powertrain. The luxury automaker had already said the manual gearbox would live on into the 2021 model year, but that no longer seems to be the case. A new report from CarBuzz, citing an upcoming ABC News piece, says the manual gearbox is dead for the model.

According to the publication, a Genesis spokesperson confirmed the news to ABC, and while it’s not a surprising move, it is still a disappointing one for enthusiasts. The G70 was one of the last remaining luxury sedans offering such an option. Neither Mercedes nor BMW offers one in their C-Class and 3 Series models, respectively, so seeing the G70 drop the option does hurt.

Manual gearboxes have been disappearing from various makes and models for years as automatic gearboxes improve shift response and fuel efficiency. Fewer and fewer people wanted one, and even though the G70 offered a stick, less than five percent of buyers were opting for one. Genesis currently offers the manual with its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder mill. The gearbox can’t handle the additional torque of the larger twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 that’s also available in the sedan

The loss of the manual gearbox lines up with early reports of the G70’s 2.0-liter mill getting replaced by a larger 2.5-liter one; however, there’s a discrepancy between which engine Genesis will offer. It could offer both depending on the market. Regardless, it won’t have one feature that helped it stand out – a manual gearbox.

Genesis is expected to reveal the facelifted G70 next year for the Korean market before it arrives stateside. It likely won’t go on sale in the US until 2022. It should feature the brand’s latest design features, like the reworked grille, new lighting elements, and other visual changes.

A few months ago, Genesis revealed it was looking at the possibility of offering a Genesis G70 wagon or shooting brake variant. It seems that possibility will become a reality, since one of our spy photographers caught just such a prototype out testing on the road. Unsurprisingly, it builds off of the refreshed model we've spied in the past. What's a bit unexpected is that it may have more of a coupe-like fastback roofline than a traditional wagon.

Looking at the car in profile, we can see that the rear door glass is distinctly different from the sedan. The area where the window sill starts rising does so later than on the sedan, to have more glass area. And with that shallower angle, it would seem like the glass would extend past the door and farther upward like on the GV80 crossover, our nearest reference for a long-roof Genesis. But instead, the glass still ends at the C-pillar. Further supporting the idea that the G70 wagon will have a low, fastback roof is that there's quite a bit of false bodywork at the back, particularly around the rear window where it looks like a box was strapped to the rear hatch to get it to stick out farther and taller.

Besides the unique rear roof and door sections, this G70 wagon looks very much like the refreshed sedans we've seen in past spy shots. The nose adopts the pentagon-shaped grille shared with the crossovers and redesigned larger sedans. The headlights and taillights have the split lighting elements like those other models, too.

Of course, now that we know there's definitely some kind of long-roof G70 variant, the question is, will we get it here? There's certainly a possibility, but we also don't want to get your hopes up. In this size class, there are a couple of wagons proving that it's not impossible, including the Volvo V60 and the Audi A4 Allroad. That's not to say wagons are actually popular, though, and Genesis is already dropping the unpopular manual. Not only that, but it will have a GV70 crossover to fill the practical small luxury gap. If this G70 is more of a coupe-like vehicle, though, we'd say odds are a little better, since that segment has been booming with the Audi A5 Sportback and BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe in the same class, as well as various coupe-like Mercedes models spanning a few size segments. We'll simply have to wait and see. And since the G70 is mainly being refreshed, rather than fully redesigned, we should know in a year or so.