• Low-slung seats up front
• Cramped in the back
• Works best as a four-seater

How much space is there?

While the Genesis G70 is a five-seater, the car’s sporty-looking saloon body means that interior space isn’t class leading. Think of it more as a four-seater with the option of a fifth seat if needed for short trips and it makes a bit more sense.

There’s nothing wrong with accommodation up front, where electric seat adjustment for the driver means it’s easy to get comfortable at the wheel, while the low seat and high centre console give a sporty impression.

It’s in the back where the issues lie. The rear doors open wide, but the roof line is low, and headroom is on the tight side, especially for taller passengers. Legroom is at a bit of a premium, too, thanks in part to those low-set front seats, while the car’s transmission tunnel and rear air vents get in the way for middle-seat passengers to sit comfortably. The two outer seats are more heavily sculpted, so sitting there will be more comfortable than the narrow perch in the middle.

Even a BMW 3 Series is more generous if rear seat space is important, while a Skoda Superb is particularly accomodating if you can do without a premium badge.

Boot space and storage

There’s a 330-litre boot in the back of the Genesis G70, which is smaller than you’ll find in some compact hatchbacks let alone rivals such as the 3 Series. The car’s swooping lines and long rear window mean that the tailgate opening is also on the narrow side. If you want more space, then the G70 Shooting Brake is the sharply-styled estate variant.

There are folding back seats in the saloon, but again the opening through to the cabin is narrow, and the 60:40 split seats can only be operated via levers in the cabin – there’s no remote release in the boot. A Convenience Pack (which comes as standard on higher-spec cars) adds a powered tailgate, which can be operated via the key fob for hands-free opening.

Cabin storage is pretty reasonable. There’s a good glovebox, door bins that aren’t the deepest – but are quite long – and the centre console features a deep armrest bin, twin cup holders and a tray ahead of them where you can charge a smartphone.

Is it easy to park?

All models come with front and rear parking sensors as standard, and there’s a rear camera that projects images to the main touchscreen when reversing, too. This all helps mitigate the G70’s relatively low driving position and small glass area. Visibility isn’t bad, but it’s useful to have these extras to help position the car at low speeds.

Genesis also offers 360-degree surround view cameras as part of the optional Innovation Pack. This can project a 3D image of the car when you’re parking and you can take a look at your surroundings either in plan view, or in a clever three-quarters position that includes a computer-generated image of the car within its surroundings.

Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP rating
• Lots of standard safety kit
• Some advanced options available

The Genesis G70 was tested by Euro NCAP in Shooting Brake guise in 2021, and it achieved a full five-star rating. Genesis says that a total of 10 airbags are fitted as standard in the G70, with the car’s electronics able to detect the number of occupants and the severity of a collision to activate the airbags accordingly. Isofix mounts are located in the back seats only.

There’s also a full suite of safety equipment to protect occupants and other road users. Automated Emergency Braking (AEB) is standard and can detect pedestrians and cyclists as part of its technology. If there is a collision with a pedestrian, the active bonnet pops up to protect them from hard points in the engine bay.

Other safety kit includes speed limit detection, adaptive cruise control and lane assist, along with blind spot and forward collision assist. Head to the options list, and the Innovation Pack adds a blind-spot monitor and adaptive LED headlights, as well 360-degree cameras.