Hyundai’s luxury arm, Genesis, launched with the G90 sedan as its flagship. Now that car has entered its second generation, with the 2023 Genesis G90 seeing a full redesign including engine, interior and price revamps. The G90 is now competing with the high-end European offerings in the luxury full-sized sedan market.
At a glance
- New design brings better infotainment and driver assistance tech
- V8 engine is dropped and replaced by two V6 options
- Beautifully-done interior with elements that match competitors’
- Highly competitive offering for the high-end luxury sedan market
The excellent ride quality and comfort of the first-generation G90 remains intact in this new version, but nearly everything else is changed. The 2023 G90 has dropped its V8 powerplant in favor of two V6 options. Technology is also greatly improved at both the infotainment level and on the driver assistance side.
Engine options for the 2023 Genesis G90 are variants of the same 3.5-liter V6. The standard engine is turbocharged to produce 375 horsepower (280 kW) to an eight-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard. Going to the "E-supercharger" trim adds an electric supercharger that pushes power to 409 hp (305 kW). Transmission and AWD remain the same.
The bump in power is noticed mostly during acceleration, where the supercharger lowers the RPM point at which the extra turbocharger power kicks in. The G90’s transmission is well-tuned, however, so even with the standard V6 turbo, there isn’t much lag felt at the low end. We think the added power, while nice, probably isn’t really necessary for most buyers.
The greatest reason to get the E-Supercharger option is the air suspension, which greatly reduces road blip on small bumps and aids in keeping the big sedan level in the turns. It also adds massaging rear seats, and some improvements to the sound system ... and don’t forget the rear-wheel steering system for low-speed maneuverability. Those features are worth considering if you’re looking for the ultra-premium experience. Just be prepared for the ultra-premium price tag as well. The 2023 Genesis G90 quickly goes into the six-figure price range in its E-Supercharger trim.
That price jump is a big addition for the 2023 model year. Being competitive with both high-end Mercedes-Benz and BMW models means that the price point for the G90 also went into those cars’ realm. The G90 starts at about US$90,000 before delivery and quickly gets over $100,000 when opting for the higher trim level.
Standard features make up a pretty long list, however, and include things like Nappa leather, heated and massaging front seats, power soft-closing doors, a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a like-sized infotainment touchscreen, five USB-C ports, the Genesis Digital Key smartphone app, and a 15-speaker Bang and Olufsen audio system.
That’s a lot of gear on top of the already-expected features like LED headlamps, automatic windshield wipers, and so forth. Genesis also includes a head-up display, on-board navigation, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot view monitors, a surround-view camera system, Remote Smart Park Assist, and a host of collision mitigation systems. There’s a lot of gear in a luxury ride like this one.
Our experience with the 2023 Genesis G90 was with the E-Supercharger trim level. This vehicle was easily comparable to a Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the BMW 7 Series. Many of the features and interior design elements of the G90 are directly borrowed from those two German options, in fact. Genesis’ new "Mood Curator" interior experience system, changing lights, seat massage, air fragrance emission, and so forth, is very similar to the Energizing Comfort system found in Mercedes – but with the Kia-like twist of mood music to add to the flavor.
Two flaws in the new G90’s interior mar its otherwise competition-besting design. Both are dials found on the center console. One controls the gears, rotating from Park to Drive as would be expected. Almost right next to that is another dial which offers a way to control the infotainment interface without reaching forward to touch the screen.
Those dials are right next to one another and can be easily confused. More than once there was a "Why am I not going into Reverse?" situation, where we were instead moving a prompt on the infotainment user interface. The command knob for the infotainment UI is confusing in itself as well, requiring seemingly random presses, turns, swipes, and so forth. We just defaulted to leaving the knob alone and touching the screen every time.
That one flaw is the only issue we could find with the new Genesis G90. Drive quality is wonderful, though not as sporty as some competitors like Audi or Cadillac. The G90 is a smooth, confident, and comfortable drive that offers just enough driver input to keep engagement alive. It’s neither floaty nor stiff, riding the point between those two. Maneuverability is also good, especially at lower speeds, thanks to rear-wheel steering. And the highway ride is quiet and luxurious.
Having driven most of the high-end luxury options on the market, we believe that the Genesis G90 now belongs with them as a competitor. In the higher-end market of full-sized luxury sedans, the G90 definitely finds a place on the podium.
Product Page: 2023 Genesis G90