Farewell Kia Stinger. In just six short years, you changed the image of Kia and gave the BMW 4-Series Gran Coupe a good thrashing. Although you will be survived by your Genesis G70 sibling, news of your discontinuation still feels like a great loss. You certainly know how to make the road a more interesting place. However, before you go, I have something to say. To quote Officer Slater from Superbad, “You’re an organ donor.”
Yes, Genesis is finally dropping the 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in its GV70, G80, GV80, and the Kia Stinger GT into the G70. The current two-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is unquestionably a weak spot in the 2023 car, so going from 252 to 300 horsepower ought to put some serious pep in this entry-level sports sedan’s step. Torque also sees a massive jump from 260 lb.-ft. to 311, potentially turning the G70 into the stoplight king of the basic four-cylinder sports sedan segment.
While this hasn’t been announced yet for the North American market, this 2.5-liter turbocharged engine has already been homologated for U.S. use in a variety of models, don’t be surprised if it comes stateside. More power is best paired with better brakes, so all Korean-market G70s now come with Brembo calipers. The Brembo option makes a noticeable difference on G70s, so I’m pleased to see it downloaded to the rest of the range.
Unfortunately, as updates give, updates can sometimes take away. In this case, an array of physical buttons have been replaced with a touchscreen for the climate control. While physical knobs for HVAC temperature are still on deck, controls for functions like the heated seats, vent position, and fan speed are now in a screen. While I appreciate how this moves the interior temperature display out of the infotainment system, I can’t help but feel that a touchscreen is a reduction in usability, especially in wintertime with bulky gloves on. Mind you, summertime should be all smiles as ventilated front seats are now standard on all Korean G70 models. Let’s hope this unexpected standard feature makes the jump across the Pacific.
It’s also worth noting that the G70 now comes in some new colors. The one in these pictures is the fantastic Kawah Blue, but Bartna Grey is also on the color list for those who wish to slide under the radar. Perhaps more intriguingly, the G70 now offers the choice of a two-tone Forest Blue and Vanilla Beige interior, which sounds excellent. Rounding out the list of cosmetic changes are new wheel designs. The ones Genesis decided to show off give a hint of the Essentia concept, not a bad influence to have.
One thing that definitely isn’t coming to America is the fantastic wagon offered in Europe. While definitely not the most practical compact wagon with 16.4 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row compact to the Volvo V60’s 22.9 cubic feet, it looks awesome and still offers a nice bump in cargo volume over the sedan. Still, the updated Genesis G70 is now on sale in Korea, so expect for the American model to receive some changes for the 2024 model year.
(Photo credits: Genesis)
Support our mission of championing car culture by becoming an Official Autopian Member.
-
The Kia Stinger Never Had A Future. But I’m Still Sad To See It Go
-
Genesis Just Did That Thing Where An Automaker Wrecks An SUV’s Rear Headroom And Calls It A Coupe
-
The Genesis GV60 Performance Is A Tire-Frying Hypnotoad That Beats The Tesla Model Y In Many Areas
-
The Genesis X Convertible Concept Is More Proof That Genesis Gets Luxury
-
The 2024 Hyundai Elantra N Looks Damn Good And If It Keeps The Manual Transmission It Will Win Hearts
Got a hot tip? Send it to us here. Or check out the stories on our homepage.
You didn’t even mention, the stinger also has a 365hp V6 option. So this thing is still way, way behind the stinger
The G70 has a 365HP RWD or AWD option as the 3.3T. It always has.
I’m still convinced the Stinger only failed because of crappy dealership shenanigans. I’ve heard from several people that wanted a Stinger and tried to buy one but quickly got fed up with obnoxious Kia dealerships and decided against it.
Don’t discontinue the Stinger, discontinue the bullcrap dealerships.
I have a stinger GTS, which is great, but yes, the dealer is terrible! All of them.
I had a Kia about 12 years ago, and back then I didn’t think the dealer experience could be any worse. I went to look at a Stinger when they first launched and found out that not only could they get worse, but they actively did so with aggression. As much as I like the Stinger, until Kia fixes their garbage dealerships, they won’t get any of my money again.
I would be one of them. Talk about payments, not price, weird fees showing up. I negotiate the price down, they suddenly find something new wrong with my trade. I walked.
Hey now! Love the Stinger, but so far as thrashing the 4 Gran Coupe, that’s a line crossed. Owning both a GT2 and a 440i GC, the Stinger has (had before I Dinan chipped the bimmer) more oomph off the line, better brakes, and AWD feels like a cheat code on the twisties. But the car’s also a lot bigger and heavier which eats into the extra power and traction advantage, and in practical applications my B58 is getting 25-26 mpg even though I occasionally drive like an asshole, while my wife is lucky to pull 16 out of the Kia.
I love the 4 series GC and nearly bought a certified 440i about a year ago. It’s a damn shame they ruined the damn thing with the redesign and the absurd beaver teeth.
Never mind this might be my last ICE daily, but I specifically went looking for the lowest mileage last-gen I could find and picked up an ’18 with 24k about a year and a half ago. I don’t buy new cars (wife’s Stinger excepted), so I need this thing to last at least until BMW designers come to their senses plus three years for lease returns to start rolling in.
16?? I drive the absolute piss out of my stinger GTS 3.3 AWD and average 22. With a tune!
Fixing the dealerships would go so much further than 50hp in the base motor.
A friend bought a 2023 loaded 3.3 G70 in March. 2 weeks later he took it back to the dealer to have the bogus paint protection they sold him applied. The dealer crashed it (damaging the front drivers quarter, headlight and bumper). They repaired it and did such a bad job that my friend declined the work and they agreed to try again.
When he went to pick the car up the second time, the entire body was covered in haze and swirls from a botched polishing job. My friend again said ‘what the fuck’ and the dealer then told him “Sorry, we will get you a brand-new car”. They found the only exact match in the country at a dealer 300 miles away, traded for it and gave it to him.
The dealer is now attempting to sell the crashed car (with 1,048 miles on it and a CLEAN CARFAX) for $54,990… $2300 less than a brand new one.
They eventually did right by him but the whole thing was a serious mess that took about 2 months to get resolved and it highlights the joys of having to deal with Hyundai service on a Lexus-like product.
Maybe Hyundai doesn’t have the same “dedication” to this that Toyota did, but I recall one of the primary selling points of Lexus when new was the dealer experience. Our cars are good and your experience at the dealer will be better than Cadillac, Mercedes, etc.
To Genesis/Hyundai’s credit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen advertising for Genesis claiming a superior customer service experience for your purchase or service after the sale. I guess they know the limitations of their dealer network?
Hyundai is realizing thats been a weak spot in the Genesis strategy to date. They now have standalone facility requirements, but it will take some time for that to trickle through the dealer network. The few I’ve seen thus far are very impressive facilities. Hopefully having to hire a separate staff for them will up the focus on what luxury buyers expect.
A touch-screen control for “vent position?” What am I in crazy town?
It’s about damn time! I hope they give it the updated 3.5 liter turbo 6 rather than the current 3.3 liter dinosaur as well. This car is gorgeous, well priced, and well appointed but the powertrains were absolutely DOA. You can’t be selling a 3.3 liter 6 that gets goddamn 17 MPG in the city in the same class as a car with a B58.
The base 252 horsepower 2 liter is dated as hell too. It’s a lazy engine that doesn’t hold up to the base engines of the German cars in practice. It may seem similar on paper but the German turbo 4s are much punchier in the real world and we all know they underrate them.
Honestly this is a much needed update. I’ve been saying for a while now that the G70 is just missing…something. A legit base engine/Brembo option is a big deal for buyers who like spirited driving, and to be honest the current V6 prices the car into a range where it’s not as equipped to compete. Once you check the options you should be checking on a Genesis (the base cars really aren’t that great) the V6 G70s are in the 50s and they’re not really that appealing anymore.
But a base one with the better engine and some of the sporty upgrades in the mid 40s? Now we’re cooking with gas. That’s an appealing package that gives you some legit power without forcing you to deal with V8 fuel economy from a 6 cylinder…but like I said, hopefully the 3.5 turbo makes its way over from the other Genesis products. It’s much more impressive than the Stinger’s leftovers, and it should fit no problem.
Anyway the chances of me considering an AWD one with the new 2.5 and the better brakes (can we get a sport package that included those and some differentials maybe? Pretty please?) in the next few years are far from 0.
Wait other markets have a wagon?
Gonna go sob a tiny bit, brb.
I’ve been eyeing a G70 as a potential replacement for my 9-5NG. It’s good to know I’ll be buying one used, if I decide to spring for it — I care more about the physical controls than this new engine.
And with that legendary Hyundai/Kia depreciation as strong as ever amidst all of the ghastly headlines they’re making you’ll be able to find nice used G70s in the low 30s all day long. I have absolutely eaten shit on my Kona N. I didn’t buy it as an investment but dear god…it’s a year old with 6500 miles on it and it’s already lost 20% or more of its value depending on the measure.
I like the G70 and will occasionally browse listings for them and year or two old ones with low miles and clean carfaxes are sitting on lots for months and selling as much as $10,000 less than they did new. Unfortunately Genesis just isn’t doing all that well market share wise. It sucks for them but we enthusiasts are going to have some absolutely amazing used buys on our hands before we know it.
man Kona Ns seem to be rare as hens teeth too, I’ve only seen a few and there’s maybe a dozen listed in my area new.
There are a ton in my area listed. I live in DC so the area around me tends to get a surplus of most cars…even the more desirable ones. When I bought mine this time last year it was the only one within 100 miles or so but right now there are probably 20-30 listed. I think what happened is Elantra and Veloster Ns were really hot around here for a while (I was looking for one of either hard but kept getting dicked around) and dealerships jumped at the chance to get the Konas since they figured any N would sell.
…unfortunately it seems like I’m really the only person who wanted the Kona N, as they’re all currently sitting with money on their hoods and lightly used ones are listed for around $30,000. I absolutely love the car but I won’t tell you it was my first choice…I wanted an EN or VN but the wife said if I was going to get an N it had the be the “SUV”. I decided that compromise was acceptable.
Enthusiasts don’t seem all that into them though because they’d rather have the lower center of gravity of the other two…and they don’t offer it in stick. They’re also way too rough around the edges to upsell to normal Kona buyers as “the best Kona”. They ride rough, there’s a lot of NVH, they’re loud, and they’re hyper.
I love all of that and like having a little edge to my driving experience, but most folks don’t…not to mention they really whiffed on the opportunity to make them the friendliest/most approachable N car. The Elantra is a lot more polished and forgiving, and I’d know because I test drove both.
Regardless, I love the car and I think in a few years it’ll have a redemption arc. I don’t think folks realize how complete of an old school ICE experience the Ns are. Like I said…I didn’t buy it as an investment but I’d imagine in 5-10 years a non hooned, enthusiast owned one that’s had all its maintenance and was only driven 6-8,000 miles a year might garner some interest on BAT or Cars and Bids. It’s an oddity in all the best ways.
It’s also the market timing, but we’re definitely feeling it too. Our 2014 Elantra GT with 80k on the clock was getting $12k offers last July, now down to $7k. Wish I had pulled the trigger on something else at that time, now we’ll probably drive it a while longer. The class action engine drinks oil but it seems like keeping it hydrated is an ok strategy and we’ll be covered if it blows up.