Big enough for an NBA star
Almost everything about the Genesis G90 has been extensively updated for 2020
If you are considering a luxury sedan and don’t give the Genesis G90 a look, you are either prejudiced, misled or uninformed.
The G90 at $89,750 can hold its own against anything.
Yes, Genesis is the upscale division of Hyundai. Yes, it’s built in Korea. But it has no shortage of international credentials. The head of the entire company and its design chief (Peter Schreyer) and chief engineer (Albert Biermann) are German. The four-wheel drive system is Canadian (Magna).
It would look as good in front of Monaco’s Hotel de Paris as it would in a Canadian Tire parking lot.
The G90 has been extensively upgraded for 2020. Virtually all the sheet metal except the doors has been changed.
The major visual differences are the massive new grille and unique 1.5-foot “G-Matrix” aluminum wheels.
This interior is swathed in top-quality quilted Nappa leather.
Gorgeous open-pore wood trim and matte-finished metal controls and accents are other highlights.
The front seat occupants get plush yet supportive thrones, 22-way adjustable for the driver, 16 for shotgun. If you can’t get comfy, you haven’t tried hard enough.
There’s plenty of space for four NBA stars, with room for a mascot in the middle rear seat. Unless the other two occupants fold the centre arm rest to gain access to their own HVAC and radio controls.
Rear-side and back window shades give added privacy.
The Thin Film Transistor LCD instrument cluster features tachometer and coolant temperature on the left, speedo and fuel level on the right.
In between, you can select from a wide range of displays.
The mid-dash 12.3-inch touchscreen is bright and clear.
The commands for the voiceactivated control system for features such as SatNav seem more intuitive than most in my experience.
A set of push buttons and a rotating knob in the centre console allow access to even more functions. The most commonly used ones like sound system and HVAC are replicated with dedicated buttons so you don’t have to page through a dozen screens to find what you’re looking for.
It may take a while to learn all the touching, swiping, scrolling, pinching and zooming gestures, but I found it easier than many of this ilk.
A lovely analog clock sits proudly in the centre of the dash, and provides an educational opportunity for parents to teach their children what “clockwise” means.
The G90 has connectivity covered, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and USB outlets all over the place.
The 5.0-litre naturally aspirated V-8 provides 520 horses and 383 lb.-ft. of torque. That latter value comes in at a high 5,000 r.p.m., but the eightspeed automatic provides enough flexibility that the car never feels undergunned.
Steering wheel shift paddles give G90 owners the opportunity to be a more active participant in the festivities. Or not; it shifts fine by itself. Magna’s contribution is the full-time four-wheel drive system that directs torque to whichever wheels can best utilize it.
It is rear-axle biased to provide what most customers perceive to be sportier handling.
Four drive modes tailor things like throttle response, transmission shift speed, suspension, steering effort and four-wheel drive traction distribution to suit.
“Eco,” “Comfort” and “Sport” settings are self-explanatory; “Custom” lets you select the combination that best suits your driving style.
The five-link front and rear suspensions deliver excellent ride, and a level of handling you might not expect from a large luxury sedan.
The car has all the so-called “safety” systems that customers seem to want.
Personally, I think people should learn how to drive so they can enjoy driving as much as we enthusiasts do.
The no-such-thing-as-ablind-spot warning system is as usual pointless, although market research says people like it.
The G90 adds a camera view in the instrument cluster showing you what’s already visible in the side-view mirror, and adds a redundant level of complexity to that screen.
If you have to rely on the “lane following” system that automatically steers for you, you really should let someone else take the wheel.
It’s not that I hate technology. The overhead camera view makes parking in tight quarters much easier. Rear crosstraffic assist can see things you may not be able to see. The forward collision warning system can spot cyclists and pedestrians, which might not otherwise be visible.
Lead/follow cruise control can be a boon in heavy traffic.
The “Safe Exit Assist” system uses sensors to take a peek behind the car when someone opens a rear door, and sounds a chime if something is approaching.
The “Smart Trunk” enables hands-free operation to ease loading of bulky objects.
But the in-windshield headup display is, as always, just distracting, and draws your eyes away from looking down the road. I shut this off. So should you. On the road, a wide variety of sound deadening and isolating techniques and a rigid body structure contribute to a driving experience that can best be described as “serene.”
Crank up the terrific 900watt 17-speaker Lexicon sound system and waft away.
The dual personality of the G90 is revealed when you select “Sport” mode. Every control responds more adroitly, the exhaust note is more aggressive and the big car turns into quite the athlete.
Again, the idea of an NBA star comes to mind. How do those giants move so fluidly? Complaints? Obviously, not many. The most obvious (and it’s frankly inexcusable) is a shift lever that somebody thinks is better than PRNDL. It isn’t. To select Park in the G90, you have to push a separate button.
My question, as always, is — why?
Sorry; it’s just stupid, and there aren’t many stupid things in this car.
The bottom line is that this car performs, rides and handles as well as more famous luxury-branded cars, which can cost 50 to 100 per cent more.
You must ask yourself: Am I buying a performance car, or am I buying a badge?
Jim Kenzie is a Toronto-based writer and a freelance contributor for the Star.