Potential New Owner, 2.0 Sport Test Drive Thoughts

[scoggydoogan]

Hey all,

I'm looking for a more practical car to replace my 2016 Mustang GT. So far I've narrowed it down to either a G70 2.0 Sport or Veloster N. I know these 2 are probably not cross shopped often, but I like both for different reasons.

I enjoyed driving the G70, the clutch definitely took some getting used to with the engagement point being so much closer to the floor than my mustang and the overall travel being much less. I never quite got it right with how much gas to give it and from some of the reviews it seems like there is a little dip in power right at the top of the clutch travel? Anyways, the G70 checks almost all of the boxes I'm looking for at a competitive price point, mainly, a manual transmission, a usable back seat, and not American or German. The 2.0 had enough power for me and could still get a good pull in 4th on the interstate. The ergonomics and materials were well done and I actually thought the leatherette felt better than the leather on my mustang. It seemed like it was going to for sure be my next car...

But I left the test drive even more unsure of the G70. I know that no car is perfect and there will always be compromises, but I want to make sure I can live with them before pulling the trigger. I am pretty much directly comparing the G70 to my Infiniti G37 sedan I had before my Mustang. From a handling and dynamics perspective I really liked it and I think Genesis really did a great job.

On to the things I disliked compared to my G37. I found it hard to get into and out of the car. I am 6'3" and when I found a comfortable seating positing, the b-pillar was right next to my head, maybe just a tad in front of it. This didn't bother me too much in terms of vision, but it made it almost impossible for me to comfortably rest my left elbow on the door armrest. It also made it hard to get out of the car as I had to lean almost all the way forward with my chest against the steering wheel to get around the b-pillar when exiting. I think about a 2-3" longer front door would be perfect. My seating position also made the rear seat behind me absolutely useless as there was about 6" of space between the back of my seat and the rear seat, effectively making this a 3 seat car.

The other big oversight in my opinion was the lack of rear a/c vents in the 2.0 sport. I know they were trying to hit a price point, but Florida summers are brutal if the people in the back cannot get airflow. The trunk was also a bit small and hard to fit a single set of golf clubs in.

On to testing the Veloster N. I loved the way that drove and was smiling and laughing the whole time with the exhaust, but it did feel a bit to "immature" for me (32) and obviously was missing almost all of the nice creature comforts of the G70. I found the Veloster actually had more interior room for back seat passengers and you could actually fit a person behind me. The ride was surprisingly comfortable in normal mode, and N mode was just a tad stiffer than my Mustang.

Anyways, just wondering everyone's thoughts on here or if anyone has similar issues to mine. I just want to make sure I'm 100% on the decision before buying.

 

[ctrcbob]

As for the low clutch engagement point, you will get used to it. Although I have not yet driven the manual 6speed, experience with the many manual cars Ive had in the past tell me that engagement points can be anywhere and that you get used to it.

 

[LandOfConfusion]

I also looked at the Veloster N (although did not seriously consider purchasing one). Between that and the G70, I think you hit both nails squarely on theIt heads with your assessments.

Obviously, I ended up with the G70 2.0 Sport 6MT. Although it has some quirks, and no car is perfect, I absolutely love it. The sacrifices are relatively insignificant to me. After several weeks worth of experience with the shifter and clutch, it becomes more natural to modulate the throttle to counteract the dip in power.

I considered some other luxury sedans along with a GTI. I will say, if I had moved in the direction of the GTI, I probably would have come back to the Veloster. That is a really neat car.

You can’t go wrong either way. Remember, no car is perfect. Listen to your gut feeling, take some more test drives, and take your time deciding.

 

[scoggydoogan]

As for the low clutch engagement point, you will get used to it. Although I have not yet driven the manual 6speed, experience with the many manual cars Ive had in the past tell me that engagement points can be anywhere and that you get used to it.

Definitely I would get used to it. I found the shifter to actually match the car well. It wasn't super short throws like my Mustang with a short shift kit, but wasn't overly long and had positive engagement. No guessing if I put it in 3rd or 5th and you knew it was fully in.

I also looked at the Veloster N (although did not seriously consider purchasing one). Between that and the G70, I think you hit both nails squarely on theIt heads with your assessments.

Obviously, I ended up with the G70 2.0 Sport 6MT. Although it has some quirks, and no car is perfect, I absolutely love it. The sacrifices are relatively insignificant to me. After several weeks worth of experience with the shifter and clutch, it becomes more natural to modulate the throttle to counteract the dip in power.

I considered some other luxury sedans along with a GTI. I will say, if I had moved in the direction of the GTI, I probably would have come back to the Veloster. That is a really neat car.

You can’t go wrong either way. Remember, no car is perfect. Listen to your gut feeling, take some more test drives, and take your time deciding.

Thanks for the input. The G70 really is a head turner and if I can somehow find a better ingress/egress method or seating position I think it could easily be my next car. I can live with it being only a 3 seater for my purposes as I rarely would need a 4th seat and the lack of a/c vents isn't a deal breaker. If only they made the G70 coupe first, lol.

 

[canucklehead604]

I’ve put 2 sets of clubs in the trunk, no probs. No idea if 3 will fit but i doubt it. My G37S trunk was definitely deeper. 3 sets fit.

I asked about the rear set vents when speaking with the head G70 packaging planner for CAD. All Genesis CAD press material and brochures said the 6MT trim had rear vents for the 2019 MY. Apparently this was a last minute delete - nothing to do with cost. It is a packaging issue to do with the hand brake. This was the same issue as the G37S 6MT i had so i was not super surprised, but disappointed for sure.

 

[canucklehead604]

OP - take the Accord 2.0T 6MT out for a spin. Obviously a vastly different overall package to the G70, plus FWD, but it has much more room since that is a factor for you. I’m sure 4 clubs in the trunk would be a snap, and you could fit an O-line in the back seat. Much cheaper to get into as well. I gave one a go, and while it wasn’t what i was looking for, it is a very compelling package at that value. That is a potent 2.0T in the Honda.