Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Review 2024

If the premium German estates are too obvious and you actually like being approached by strangers in car parks, the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake could be an interesting choice. Don't expect family-friendly practicality but it is, at least, more usable than the Genesis G70 saloon. If you really want an up-to-date Genesis, we'd recommend looking at the GV70 SUV instead.

Whisper it, but we reckon the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is at its best with diesel power. Not only will it be less crippling in fuel costs, but the punchy turbodiesel engine feels like less effort than even the more powerful petrol unit.

In terms of trim level, it probably comes down to taste. The entry-level Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Premium Line has a pretty comprehensive list of standard equipment, however we'd stretch to the Luxury Line for its slightly more premium interior with leather seats and a heated steering wheel. The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Sport Line will appeal to fans of sporty looks and big alloy wheels, but we'd be inclined to opt for one of the softer models.

The obvious competitors are premium German estates like the BMW 3 Series Touring, Mercedes C-Class Estate and Audi A4 Avant, as well as the slightly left-field Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake.

In reality, though, if you're considering a Genesis G70 Shooting Brake, you're probably after something that isn't German. So you could be looking at a Volvo V60, for example, or maybe a Jaguar XE or Alfa Romeo Giulia (neither of which are available in wagon form). 

Quality is generally as good as you'd expect from a premium BMW 3 Series competitor. For the ultimate luxury, you'll have to splash the cash, though – the Nappa leather seats are a desirable option, for example, but will cost you an extra couple of grand. We also enjoyed the heated and ventilated seats of our test car, but the latter are only available as part of the comfort seat pack.

There are also a few things that are a little more Kia than Mercedes. The buttons, which we mentioned as a highlight above, do feel a bit flimsy. And, if we were being picky, a bit more weight in some of the controls (like the drive mode selector, for example) wouldn’t go amiss.

No matter which trim level you choose, all Genesis G70 Shooting Brakes feature the same 10.25-inch navigation system. It’s perched up high on the dashboard which makes it easy to glance at on the move without being distracting, while operation is pleasingly simple.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard – meaning you can mirror apps from your phone. Our test car was also fitted with the excellent Lexicon premium sound system – not a must-have feautre by any stretch of the imagination, but a desirable option if you like to crank up the music.

Our test car was also fitted with the 3D digital instrument cluster (available as part of the innovation pack), which can apparently track your eyes using sensors and adjust the effect as necessary. This less-than-desirable option is technology for technology’s sake and just made our eyes go a little funny. It’s something we got used to with time, though and you can always turn off the 3D function.

Able to accommodate 465 litres of luggage, the boot space in the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake isn’t quite on a par with more conventional estate rivals. A BMW 3 Series Touring can take 500 litres of luggage, for example, while the Volvo V60 can accommodate 529 litres. The Volkswagen Arteon Shooting Brake can carry a huge 590 litres.

There’s quite a narrow boot opening and a bit of a lip for lifting items over, although it’s obviously easier to load than a Genesis G70 saloon.

Space for rear-seat passengers isn’t all that impressive, either. Headroom is fine, but the sloping window design means it feels a bit claustrophobic. Knee room is limited with a pair of tall adults in the front, while there’s a huge lump in the floor which makes squeezing someone into the middle seat challenging.

The rear seats split 40/20/40, dropping to provide 1535 litres of luggage space. You don’t get an entirely flat load bay, though.

The external dimensions of the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake are identical to the standard model. That means it measures 4685mm long, 1850mm wide and 1400mm high.

The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake engine line-up mirrors the regular Genesis G70. That means it’s available with one diesel or two petrol engines – significantly, hybrid or pure-electric power is missing from the line-up.

The diesel engine is a 2.2-litre four-cylinder unit, producing 200PS and a healthy 440Nm of torque. It accelerates to 62mph in a relatively sprightly 7.7 seconds.

The petrol offering is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, producing 197PS or 245PS. The former accelerates to 62mph in 9.3 seconds, while the latter covers the 0-62mph sprint in just 6.6 seconds.

We’ve sampled both the diesel and the more powerful petrol engine. It’s out of fashion to say so, but the diesel’s grunt makes it a more desirable choice in our opinion. The petrol doesn’t feel as rapid as its official acceleration figure suggests.

You can’t buy the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake with a manual gearbox. All come with an eight-speed torque-converter transmission which changes rapidly enough, especially if you select one of the sportier drive modes.

We have very few complaints about refinement and noise levels in the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake. It’s just as hushed as you’d expect for a premium car, while even the diesel engine isn’t particularly clattery. Floor the petrol engine in sport mode and you’ll hear an audible rumble from the front (and the speakers…) but it’s nothing too irritating.

If we were to pick holes, the soundtrack of the four-cylinder engines aren't as sonorous as six-cylinder alternatives, while obviously it can't run around under electric power alone (like hybrid alternatives). 

While the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake might seem a bit dated in a lot of areas, its list of standard safety technology isn't going to leave you wanting more. Highlights include a Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist function which can bring the car to a complete stop in order to prevent a crash, while the Intelligent Speed Limit Assist controls the G70 Shooting Brake's speed using data from both the navigation and front-facing camera.

One other safety feature of note on the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake is the innovative airbag that pops out of the centre console in a collision, designed to prevent the driver from colliding with the front-seat passenger.

While the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake (nor the regular Genesis G70) hasn't been crash-tested by Euro NCAP, the brand says it's aiming for best-in-class safety. That's a bold claim when it's up against the likes of Volvo.

As Genesis is such a new brand in the UK, we don’t know for sure what its long-term reliability record will be like. That said, its use of Hyundai and Kia parts ought to be a good thing for dependability – both brands perform well in the annual HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction index.

The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake comes with a five-year warranty including roadside assistance as part of its Care Plan.

If you're looking for a Genesis G70 Shooting Brake with cheap insurance, we'd recommend the 197PS petrol engine. With less power than the other engine choices, it ought to be more affordable to insure, sitting in insurance group 32A. The others shouldn't cost an extortionate amount to insure, sitting in groups 37A, 38A or 39A depending on trim level.

The first year's VED (car tax) is based on CO2 emissions but included in the car's on-the-road price, so no need to worry about that. After that, you'll pay a flat rate of £155/year, as with all conventional petrol and diesel cars (hybrids qualify for a £10 discount while electric cars are free to tax).

Cars with a list price of more than £40,000 are stung with an additional £335 in premium car tax for five years (from the second time it's taxed). That includes a signicant chunk of Genesis G70 Shooting Brake models and is something to bear in mind when ordering.

The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake line-up is made up of the same core models as the G70 saloon. That means you can buy G70 Shooting Brake Premium Line, Luxury Line and Sport Line variants.

Standard equipment on the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Premium Line includes 18-inch alloy wheels, faux-leather seats (with electric adjustment in the front and electric lumbar support adjustment for the driver), a 10.25-inch sat-nav system with smartphone mirroring (Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and rear parking sensors. There's also a host of advanced driver assist safety systems, including Highway Driving Assist, Lane Following Assist and Smart Cruise Control.

The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Luxury Line adds leather seats (heated in the front) and a heated steering wheel. A premium air filter is standard, as is the Electronic Control Suspension. On the outside, Luxury Line models get a different type of 18-inch alloy wheels.

As its name suggests, the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Sport Line is a sportier model. Specification highlights include sports exterior styling, metallic pedals and a limited-slip differential for sportier handling. It also comes with chunky 19-inch alloy wheels as standard.