Hyundai has been spotted testing a left-hand drive evaluation version of the upcoming Genesis G70 sedan by an eagle-eyed Wheels reader in Victoria.

The four-door’s attractive long bonnet, short boot and rear-drive proportions are obvious despite a layer of dazzle camouflage, which keeps fine detail hidden. The presence of this engineering vehicle in Australia is a mystery, though its left-hand drive configuration suggests it’s here for hot-weather testing or powertrain validation rather than local suspension tuning.

Hyundai carries out local suspension tuning for a range of its vehicles, including the Genesis G80 limousine currently on sale here. While that’s not the likely reason for this car’s visit down-under, it’s understood that Hyundai Australia will be unleashing its chassis engineers on the Genesis G70 soon to tailor its ride and handling to Aussie conditions. Expect to see more prototypes just like this one in the near future, albeit with the steering wheel on the right side of the dash.

Hyundai -Genesis -G70-rear

That said, slim headlamps, a chiselled front bumper and side sheetmetal that emphasises the G70’s rear-driven format look like they will carry over. While the current Genesis G80 is conservative, the G70’s final form should boast a fair whack of dynamic flair.

Hyundai -Genesis -G70-side

The mid-size luxury sedan is underpinned by a tweaked version of the Genesis G80 platform, co-developed and shared with corporate compatriot Kia and also used by the Kia Stinger. It’s expected G70 will follow Stinger and be built in rear-wheel and all-wheel drive configurations for left-hand drive markets, whereas Australian delivered models will be rear-drive only. Interestingly, these close-up photos suggest that the G70 may not be as large as its Kia-badged cousin, with a wheelbase and overall length that appear marginally shrunken.

Hyundai -Genesis -G70-front

When it arrives, G70 will go up against the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE and Lexus IS, as well as less established luxury mid-sizers like the Infiniti Q50 and Alfa Romeo Giulia and the closely related Kia Stinger.

Precise details have yet to be announced, but expect to see the Genesis G70 receive its local launch either late in the third quarter of this year, or sometime in the fourth quarter.