Compare the2025 Volkswagen Golf RVS 2025 Genesis G70

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volkswagen Golf R have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Genesis G70 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The Golf R has a standard Automatic Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The G70 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Golf R has standard Maneuver Braking that use rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a collision. The G70 doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Golf R. But it costs extra on the G70.

Both the Golf R and the G70 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

There are almost 3 times as many Volkswagen dealers as there are Genesis dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Golf R’s warranty.

The Volkswagen Golf R’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the G70’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

The Golf R’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 28 more horsepower (328 vs. 300) than the G70 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Volkswagen Golf R is faster than the G70 3.3T 3.3 turbo V6:

On the EPA test cycle the Golf R gets better mileage than the G70:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Volkswagen Golf R uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended for maximum performance). The G70 2.5T requires premium, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Golf R offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The G70 doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

For better stopping power the Golf R’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the G70:

The Golf R stops much shorter than the G70:

For better traction, the Golf R has larger tires than the G70 (235/35R19 vs. 225/40R19).

The Golf R’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the G70’s standard 40 series front tires.

The Golf R handles at .99 G’s, while the G70 3.3T Sport Prestige pulls only .90 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Golf R executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the G70 Sport Prestige AWD (24.9 seconds @ .77 average G’s vs. 26.2 seconds @ .69 average G’s).

The Volkswagen Golf R may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 250 to 600 pounds less than the Genesis G70.

The Golf R is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the G70, making the Golf R easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Golf R is quieter than the G70 (76 vs. 77 dB).

The Golf R’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The G70 does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Golf R’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The G70’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Golf R to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The G70 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Golf R has a standard rear wiper. The G70 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The Volkswagen Golf R has power folding mirrors that offer unparalleled convenience while maneuvering in tight places or parked. With the mirrors folded it’s easier to walk past and help prevent parking damage. The mirrors can be quickly unfolded when the driver is ready to leave. Power folding mirrors are only offered on the G70 Advanced/Sport Prestige.

The Golf R has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel is only available on the G70 AWD/3.3T Sport Prestige.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volkswagen Golf R has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Only the G70 Advanced/Sport Prestige offers wireless charging.

The Golf R’s Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The G70 doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Golf R owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Golf R will cost $1605 to $5765 less than the G70 over a five-year period.

The Golf R will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Golf R will retain 55.53% to 55.93% of its original price after five years, while the G70 only retains 49.24% to 51.02%.