Genesis, Hyundai's standalone luxury brand, will offer a manual transmission on its upcoming 2019 G70 compact sport sedan, a representative for the automaker said Friday. The row-your-own option places the G70 in the segment that has become increasingly devoid of three-pedal options.
Genesis spokesman Kevin Smith told The Car Connection that a 6-speed manual will be paired with the G70's standard 2.0-liter turbo-4, but he didn't elaborate on pricing or trim level availability.
The EPA's website reveals that the more powerful 3.3-liter twin-turbo V-6 engine will be available exclusively with the 8-speed automatic that's optional with the turbo-4. G70s fitted with all-wheel drive will also be an automatic-only affair, meaning the G70 stick-shift will be for purists: turbo-4 and rear-wheel drive.
Genesis G70
As for fuel economy, the 6-speed manual takes a hit. Rear-wheel-drive G70s powered by the 2.0-liter inline-4 with a manual will return an EPA-estimated 18 mpg city, 28 highway, 22 combined. That's compared to 22/30/25 mpg for the a G70 with the automatic, the turbo-4, and rear-wheel drive.
The EPA's website revealed fuel economy for the rest of the lineup: 21/28/23 mpg with the turbo-4, the 8-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive, 18/26/21 mpg with the optional V-6, and 18/25/20 mpg with the V-6 and all-wheel drive.
Genesis plans to launch the G70 in early 2018 as a 2019 model, and we should see pricing fall in the high $30,000 bracket—just enough to slightly undercut premium rivals.
The Cadillac ATS, Audi A4, and BMW 3-Series offer manuals, but they're among the last small luxury four-doors with shift-it-yourself gearboxes.
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