2023 Genesis G90 Review: Wafting Wildcard

Power doors are cool. I know, I know, I'm meant to be obsessed with horsepower, 0-60 times, and all the usual metrics by which cars are deemed lustworthy. Nonetheless, there's something that appeals to the Transformers-obsessed kid in me about hitting a button on the dashboard and watching the doors automagically shut.

That's not to say the 2023 Genesis G90 only has parking lot tricks going for it, mind. The automaker's largest sedan may not be a spritely BMW-chaser like the G70, and nor has it ousted gasoline like the Electrified G80, but the salubrious lounge-on-wheels remains a reminder that the German luxury stalwarts shouldn't take their pole position for granted.

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The first-generation G90 demonstrated Hyundai's luxe arm could certainly do refinement, and its 2018 facelift proved it wasn't afraid of bold styling, either. For the 2023 G90 it's an opportunity to add some glitter, though not all the magic is saved for those in the rear seats.

Outside, scale meets smoothed lines. The oversized Genesis grille is retained, digging deep into the lower fascia, but its shield-like edges have been softened. It's flanked by whisker-like headlamps — using, the automaker points out, Micro Lens Arrays so as to be super-skinny — that bisect the wheel arches and connect with similar strakes just ahead of the doors.

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Genesis has been whipping up an alloy frenzy in recent years, pushing the envelope with wheel design, and the new G90 is no different. The 21-inch examples here continue the fractal-esque aesthetic and offset the almost gunmetal Savile Silver paint — this G90 3.5T E-Supercharger AWD's sole option, at $575 — beautifully.

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A gracefully curving shoulder line leads back to the reworked rear. Where the old G90 had taillights that flicked up at the ends, the slender, trunk-spanning bars now meet an arching curve that begins all the way from the rear wheels and continues uninterrupted across the trunk lid. It's somehow elegant and classic while still looking fresh.

As we've seen with other Genesis models, a big chunk of the appeal is in the strength of the detailing. Gone are the old door handles, for example, replaced by pop-out versions which improve both looks and aerodynamics.

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The magic trick, of course, is their newfound power operation. Motorized car doors used to be the preserve of only the fanciest Rolls-Royce and similar, but we've seen the technology gradually trickle down to slightly more attainable transportation. Slide into the G90, and buttons in the center console will bring the lengthy doors whirring shut.

Is it a gimmick? Well, a little — though that's not necessarily a bad thing; this is a luxury car we're talking about, after all — but considering just how big, and heavy the G90's doors are, it's actually more practical than you might expect. Unlike in the new BMW i7, however, the G90's doors only power close; there's a button that pops the latch inside, but you're on your own for actually swinging them open.

The other big change for the 2023 model year is what's under the hood. Gone is the 5.0-liter V8 that the G90 used to offer as an option, retired for its profligacy in favor of two flavors of V6. It's not, though, the same 3.3-liter V6 as before.

Instead, it's a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6, good for 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is all-wheel drive and Genesis' electronically controlled suspension with a street-surveying Road Preview camera to preempt unkempt asphalt.

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With the V8 put out to pasture, though, the step-up option is a version of that V6 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, air suspension, and rear-wheel steering. Genesis describes it as an E-Supercharger because it effectively delivers the extra bump in power and torque from the get-go that a traditional supercharger would. The result is 409 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque.

That still falls short of the hefty 516 lb-ft of twist that an Electrified G80 packs, certainly, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. You notice the electric assistance most from a standing start, the G90 whooshing forward with a steady flow of torque. Gearshifts are all but imperceivable, and even in Sport mode, the Genesis' ethos is clearly more about refined long-distance jaunts than finding back roads to hoon around.

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In fact, it's about as close to the feel of a big luxury EV — without actually being a big, luxury EV — that you can imagine. Akin, indeed, to those aforementioned Rolls-Royce: cars which lend themselves so well, in attitude and approach, to going all-electric, you have to imagine that's the not-so-long-term goal.

For now, though, the G90 requires gasoline. It's hardly miserly, either: the EPA says the E-Supercharger engine should get 17 mpg in the city, 24 mpg on the highway or 20 mpg combined; my own, mixed driving, didn't quite hit 19 mpg. Skip the mild hybrid and you actually get better results: 18 mpg in the city or 26 mpg on the highway, Genesis says.

"Big car has big thirst" hardly comes as surprise, though, and it's par for the course when you're talking about high-end transportation. And, make no mistake, while Genesis may not have the heritage of Mercedes or BMW, that's not to say the South Koreans don't know how to build luxury.

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Up front, there's a digital display for the driver, a large 12.3-inch touchscreen — with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support — and a smaller touchscreen for the HVAC. Genesis also gives you a physical scroll wheel for navigating its straightforward UI, along with shortcut buttons for things like media and nav, and toggles for adjusting temperature.

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Nappa leather, matte-finish wood, and tri-zone climate control are standard. So, too, are heated/ventilated front massage seats and heated rear seats; the E-Supercharger version of the G90 throws in ventilated rear massage seats too. You can start the car with a fingerprint sensor, dial up a Bang & Olufsen audio system (the higher-trim car gets an upgraded version with more speakers, and it sounds tremendous), and hit a "Mood Curator" scene depending on if you need to chill out or feel energized.

In the rear, there's a three-seat bench that feels a lot happier as seating for two, with the armrest folding down to reveal an 8-inch touchscreen and seat controls. These control tilt and the pop-up footrest, though taller passengers will still find they can't quite sprawl out like in, say, a Range Rover EWB.

Still, your $100,370 (including destination and paint job) sedan being not quite as profligate as a $164,000 SUV is hardly shameful. Set to Chauffeur mode, and with a conscientious (and quiet) pilot behind the wheel, the G90 is just plain comfortable.

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It feels a little like what Mercedes and BMW were doing with tech a generation ago, and I mean that as a compliment. Genesis hasn't felt the need to plaster every possible surface with screens, or build in more neon lighting than a Berlin nightclub, or generally chase gadgetry for its own sake. The G90 is just a very pleasant, very refined way of moving from A to B, packed with all the active safety tech you'd expect from something breaking into six figures.

Could it be better? Looking beyond how well an all-electric drivetrain would suit this car, I think Genesis could still remove some of the physical controls and not leave the G90 lacking in touchpoints for the essentials. Its graphics and UI are clean but don't feel quite so deep or rich as what some other automakers are producing, while the switchgear is basically what you get in a G80 at half the price.

It also lacks the duality of an S-Class or a 7 Series, their ability to go from waft-machine to something crisper and tauter. The Genesis never really wants to stray too far from its limousine roots, and while that's probably quite alright if you spend most of your time in the back, keener drivers may find themselves wishing for a little more urgency and slightly firmer suspension.

Match the trim and specs, though, and you'll be paying considerably more for the Mercedes or the BMW in order to match the G90's healthy equipment levels. And quite frankly, if you want more of a driver's car, then the G80 — all-electric or otherwise — weighs in there nicely. The 2023 Genesis G90 puts its focus where it really matters when it comes to cosseting, and even with power doors, it's refreshingly gimmick-free.