Genesis G70 Shooting Brake Review & Prices

This is the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake, and it’s the estate version of the Korean brand’s smallest saloon. Albeit, with practicality perhaps not its focal point.

Think of the G70 Shooting Brake as a kneeling chair among a crowd of armchairs. It’s certainly an eye-catching unconventional choice, but without so much of a focus on sheer practicality as key alternatives — think the BMW 3 Series Touring and Mercedes C-Class Estate.

As with its saloon counterpart, the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake’s styling focuses more on elegance than aggression, and it pays off nicely. There’s a strong case to say this estate version looks even better, too.

Similarly, the interior focuses on looking subtle yet classy, and it pays off well. Even entry-level models come equipped with great-feeling faux leather, and the build quality is exceptional across the board.

There’s plenty of comfort-oriented tech as standard too – including electrical adjustments for the seat and steering wheel, keyless entry and a ton of driving assistance tech.

All models are equipped with a 10.3-inch infotainment system, sitting alongside an 8.0-inch digital driver’s display. Both do look great, albeit the software itself does feel a tad dated — certainly lagging behind BMW’s latest iDrive. But at least Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both included for no extra cost.

Practicality is where the Genesis G70 Shoot Brake begins to falter, though. Space in the rear seats is quite tight, though headroom is a bit better than its saloon counterpart thanks to the extended roofline.

Boot space is poor, though, coming in at 465 litres. You’ll get 500 litres from a BMW 3 Series Touring (and even 480 litres from the saloon), 495 litres in an Audi A4 Avant and 490 litres with the Mercedes C-Class Estate.

More could be desired from the way the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake drives, too.

Its biggest drawback comes in its comfort levels, as it doesn’t ride as smoothly over bumps and potholes in the road as the alternatives.

Steering is light enough to make driving around town easy enough, albeit there’s not much feel to it, and there’s good visibility. Especially so thanks to clever blind spot cameras that activate when you indicate.

There’s not much fun to be had with the Shooting Brake on a twisty road, either. That vague steering is its downfall, never giving you much connection with what’s happening at the front of the car. You’ll get more joy out of a 3 Series.

Engine choice is also pretty limited. You’ve got a 2.2-litre diesel or a 2.0-litre petrol each in two states of tune - 194hp or 241hp.

For efficiency, go for the diesel, which returns up to 41.1mpg according to official WLTP testing. Both petrol engines achieve an official figure of up to 33.1mpg, though offer a good level of performance. All engines are linked up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

If you can sacrifice space for style, and want to stand out a little from the norm, there’s appeal in the Genesis G70 Shooting Brake. However, if you’re buying an estate with practical intentions, the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class are better all-round packages.

That said, whenever servicing is needed, Genesis will collect the car from you and bring it back for no extra cost as part of a package of ownership experience that’s unlike anything offered by other premium brands. That might just be enough to swing it.

Looking to make the switch to a new estate car? Check out the latest deals through carwow.