- Bold grille adds presence
- Plenty of comfort in rear seating
- V8 power with rear- or all-wheel drive
- Pricing starts at $75,695
After its launch earlier this year, we decided it was time to check back in with the 2020 Genesis G90 to see how this redesign is holding up and get a flavor for what it’s like to cruise around in the top trim 5.0L Ultimate model with its V8 engine.
The bolder grille and subtle reworking of the sheetmetal give the G90 plenty of presence. But what stands out most about this car is its old school approach to luxury, which is, in its own way, a very good thing. In the luxury market, in particular, makers are enamored by digital tech with huge screens for both instrument cluster and center infotainment. Not so with the G90, which, while it has plenty of digital goodies, sticks analog readouts, and more buttons and knobs for controls that capacitive touch surfaces.
Cossetting craftsmanship
This approach extends beyond the dashboard into the cabin environs. There’s plenty of wood accents and brightwork you’d expect in a top tier luxury car, but also the quality of the materials in the rich Nappa leather upholstery, plush carpeting, and other soft-touch surfaces ooze with opulence. Equipped with an executive rear seating package, the 4-passenger G90 offers first-class comfort for those who enjoy being driven rather than driving.
A larger console divides the two reclining rear seats. It contains controls for the climate, infotainment, and seat adjustment. Screens, including a rear power shade, add a level of privacy. The right side seat also has controls to move the front bucket forward for maximum legroom.
Driving comfort
The Genesis G90 comes with a base 3.3-liter turbocharged engine that makes 365 horsepower. However, the price walk to the 5.0L Ultimate of $2,500 for the 420 horsepower V8 is well worth the extra outlay. With 420 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque, the V8 seamlessly delivers its output to the rear axle through an 8-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is another $3,500, but unless you live in the Snow Belt, the rear-drive layout works just fine.
While the ride is comfortable and controlled, there is a Sport mode that dials up slightly tauter settings and quicker shifts from the transmission to go along with sharper throttle response. The G90 is not a sport sedan by any means, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hustle this full-size 4-door down the road with a certain amount of aplomb.
The bottom line
Even all in with a 5.0L Ultimate and AWD, it’s hard to break $80,000. To get the same level of equipment, you’d pay almost $10,000 more a comparable V8 BMW 7 Series or Mercedes-Benz S Class. And that’s before you factor in the 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper and the 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty. You also get free maintenance and concierge pickup and delivery of your car for service appointments. With the G90 5.0L Ultimate, Genesis extends the idea of the lap of luxury to outside the car.
