2018 GENESIS G70 SPIED: THE SEDAN IS LOOSING CONCEPT’S STUNNING DESIGN

Hyundai’s luxury division is getting one more sedan in the coming year. After the arrival of the full-size G90 and mid-size G80, the Korean car manufacturer works on the entry-level, sports sedan that’s going to be named the 2018 Genesis G70. The biggest rivals of the future compact car will mostly come from Germany, or more precisely, it will fight against the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, and Mercedes C-Class.

Now, since we already saw the testing model of the G70, we must say that there is plenty of sorrow in our eyes. There is nothing wrong with it, yet we expected to see something more, well, more similar to the recently introduced concept version. If you remember, they already introduced the G70 concept at the previous New York Auto Show, so we were pretty sure that the production model might be exactly the same. Instead of the concept’s stunning and ultra-sleek bodywork, the 2018 Genesis G70 appears to be totally different. The front end is getting the same huge mesh grill, yet more rounded headlights. Still, concept’s amazing hood design disappears, and instead, the car features less aggressive and shorter lines. Around back, the Genesis’ compact sedan sports more lifted hatch without smooth cues.

Performance-wise, the 2018 G70 will ride on a dynamic, rear-wheel-drive platform. Of course, you will be able to choose the all-wheel-drive setup as well.  On the other hand, an eight-speed automatic transmission is the only choice. According to the latest reports, the car should have three engine options. The base model will use a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit, which should deliver around 200 horsepower. The car manufacturer will also add a hybrid drivetrain. This setup will use a gasoline four-cylinder inline unit and an electric motor. Together, the powertrain will deliver 242 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of twist. The topping model will sport a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V-6 with around 365 horsepower.

The new luxury-oriented compact sedan will be introduced early next year. The carmaker hasn’t said anything official about the price, yet we think it will start at around $30K.