2025 Genesis G90 Review: Great Value, But That's Not The Whole Story

The 2025 Genesis G90 is big, stately, and serene. For the latest model year, there are a few small changes to the G90, like the addition of wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto on all trim levels, and some extra buttons for controlling the automatic-closing doors (yep, it has those), but it's largely the same as the 2024 version. Keeping it much the same is just fine though — you'll hear no complaints from me about all the positives of carrying over such an excellent luxury sedan. On the outside, it has all the style you could want from a plush four-door and on the inside, it's dressed to match.

Pull up to the ritziest event in your town, and the G90 will feel right at place amongst the largest and most grandiose modes of transportation. Like most other vehicles in the Genesis lineup, the 2025 G90 offers accommodations that out-punch its price class and challenge the status quo amongst competitors. It's not flawless, but the G90 offers an impressive list of standard and optional features, top notch driving dynamics for its class, a very well-equipped cabin, and a competitive price.

There are two main trim levels for the G90, each of which have their own version of the same powertrain. The standard engine is a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6. It produces 375 horsepower and 391 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is standard, as is an 8-speed automatic transmission. MSRP for the base version of the G90 is $90,950 (including $1,250 destination fee). 

If you want the upgraded powertrain, it'll cost you an extra $10,400: the Genesis G90 with the 48-volt E-Supercharger is a total of $101,350 (including a $1,350 destination fee). With the uptick in price, you get an uptick in power, as the E-Supercharger version of the G90 produces 409 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque. It's this version that Genesis dropped off for testing.

Like the standard version, the E-Supercharger trim comes with an 8-speed transmission and all-wheel drive, but it adds rear-wheel steering and adaptive air suspension – upgrades that significantly increase the handling capabilities and ride quality of the G90. It also gets a big bump in terms of standard equipment, which we'll go over later. The G90 E-Supercharger is powerful enough to get up and go in a hurry, but it's not the most powerful vehicle in its class. Sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and the Audi S8, for example, offer significantly more power (although the more-comparably priced A8 is down on power compared to even the standard G90).

Though not the most powerful luxury sedan, the G90 certainly feels quick. Fill your right shoe with lead and the big Genesis heads towards the horizon with real purpose. The E-Supercharger's increase in low-end torque compared to the standard model gives it significant thrust off the line; up long, steep, inclines, it seldom needs to downshift. Speaking of downshifts, the 8-speed automatic shifts quickly and smoothly, even under full-throttle acceleration. If you're caught behind a slow driver, the G90 will happily oblige your desire to pass, and pass with ease.

With its long wheelbase and air suspension, it feels surprisingly buttoned down on a mountain road. Don't get me wrong, it's no canyon carver, but the G90 is totally respectable when the tarmac gets twisty. Body lean is well controlled and the steering is well-weighted, especially when you select the tightened-up Sport drive mode. 

In the smaller G80, the rear-wheel steer caused some strange slow-speed behavior, but in the G90 that behavior was missing. With the G90's long wheelbase (125.2 inches compared to the G80's 118.5-inch wheelbase) and its heavier curb weight, it seems like a much better match for the rear-steer system. Instead of floaty and unsecured, the G90 feels agile for its size. It's easy to maneuver in tight spaces and for the parking spots that you have trouble fitting in yourself, the G90 offers a self-parking system that's relatively easy to use. 

The G90 has four drive modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Chauffeur. Sport is obviously the best suited to cornering, but Chauffeur mode upgrades the ride quality, specifically for rear passengers. In pretty much every one of the available drive modes, the G90 is smooth and composed. The ride is even and undisturbed over the most broken of surfaces and the long wheelbase means you can shrug off speed bumps as you cruise through your local mall. In fact, the G90 E-Supercharger trim's Bump Control preemptively adjusts the air suspension as you approach a speed bump, to reduce the impact in the cabin.

The G90's height is also automatically adjusted depending on the drive mode and road conditions, to improve stability in the corners and comfort on the highway. It never feels floaty or overly soft, nor does it feel too stiff or sporty for its luxury leanings. Forget your local commute, you could drive this thing coast to coast without discomfort. Got a corporate client that wants to be driven around listening to an audiobook about serenity? The back seat of the G90 is the perfect place to do it.

Whether you're in the back seat taking a nap, or up front enjoying the view ahead, the G90 is an excellent place to spend your time. Step in for the first time and you'll feel like you've just boarded a flight, taken a seat in your business-class seat and settled in for a cross-country jaunt from New York to LA. Headroom and legroom in both the front and the rear are expansive and the well-padded seats are highly adjustable – they can be put into pretty much any configuration you choose.

Heated and ventilated front seats are standard, as is a massage function up front. Upgrade to the E-Supercharger trim level and the heated rear seats get upgraded with ventilation and massage, too. The rear seats can be adjusted into full legs-up recline mode, from controls in either the front or the rear of the G90. Nappa leather covers just about every major touchpoint in the G90's cabin, and it's put together with some excellent stitching patterns up and down the seats. There's matte-finish wood panels, microfiber suede on the pillars, and aluminum door sills that all feel high-quality. The G90 doesn't skimp on the details. 

While I'm a big fan of the G90's ride quality and the high bar it sets when it comes to comfort, the interior layout is a different story. Specifically, I'm talking about my interaction with all the buttons, knobs, dials, and screens that define the daily driving experience. There are lots of good physical controls in the G90, most of which have good positive feedback when they're engaged/pressed. Where they're actually located, though, can be confusing.

The climate control interface is mounted relatively low, and uses a confusing mix of buttons and a touchscreen. I'd rather have one or the other instead of both: the mix makes it hard to know what you're selecting without taking your eyes off the road. The G90 is missing the new 27-inch screen that the G80 gets, so that part of the dashboard feels disjointed too: dual 12.3-inch screens are good enough for most interactions with the infotainment interface but, having just spent a week in the G80, they felt a bit down market. 

Hopefully, Genesis will add the big 27-inch screen to the G90 soon. A high point however, is the G90's head-up display. It's extremely clear and easy to see (at least when you aren't wearing polarized sunglasses) and it includes indicators for features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring.

While it does technically have a 48-volt mild hybrid system, the G90's E-Supercharger trim is built for more power, not better efficiency. According to the EPA, the standard version of the G90 will return as high as 21 mpg combined (18 city/26 highway). The more powerful G90 e-Supercharger that I tested is rated at 20 mpg combined (17 city/24 highway). With a good mix of highway, city, and mountain driving, I was able to average around 19 mpg.

How does the competition stack up? Well, the Audi A8 checks in with an EPA estimate of 22 mpg combined (20 city/26 highway), while the base-trim BMW 740i offers an impressive 28 mpg combined (25 city/31 highway). Add all-wheel drive and the BMW drops just slightly to 27 mpg combined. 

Lexus' hybrid LS 500h is a bit further down the line with 25 mpg combined (22 city/29 highway), while non-hybrid Lexus LS models offer similar numbers to the G90. Various trims of the Mercedes-Benz S Class drop slightly below the G90, especially on V8-powered versions. So when you compare it to its rivals, the G90 isn't exactly abysmal, but it's not a stand-out either.

On top of the 3.5-liter engine and all-wheel drive, every G90 comes standard with a list of luxury equipment that puts it in good standing amongst luxury sedans. The aforementioned amenities like heated and ventilated massage seats are, of course, par for the course, as are the various high-quality interior surfaces, wireless smartphone connectivity, and a big panoramic sunroof. Upgrading to the E-Supercharger trim for the extra power is definitely worth the price of entry, especially when you include the power-closing doors, air suspension, rear-seat upgrades, and the switch from a 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen stereo to a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium setup. 

Features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a high-quality 360-degree camera are all standard, too. Unfortunately, the adaptive cruise control is a bit more sensitive than I'd like, taking a bit too much time to recover speed when a car ahead has moved out of the way, and the blind-spot monitoring system still alerts you to a car's presence well after it's moved out of the appropriate zone. 

Cargo space is also a bit limited too, especially considering the competition. The G90 has just 10.6 cubic feet of storage, while the Audi A8 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class offer 12.5 and 12.8 cubic feet, respectively. The practical Lexus LS 500 has an expansive 17.0 cubic feet of space in the trunk.

After a week behind the wheel of the G90, I was sold. Even with a few drawbacks like the disjointed tech interface and the middling fuel economy, the Genesis still represents an excellent value in its class. For several thousand dollars less (in some cases $10,000 to $20,000 less) than comparably-equipped rivals, it provides most of the power and performance shoppers in this segment are looking for, along with all the comfort considerations you could ask for.

More than just a proper value buy, though, the G90 is equipped to go head-to-head with the top choices in its segment. It looks and feels just as premium as it should, with an excellent ride quality and a hushed interior. The upgrade to the E-Supercharger trim level might seem pricey, but it comes with more than enough gear to justify the extra spend. Some competitors have a more expansive set of available powertrains; others have more cargo space, or sportier performance. What you get with the 2025 Genesis G90 is an extremely well-rounded package.