6MT Owners - Discussion Thread

[canucklehead604]

^ exactly - had the G70 not been offered with a 6MT i would never have look at Genesis. if i wanted a slushbox the choices are many and i would have gone with an established brand, taking on less risk.

and agreed on body control. there is a bit more roll than ideal but this does not inhibit the handling, turn-in, or grip. the 6MT's front end is much lighter than the 3.3T AWD which helps immensely in the twisties. during a launch event in '18 the 6MT was quicker at an autocross track than the 3.3T AWD. on an open track the 3,3T would leave the 6MT in its dust, of course.

 

[TedS123]

^ exactly - had the G70 not been offered with a 6MT i would never have look at Genesis. if i wanted a slushbox the choices are many and i would have gone with an established brand, taking on less risk.

and agreed on body control. there is a bit more roll than ideal but this does not inhibit the handling, turn-in, or grip. the 6MT's front end is much lighter than the 3.3T AWD which helps immensely in the twisties. during a launch event in '18 the 6MT was quicker at an autocross track than the 3.3T AWD. on an open track the 3,3T would leave the 6MT in its dust, of course.

Thanks for the first hand feedback. There seems to be a consensus that the handling, ride, and balance are very good, and my limited seat time would tend to support that. I prefer quick handling to all-out power. My previous car was an 08 Mazda 3 hatchback 5MT, which I bought new and really enjoyed on our local roads. I taught myself heel-toe rev-matching and balancing the car with the throttle in that car. Unfortunately, I wrecked it last fall (my first accident ever) after putting nearly 160k miles on it.

So this time I'd like something rear-wheel drive to learn those dynamics. At the same time, I don't want to find myself in the next cars and coffee video, so I'm happy to keep the power in the 200 - 300 hp range. I see a lot folks say something like a Miata or BRZ/GR86 with LSD is a great platform for safely learning RWD dynamics. As much as I'd enjoy those cars, I don't think I can justify the limited practicality. Though our kids are almost grown and this would primarily be my daily commuter, I'd still occasionally need a useable back seat.

How do you guys find the RWD dynamics of this car? Can you get the rear end to rotate much? Is it easy to learn to modulate, or any situations to be wary of?

Also, curious if you are all still on the stock staggered tire setup, or have switched to square - something I've heard can increase rear rotation.

Thanks again for humoring all my questions!

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Thanks for the first hand feedback. There seems to be a consensus that the handling, ride, and balance are very good, and my limited seat time would tend to support that. I prefer quick handling to all-out power. My previous car was an 08 Mazda 3 hatchback 5MT, which I bought new and really enjoyed on our local roads. I taught myself heel-toe rev-matching and balancing the car with the throttle in that car. Unfortunately, I wrecked it last fall (my first accident ever) after putting nearly 160k miles on it.

So this time I'd like something rear-wheel drive to learn those dynamics. At the same time, I don't want to find myself in the next cars and coffee video, so I'm happy to keep the power in the 200 - 300 hp range. I see a lot folks say something like a Miata or BRZ/GR86 with LSD is a great platform for safely learning RWD dynamics. As much as I'd enjoy those cars, I don't think I can justify the limited practicality. Though our kids are almost grown and this would primarily be my daily commuter, I'd still occasionally need a useable back seat.

How do you guys find the RWD dynamics of this car? Can you get the rear end to rotate much? Is it easy to learn to modulate, or any situations to be wary of?

Also, curious if you are all still on the stock staggered tire setup, or have switched to square - something I've heard can increase rear rotation.

Thanks again for humoring all my questions!

In a bizzare coincidence, I also once owned a 2008 Mazda3 hatch 5MT...what a great car. I also bought my first RWD car after that, and owned the 3 and my S2000 together for a while until I sold the 3.

I would say that the G70 has excellent dynamics and can be balanced between under and oversteer with the throttle, however on the stock staggered wheels and stock Pilot Sport 4 tires the limits in the dry are really high. If you really break the rear end loose in the dry on the street you are doing something pretty foolish. In the wet it's a different story, you can hang the tail out more easily, but even in the wet there is a lot of grip with the Pilot 4s.

In the winter I run a square setup 225/45/18 on winter tires, and that is a different story altogether. The rear end is all over the place, especially in the wet. However, the car is still very well balanced and controllable, but it is oversteer biased for sure. It is, for example, a lot more predictable than my S2000.

My recommendation is this: keep the staggered setup for daily driving. Run the factory Michelins, they are a fantastic tire. Once you get the car do your driving skills a huge facor and enter a few SCCA autocross events. That will allow you to explore the limits of your car safely and allow you to become comfortable with RWD dynamics. I autocrossed regularly for 15 years, first in a GTI, then a Miata, then an e36 M3, then my S2000 and I can't recommend it enough.

Overall, you will be amazed at how well the G70 on the stock tires/wheels puts the power down. Accelerating from a light, or out of a corner, you will absolutely fall in love with the car and with RWD in general. I am never, ever going back to FWD.

 

[TedS123]

In a bizzare coincidence, I also once owned a 2008 Mazda3 hatch 5MT...what a great car. I also bought my first RWD car after that, and owned the 3 and my S2000 together for a while until I sold the 3.

I would say that the G70 has excellent dynamics and can be balanced between under and oversteer with the throttle, however on the stock staggered wheels and stock Pilot Sport 4 tires the limits in the dry are really high. If you really break the rear end loose in the dry on the street you are doing something pretty foolish. In the wet it's a different story, you can hang the tail out more easily, but even in the wet there is a lot of grip with the Pilot 4s.

In the winter I run a square setup 225/45/18 on winter tires, and that is a different story altogether. The rear end is all over the place, especially in the wet. However, the car is still very well balanced and controllable, but it is oversteer biased for sure. It is, for example, a lot more predictable than my S2000.

My recommendation is this: keep the staggered setup for daily driving. Run the factory Michelins, they are a fantastic tire. Once you get the car do your driving skills a huge facor and enter a few SCCA autocross events. That will allow you to explore the limits of your car safely and allow you to become comfortable with RWD dynamics. I autocrossed regularly for 15 years, first in a GTI, then a Miata, then an e36 M3, then my S2000 and I can't recommend it enough.

Overall, you will be amazed at how well the G70 on the stock tires/wheels puts the power down. Accelerating from a light, or out of a corner, you will absolutely fall in love with the car and with RWD in general. I am never, ever going back to FWD.

Wow! Thanks for the detailed feedback and advice. Funny about the shared MZ3 ownership - it was definitely a driver's car and I miss it every day.

I appreciate the input on the tire setup. What are your winters like, and when do you usually switch? Here in our part of Virginia, we typically only get one or two snow events, but temperatures can get below freezing for a few weeks. I managed ok on ultra high performance all-season tires on the MZ3. This would be the first time I've had summer tires, so I was curious about what to do in winter. Would a true winter tire be necessary, or would decent all-seasons be good enough?

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Wow! Thanks for the detailed feedback and advice. Funny about the shared MZ3 ownership - it was definitely a driver's car and I miss it every day.

I appreciate the input on the tire setup. What are your winters like, and when do you usually switch? Here in our part of Virginia, we typically only get one or two snow events, but temperatures can get below freezing for a few weeks. I managed ok on ultra high performance all-season tires on the MZ3. This would be the first time I've had summer tires, so I was curious about what to do in winter. Would a true winter tire be necessary, or would decent all-seasons be good enough?

I think a set of all seasons would be perfectly fine in VA. I barely need them here in the Philly area. I usually run them from December through early April. Definitely don't run your summers in the winter though...they get pretty hard in cold temps.

 

[Volfy]

When my son decided he wanted to get a M/T car to learn on, we were originally looking at the current model Madza3. Mazda has always been known for being excellent driver's cars. I used to AutoX a VW GTI back in college 30 yrs ago, and knew how rewarding it can be. So I encouraged my son to get into it. Told him I wouldn't mind going back for some cone-chasing again either. Up until then, he had been driving my old '09 Genesis 3.8, and I told him a good FWD chassis with a moderate HP naturally-aspirated engine is a better platform to learn M/T on.

Then in the midst of the pandemic, I found a deal on a Kia Stinger 2.0T I just couldn't refuse, so we finally retired the old Gennie and I let me son drive the Stinger while we continued the search for his M/T car. Then I started to re-think the Mazda3 proposition. Brand new Mazda3 Hatchback Premium M/T was over $30k, and one in Soul Red was impossible to find. Last Summer, there were quite a few G70 M/T listed fore sale and Genesis was still fairly aggressive with incentives, so they weren't too much more $$$ compared to the Mazda. The more we drove the Stinger, the more I leaned more towards its corporate sister car. Finally, when Genesis upped the rebate ante up to $4000, the leftover G70 M/T's started to disappear. On the very last week of the rebate, we managed to grab one of the very last '21 G70 M/T in the USA... quite possibly the very last Havana Red one. All said and done, it was just a little over $34k + TT&L. For some $4k more, I'd take the RWD G70 Sport M/T over Mazda3 any day of the week... especially on AutoX Sundays.

Well, my son and I went to an AutoX school this past Feb. It absolutely vindicated our choice. Both the Stinger and the G70 were very well balanced and easy to modulate the power through the course. However, the G70's shorter wheelbase. lighter weight, and LSD definitely makes it the better driver's car.

We did get rid of the OEM staggered 19's, though. IMO, the modest HP of the 2.0T doesn't warrant big rubber in the back. For street use, we went with a square setup with 18x8.5 Enkei TFRs, which saved 13 lbs front and 16 lbs rear per corner. That is very substantial. Less unsprung weight means the suspension works even better. Less rotational inertia means faster spool up and slow down. This is especially critical for a momentum car like the G70 2.0T.

I just bought a set of dedicated 245/40R18 200TW tires for AutoX, mounted on the OEM Stinger wheels. Drove in an AutoX event last Sunday and the Kumho V730 performed great on the Stinger. Handling was excellent, with plenty of cornering grip. We'll mount them on the G70 when my son comes back on Summer break. Should be a fun season.

 

[BigAlLex]

Adjustible bolsters is available on the 3.3T, but not on the 6MT. That may be available on Canadian spec cars? Canada does get a few different features on the 6MT than USDM cars, including the quilted leather seats, so that may include the bolsters.

The handling, ride/handling balance, and brakes are the best part of this car IMO. There really is no better manual sports sedan out there for the price of the G70.

That being said, I have a CT4-V Blackwing on order.

My 2020 6MT has the adjustable bolsters. Enabled through an option on the cluster.

funny, I also have an S2000. I came to the g70 from two 3 year Cadillac ATS leases (sedan first, then coupe). I’ve thought about a CT4-V blackwing with the manual to replace my Volvo S40 (since I’m keeping the G70 after the lease is up), but I’m all over the place on replacement cars (Integra, CTR, etc…they’re all on the list with a manual, of course)

 

[canucklehead604]

^ +1. my 6MT came standard with auto-adjustable Sport bolsters. when you activate Sport mode the bolsters 'inflate'.

 

[TedS123]

Are you in Canada? Seems that they got the bolstered seats we didn't get in the US.

How do you like the G70 compared to the ATS and S2000? I'm all over the place looking for my next car, too. I read good reviews of the ATS's Alpha platform and briefly looked for used ones with manual transmission, but they are pretty rare.

Right now I'm still waiting for prices on used G70 6MT's to come down and for one to show up in my area. There are about a dozen for sale nationwide, and most are still listed close to their original sale price.

In the meantime, a friend is selling his 96 Miata, so I've started considering going for 2 cheap cars (08 Mazda3 for daily / bad weather + Miata for fun / good weather) vs 1 nice car...

 

[BigAlLex]

Are you in Canada? Seems that they got the bolstered seats we didn't get in the US.

How do you like the G70 compared to the ATS and S2000? I'm all over the place looking for my next car, too. I read good reviews of the ATS's Alpha platform and briefly looked for used ones with manual transmission, but they are pretty rare.

Right now I'm still waiting for prices on used G70 6MT's to come down and for one to show up in my area. There are about a dozen for sale nationwide, and most are still listed close to their original sale price.

In the meantime, a friend is selling his 96 Miata, so I've started considering going for 2 cheap cars (08 Mazda3 for daily / bad weather + Miata for fun / good weather) vs 1 nice car...

I’m in the US. My G70 is a 2020. I never thought that my car was unique for the US market RE: the bolsters.

I loved the ATS (kinda why I went with two of them) and I probably would’ve gone for another Caddy if they had a manual available in early 2020. But I will say that I love the G70 and I’m glad I went for it. I love it more than the ATS actually, which is why I’m going to keep it after the lease is up. That’s not a dig against the ATS but the G70 is newer and has the advantage of 6 years of technology and other development. If you want a well-balanced car with a manual, either would be just fine.

Compared to the S2000, neither car compares. They’re very different cars with different missions. If I didn’t need to put two car seats in a car (and if the weather was always perfect and not rainy and occasionally icy or snowy), I’d always pick the S2000 to drive.

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[Volfy]

I'll take another look through the menu again, but I don't remember seeing a way to enable auto inflating side bolsters on our 2021 6MT, either.

Right now, I'd avoid buying cars if at all possible. New car inventory seems to be recovering a bit, but used car prices remain sky high. Already some analysts are forecasting the bubble popping soon, so last thing you'd want is to buy at peak, only to have prices crash into the basement soon after.

 

[canucklehead604]

I'll take another look through the menu again, but I don't remember seeing a way to enable auto inflating side bolsters on our 2021 6MT, either.

^ you probably won't find it. CAD spec cars got significantly different trim selection than US. CAD 6MT trim is identical to the 3.3T Sport, with the Sport appearance package. interior and nappa seats are identical, except 6MT doesn't get cooled seats much to my dismay, and passenger seat is manual adjustment. US spec cars got the cooled seats (different seat material and pattern) but not the Sport appearance bits. mechanically, US and CAD 6MTs are the same from what i understand.

i think US 6MT's were kept to a lower price point as a marketing play, whereas Genesis Canada added some more content but boosted the MSRP. if only they'd boosted the boost a bit more as well!

 

[BigAlLex]

I'll take another look through the menu again, but I don't remember seeing a way to enable auto inflating side bolsters on our 2021 6MT, either.

Right now, I'd avoid buying cars if at all possible. New car inventory seems to be recovering a bit, but used car prices remain sky high. Already some analysts are forecasting the bubble popping soon, so last thing you'd want is to buy at peak, only to have prices crash into the basement soon after.

It’s under the Convenience menu. I’m kinda shocked no one else in the US has it when mine does. Maybe it was a MY2020 thing?

 

[Volfy]

Found it! I guess never did scroll all the way down on that page. It was unchecked by default. I enabled it, and sure enough the side bolsters started pumping. Thanks.

@canucklehead604 sounds like canadian 6MT got other goodies we dont get. US version has no Napa leather, not even regular leather, but leatherette. Honestly though, they feel about the same as genuine leather to me. Most important thing is that, unlike cheap vinyl, this material doesn't burn your skin on contact on a very hot day. Maybe wear resistance might not be as good. Time will tell. Right now, a yr into ownership, I really can't tell it's not genuine leather.

Cooled seat is almost a must down here, once you get spoiled by it. All in all, the 6MT has everything I'd want (Brembo, LSD, sport exhaust, etc.) and nothing I don't (like sun roof and power trunk that add weight).

 

[Thatblu70]

I've now had my 6MT for ~36k miles, bone stock, and the power dip is still there if you look for it. However, my clutch foot has learned, subconsciously, to drive around it such that I don't notice it any more at all. Even hopping back and forth between my G70 and my S2000, I really don't notice it. I do 95% of my driving in Comfort mode. It really has become a non-issue in my enjoyment of the car. And having spent time in both 2.0T and 3.3T G70 automatics, I can say that the 6MT is by far the most fun of all of them.

Where are you located? The lease is up on my car in May and I plan to buy it out with the intent to sell it, if you want another purchase option.

If you drive in "sport" mode you wont have that "laggy" effect of loss of power once in gear.

 

[cajaks2]

If you drive in "sport" mode you wont have that "laggy" effect of loss of power once in gear.

Theres still a bit when you shift even in sport unless you nail the shift by riding the clutch a bit

 

[Thatblu70]

Theres still a bit when you shift even in sport unless you nail the shift by riding the clutch

well then im at a loss of words lol. Once I go to Sport mode and go driving I dont feel any lag in throttle response. I really dont know though. What I do know is the car is a- lot of fun to drive!!

 

[Thatblu70]

When my son decided he wanted to get a M/T car to learn on, we were originally looking at the current model Madza3. Mazda has always been known for being excellent driver's cars. I used to AutoX a VW GTI back in college 30 yrs ago, and knew how rewarding it can be. So I encouraged my son to get into it. Told him I wouldn't mind going back for some cone-chasing again either. Up until then, he had been driving my old '09 Genesis 3.8, and I told him a good FWD chassis with a moderate HP naturally-aspirated engine is a better platform to learn M/T on.

Then in the midst of the pandemic, I found a deal on a Kia Stinger 2.0T I just couldn't refuse, so we finally retired the old Gennie and I let me son drive the Stinger while we continued the search for his M/T car. Then I started to re-think the Mazda3 proposition. Brand new Mazda3 Hatchback Premium M/T was over $30k, and one in Soul Red was impossible to find. Last Summer, there were quite a few G70 M/T listed fore sale and Genesis was still fairly aggressive with incentives, so they weren't too much more $$$ compared to the Mazda. The more we drove the Stinger, the more I leaned more towards its corporate sister car. Finally, when Genesis upped the rebate ante up to $4000, the leftover G70 M/T's started to disappear. On the very last week of the rebate, we managed to grab one of the very last '21 G70 M/T in the USA... quite possibly the very last Havana Red one. All said and done, it was just a little over $34k + TT&L. For some $4k more, I'd take the RWD G70 Sport M/T over Mazda3 any day of the week... especially on AutoX Sundays.

Well, my son and I went to an AutoX school this past Feb. It absolutely vindicated our choice. Both the Stinger and the G70 were very well balanced and easy to modulate the power through the course. However, the G70's shorter wheelbase. lighter weight, and LSD definitely makes it the better driver's car.

We did get rid of the OEM staggered 19's, though. IMO, the modest HP of the 2.0T doesn't warrant big rubber in the back. For street use, we went with a square setup with 18x8.5 Enkei TFRs, which saved 13 lbs front and 16 lbs rear per corner. That is very substantial. Less unsprung weight means the suspension works even better. Less rotational inertia means faster spool up and slow down. This is especially critical for a momentum car like the G70 2.0T.

I just bought a set of dedicated 245/40R18 200TW tires for AutoX, mounted on the OEM Stinger wheels. Drove in an AutoX event last Sunday and the Kumho V730 performed great on the Stinger. Handling was excellent, with plenty of cornering grip. We'll mount them on the G70 when my son comes back on Summer break. Should be a fun season.

View attachment 44460

love the red, I have one in Mollarca Blue... But they changed the name to Lapis Blue now...

 

[Thatblu70]

In a bizzare coincidence, I also once owned a 2008 Mazda3 hatch 5MT...what a great car. I also bought my first RWD car after that, and owned the 3 and my S2000 together for a while until I sold the 3.

I would say that the G70 has excellent dynamics and can be balanced between under and oversteer with the throttle, however on the stock staggered wheels and stock Pilot Sport 4 tires the limits in the dry are really high. If you really break the rear end loose in the dry on the street you are doing something pretty foolish. In the wet it's a different story, you can hang the tail out more easily, but even in the wet there is a lot of grip with the Pilot 4s.

In the winter I run a square setup 225/45/18 on winter tires, and that is a different story altogether. The rear end is all over the place, especially in the wet. However, the car is still very well balanced and controllable, but it is oversteer biased for sure. It is, for example, a lot more predictable than my S2000.

My recommendation is this: keep the staggered setup for daily driving. Run the factory Michelins, they are a fantastic tire. Once you get the car do your driving skills a huge facor and enter a few SCCA autocross events. That will allow you to explore the limits of your car safely and allow you to become comfortable with RWD dynamics. I autocrossed regularly for 15 years, first in a GTI, then a Miata, then an e36 M3, then my S2000 and I can't recommend it enough.

Overall, you will be amazed at how well the G70 on the stock tires/wheels puts the power down. Accelerating from a light, or out of a corner, you will absolutely fall in love with the car and with RWD in general. I am never, ever going back to FWD.

I guess I do foolish things every now and again lol. Its fun, I just try and do the foolish deeds as responsible as one can be !!

 

[cajaks2]

well then im at a loss of words lol. Once I go to Sport mode and go driving I dont feel any lag in throttle response. I really dont know though. What I do know is the car is a- lot of fun to drive!!

I confirmed it via jb4 logs but ya once ya get going its really hard to notice especially at higher RPM shifts