2022 Genesis G70 Shooting Brake review: First drive

The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is a more practical wagon-bodied version of the facelifted G70 sedan revealed last year.

It’s also a glorious-looking thing, and it promises to add some extra interior space to the G70’s talents while boasting the eye-catching silhouette of a rakish wagon/hatchback.

Due in Australia before the end of 2021 with pricing and specifications already announced for the single-variant range, we leapt at the chance to try this gorgeous car in the UK before we could get our hands on one Down Under.

How much does the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake cost?

The 2022 Genesis G70 Shooting Brake starts at $79,000 plus on-road costs – around $2000 more than an equivalent G70 Sedan.

Unlike its sedan sibling, the G70 Shooting Brake is offered with one trim level and one engine, essentially making it equivalent to the G70 2.0T with Luxury Package.

Rivals include:

• Audi A4 Avant 45 TFSI quattro S line: $73,300
• BMW 330i Touring: $80,971
• Skoda Superb 206TSI Sportline: $67,990 D/A
• Volkswagen Arteon 206TSI R-Line Shooting Brake: $70,740

All prices exclude on-road costs unless specified (D/A)

What do you get?

G70 Shooting Brake highlights:

• 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Satellite navigation
• Wired Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• Automatic high-beam
• Intelligent Front-Lighting System
• Limited-slip differential
• 19-inch alloy wheels in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres
• Sunroof
• 15-speaker Lexicon sound system
• Heated and ventilated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated rear seats
• 16-way power driver’s seat with memory
• 12-way power passenger seat
• Nappa leather upholstery
• Geometric patterned aluminium trim inserts
• Power tailgate
• Electrochromatic rear-view mirrors
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Keyless entry and start
• Wireless phone charger

The Sport Line package ($NCO) adds:

• Unique 19-inch alloy wheels
• ‘Sport’ grille
• Dark chrome exterior highlights
• Metal pedals
• Swirl patterned aluminium trim inserts
• ‘Sport’ quilted upholstery

Is the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake safe?

The 2022 Genesis G70 Shooting Brake has yet to be evaluated by ANCAP or Euro NCAP, but the G70 sedan received a five-star rating from ANCAP.

There’s no official word on what Australian Shooting Brakes might come with, but it’s expected to have similar equipment to the sedan, which comes standard with the following safety equipment:

• 10 airbags
• AEB with pedestrian/cyclist detection and junction assist
• Blind-spot assist
• Blind Spot View Monitor (cameras)
• Rear cross-traffic assist
• Lane-keep assist
• Lane Following Assist (lane centring)
• Adaptive cruise control with stop/go
• Rear occupant alert
• Safe exit warning
• Surround-view cameras
• Front/rear parking sensors
• Reversing guide light

What is the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake like on the inside?

In many ways, the Shooting Brake feels much the same as the sedan inside. That means it’s every inch the premium wagon, with lovely soft leather and comfortable seats, as well as some Bentley-esque styling features.

Unlike so many models on sale today, Genesis has kept the physical switchgear, rather than shuffling functions into an unfathomable touchscreen.

That’s particularly good news because the G70’s 10.25-inch touchscreen is probably the weakest part of the interior.

It feels a little clunky and sluggish at times, and although the display is relatively clear and easy to navigate, the overall feel is a little old-school compared with the more modern systems in the GV70 SUV and G80 sedan. Those screens just feel slicker and more responsive to inputs.

Although some of the switchgear looks slightly cheap and plasticky – we’re looking at those on the steering wheel in particular – they feel robust and tactile, with smooth actions and just the right level of resistance.

That’s the case all around the cabin, with plenty of classy materials that appear to be meticulously engineered and precisely bolted together, but the occasional sub-standard plastic panel appears to have snuck in below knee level. That said, the same accusation could be levelled at some Audis these days.

Generally speaking, the cabin is wonderfully comfortable for those in the front, but it has less appeal for those who choose to sit in the back seats.

Models with dark roof lining feel quite claustrophobic back there, with the swooping roof line necessitating relatively small windows. And the overall space in there isn’t that impressive, with barely adequate legroom and limited headroom.

Kids will have plenty of space and shorter adults will be fine, but those above average height will find it a little cramped.

There’s slightly better news in the boot, where the sedan’s 330-litre luggage bay expands to a more capacious 403 litres.

Although that’s a vast improvement, it still means the G70 Shooting Brake’s boot is around 100 litres smaller than that of the BMW 3 Series Touring.

However, it’s perfectly adequate for most drivers, and if the rear seats are folded down, both cars have roughly the same amount of room.

What’s under the bonnet?

The 2022 Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 179kW of power and 353Nm of torque.

It’s mated with an eight-speed torque-converter automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.

Genesis claims the G70 Shooting Brake will accelerate from 0-100km/h time in 6.4 seconds.

Oddly, the 3.3-litre twin-turbo V6 available in the G70 Sedan isn’t offered with the wagon body, nor are the lower-output 2.0-litre turbo or 2.2-litre turbo-diesel options offered in Europe.

How does the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake drive?

We have to caveat our driving impressions of the G70 Shooting Brake, because we sampled it on the infamously awful roads of Britain, and the appalling asphalt of North Yorkshire hardly showed the Genesis in its best light. And we’ve no idea whether an Australian-specification car would have quite the same suspension tuning.

Nevertheless, it’s clear the G70 Shooting Brake has been designed for comfort rather than handling.

Although the numbers don’t agree, the car feels heavier than the G70 Sedan, with the rear sinking bodily into larger depressions.

It’s slightly fidgety at low speeds and unsettled over smaller imperfections, but the high-speed ride is reasonable, and we’d expect the low-speed comfort to improve on the smoother streets of Sydney.

And the Shooting Brake is pretty refined, with very little engine noise making its way into the cabin unless you really hit the throttle. Then it sounds a bit dull and droning, and the fake noise piped in through the speakers in Sport mode does little to improve things.

The biggest issue is arguably the steering, which feels light and numb at any speed. Opting for the Sport or Sport+ driving modes makes it heavier but does nothing to improve the tactility or instil extra confidence.

That said, the response the wheel elicits is predictable and progressive, so the car is still easy enough to drive.

It’s a shame there isn’t more feedback, though, because the G70 Shooting Brake feels reasonably agile. There’s good balance between the front and rear of the car, and although it rolls slightly more than the G70 sedan, it doesn’t wallow about too much through corners.

But nor does it ever feel particularly engaging. There’s nothing about it that encourages the driver to find a good road and have some fun; it just likes cruising down fast, smooth highways.

How much does the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake cost to run?

Genesis’ ownership proposition is appealing: a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty with five years of free servicing and roadside assistance.

That sounds great, and Genesis adds to that with a concierge service that collects the vehicle and takes it for servicing for you, so there’s no need to visit a dealer. That said, the service is only available within 70km of the CBD in Sydney, Brisbane or Melbourne, which isn’t much use to those on the west coast.

Running costs might be more of an issue, with some gas-guzzling engines on show. The 2.0-litre engine quotes combined fuel use of 9.1L/100km, making it marginally less economical than its four-door stablemate.

Unless the diesel comes to Australia with its sub-7.0L/100km thirst, the Shooting Brake isn’t going to be that cheap on fuel.

CarExpert’s Take on the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake

Viewed in isolation, the G70 Shooting Brake is a solid addition to the market.

The suspension struggles with Britain’s famously terrible roads, but it should prove more comfortable on smoother Australian asphalt. It looks great inside and out, the interior quality is good and it has a bigger boot than the G70 sedan.

But the G70 needs to do more than that if it wants to compete with rivals from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz. There are German alternatives that are more fun to drive, more comfortable and more spacious, which leaves the Genesis in a no-man’s land.

It’s a shame, because it’s interesting, sexy and likeable, and it certainly feels like a true luxury car. It just needs a bit more polish and poise.

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