The 2023 Genesis G90 is shaping up to be something almost outrageous.
Genesis showed off the car’s stunning exterior late last month, eliciting the print equivalent of gasps from the automotive press with its gorgeous lines. Now, the luxury marque of Hyundai has shown off the car’s interior. The response has been largely the same. The photos and specs we have so far reflect the Korean model. Genesis says it will reveal details of the U.S.-bound G90 in early 2022, but we expect it to be very similar.
Sumptuous Features for the Price
The G90 is the flagship of the Genesis line. There’s already a G90 in showrooms today, but Genesis plans an all-new one from the ground up for the 2023 model year.
The 2022 version is a hit with reviewers for its huge list of features for a low price (at least by the standards of a very expensive class). It competes with six-figure flagships like the BMW 7 Series and Audi A8 but starts at $68,350, plus $995 shipping and handling. That’s a value proposition that prompted our test driver to say it “seems too good to be true.”
It’s Mercedes-Benz S-Class luxury for an E-Class price.
For 2023, it gets a better-tailored suit for the outside and a cabin wrapped in more elevated style.
A Sculptor’s Sensibilities
In the rarified air of the super-luxury class, it’s not just the quality of the materials that matter. It’s the artistry with which designers craft them into a car’s cabin. The 2023 G90’s cockpit has a sculptor’s touch.
Angled lines in the quilted leather seats intersect at the center to create a diamond pattern. The driver’s instrument cluster and central touchscreen are contained within one unit like on many other current Hyundai-built cars. But a rib of oxblood-tanned leather through the center of the dash arcs up to shade the driver’s view. Two-tone black and oxblood leather gives the two-spoke steering wheel a lovely look. It echoes the brand’s “two-lines” signature look, found most prominently in the wraparound headlights.
Trim surfaces are inlaid with metal using a traditional Korean technique called sangnam. Genesis says, “The garnish maximizes the sense of luxury by inlaying the Two Lines and the G-matrix pattern onto real metal, ash wood, and forged carbon surfaces.”
Endlessly-Adjustable Seats, Optional Foot Massager
Those seats are constructed of 12 inflatable air cells, allowing passengers to customize their support level and seat shape. With optional extras, they adjust 22 ways and offer a massage function. The G90 comes standard with a rear bench seat and seating for five in all. It hides an 8-inch touchscreen in a center armrest, allowing rear-seat passengers to control climate settings and window shades.
But buyers can replace it with a 4-seat configuration. Those optional rear seats adjust 16 ways and include leg supports and neck pillows. For those who prefer to be chauffeured, the rear seat behind the front passenger can include a foot massager.
High-Tech Features Throughout
High-tech flourishes are everywhere. The G90 starts not at the touch of a button but at the scan of a fingerprint sensor. An available head-up display projects turn-by-turn directions, speed, and other info directly into the driver’s view. An available 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system includes “virtual venue” settings that mimic live music venues.
An optional “mood curator” system adjusts ambient lighting, seats, and even fragrances.
The Korean-spec model comes only with a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 making 380 horsepower, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. Rear-wheel drive is standard, with all-wheel-drive optional.
An adjustable air suspension uses a camera to scan the road ahead and adapt in advance of bumps and potholes. Rear-wheel steering — a first for a Hyundai product — should improve low-speed maneuverability for such a big car.
Genesis says it expects to unveil the U.S.-spec version of the car within the next few months and start delivering it to U.S. dealerships in the second half of 2022.
