Genesis continues to impress as a force that’s starting to turn the heads of other luxury automakers. In what appears to be a relentless quest to level up deep into several luxury segments, Genesis isn’t letting off the proverbial throttle as vehicles like the new G90 that I have this week are a welcoming creation that properly fits the modern-day luxury mold.
The Genesis G90, now in its second generation from a full redesign in 2023, comes as somewhat of an underdog that not many people know about, and they are truly impressed by its presence once such a vehicle becomes known to them. I know I am shocked this week as I get to see the natural progression of the G90 all the way from its beginning, just about a decade ago. Since then, the Genesis G90 has matured and grown to become a stately vehicle that’s clawing to compete with its very small field of competition by primarily undercutting them with its pricing. While the German rivals of the G90 still have a leading edge in their field, the G90 shouldn’t be overlooked, as there’s plenty to offer and some of what is found to be real luxury substance on its own terms.
Powered by an interesting mild hybrid powertrain that combines a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine and an electric supercharger to make a total of 409 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. Sure, that power may not be stunning on paper, but through the powerband, there’s a lot of oomph without many power gaps as the full surge of torque takes place as low as 1,300 rpm, and the G90 feels substantial from that low of an rpm all the way to redline. Zero to 60 mph takes place in 5.1 seconds as the mild hybrid bits coupled with an e-Supercharger seemingly feel like much more than its stated 409 horsepower at times. The 8-speed automatic transmission fires off smooth and mostly seamless shifts, but has a slight hesitation when downshifting upon demanding a moderate amount of power. Such a hiccup is often remedied by applying full throttle, but often enough, I don’t want to commit to flooring the pedal.
Maneuvering the G90’s long wheelbase and just over 207 inches of body length is aided by a somewhat aggressive all-wheel-steering system, where the rear wheels may turn in as much as 4 degrees in the opposite direction at low speeds and then as much as 2 degrees in the same direction at higher speeds. It makes turning and parking, with the help of the 360-degree camera system with 3D views, a simple task. Handling feels good, as does the exceptionally smooth ride quality, thanks to air suspension with adaptive dampers that continually make adjustments and virtually read the road to proactively adjust the dampers to lessen the impact of road imperfections, potholes, or unwanted body motions from such.
Driving the G90 is an enjoyable experience where body motions are kept in check, and even more so at the rear with a Chauffeur drive mode. The suspension adapts well to most conditions. Even when traveling at highway speeds, it will lower slightly for better stability, and it will automatically do so when enabling the Sport drive mode. There’s also the option to raise the suspension at the press of a button to clear large inclines or aid in exiting the vehicle. Speaking of exiting and entering, the G90 in its top trim has power doors with power soft close. It may be a gimmick for some, but the power closing function proves to appease the lazy American crowd. The drawback, though, is that the doors do not fully open.
Fuel economy is surprisingly consistent, where there’s not much of a spread between city driving and highway cruising, and so the mild hybrid system does well to shut off the engine upon coasting to a stop while keeping everything powered up, including the steering, if you must maneuver as you come to a stop. Overall, I saw an average of 20 mpg, matching the EPA combined estimate, while the 17-mpg city and 24-mpg highway seem fitting for the real world in my experience. There’s a 19.3-gallon fuel tank that permits a highway cruising range of about 463 miles when filled with recommended premium unleaded fuel.
The Genesis G90 looks the luxury part with a dash of sporty flavor in my Prestige Black trimmed test vehicle. The darkened elements add a nice contrast to the Uyuni White exterior paint with its 21-inch black wheels, glossy black large front grille, and other glossy black trim throughout. A similar theme continues on the inside of the G90 with a lot of dark accents flanked by an abundance of soft-touch surfaces, darkened aluminum trim, dark open-pore wood trim, and color-configurable LED ambient lighting. Genesis did well with the interior, with a very small amount of hard plastic. Even the lower door trim is soft touch, and the headliner is suede.
Seating areas are spacious and comfy, with the front seats getting heating, ventilation, and massaging functions combined with power bolsters and thigh extensions. Sport drive mode automatically pulls in the seat bolsters up front, and there’s the posture system that will move them along with the lumbar support areas during long trips to help prevent fatigue.
On the technology front, Genesis has a decently sized OLED touchscreen and digital gauge cluster that’s configurable for displaying various information and live navigation mapping from your smartphone. The wireless smartphone charging pad is conveniently located just in front of the armrest, and the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto can be done wirelessly. Overall, the system works excellently and has a learning curve that can eventually be mastered after a few days, as there are many menu sets and functions to browse. I do enjoy the redundancy of control for the system and having a dedicated haptic feedback touchscreen panel for the climate controls.
As a full-size luxury sedan, the G90 pulls out most of the expected tricks to keep passengers living in the lap of luxury. You have selectable air scents through the 3-zone climate system, and the rear seats get almost the same treatment as the front with heating, ventilation, massaging functions, power adjustments, and you get power sunshades. Genesis isn’t messing around as the luxury fundamentals that we’ve seen in German competitors find their way into the G90.
Active safety features abound in the G90 as you’d expect, with the highlights being the highway driving assist function that mostly acts as a semi-autonomous driving assistant, provided you keep a hand on the steering wheel so it at least detects a touch, in addition to the 360-degree camera having 3D views and the blind spot view monitor displaying a live video of your blind spot upon signaling.
Genesis keeps things interesting with its pricing, once again, as they undercut competitors with similar equipment. My top-trimmed test vehicle, which includes everything as part of its trim level, comes to the price of $107,895, which includes an inland freight and handling charge of $1,495.
Malcolm Hogan is the founder and editor of Automotive Addicts, a trusted voice in the automotive media world for over two decades. With 20+ years of hands-on experience covering the industry, Malcolm has built a reputation for delivering honest reviews, sharp insights, and in-depth coverage of everything from new car debuts to high-performance test drives. Passionate about the evolving car culture and staying ahead of the curve, Malcolm continues to lead Automotive Addicts as a go-to destination for enthusiasts and industry insiders alike.
