These Are The Key Differences Between The Genesis G70 Shooting Brake And BMW 3-Series Touring

Genesis is getting ready to kick off its assault on the European premium market, and one of its key weapons is the coolest wagon we’ve seen in a long while.

Sadly, the wagon in question, the stunning G70 Shooting Brake, isn’t coming to the US. It was designed specifically for Europe where, despite the inexorable rise of the SUV and crossover, premium wagons like the BMW 3-Series Touring are still popular.

The US doesn’t get the Touring either, but that doesn’t stop us daydreaming about whether we’d choose it over the Genesis. And if you’re reading this in Europe, you might actually be about to make that choice in the next 12 months, so we’ve pored over the specs to find the key differences between the pair.

Similar Size, Very Different Style

Looking at the bald dimensions, there’s very little between the two. The 185.4-inch (4709 mm) BMW is an inch longer, an incher wider and rides on a 0.5-inch bigger wheelbase. Those aren’t night and day differences. But the G70’s roofline sits 1.6-inches closer to the ground and it’s clear from the swoopy styling, the tapering roof and aggressive sporty rear window rake, that Genesis is pitching it more as a lifestyle wagon than a sensible workhorse. Anyone remember the first-generation Lexus IS Sportwagon from the early 2000s?

To our eyes, the Korean car is the sexier machine (though the limited-production First Edition Touring pictured here runs it close), but you probably pay for the G70’s sporty profile when it comes to practicality. We’d be surprised if the G70’s rear headroom matched the BMW’s, and looking at the Shooting Brake’s narrow, V-shaped trunk opening, the 3-series is going to be much easier to load.

Genesis hasn’t quoted a trunk volume, but extrapolating from its claim that the Shooting Brake offers 40 per cent more space than the sedan’s unimpressive 415 liters (14.7 cu-ft), would give a figure of 581 liters (20.5 cu-ft).

That seems like a big jump given the 3-Series sedan offers (17 cu-ft) 480 liters and the Touring only (17.7 cu-ft) 500 liters, so that Genesis figure could be measured to the roof, where the BMW’s is calculated to the load cover.

Interior And Equipment

Neither of these cars looks particularly radical inside. In the case of the G70, the dashboard looks conservative next to the newer GV70 SUV’s. The BMW’s appears marginally more modern, but both are well built and can be kitted out with most of the luxury gadgets that used to be the preserve of much larger, and more expensive, cars.

Until Genesis announces the complete Shooting Brake spec we can’t know exactly what trims will be offered, and what equipment each will get. But you can expect it to stick to the Genesis philosophy of offering more standard kit than its rivals.

Nine Engines For BMW, Three (And No Hybrid) In The Genesis

Genesis hasn’t announced the Shooting Brake’s engine line-up, but common sense tells us it will feature the same 251 hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four and 365 hp turbocharged six-cylinder gasoline motors offered in the US G70 sedan, plus a 199 hp 2.2-liter turbodiesel four to keep European diesel diehards happy.

That range is dwarfed by the BMW’s engine line-up, which comprises four gasoline engines, four diesels and the gasoline-hybrid 330e that is a big hit with European business drivers who choose it for its tax-shrinking CO2 benefits. Genesis is at a disadvantage here as it doesn’t currently have a suitable hybrid powertrain.

Comparing the G70’s three (hypothetical) engines, the Korean’s 251 hp 2.0 gives away just 2 hp to the BMW 330i, but is a hefty 35 lb ft down. The G70 3.3 V6’s 365 hp and 376 lb ft looks a good match for the 369hp/369 lb ft M340i, and when it comes to the possible diesel option the G70 is carrying all the aces. Its 2.2 should pack 199 hp and 325lb ft, giving it 9 hp and 30 lb ft advantage over the Bimmer.

Can You Get A Manual?

Based on what we know of the G70s sedan, both cars are available with a choice of rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive transmissions. But go for the M340i and BMW insists you wear the xDrive badge. You can’t order any G70 with a manual ‘box, and the reality is few 3-series buyers want one either, so you can only get one on the most basic 318i Touring, at least in the UK, where even the M3 is only available with two pedals.

BMW Is Building An M3 Wagon. But Will Genesis?

There’s been one glaring omission throughout the M3’s life: you could never get it as a wagon. But that’s about to change for 2022 when BMW finally faces off against the Audi RS4 Avant. Genesis, on the other hand, doesn’t have a dedicated high-performance brand, so it looks like it won’t be fielding a rival.

Genesis Plays Hardball with Prices

Genesis hasn’t yet revealed European prices for the G70 Shooting Brake, or any G70 for that matter, but it doesn’t take a genius to work out it’s going to come in massively cheaper than a 3-Series Touring when compared like-for-like.

In the US a BMW 330i costs $42,245 including destination charges, and the base G70 2.0 is $38,570. And where the G70 Shooting Brake will be available, though the prices will be bigger (as they always are in Europe), so could be the differences: we already know that the European-spec 5-Series-sized G80 sedan isn’t only less expensive than the 5-Series, it even comes in under a 3-Series. But if you’re prepared to slum it in a bottom-rung 318i with just 154 hp – a model Genesis won’t be fielding a rival for – you might just sneak into the BMW for less.