2023 Genesis G90 Races 1994 Hyundai Excel in Reverse, Then Drags a Lexus LS 500h

The same can be said about Hyundai, which entered the U.S. market in 1986 with the Excel. The 1994 model in the featured clip is a second-generation Excel with a fuel-injected engine that puts out a rather uninspiring 81 horsepower, exactly what you would expect from a relatively affordable hatchback. On the other hand, the all-new Genesis G90 produces 409 horsepower and 405 pound-foot (550 Nm).

This latest episode of Icons with Jason Cammisa pits the lowly Excel against the G90, but with a twist. As the headline implies, the Genesis drag races the little Hyundai in reverse, winning the quarter-mile sprint in 18 seconds at 66 miles per hour (106 kph). With two people onboard, namely Cammisa and Randy Pobst, the Excel needed 19.8 seconds.

Not bad for a luxobarge that weighs approximately 5,200 pounds (2,359 kilograms). The question is, can the G90 hold its own against the Lexus LS 500h? From a technical standpoint, it should be a given that it features an e-supercharger with 48-volt assistance and a force-fed V6 engine.

It also flaunts a torque-converter automatic, whereas the golden standard from Japan features a four-speed automatic and a continuously variable transmission to create a 10-speed unit. Total system output is officially rated at 354 horsepower and 369 pound-foot (500 Nm) of torque. Obviously enough, the G90 makes easy work of the LS in the quarter mile, although both of them are rendered slow by the GV60.

Twinned with the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6, the GV60 is the most luxurious vehicle based on the E-GMP vehicle architecture thus far. In a previous episode of Cammisa Drag Race Replay, it held its own against a Z51-equipped Chevrolet Corvette Stingray from the previous generation, which is no slouch. Both of them crossed the line in 12.3 seconds.