What's the difference?
I’m family testing the updated Genesis G70 this week, which has seen some tweaks to its technology and safety systems.
The G70’s release also sees the line-up trimmed to one highly-specified Sport Luxury grade, available as a four-cylinder Shooting Brake wagon or the V6 sedan on test here.
It competes with other mid-size sedans like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. So, how does the G70 handle life with a small family of three? Keep reading to find out!
Balancing luxury car comfort, hot hatch agility and supercar speed is no easy task, yet that is what made the six previous generations of BMW's M5 so iconic.
In seventh-generation ‘G90’ guise, the M5 has another skeleton in the cupboard: the toughest emissions regulations that Europe, and now Australia, have ever seen.
A twin-turbo V8 was untenable and going battery electric was not an option. Plug-in hybrid was the only answer. For the new M5, BMW combined a revised 4.4-litre ‘S68’ bent eight with a punchy electric motor for 535kW and 1000Nm.
Problem is, the G90 is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest BMW M cars of all time, especially in CS trim. And thanks to a circa-600kg weight hike to nearly 2500kg, the new M5's 0-100km/h claim is actually slower than the old 'F90' M5.
Doesn’t exactly sound like a big leap forward, does it?
A drive through the Central West of NSW and around the iconic Mount Panorama racing circuit gave us answers to two questions. Does the M5 work on Australia roads, and does BMW M's latest super-sedan represent progress?
The updated Genesis G70 3.3T Sport Luxury is beautiful to look at and drive. It features premium features, trims and great power but the cabin is tight on space. Which makes it a little awkward to use, so this will suit a small family best or families where this may not be the primary mover. That said, I love the after-care program and it suited my small family of three, so it gets an 8.0/10 from us.
Let’s get one thing out of the way: the new M5 is a very good car. Considering the emissions limitations and size increase of its base model, it is an impressive bit of engineering.
What’s trickier is deciding whether the new car is really better to drive. Less edgy but supremely comfortable and quiet; BMW leaned into the daily usability of the plug-in hybrid M5 rather than amping the petrol-electric system for maximum thrills. And do you know what? That’s fine with me.
The new M5 still performs on road and track and does an incredible job of hiding its weight (most of the time). Perhaps the G90 is a little more Audi RS6 than F90 in its demeanour but some would argue that’s no bad thing.
The concept of the BMW M5 is not static, it evolves with the times, and the G90 is no exception. Expect future Competition and CS variants to unlock some extra lunacy.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.