WASHINGTON — Luxury sedans can be pricey, especially large sedans. Just look at the starting prices of the S Class Mercedes or 7 Series from BMW — both offer a big dose of luxury for a big price tag. But what if you don’t want to spend that kind of money and don’t want to skimp on the luxury?
Luckily, Genesis offers such a luxury car with a price near $71,000 — and that’s with AWD. Genesis is Hyundai’s new luxury brand and the G90 is the top-of-the-line model.
On the inside, there is space and plenty of it.
There is good leg and head room both up front and in the back seat. High-quality also describes the interior, though perhaps it’s not quite the caliber of the S Class Mercedes. Still, the soft Nappa leather seats offer nice quality and comfort.
The 22-way power driver’s seat provides plenty of adjustments to get the seat just right; passenger seats offer 16-way power adjustments. The seats are heated and ventilated up front and are good for all-day driving without feeling fatigued.
The rest of the interior is a pleasant surprise for the price with a leather-wrapped dash and door trim and real wood trim as well. The suede headliner really classes up the inside. The quality of some of the switches and buttons seem a bit less than some rivals, but the large 12.3-inch central screen is so large and easy to use. The Lexicon 17-speaker sound system produces rich sound at low and higher volumes.
The G90 has two engine choices: the usual V8 or a new twin turbo V6, which the test car had. I needed to open the hood to be sure it was a V6 because there is no turbo lag and it acts like a V8 with just a pleasant dose of power at very low rpms.
This large sedan moves easily. You don’t even notice the super smooth 8-speed automatic shifting. Fuel economy for the AWD G90 was 19.5 mpg, just under the 20 mpg but presumably respectable.
The Genesis G90 handles pretty well for a large car, but this is geared to luxury and not sport. It glides and hides bumps very well, and it’s a calm ride.
This is a car that coddles you and seems to drive more relaxed than some other large luxury sedans that offer a sportier ride. There’s a nice color heads-up display that gives speed and other information without being in the way. Plus, the smart cruise control and many of the safety features you expect come standard.
The styling of the G90 may be considered a bit conservative in the large luxury sedan market. Although, like the others in the class, it has the right dimensions in terms of a long hood, long stretched-out body and shorter trunk area, as well as a front grill. The LED headlights add a bit of appeal to the front end.
While it’s not super exciting, the styling does nothing to shame the car. The 19-inch wheels are visually different and I like them. But cleaning them would be a job for your detailer.
The rear end styling seems even more conservative than the front end, but there is a large dual exhaust blending into the bumpers. The paint quality looks polished and deep, and the fit finish is excellent for the price.
The Genesis G90 is a serious large luxury sedan that gives you what you want without the high price of the normal large luxury sedan. With a long warranty, the first three years of scheduled maintenance and a valet service to take care of that maintenance, Genesis is giving you the luxury of time and putting other luxury automakers on notice.
