GENESIS G90 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Hyundai introduced the first refresh for the Genesis G90 range in 2021, three years since the model's introduction on the U.S. market, and that change affected the exterior, the cabin, and the drivetrain.

Genesis G90 was the flagship model of the Korean carmaker, which was the upscale brand for the Hyundai-Kia group. It offered the most luxurious ride for its customers, but it had to go through a facelift process every three years, just like its siblings.

We might say that the 2022 model year, introduced in late 2021, represented the most important refresh for the luxurious model. Its headlights were completely changed, not just reshaped. Instead of one headlamp, it featured two thin LED lines divided by a horizontal slat. At the front, the grille kept the diamond shape, but the lower bumper received bigger air intakes. On the sides, the same sculptured line started from the front fenders and ran across the bodywork towards the rear, in a sloped curve ended at the taillights.

Inside, the carmaker offered a choice of five combinations for the Korean domestic market: Obsidian Black/Mono-Tone, Bordeaux Brown/Obsidian Black Two-Tone, Glacier White/Urban Brown Two-Tone, Modern Gray/Galaxy Black Two-Tone, and Dune Beige/Velvet Burgundy Two-Tone. Furthermore, the dashboard received a completely new design with a full-digital instrument panel and a second display integrated above the center stack. In addition, a dial replaced the gear selector on the center console.

While the exterior and the interior went through an extensive workout, the drivetrain was shrunk to just one engine option, a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 powerplant paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission that sent the power to the rear or in all corners.

The Korean automaker improved its flagship model, the G90 sedan, and unveiled it at the 2019 Los Angeles Auto Show, proving that a luxurious car might be less expensive than its competition.

Hyundai launched the Genesis brand in 2015, and a year later, it unveiled the G90 at the North American International Auto Show. But that was not enough to keep customers happy. As a result, in 2019, it refreshed the entire lineup, and everything else was changed besides the roof and the doors. Even if the engine specs remained the same for the refreshed version, the 2020 G90 got important upgrades inside and outside, including a new design language.

One of the most significant changes of the car was noticed on the front fascia, which featured a broad, diamond-shaped grille with a crossed-wire mesh on it. There were also new LED quad headlights. Their design impressed and formed a unique signature light design pattern. On the lower side of the bumper, the automaker added chromed trims and a second air intake that enlarged the cooling area.

Unlike other carmakers, when Genesis refreshed the G90, it made so many changes that the car could’ve been considered a new model, even though it wasn’t. It was built on the same platform and with the same engines, but the front and rear fenders, the hood, the trunk lid, and the bumpers were new. From its profile, the 2020 G90 revealed a set of vents on the front fenders and a unique design for the light-alloy wheels, featuring a diamond pattern mesh. Finally, at the back, the taillights echoed the quad-system used for the headlights and a red light stripe that crossed the car from side to side over the trunk’s lid.

Genesis didn’t dramatically upgrade the G90’s interior when it created the facelifted version for it. Fronting the driver were the same chromed elements and wood panels. Still, the buttons and switches were improved and looked better than on the 2017 model-year G90. Another essential upgrade was for the infotainment unit, which received a touchscreen instead of the regular display previously used on the G90, but the controller still resembled the i-Drive unit from BMW, with a rotary dial and a few buttons around it. The leather-wrapped interior provided enough comfort for all passengers, with heated seats for the front and rear outboard occupants.

Genesis offered the G30 with a choice of two engines and two drivetrains. While a 3,3-liter V6 powered the base version, the upper model featured a 5.0-liter V8. Both versions sent their power to either rear wheels or in all corners, depending on the version. The all-wheel independent suspension and the improved safety systems made the G90 a much better car than before. Furthermore, Genesis also added a few brackets underneath the vehicle to improve safety and the bodywork’s structure.

In a world where luxury sedans were offered by a well-established list of car manufacturers, a newly founded company unveiled the G90 to the public. Well… not an entirely new company, as the Genesis was part of Hyundai before branching off.

While some might have been reticent to the idea of a luxury sedan produced by a non-European brand, the G90 offered luxurious features that other rivals would not have offered under $100,000.

Starting with the exterior design that made the G90 stand out in the crowd and continuing with a beautifully designed interior, the G90 checked almost all of the boxes of a customer looking for luxury.

The large sedan offered seating for give and was given with a choice of two engines: a V6 or a V8, with rear or all-wheel-drive.

The 3.3T Premium trim level came with a 3.3-liter V6 engine that cranked out 365 hp, while the 5.0 Ultimate top-of-the-range trim obviously offered a 5.0-liter engine that boaster 420 hp.

Both engines were mated with an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The base model came with 19-inch alloys, adaptive automatic xenon headlights, LED running lights, heated and power-folding side mirrors, soft-close doors, power trunklid (opened if one stood next to it for 3 seconds), adaptive suspension, adaptive cruise control, keyless entry and keyless go.

The 5.0 Ultimate added power seats, ventilated seats and memory functions.

Luxurious features inside the cabin included leather upholstery, head-up display, wood interior trim, ambient lighting, power sunshades for the rear windows, Bluetooth connectivity, a navigation system with voice control and real-time traffic, as well as a premium surround-sound system.

Even if the G90 was a large sedan, the storage space was not as you would have expected, as the main focus was the passengers’ comfort and interior elegance.