The verdict: Comfortable, quiet and supremely luxurious, the redesigned 2023 Genesis G90 is a credible alternative to full-size luxury sedans from established German luxury brands.
Versus the competition: The new G90 has the luxury, comfort and technology of traditional competitors. In a change from its predecessor, it also has their premium pricing, which means the G90 is no longer the value choice it has been.
Even with the rise in popularity of SUVs, full-size sedans still fill the role of flagship model in a luxury brand’s lineup. They’re the models that tend to showcase a brand’s latest design and technology, and that’s what the 2023 G90 is for Genesis.
Related: Updated 2023 Genesis G90: More Customizable and Automated
The 2023 G90 comes in two well-equipped versions, both with all-wheel drive. Our test vehicle was the more expensive of the two, with a starting price around $100,000 (all prices include destination). Compared with the base version that starts around $90,000, additional features on our test car included a 48-volt mild-hybrid system with an electrically driven supercharger, an air suspension, rear-wheel steering, powered rear seats with a massage feature and a Bang & Olufsen 3D premium stereo.
How It Drives
“Serene” is the best word to describe the G90 driving experience. The big sedan floats down the road as the air suspension prevents any undue harshness from reaching the cabin. The suspension lets you know when you’re traveling on rougher roads, as you can feel bumps and utility covers, but it doesn’t let them upset the driving experience. The steering is smooth, though it lacks any type of feedback. While the G90 has the type of substantial feel that’s common among full-size luxury sedans, it doesn’t go overboard like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, which just feels heavy at the expense of nimbleness by comparison.
The G90’s uplevel drivetrain responds with decent power when you floor the accelerator pedal in the car’s Comfort mode. Full-throttle acceleration felt slightly stronger in Sport mode, and transmission kickdowns happen quickly. Accelerator pedal response is more gradual in Eco mode, but unlike some Eco settings, it’s tolerable.
The drivetrain has enough reserve power at highway speeds, but it doesn’t deliver an overwhelming wave of acceleration. The mild-hybrid and supercharged drivetrain features the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine from the base G90, but it’s rated at 409 horsepower and 405 pounds-feet of torque, an increase of 34 hp and 14 pounds-feet of torque. It takes premium fuel and is EPA-rated 17/24/20 mpg city/highway/combined, which is slightly worse than the 18/26/21 mpg estimate for the G90’s base 375-hp, twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6.
The Interior
The G90’s interior is richly finished with standard Nappa leather seating surfaces, matte-wood trim and a suede-style headliner. Fit and finish is impeccable (as you’d expect in a six-figure luxury sedan). The cabin’s few design downsides include silver-colored buttons and controls, which make it harder to decipher their script and icons during the daytime (they’re more legible at night). The touchscreen for the climate-control system was also hard to read when sunlight hit it just right.
The multimedia system has a standard 12.3-inch display that can be operated by touch or a console knob controller. The screen menus are easy to navigate using the console controller and using voice commands to input a navigation destination worked well, but it’s still nice to be able to interact with the system using the touchscreen.
Visibility from the driver’s seat is good, and the standard 360-degree camera system supplements natural visibility with a good view of what’s around you. Unfortunately, the image from the standard head-up display largely disappears if you’re wearing polarized sunglasses.
Backseat accommodations are first-class with available power-adjustable outer seats, media controls and a massage feature. There’s stretch-out space for your legs, and the reclining backrest really enhances passenger comfort. Other convenience features include power sunshades and available rear-seat powder mirrors. While there’s room for three people in the backseat, a large floor hump takes up middle-seat foot space.
G90 in the Market
Without the price advantage previous G90s have had, there’s no reason to cut the 2023 model any slack versus its competitors. Here’s the thing, though: It doesn’t need you to make excuses for it, as it stands on its own merits as an impressive full-size luxury sedan.
What it lacks — the kind of cachet traditional luxury brands have spent decades building — you can’t engineer or design into a car. It’s not something we factor much into our reviews, but we know it’s a real consideration in the market just as it is with other luxury goods. Genesis may not have it now, but if it keeps building vehicles like the G90, it eventually will.
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