The move allowed Genesis to stand on its own two feet as a genuine luxury brand capable of competing with the likes of BMW, Lexus ... the $44,000 G70 compact sedan is central to those discussions.

Performance and technology are among some of the standout features of the G70. With competition such as the Audi A4, BMW 3-series and Mercedes C-class, the G70 offers more but for a lower price point.

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. I thoroughly enjoyed my time ...