Will creating a separate brand make the world take Hyundai’s luxury efforts seriously?
Lexus, Infiniti and Acura are familiar names and are premium offshoots of Toyota, Nissan and Honda, respectively. Genesis has now been added to that list as a premium offshoot of Hyundai.
Until recently, the Genesis was one of two upper-level Hyundai models and was perched one rung below the Equus. However, the Genesis name has been spun into a separate brand. The previous Genesis car is now called the G80 and the Equus is henceforth called the G90.
The G80 wears the previous Genesis sheetmetal without any noticeable alterations, and the G90 is essentially a stretched version of that. Compared to the outgoing Equus, overall length has been extended by about five centimetres, while there’s an extra 11.5 centimetres between the front and rear wheels. The resulting proportions now seem sufficiently regal for a luxury car, while curb weight has increased only slightly.
Ditching the Equus’s dated shell — which looked a lot like a Mercedes-Benz E-Class from several years past — was a fortunate Type: Four-door, all-wheel-drive full-size luxury sedan. Engines (h.p.): 3.3-litre V-6, twin-turbocharged (365); 5.0-litre V-8 (420). Active safety: Blind-spot warning with cross-traffic alert (std.); active cruise control (std.); emergency braking (std.); pedestrian detection (std.) Fuel economy: L/100 km (city/hwy) 13.7/9.7 (V-6); Base price $84,000
turn of events for the G90. By using the elegant shape of the G80 as a template, the G90’s exceptionally clean looks are wholly appropriate for an upscale ride. The Genesis styling group, headed by designer extraordinaire Peter Schreyer, refers to it as “athletic elegance,” which sort of fits in with the car’s flab-free shape.
Likewise, interior appointments are comparable to those from most mainstream automakers. Exposed surfaces are covered in premium leather along with tasteful touches of wood and aluminum trim. Devout luxury-car shoppers would be hard-pressed to tell the G90 from other pedigreed models.
To create a driving experience that’s equal to its looks, the G90 comes with an adaptive front suspension with electronic dampers that constantly adjust themselves, based on road conditions and driver inputs.
Luxury and performance also go hand in hand in the G90. The starting point is a twin-turbocharged 3.3-litre V-6 that’s standard in the Premium trim. It’s rated at 365 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. Selecting the Ultimate trim gets you a non-turbo 5.0-litre V-8 (a carry-over from the Equus) that makes 420 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. The engines are matched to eight-speed automatic transmissions with paddle shifters that direct power to all four wheels (Yes, AWD comes standard.) The V-6 delivers the best fuel economy at 13.7 l/100 km in the city and 9.7 on the highway, but the V-8 is close at 15.2/10.2 rating.
Where the G90 really stands out is in what you get for the amount you spend. For $84,000, including destination charges, the 3.3T is outfitted with tri-zone climate control, 22-way power driver’s seat, 16-way passenger seat (both heated and ventilated).
The rear seats are heated, there’s a 31-centimetre touch-screen/navigation system, a 17-speaker sound system as well as a power sunroof, trunk lid, side-window and rear sunshades and automatic door closure.
The $87,000 G90 5.0 V-8 adds power adjustable and ventilated rear seats with memory settings and power rearseat head restraints and illuminated vanity mirrors.
Note that both G90 models arrive with numerous active-safety protection, including blind-spot detection and cross-traffic alert, emergency braking and pedestrian detection. As there are currently no actual Genesis stores, interested buyers in major Canadian cities can contact a sales rep through www.genesis.ca to arrange a test drive.
So, is the Genesis G90 ready to compete with other better-known upscale marques? It certainly seems so when basing comparisons of styling, performance and content. And it unquestionably holds up well on price. The one major hurdle facing the G90 has to do with image. The rest of the luxury group has been around for a long time and enjoys a certain standing with buyers who equate brand image with status.
Give Genesis a few years to expand and mature and it too will likely make it into the luxury-ride inner circle.