Toppling the establishment, the Genesis G90 is a dagger straight into the heart of the European elites
The full-size sedan segment always had a sense of antiquity to it. Conservative, baroque, stately, whatever one wishes to call it, it doesn’t set aside the fact that full length sedans have been the conservative in the group. Utterly classy, each sedan has had an established name for decades. An uncanny personification of the “old money” colloquialism, the segment has an aura reminiscent of any 19th century robber baron. For the better of course.
Until now. The Genesis G90 is the new kid on the block. Like a Gen-Zer showing up at the Vanderbilt family reunion. Formerly a segment dominated by Europeans— the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, the BMW 7-Series, now has some fish to fry, or so they thought. The G90 immediately made a splash on the scene, and quite frankly on us. How does a vehicle from a brand that creates the Elantra muster up the guns to hold the line? A recalcitrant attitude and a whole lot of guts.
Let The Heads Roll
It’s always been David vs Goliath. Genesis was well aware of what they were getting into. While others have tried, Lincoln’s Continental has only a shred of the market share as the big dogs. Even Genesis’s parent company’s brethren— Kia has retired its full-size flagship, the K900 as of 2021. Despite a shift to SUVs and their luxury variants, entrants into the segment are quickly popping up with even younger newcomer Lucid releasing their take on the class with the Air.
While the segment isn’t stagnant, it’s very much dominated by a small group of luxury castes. Mercedes, BMW, and Audi all have major skin in the game, throw in boutique players like the Bentley Flying Spur and the barriers to entry get even steeper. Genesis, even after being launched as an ornate spin-off of Hyundai, has a wary atmosphere around the nameplate. Yet, the company has managed to release two competitors into the segment, the G90 and the smaller G80.
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The G90 is a direct middle finger to the well-ascertained upper echelon. Going against traditional ideals in exchange for newer, bolder principles, the G90 attempts to redefine what it means to be a full-size sedan. Taking a French Revolutionist approach we can almost hear the car on start-up scream to us, “let the heads roll”.
Redefining the Segment
A twin-turbo V6 is potent in any car, but is prevalent here. While it may not be the biggest engine in its class, it plays the role its given to the best of its abilities being quiet yet more than powerful to row this cruise ship around. The G90 offers two engine choices to its consumers, both being the aforementioned double turbo six-cylinders. A standard 3.5 L V6 is the primary option, with a healthy 375 horsepower to propel the G90. For the niche crowd, Genesis also offers a 409-horsepower variant of the standard V6, but this time with an electric supercharger tacked onto it to give it the extra umph.
Despite competitors offering V8 models, the G90 shuns the idea. Genesis nixed the 5.0 L V8 after the 2022 model year, the company decided to offer the vehicle with an electrified force induction system paired with the traditional twin-turbo V6, making it essentially twin-charged and a unique example in its market.
We’d recommend the G90 with the electric add-on, adding some poot to an already hefty vehicle never hurts, and the extra 24 horsepower pushes the Genesis from nought to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. Not bad for a car weighing 5,156 lbs. The only downside of opting for the upgraded powertrain is the plight of its fuel economy numbers— 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway, a downgrade from the standard engine’s 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. The relatively minimal difference in numbers plays a huge role in the G90’s status on our rankings, not being penalized too much for adequately buffing up the powertrain is a huge plus mark in anyone’s car book.
The G90 might lack in power relative to other full-size sedans, such as the Audi S8’s 563-hp twin turbo V8, but that doesn’t really matter in this segment. Consumers want a frill-filled experience and don’t expect the horsepower or handling of a sports car. For most vehicles in this sector, the juxtaposition of being the driver and the driven is vast and apparent, with most of the emphasis being honed in on the latter.
The Silence is Deafening
Despite a beefy power plant underneath the hood, the G90 is quieter than a mouse on Christmas Eve. An assassin on the established elites, the G90 comes out of nowhere in order to take them down. The cabin receives a massive overhaul just like the 2023’s exterior. In order to boost the Genesis’ competitiveness against BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the interior receives a full nappa leather treatment emulating the likes of Maybach and Alpina with a slashed MSRP. The seats as we noted are luxurious and more than comfortable to sit in for long periods of time.
Passenger room in both the front and the aft is roomy, reminding us of something from the Millenium Falcon or the flying cruise ship from Wall-E. Our editor said cut it out with the movie references but, we don’t really care. The silence from inside the G90 is on another level. On start up, a welcome song from the gauge cluster welcomes the driver, or the chauffeur, more in line with the purpose of the vehicle, then gives way as one drives to more of a solemn beat throughout the drive. When on the road, not much can be heard over the soft whine of the electric supercharger and the gentle rumble of the road. Not in a derogatory way, but the kind that lulls you to sleep after a 30-minute drive.
While you fight sheep in the front seat, the passenger achieves royalty-level status in the rear, with an experience rivaling those of much pricier competitors. The nappa leather extends its way into the back, lining the cushions with luxurious materials. If you’d have covered the logo, we’d have mistaken the interior for a Rolls-Royce. Filled with a deep array of features, the G90 keeps making massive strides in the right direction in order to be revered as a luxury brand that can compete with the big dogs. A Bang and Olufson sound system, a “Mood Curator” lighting system, front and rear massaging seats, and attention to detail so precise that the blindspot monitor only sounds off through the driver’s headrest speaker. Now no one will know you didn’t see the Tahoe coming in your C-pillar. All of these fuse together to create an interior that no passenger will ever forget. With its likeness being portrayed even on the big screen in movies like Uncharted, it’s safe to say the car is gaining some serious traction in its space.
The Verdict
At a starting MSRP of $89,495 for the normal powertrain and $99,795 for our preferred E-Supercharged version, it’s hard to overlook the massive value proposition the G90 offers. Undercutting magnates such as the S580 starting at around $117,000 and the Audi S8 at $118,595, the G90 poses a serious threat to their large market share. The Genesis G90 is a value luxury full-size sedan without any compromises, notching its place in our Best of 2022 list.
