2020 Genesis G90 AWD 3.3T Premium Review - Upstart Luxury

Genesis, Hyundai’s luxury arm, is the new kid on the block. And it’s already fitting in well, if not embarrassing the established players.

Consider a flagship luxury car that’s priced below most of the competition while performing on par and offering the requisite comfort and convenience features. The new kid might just be showing up the regulars.

It starts with the mechanical goodies. The twin-turbo 3.3-liter V6 underhood is more than a little frisky, thanks to 376 lb-ft of thrust and 365 ponies. While one needs to wind the motor to six grand for maximum horsepower, peak torque is available from 1,300 rpm on up to 4,500. That makes it readily available for passing and merging.

As is often the case, selecting Sport mode makes the car a bit responsive to throttle and steering inputs, and the steering gets a little heavier and tighter, while selecting Comfort softens it up. Placed in Sport mode, it’s no sport sedan, but it’s good enough to spice up your commute, at least a little.

The adaptive suspension (with electronic dampers) certainly helps in this regard, although the picture isn’t perfect. While the ride is smooth, just like the engine, there is some body roll in cornering, and a fair amount of float and wallow is present. I found the car was best piloted in the default drive mode, but if you like your luxury ride to be pillow-like, Comfort is there for you, for better and for worse. The G90 is capable of handling relatively well, considering its size and mission, but it is bedeviled by some of the handling flaws that are often apparent in cars of this size.

In other words, it’s a big car, and it drives like one at times. “Float on” isn’t just a hit from early-2000s hipster darlings Modest Mouse, it’s applicable here.

Snow Belters take note – this car had all-wheel drive.

This car is also a looker. It’s undergone a refresh, with the grille being the most noticeable change among a host of styling adjustments. Only the roof and door panels carry over, yet the grille is the most noticeable difference, along with new wheels.

Yes, that new cross-hatched grille, which is shaped sort of like a baseball home plate drawn by a drunk, is big. But it works. The lower part of the fascia is nicely connected, and a strip bisecting each headlamp gives the car an upscale look. A big part of the reason the big grille seems to work is that it punctuates the long hood nicely.

The car is more sedate moving towards the back, giving off an understated luxury vibe.

The interior of my test car was decorated with nice brown leather that looked and felt upscale. An analog clock anchors the minimalist control panel, and the new 12.3-inch infotainment screen is well-integrated under a dash that gently slopes from the driver toward the passenger. The gauges are big and easy to read. There are some new color and trim options, among other subtle changes, thanks to the refresh.

It’s a roomy cockpit, with seats that are all-day comfortable. And it’s quiet.

[Get Genesis G90 pricing here!]

The price is right, too, with the G90 undercutting most other import-luxury flagships. My test unit cost $75K, with no options.

Standard features included forward-collision avoidance, rear cross-traffic collision avoidance, reverse-parking collision avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, blind-spot collision avoidance, highway driving assist, lane-keep and lane-follow assist, 360-degree camera, front and rear parking assist, safe-exit assist (new as part of the refresh), high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, LED lighting, leather seats, push-button start, suede headliner, leather-wrapped dashboard, heated and cooled front seats, heated rear seats, tri-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, head-up display, 19-inch wheels, navigation, premium audio, satellite radio, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, wireless phone charging, sunroof, power door closures, rear sunshades, multiple USB ports, power trunk, and ambient interior lighting.

A long list of features, nary an option box ticked. You could spend a bit more money for the 5.0-liter V8, but the 3.3T six has plenty of thrust.

You do pay a bit of a fuel-mileage penalty – EPA ratings for the V6 are just 17 mpg around town and 25 mpg on the highway, making for 20 mpg combined.

The Genesis struck me as a bit of an old-school luxury sedan, what the Lexus LS was before it went style wild, with slightly better driving dynamics than that car, despite a bit more float than I’d like. Balanced, understated, comfortable. No daring styling attempts, save the grille. Smooth, easy to live with, not so soft on the road (despite the float) to be slapped with the dreaded “old man’s car” label. An effortless highway cruiser that’s nonetheless somewhat engaging around town.

All at a price that makes BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz blush.

Some folks will dismiss Genesis for being a new brand and/or because of its association with Hyundai. That would be a mistake. Hyundai has shown its mainstream models are no longer the butt of jokes, and it’s now showing it can play in the import luxury segment. It’s no dilettante.

The G90 is very good and very well priced. The old-guard luxury set is now on notice.

[Images © 2020 Tim Healey/TTAC]