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The 2022 Genesis G70 refresh looks awesome, gets new drive modes

The interior gets a much-needed infotainment update, too.

Steven Ewing Former managing editor
Steven Ewing spent his childhood reading car magazines, making his career as an automotive journalist an absolute dream job. After getting his foot in the door at Automobile while he was still a teenager, Ewing found homes on the mastheads at Winding Road magazine, Autoblog and Motor1.com before joining the CNET team in 2018. He has also served on the World Car Awards jury. Ewing grew up ingrained in the car culture of Detroit -- the Motor City -- before eventually moving to Los Angeles. In his free time, Ewing loves to cook, binge trash TV and play the drums.
Steven Ewing
2 min read
2022 Genesis G70
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2022 Genesis G70

The new front end features Genesis' signature grille and quad-lamp lighting.

Genesis

released a few images of the updated sedan back in September, and I've got to say, it looks great -- but things keep getting better with a new set of images dropped by the company on Tuesday. I know Genesis' big grille and quad-lamp lighting isn't for everyone, but combined with some softer edges and the G70's more petite package, I'm totally here for this refresh. Besides, this update brings the G70 in line with its larger G80, G90 and GV80 siblings.

The front fascia obviously exhibits the G70's biggest styling update. In profile, the G70 is largely similar to the current car, with some new wheel designs that almost look slightly too big for this compact sedan. From the rear, the G70 is a lot like its predecessor, though its chunky taillights are now split, bringing the quad-lamp signature around to the car's butt.

The Genesis G70 gets a super-sleek redesign

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Moving inside, I'm all about the purple leather upholstery, though the overall design of the G70's cabin hasn't changed too much. One big improvement sits atop the dash: A new, 10.3-inch infotainment screen that "features an exclusive Genesis UI design," according to the automaker. This new tech supports over-the-air updates thanks to Wi-Fi, as well as Apple CarPlay compatibility, though the company curiously doesn't mention Android Auto -- something that's available in the current G70.

Genesis confirmed on Tuesday that the current 2.0-liter turbo I4 and 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 engines would carry over unchanged, but that they will receive additional drive modes. Other global markets will get a four-cylinder diesel engine option as well. As we've previously reported, an eight-speed automatic transmission is now the only unit available. The manual is dead.

The updated G70 is expected to go on sale in South Korea in October before making its way to other countries. Considering the current G70 exists as a 2021 model in the US, the new G70 will show up wearing a 2022 designation, meaning it should arrive sometime early next year.

Watch this: 2019 Genesis G70: A subtly sharper sport sedan