Genesis

The Genesis G90 Throws Down The Gauntlet Against German Flagships

Genesis, review

If you haven’t given this Korean marque serious consideration in the past two years, you should adjust your priorities. Genesis is playing with the established manufacturers now.

In the process of rebuilding its entire brand identity and positioning, Genesis is making some seriously good cars. Aiming to steal a piece of the pie German competitors have enjoyed for ages, Genesis is delivering performance luxury models at a price point that’s hard to overlook. Over the past couple years, the Korean lineup has been refreshed, with its sedans and crossovers all getting stunning new designs inside and out.

The driving experiences have been commendable too, with the G70 sedan being my pick versus its BMW M340i and Audi S4 rivals, the big GV80 SUV earning my respect as the leader in its segment, but I haven’t had a chance to evaluate the Genesis G90 flagship. When I tested the all-new Mercedes S-Class last year, I said that the iconic sedan reset the bar, so this big Korean sedan has to make a meaningful impression.

The Important Figures

Genesis ships the G90 with one of two powertrains, starting with a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 (shared with the Genesis GV80 SUV and G80 sedan) with 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque, and an optional 48V mild hybrid upgrade–which Genesis calls an E-Supercharger) to that V6 that increases output to 409 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel-drive is the only drivetrain for the G90.

If one opts for the E-Supercharger model, the interior gets a massive upgrade by adding power reclining and adjustable rear seats, with the one on the passenger side providing a fully-extended lounge chair setup. Interestingly the EPA fuel economy estimates for the E-Supercharged G90 dip one MPG versus the standard turbo V6, at 17/24/20, with the hybrid more focused on better performance rather than increasing efficiency. Something I appreciated about the current generation Acura NSX’s powertrain.

Keeping the options sheet simple, Genesis delivers the G90 with a loaded model that has very few choices for its buyers, leaving the choices down to just the powertrain, paint color, and interior theme. The standard G90 price is $88,400, and the upgraded E-Supercharger model and its seriously upmarket rear cabin bumps up to $98,700. The G90 I tested was the E-Supercharger model, with premium Hallasan Green paint and Glacier White interior, hitting a total MSRP of $100,370 after destination, making it a healthy $20,000 less expensive than a comparably-equipped S-Class.

Sublime Commutes To The Office

Top-class driving is the goal of the Genesis G90, and your trek to the office will be wonderful behind the wheel of this massive sedan. The hybrid’s supplemental power neatly flattens the powerband of the G90’s twin-turbo V6, providing seamless acceleration, whether you’re smoothly gliding along through traffic or trying to blast past slower commuters along a freeway on-ramp.

Steering inputs are feather-light, thanks to electric assistance and the G90’s rear axle steering system, its turning circle is ridiculously tiny and parking this massive four-door is effortless. Big monoblock brake calipers do a great job of providing confident stopping power, and the braking system also adjusts pedal feel based on the drive mode selected.

The G90 E-Supercharger model upgrades to a multi-chamber air suspension that subtly adjusts as you change speeds or driving inputs, with distinct characteristics in each of the G90’s drive modes. Even with 21-inch wheels fitted, the G90’s ride quality is sublime. When I dialed in my custom drive mode setup, I kept the suspension in sport to minimize a hint of floaty behaviors in the chassis, but most luxury buyers will appreciate the comfort mode.

The G90’s cabin design is top-notch, with clearly placed controls for every system, avoiding any use of touchscreens for systems where knobs and buttons are required, and there isn’t a single piece of piano black trim in sight. Genesis installed 12.3-inch screens for both the instrument cluster and the infotainment system, with the latter offering control through your choice of touchscreen or the center armrest-mounted knob. Genesis has a great user interface with great software too, rather than conceding to Apple CarPlay or Android Auto as the primary look and feel. Audiophiles will appreciate the 26-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D system that offers supreme clarity and punch. Genesis has what it calls a Mood Curator in the infotainment system, which plays audio and adjusts the ambient lighting to craft an environment that energizes or calms.

Exquisitely stitched and perforated, the Genesis G90’s seats are heated, ventilated, and massaging for all four main occupants. The middle rear seat doesn’t get such treatment, since it’s an afterthought position that also has a massive armrest that folds into its space. Air chambers in the 18-way adjustable driver and 16-way front passenger seats’ bolsters inflate and deflate accordingly to make your entry and exit more comfortable, while also adjusting in each drive mode to meet your mood.

Entry to the G90 can also utilize a digital key through your iPhone or Apple Watch, neatly unlocking the doors and popping out the power door handles. A tap of the button on either the door handle or center console enables the G90’s power closing doors, and using the one installed on the door again will lightly open each of the four doors, because only peasants open and close their own doors.

Geometric key is very cool.

Legit Luxury When Being Driven

In the back seat of the G90 is where you want to be. While the driving impressions are great in this flagship, the top-class Genesis’ rear cabin encompasses passengers in the sort of opulence found in the Bentley Flying Spur I enjoyed. The G90’s rear doors are much longer than the front, allowing easier transitions into the seats. Power window shades raise for the doors and rear windscreen, offering greater privacy.

When in the standard position, the G90’s rear seats provide a considerable amount of legroom and shoulder space, with power reclining for the setback and bottom that make it even easier to relax on longer drives. Via an 8-inch touchscreen mounted within the center armrest, the rear occupants can adjust their seat’s heating, ventilation, and massaging modes, in addition to the climate and audio controls to ensure optimal comfort levels.

When seated on the right side of the cabin, the upgrades for the G90 E-Supercharger model are truly experienced. This Genesis has an added chauffeur drive mode that optimizes rear passenger comfort by adjusting the suspension accordingly. Offering a massive stretch of reclining and footrest extension, you can fully relax after a long day in the boardroom. The center armrest enables full control over the front passenger seat, to extend space even more, making the chauffeured experience more complete. All that’s missing are a driver and partition.

The Highlights And Tiny Complaints

Details are exceptional around the Genesis G90. With the thinnest headlights fitted in its lineup, and lighting elements that carry the theme along its fenders and tail-end, Genesis gives the G90 a sleek fascia that’s met with a massive pentagonal grille and badge that could easily be mistaken for a Bentley. A designer may have been poached from that English marque. Dimensions and proportions for the G90’s body are obscenely good, giving a stately appearance while still earning plenty of cool points.

Interior appointments continue the effort of supplying equal parts contemporary and finely crafted, with a great ensemble that incorporates Nappa leather, quality stitching, brushed metallic trim, and a mixture of wood and recycled newspapers that resembles forged carbon. Thin metal inlays complete a high-class detail within the door panels, and the steering wheel is designed with the airbag panel and button components to appear more three-dimensional than your typical setup.

As first world problems go, wireless Apple CarPlay didn’t want to stay synced in the G90, so I had to use the cable more often than not. This doesn’t seem so bad at first, but the USB-C ports in the center armrest made my iPhone start to roast within a couple minutes, so it would also have to unplug to cool down, which would make me lose the use of CarPlay.

This Is A Proper Flagship, And It Deserves Respect

Ignore the badge, and accept the fact that Genesis is a player in the luxury game. The G90 is impressively equipped with all the features one demands from this segment, looks fantastic inside and out, and drives exceptionally. While down on power versus the Mercedes S-Class I reviewed, the G90’s powerplant is not exactly slow. Once behind the wheel, you’ll see that it’s more than enough power to effectively deliver to your destination.

At a savings of tens of thousands of your hard-earned dollars against the established German players, you’d be foolish to overlook this Korean executive sedan. The Genesis G90 is a massive success at delivering a legit flagship, and your pride in being a brand snob needs to be swallowed immediately.

The Genesis G70 Crashes The Sport Sedan Party

Genesis, review

The soirée for a bunch of German saloons was just shown up by one good Korean.

In a not so quiet manner, Genesis has rebuilt its brand identity, placing some well-established German marques in its sights. With each Genesis model I’ve reviewed over the past two years, there’s been an immediate enjoyment with a sleek exterior design met with a stunning cabin, and some exceptional driving impressions to boot. To attempt to sway the buyers of BMW, Audi, and Mercedes, Genesis is not just using its great looks and features to accomplish the task, but the price points for its models are catching attention too.

In the smaller premium sport sedan class, the Audi S4, BMW M340i, and Mercedes-AMG C43 have long-enjoyed the established base of drivers who want those models, and Genesis wants a slice of the pie. With the 2022 G70, Genesis freshened its looks inside and out to get up to speed with the rest of the lineup, and wants to inform the enthusiast driver that plenty of fun can be had behind the wheel too. Having tested several Genesis models and the competition it wants to grab market share from, I wanted to see if the Genesis G70 was a worthy adversary.

The Important Figures

Genesis offers the G70 sedan with two different engines, including a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder and the upgrade to a 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6. The 2.0T produces a respectable 252 horsepower and 268 lb-ft of torque, and the 3.3T cranks out 365 horsepower and 376 lb-ft of torque. Rear-wheel-drive is standard, and all-wheel-drive is optional. The Audi S4 is the only rival which has less peak horsepower (349) than the top-level G70, with the BMW M340i and AMG C43 both producing over 380. The Audi and AMG offerings both come standard with all-wheel-drive, and the BMW M340i has rear-wheel-drive standard with all-wheel-drive optional.

An 8-speed automatic is the only transmission offering in the G70, with shift-by-wire and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. For those who want to impress at the stoplight, the 4-cylinder G70 will scoot from 0-60 in around 6 seconds, and the V6 turbo with AWD can complete that task in as little as 4.5 seconds (4.8 with RWD) with the Sport Prestige package that adds a limited-slip differential, keeping it within inches of its competition at the end of a sprint. The Genesis G70 measures 184 inches of overall length, 72 inches wide, and 55 inches tall, with a 111-inch wheelbase, making it similarly sized next to its German rivals.

Genesis is smart with packaging its options, allowing for easy selections of two different packs. One (Sport Advanced, $4,300) focuses on cool features and amenities, and the other (Sport Prestige, $4,000) adds premium materials for the interior, but the upgrades to the G70’s brakes, limited-slip differential, and electric adaptive suspension are the more appealing ones. Opting for all-wheel-drive adds about $2,000 to the sticker too.

Base price for the Genesis G70 starts at $37,775 for the 2.0T with rear-wheel-drive, and the 3.3T bumps up to $42,350. The G70 tester I was sent was equipped with the 3.3-liter engine, rear-wheel-drive, and ticked both of the package option boxes to ring up a total price of $51,445 after destination. That figure is massively attractive against the G70’s foes. The S4 starts at $51,000, the M340i begins at $54,000, the C43’s base price is $60,000, with those numbers increasing significantly as option boxes get ticked.

Upgrading Your Commute

Spending hours a day commuting isn’t wonderful, but if you’ve got to waste time in traffic, the Genesis G70 is a nice place to be. Others on the road definitely give the redesigned 2022 Genesis G70 plenty of approving second looks, especially as that massive black chrome grille and split LED lights both front and rear catch a glimpse. Genesis delicately balances itself as a bargain performance luxury brand, and the G70 nicely executes an added hint of style versus its German counterparts. I definitely find it the more attractive option next to the S4, M340i, and C43.

Response from the twin-turbo V6 is nicely responsive in the comfort drive mode, and shifts from the 8-speed automatic are smooth. Go easy on the throttle to best hit the EPA fuel economy estimates of 18/27/21, because I barely hit 17 MPGs during my week-long test with this Genesis that may have involved a hint more spirited driving. The G70’s upgraded adaptive suspension is a fantastic job of minimizing any bumps in the road surface, yet still offers good response when having a hint of fun on any detours between home and the office. Steering feel is just heavy enough, without requiring too much elbow grease at city intersections.

The G70’s cabin is nicely appointed, especially with the upgraded Nappa leather ventilated seats wrapped around you. I love the quilted stitching pattern utilizing red contrasting over the soft black leather that adorns the cabin, and appreciate just enough brushed metallic trim pieces completing a sporty yet refied look. Thankfully there isn’t a single bit of piano black trim inside the G70’s cockpit either. There’s a bit of plastic used for key touch points in this entry-level Genesis, with climate knobs that are closer to Hyundai quality than other Genesis models, but the placement and controls are all intuitive.

Occupants both front and rear will enjoy a cabin that’s more spacious than it appears, with adults having enough legroom for a drive to dinner. Genesis has a smart pair of buttons on the inside shoulder bolster that allows the right rear passenger to adjust the recline and depth of the front passenger seat, in case they need additional space (something I’ve noticed in every new Genesis I’ve reviewed). Storage capacity is big too, with a passthrough and folding rear seats to improve space and access. Tech is plentiful in the Genesis G70, with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. I like that the G70’s instrument cluster that utilizes a digital screen for the center and right third, with the latter switching to a side view camera display when indicating a lane change.

I appreciate how Genesis groups together its option packages. The Sport Advanced package adds parking sensors, cool 19-inch wheels, a sportier trim inside the cabin, ventilated front seats, a bigger sunroof, wireless mobile device charging, a dark chrome grille, variable exhaust, power seat bolster and cushion extender, the Genesis digital key, and a Lexicon 15-speaker premium audio system that has loads of tone where it matters.

Surprisingly Good Performance

Enjoying a weekend sprint along a canyon road is something the Genesis G70 is surprisingly good at. To contend with its German competitors, the G70 packages together an exceptionally sharp handling dynamics. I was stunned with how composed the G70’s chassis was during more spirited driving. The 4-cylinder will probably provide enough power for the average driver, and can save several thousand dollars, but the V6 is the engine an enthusiast wants. Boost spools up more effectively when you smoothly apply the throttle, and displays a hint more lag when the driver smashes the go pedal, so be smart with your inputs to have the most fun.

In its sport or sport+ drive modes, the G70 noticeably changes its personality, wanting to pounce the curves and unleash its fantastic powerplant. The driver aids noticeably relax their desire to step in when in sport+ too, so you better be on your game if you’re trying to flog the G70 in this mode. Upshifts wait a bit longer than the comfort mode, allowing the engine to rev more freely, but the shift logic when needing to bounce up and down does exhibit a slight delay, so I employed the manual shifts for optimal fun.

The Genesis G70’s adaptive dampers firm up pleasantly in the two sportier modes, without being too rigid. I found that my happy custom drive mode put them in the simple sport setting, and the same went for the steering, which felt over-boosted in the sport+ setup, but I definitely enabled the powertrain’s abilities. Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are wrapped around 19-inch wheels, providing confidence in the bends and plenty of heat allowed into the compounds before they want to break traction. If you’re in a region that experiences snowfall, dropping $2,000 on all-wheel-drive will help you better cope with the winter conditions, but I like the G70’s rear-wheel-drive setup that allows the tail-end a hint more rotation and requires a bit more steering skill from the driver. Taking some weight off the front axles is something I prefer too.

The driver who cares about having a blast on a twisty road should spend the extra $4,000 on the G70’s Sport Prestige Package that adds bigger Brembo brakes with monoblock calipers, a limited-slip differential, and an adaptive suspension. The Brembo brakes are fantastic on longer runs along winding back roads, allowing harder inputs with great feel and feedback. Opting for the $4,300 Sport Advanced package also includes a variable valve exhaust system while upgrading a bunch of tech and amenities, but I have to offer a little gripe about the big oval-shaped openings in either side of the bumper being fake while concealing two smaller exhaust tips.

A Fantastic Alternative To The Usual German Sedan Selection

As Genesis has finished refreshing its entire lineup, the G70 is a fantastic upgrade to an already good sport sedan. Now boasting the same good looks as its siblings, the Genesis G70 is a stunner with proportions that I love. Not just possessing a body and cabin that are easy on the eyes, the Genesis G70 is a wonderful sport sedan that offers a fantastically balanced chassis paired with a potent engine.

This Korean manufacturer picks a fight with German contenders that have held onto their title belts for a little too long, and will please those who bet on the underdog that exhibits shockingly good performance at a bargain price. Against the Audi S4, BMW M340i, and Mercedes-AMG C43, the Genesis is easily my favorite to drive along a twisty road, look at, and enjoy knowing how much cash it saves those who choose to stick it in their garage.