The 2023 Genesis G90 Is Amazing, But Who Cares?

Genesis frustrates me. As an automaker, it has never produced a bad car, making me question my integrity as I prepare to rave about yet another model. As a brand, though, it has aggressively pursued a strategy that feels plucked from the Nineties. No better example of this phenomenon exists than the all-new, 2023 Genesis G90.

Because it is roundly brilliant. The G90, already stellar in its previous incarnation, is now a near-peer to the Mercedes S-Class in its refinement. It delivers an experience so similar that even the sharpest auto critic sounds a pedant listing them out, forcing one to note things like a barely discernible rear-end jiggle over the harshest bumps. No buyer, friend, or executive would ever notice the gap.

In some ways, the average flagship luxury buyer may prefer the Genesis. Over two days in South Florida, with time split between the driver’s seat and the reclining rear lounge chair, I found the G90’s technology considerably less irritating than what you get in the newest S-Class. Sure, the S-Class has more whiz-bang accouterment, but the Genesis offers the big-ticket stuff and gives you physical buttons to control it.

The car is also more relaxed. The endless chimes and prompts to try new features in the S-Class are replaced by a serene, aloof attitude. There is plenty to explore here, from Smart Parking and semi-autonomous driving to configurable fragrance preferences, but the G90 is quite secure in itself. In normal operation, it behaves like a car, with clever touches like the blind-spot cameras that activate when you engage a blinker enhancing but not dominating the experience.

Even the powertrain conceals its hand. Top-trim models like our $99,795 fully-loaded tester come with a new version of Genesis’ 3.5-liter turbo V-6, this time aided by an electric supercharger. With ten forward gears, the car has a lot to manage, but power delivery is remarkably consistent for a first-generation powertrain. Its only hiccup comes when its auto-stop-start system refires the engine, producing a noticeable jolt. Despite Genesis' suggestions of unparalleled smoothness, a Mercedes inline six refires almost indiscernibly. The G90’s 409 hp and 406 lb-ft of torque also cannot match the absurd outputs of a V-8 BMW or Mercedes, but the Genesis carries itself with the same sophisticated urgency of a proper long-haul mega-sedan. The ride, meanwhile, is simply incredible. A Maybach driver wouldn’t feel any difference until both cars were going triple-digit speeds.

For an older, monied clientele, this simple, competent approach arguably makes more sense than Mercedes’ strategy. But this isn’t a segment defined by sense. That, unfortunately, remains Genesis’ biggest hurdle. Because while the real-life difference between the G90 and its traditional German competitor is small, there’s a much bigger distinction in how they capture the imagination.